The evolutionary basis for why we enjoy exercise is rooted in our ancestors’ need to be physically active for survival. Throughout human evolution, our ancestors relied on physical activity to hunt, gather food, and escape danger.
Our bodies have evolved to reward us for engaging in physical activity by releasing neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and endorphins, which produce feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and reduced pain. These chemicals create a positive feedback loop, encouraging us to engage in physical activity repeatedly.
Regular physical activity also triggers adaptations in our body that improve our ability to survive and reproduce. For example, exercise can increase our muscle strength and endurance, enhance our cardiovascular function, and boost our immune system. These adaptations can help us perform better in physical tasks, avoid injury, and fend off disease, which would have increased our chances of survival in ancestral environments.
In modern times, the benefits of regular physical activity extend beyond survival and reproduction. Exercise has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including reducing the risk of chronic diseases, improving mental health, and enhancing cognitive function. Therefore, the enjoyment of exercise may have evolved as a way to encourage us to engage in activities that promote our overall health and well-being.
How active were our early ancestors
Even before the development of tools, early primates, and human ancestors were highly active and dedicated a large portion of their time to foraging, hunting, and other survival activities. This is because their survival depended on their ability to find food, avoid predators, and protect themselves from the elements.
Early primates, such as the first hominids, were arboreal and spent much of their time in trees. They would climb and swing from branches to find food and avoid predators. As they evolved and became more bipedal, they began to spend more time on the ground, which required greater physical activity.
Without the benefit of tools or weapons, early humans relied on their physical abilities to forage for food and defend themselves against predators. This could involve walking long distances in search of food, climbing trees or steep terrain to reach food sources, and running or jumping to evade predators.
As we evolved towards the modern human
Later human ancestors also were highly active and spent a significant amount of time and energy on foraging, hunting, escaping, and fighting predators. Their survival depended on their ability to find food and avoid or fight off threats, including large cats.
Hunter-gatherer societies, which are often used as a model for early human societies, typically spend several hours each day foraging for food. This can involve gathering plants, fruits, and nuts, as well as hunting or fishing for meat. Hunting could take up a significant amount of time and energy, especially if the prey was large or difficult to catch.
Escaping and fighting predators was also a significant concern for early and later humans. Large cats and other predators were a constant threat, and early humans needed to develop strategies to avoid or defend themselves from these animals. This could involve using weapons, such as spears or rocks, or building shelters and other structures to protect themselves.
Tools and physical activity
The development of tools, such as hunting weapons, had a significant impact on the physical activity levels of our ancestors. With the ability to create and use tools, early humans were able to more efficiently acquire food, protect themselves from predators, and adapt to their environment. As a result, they were able to reduce their physical activity levels in some areas while increasing them in others.
For example, hunting weapons such as spears and bows allowed early humans to hunt larger animals more effectively, which in turn reduced the need for extended periods of foraging for plant-based foods. This allowed them to dedicate more time to other activities such as socialization, the development of language, and the creation of art and other cultural expressions.
At the same time, the development of tools did not eliminate the need for physical activity. For example, even with hunting weapons, hunting could still be physically demanding, requiring long periods of stalking, running, and other physical exertion. In addition, the use of tools required the development of fine motor skills, which in turn required significant practice and repetition.
While the development of tools reduced the physical demands of some activities, it did not eliminate the need for physical activity altogether. As the population grew and the demand of the population rose, it allowed humans to evolve into more social, more cultural beings.
In addition, rather than stopping there, the development of tools allowed early humans to adapt to their environment more effectively, which in turn allowed them to engage in a wider range of activities and pursue new avenues of cultural and social development, and this trend is continuing.
Modern humans and how we steered off evolution
Modern humans have not evolved to live a sedentary lifestyle, as our bodies are adapted to engage in physical activity for the purposes of survival. Throughout most of human history, physical activity was necessary for survival, whether it was foraging for food, hunting, or defending against predators. As a result, our bodies evolved to be highly efficient at physical activity and adapted to the demands of these activities.
However, in modern times, our environment has changed significantly, and we face fewer threats than our ancestors did. We have easy access to food and live in safe, predator-free environments, which means that we do not need to engage in physical activity to the same extent as our ancestors did. Instead, we are often sedentary, spending long periods sitting at desks or in front of screens, which can have negative effects on our health.
