In industrialized nations， our sedentary lifestyles have contributed to skyrocketing rates of obesity and diseases like diabetes。 A key remedy， we are told， is exercise - voluntary physical activity for the sake of health。 However， most of us struggle to stay fit， and our attitudes to exercise are plagued by misconceptions， finger-pointing and anxiety。

But， as Daniel Lieberman shows in Exercised ， the first book of its kind by a leading scientific expert， we never evolved to exercise。 We are hardwired for moderate exertion throughout each day， not triathlons or treadmills。 Drawing on over a decade of high-level scientific research and eye-opening insights from evolutionary biology and anthropology， Lieberman explains precisely how exercise can promote health; debunks persistent myths about sitting， speed， strength and endurance; and points the way towards more enjoyable and physically active living in the modern world。