Daniel E. Lieberman

By the time they got to their 60s and 70s, the alumni who were exercising more had 50% lower death rates. So as you get older, and this has been replicated again many times, but what he showed was that as you get older, exercise becomes more, not less important for maintaining your health.

By the time they got to their 60s and 70s, the alumni who were exercising more had 50% lower death rates. So as you get older, and this has been replicated again many times, but what he showed was that as you get older, exercise becomes more, not less important for maintaining your health.

yeah look we have this expression in my field which is that genes load the gun environment pulls the trigger right some of us have genetic predispositions towards being you know more likely to get diabetes or heart disease or this or that or the other but our great great great grandparents in different environments weren't getting these diseases or they were getting them at much much much lower frequencies it's not because they were dying earlier it's because these diseases were less common

yeah look we have this expression in my field which is that genes load the gun environment pulls the trigger right some of us have genetic predispositions towards being you know more likely to get diabetes or heart disease or this or that or the other but our great great great grandparents in different environments weren't getting these diseases or they were getting them at much much much lower frequencies it's not because they were dying earlier it's because these diseases were less common

So I think we too often blame our genes for many of these diseases, many of these health problems. And I'm not in any way denying the role of genetics, but that environment is way more important. And we have control over our environment to some extent.

So I think we too often blame our genes for many of these diseases, many of these health problems. And I'm not in any way denying the role of genetics, but that environment is way more important. And we have control over our environment to some extent.

And so if you want to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, reduce your risk of diabetes, reduce your risk of Alzheimer's, dementia, exercise isn't a magic bullet. It's not going to prevent you from getting those diseases completely, but it lowers your risk quite substantially. And we know why, too. I mean, we have an immense amount of data on why that's the case.

And so if you want to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, reduce your risk of diabetes, reduce your risk of Alzheimer's, dementia, exercise isn't a magic bullet. It's not going to prevent you from getting those diseases completely, but it lowers your risk quite substantially. And we know why, too. I mean, we have an immense amount of data on why that's the case.

For every single one of these diseases, we understand the mechanisms by which physical activity has important mechanistic effects on these diseases. So there's epidemiological data, there's mechanistic data, there's personal data. The problem is that it's hard to do, right? It takes willpower to overcome... the inertia of doing what's completely normal, which is wanting to take it easy.

For every single one of these diseases, we understand the mechanisms by which physical activity has important mechanistic effects on these diseases. So there's epidemiological data, there's mechanistic data, there's personal data. The problem is that it's hard to do, right? It takes willpower to overcome... the inertia of doing what's completely normal, which is wanting to take it easy.

I just flew yesterday from Denver to Boston. And in the airport, you know, there are these escalators right next to the stairway, right? And the escalator and the stair, it wasn't a huge stairway. Everybody's lining up to take the escalator and like the stairs are totally free. So I, being me, of course I can't, I'm not allowed to take the escalator unless, you know, I have to, right?

I just flew yesterday from Denver to Boston. And in the airport, you know, there are these escalators right next to the stairway, right? And the escalator and the stair, it wasn't a huge stairway. Everybody's lining up to take the escalator and like the stairs are totally free. So I, being me, of course I can't, I'm not allowed to take the escalator unless, you know, I have to, right?

So I ran up the stairs, but those people taking the escalator, there's nothing wrong with them. They're not lazy. It's just an instinct, right? It's an instinct to take it easy when you can, right? And we now live in a world where everybody can do that, right? Because we have escalators and lifts and cars and shopping carts and all these wonderful devices.

So I ran up the stairs, but those people taking the escalator, there's nothing wrong with them. They're not lazy. It's just an instinct, right? It's an instinct to take it easy when you can, right? And we now live in a world where everybody can do that, right? Because we have escalators and lifts and cars and shopping carts and all these wonderful devices.

to make our lives easier and now you have to overcome this fundamental basic instinct to take it easy in order to be physically active and that's basically what exercise is and so and and furthermore if you're out of if you're unfit and you're not really you know exercising isn't any fun right it's it's it's it's unpleasant you you know you sweat you get hot and you get cranky and you know and and it's not that rewarding uh until you get fit

to make our lives easier and now you have to overcome this fundamental basic instinct to take it easy in order to be physically active and that's basically what exercise is and so and and furthermore if you're out of if you're unfit and you're not really you know exercising isn't any fun right it's it's it's it's unpleasant you you know you sweat you get hot and you get cranky and you know and and it's not that rewarding uh until you get fit

And so people hate it, right? And then we blame them for being lazy. But they're actually just being normal. And I think we need to have more compassion towards people who struggle to exercise.

And so people hate it, right? And then we blame them for being lazy. But they're actually just being normal. And I think we need to have more compassion towards people who struggle to exercise.

Well, I wouldn't use the word lazy, but we are evolved to take it easy, to rest whenever possible.

Well, I wouldn't use the word lazy, but we are evolved to take it easy, to rest whenever possible.