The Exercise Paradox: Why We're Born to Rest and Built to Move

Join us for a fascinating deep dive into the evolutionary science of physical activity, rest, and health, based on Daniel Lieberman's groundbreaking book, Exercised. If you've ever felt guilty for skipping the gym or taking the elevator, this episode will reassure you that avoiding unnecessary exertion is a deeply ingrained, completely normal human instinct.

In this episode, we explore how the very concept of "exercise"—voluntary physical activity undertaken purely for the sake of health and fitness—is actually a bizarre, modern phenomenon. For millions of years, our hunter-gatherer ancestors expended energy only when it was strictly necessary for survival, such as hunting and gathering, or for rewarding social reasons like playing and dancing. ...