Just Do It

We all believe in the importance of regular exercise.
So why is it so challenging to maintain a consistent exercise routine? By Fifi Kao

Every year, millions of people promise themselves to be more physically active, yet the vast majority of these resolutions end in failure. After sticking to a new exercise plan for a week or two, we often revert to old habits and so feel disappointed in ourselves.

Research shows that 70% of people want to live healthier lives, lose weight, and increase their physical activity. In high-income countries such as the UK and the US, most adults do not meet the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week despite knowing the benefits of exercise. So how can we truly make it a habit?

Clearly, we need a new approach that is effective for ourselves by understanding why we need to exercise.

Looking back at our ancestors and other cultures, we can learn how they maintained physical activity. This evolutionary anthropological perspective reveals ten myths about exercise. Disregarding these myths won’t make you an Olympic athlete overnight, but it might help you start a new chapter without feeling frustrated.

The nature of physical activity

Whenever we move, we engage in physical activity. Exercise, however, is voluntary physical activity for fitness. While you might consider exercise normal, it’s actually a modern behavior. Over millions of years, humans engaged in physical activity only when necessary or rewarding. Necessary activities included obtaining food and performing survival tasks. Rewarding activities involved play, dance, or survival training, offering enjoyment, skill development, and attracting mates. In the Stone Age, no one would run five miles to delay aging or lift weights to build muscle without a purpose.

The instinct to conserve energy

Whenever we see an escalator beside a staircase, our instinct says, “Take the escalator.” Most people at airports and train stations have this thought. This isn’t merely laziness; it’s a normal instinct. Physical activity requires calories, and when food is scarce, every calorie counts. Thus, natural selection programmed our ancestors to avoid unnecessary effort.

Exercise is only undertaken when there is a reward, so don’t feel bad about this natural instinct. It is normal and difficult to overcome because it is embedded in our genes.

The sedentary lifestyle

You might have heard alarming statistics about the dangers of sitting too much. While it’s true that prolonged sitting is linked to health risks, sitting itself isn’t inherently harmful. Every culture involves significant sitting time. Even ancient hunter-gatherers sat for about 8-10 hours a day, similar to modern people.

However, there are healthier ways to handle sitting. Research indicates that standing up every 10-15 minutes can boost metabolism and improve long-term health. So, if you spend your day at a desk, make an effort to periodically stand up and move around.

The myth of pristine health

Another common misconception is that people living in primitive conditions are inherently healthier, stronger, and more enduring, capable of effortlessly running marathons. This is untrue. Most hunter-gatherers were moderately fit but not particularly strong or fast. The muscular tribesmen seen in documentaries represent a small fraction of their population. Their lives were not easy, and they spent only about two hours a day on moderate to vigorous physical activity for hunting.

Exercise and weight loss

Almost every modern weight loss plan includes exercise. However, it’s often said that you can’t lose weight through exercise alone because exercise burns limited calories and increases metabolism, making you hungrier. Thus, some people may eat more after exercising. To lose weight, one must primarily focus on diet, controlling calorie intake, and nutrient balance. Dieting can lead to quicker weight loss than exercise. Combining moderate aerobic exercise, like brisk walking and sweating exercises with a proper diet yields better results. Regular exercise also helps prevent post-diet weight regain.

Concerns about knee injuries

Many people avoid running due to fears of knee damage. These concerns are not unfounded, as knees are the most common injury site for runners. However, unlike car shock absorbers, knees and other joints do not wear out from overuse. Moderate running, walking, and other activities strengthen the muscles and tendons around joints, helping maintain knee health. Numerous high-quality studies show that regular runners are less likely to develop knee osteoarthritis.

To avoid knee pain, learn to run correctly, avoid excessive mileage and speed, and regularly perform strength training.

Active aging

Many Chinese people envision a relaxed life after retirement, thinking that they deserve it after decades of hard work. But actually, our ancestors tended to remain active into old age, if they were lucky to live that long, and it was that active lifestyle which kept them healthy, even without modern medicine. They could then use their experience to help care for their grandchildren.

Maintaining physical activity as we age supports numerous bodily repairs and maintenance required for survival. Many studies find that exercise becomes increasingly beneficial for health and anti-aging as we grow older.

Personalized exercise

Many health professionals recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week for adults. However, this is not a one-size-fits-all number. Exercise amounts depend on various factors like current health status, age, injury history, and occupation.

Even minimal exercise is far better than none. Just one hour per week (eight minutes a day) can yield significant benefits. Regularly varying exercise types and incorporating strength training as you age are also beneficial.

Making exercise social

The reality is that most people don’t enjoy exercise. To promote it, we often set goals and buy trendy workout gear and gadgets.

Remember, we evolved to be active only when necessary or rewarding. Therefore, we must find a way to make exercise both necessary and rewarding. One of the best methods is to make exercise a social activity. If you can regularly exercise with family and friends, you’ll feel obliged to attend, enjoy it, and motivate each other.

Find a group that suits you and avoid comparing yourself or doing inappropriate exercises.

And… exercise is necessary

Over these many thousands of years, we haven’t all evolved into muscle-bound individuals, but we have evolved into active beings. As with drinking water, breathing air, and socializing, a lack of physical activity is detrimental to a healthy life, making us susceptible to various physical and mental diseases.

Thankfully, a little exercise can slow aging, significantly reduce disease risk, and also be enjoyable. Now that the pandemic is over, you might, like me, sometimes miss the days of doing aerobics at home and chatting with friends while doing online yoga, during the lockdown. Why not do it again?

Go! Just Do It!