This shift towards a sedentary lifestyle has been linked to a range of health problems, including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. This is because our bodies are adapted to engage in physical activity, and when we do not engage in enough activity, it can lead to imbalances in our metabolism and other bodily functions.
In addition, the abundance of food choices and the ease of obtaining food means that we are often exposed to highly processed and calorie-dense foods that can be harmful to our health. This can further exacerbate the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle and contribute to health problems.
Overall, while physical activity for survival purposes was necessary for our ancestors, our modern environment has turned this adaptation against us. We must make a conscious effort to engage in regular physical activity and make healthy food choices to maintain our health and well-being in today’s modern world.
Could our ancestors have been marathon runners?
Humans, as bipeds, have certain adaptations that allow us to run for long distances and potentially outrun some prey. These adaptations include efficient respiratory and thermoregulatory mechanisms, such as sweating, which help us to dissipate heat and maintain our core body temperature during extended periods of physical activity.
However, it is important to note that humans are not the fastest runners in the animal kingdom, and we cannot outrun all potential prey. While we are efficient runners, our endurance and speed are not on par with many of the animals that we may hunt or encounter in the wild. Therefore, early humans likely relied on other hunting strategies, such as ambush and cooperative hunting, in addition to running.
There is a tribe in Africa that still runs after its prey for hours, for example, the wonderful Kalahari San people, also known as the Bushmen. The San people are a group of hunter-gatherers who live in the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. They are known for their ability to track and hunt prey using a technique known as persistence hunting, which involves chasing prey on foot for hours until the animal becomes exhausted and can no longer run. This technique relies on the San people’s endurance running abilities and their intimate knowledge of the local environment and animal behavior.
It is not beyond imagination to suspect that all of our ancestors, not unlike the incredible San people, at least for a portion of their evolution, had the ability to run incredible distances, regularly and persistently, in order to find a meal.
Perhaps the development of vessels to store water in the form of leather-bound water bottles contributed, it is not known when they first appeared. Modern humans have that ability but their environment no longer requires it. Although some amazing humans have almost superhuman endurance such as the San people, it has become rare, if not obscure.
Human ancestors were highly active and spent a significant amount of time and energy on survival activities such as foraging, hunting, escaping, and fighting predators. These activities were essential for their survival and played a critical role in shaping human evolution.
Modern human health needs physical activity
Despite the fact that modern humans have unrestricted access to unlimited food and live in a safe environment, many of us suffer from a lack of physical activity. This is because our bodies are adapted to engage in regular physical activity, and when we do not do so, it can have negative effects on our health and well-being.
As mentioned above, the reason for this is that our bodies are adapted to expend energy regularly, whether it is for the purposes of foraging, hunting, or other survival activities. When we do not engage in regular physical activity, we may experience imbalances in our metabolism and other bodily functions, which can contribute to health problems such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
As our ancestors had to store food for times of famine, we do not face the same challenges, which means that we are often exposed to highly processed and calorie-dense foods that can be harmful to our health. We, modern humans, are programmed to snack on calorie-rich foods, and having access to these foods is now becoming increasingly harmful. These foods, combined with a lack of physical activity, can contribute to weight gain and other health problems.
When we consume more calories than we burn through physical activity, our bodies store the excess energy as fat, which can contribute to weight gain and obesity. Over time, this can lead to metabolic imbalances that can have negative effects on our health. These metabolic imbalances stack and reflect on other systems as a result.
One way that metabolism can suffer from an abundance of food and lack of physical activity is through insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that helps our bodies to regulate blood sugar levels. When we consume large amounts of processed or high-calorie foods and do not engage in enough physical activity, our bodies can become less sensitive to insulin, which can lead to elevated blood sugar levels and eventually to type 2 diabetes.
A lack of physical activity can lead to a decrease in muscle mass, which can further contribute to metabolic imbalances. Muscle tissue is highly metabolically active, meaning that it requires a lot of energy to maintain. When we engage in regular physical activity, we stimulate muscle growth and maintenance, which helps to keep our metabolism functioning efficiently. Without regular physical activity, our muscle mass can decrease, which can lead to a slower metabolism and a greater risk of weight gain and other health problems.
We need to move. Movement is life.