Supermarket shopping is about as close as most humans get to hunting and gathering these days, but stalking bargains in the crisps aisle is hardly the caveman experience. Courier apps reduce the exertion required to eat and survive even further. And we’re suffering for it.
“That loss of activity has enormous effect on every aspect of our body and our minds,” Dr Daniel E. Lieberman, the renowned expert on the evolution of physical activity, told Steven Bartlett on The Diary of a CEO podcast (available now).
It’s hardly our fault. “I wouldn’t call it lazy but we’re evolved to take it easy, to rest whenever possible,” he said.
Indeed, added Bartlett: “Everything in our lives is optimised for convenience and ease”. This has created a “comfort crisis”. As a non-exec director in ‘add water to powder for a whole meal’ company Huel, he should know.
The result? Sure, we’re living longer than our ancestors, but we’re encountering all sorts of ailments. We should exercise more and avoid sugary foods, was the key takeaway.
Lieberman was incredibly motivating, and as a self-described “weedy guy” was more relatable than some steroid-raging beefcake. His myth-busting was genuinely surprising – no, we don’t need eight hours’ sleep, and sitting all day is no biggie if we get up occasionally.
Despite his exhaustive academic credentials, he kept things easy to follow and practical. I was itching to leap from the sofa and lift more than a finger for the whole 90-minute duration.
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