Latest news with #Lieberman
Economic Times
9 hours ago
- Health
- Economic Times
'Humans were never built to run': Harvard professor says walking beats workouts for a longer, healthier life
In an old podcast interview and his book Exercised, Professor Daniel Lieberman debunks the myth of constant intense exercise. He explains that evolutionary biology favors walking and rest over running and heavy workouts. While moderate activity is vital, Lieberman emphasizes that humans are biologically wired for energy conservation, not for high-performance athleticism. Harvard evolutionary biologist Daniel E. Lieberman argues in his book Exercised that humans weren't built to run marathons or engage in extreme fitness routines. Instead, we evolved for moderate movement like walking. (Representational image: iStock) Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Evolution Didn't Design Athletes — It Designed Survivors Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A Culture of Overexertion Walk Before You Run — Literally Renowned evolutionary biologist Daniel E. Lieberman , a professor at Harvard University , is turning heads — and slowing down treadmills — with his thought-provoking book Exercised. The core message? Contrary to popular belief, humans didn't evolve to run marathons or grind through intense workouts. Instead, our ancestors spent far more time sitting, walking, and conserving energy than sprinting or strength on the High Performance podcast, Lieberman debunks the modern fitness myth : 'We have to do this weird thing called exercise, which is voluntary physical activity for the sake of health and fitness — something nobody did until very recently.'Lieberman explains that while physical activity is crucial, the kind we idolize today is historically unnatural. Our ancient relatives only moved as much as survival demanded — usually through moderate walking, hunting, gathering, or building shelter.'Humans are unusually fat creatures,' Lieberman says with a smile, adding that biologically, our bodies are wired to store energy, not burn it off unnecessarily. From an evolutionary perspective, excessive exercise could even be seen as studies challenge the modern 'no pain, no gain' philosophy. While 150 minutes of activity a week — roughly 21 minutes a day — can reduce mortality by 30%, pushing beyond that can sometimes invite injury or burnout. 'It's not about running marathons. Just walking a bit more each day can do wonders,' Lieberman warns against the growing culture of overtraining and pushing limits, especially among younger generations influenced by performance-driven social media. While elite athleticism is impressive, he emphasizes that the average human body simply wasn't built to endure constant strain.'The obsession with optimum performance is overrated,' he said during the podcast. 'High performance is just achieving your goals and staying active — it doesn't need to mean winning medals.'At the heart of Lieberman's philosophy is the humble act of walking. More than a biological necessity, he presents it as a sustainable, natural form of exercise that aligns with how our bodies evolved. Ancient humans walked the equivalent of Los Angeles to New York every year — not because they wanted to, but because they had modern times, incorporating simple changes like walking an extra metro stop or opting for stairs over elevators is more aligned with our evolutionary design than lifting weights for hours or pushing through rigorous cardio you've ever felt guilty for not signing up for that spin class or skipping leg day, Lieberman's research is a breath of fresh, science-backed air. His message is clear: being active is important — but balance is before you lace up for your next run, consider his advice. Maybe it's time we all gave our legs — and guilt — a little rest. After all, evolution might just be on your side.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
'Humans were never built to run': Harvard professor says walking beats workouts for a longer, healthier life
Renowned evolutionary biologist Daniel E. Lieberman , a professor at Harvard University , is turning heads — and slowing down treadmills — with his thought-provoking book Exercised . The core message? Contrary to popular belief, humans didn't evolve to run marathons or grind through intense workouts. Instead, our ancestors spent far more time sitting, walking, and conserving energy than sprinting or strength training. Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Lieberman debunks the modern fitness myth : 'We have to do this weird thing called exercise, which is voluntary physical activity for the sake of health and fitness — something nobody did until very recently.' — SandeepMall (@SandeepMall) Evolution Didn't Design Athletes — It Designed Survivors Lieberman explains that while physical activity is crucial, the kind we idolize today is historically unnatural. Our ancient relatives only moved as much as survival demanded — usually through moderate walking, hunting, gathering, or building shelter. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Semua yang Perlu Anda Ketahui Tentang Limfoma Limfoma Pelajari Undo 'Humans are unusually fat creatures,' Lieberman says with a smile, adding that biologically, our bodies are wired to store energy, not burn it off unnecessarily. From an evolutionary perspective, excessive exercise could even be seen as counterintuitive. His studies challenge the modern 'no pain, no gain' philosophy. While 150 minutes of activity a week — roughly 21 minutes a day — can reduce mortality by 30%, pushing beyond that can sometimes invite injury or burnout. 'It's not about running marathons. Just walking a bit more each day can do wonders,' Lieberman suggests. You Might Also Like: Harvard doctor's simple tip can boost your happiness in one minute. A startup CEO is already practicing it A Culture of Overexertion Lieberman warns against the growing culture of overtraining and pushing limits, especially among younger generations influenced by performance-driven social media. While elite athleticism is impressive, he emphasizes that the average human body simply wasn't built to endure constant strain. 'The obsession with optimum performance is overrated,' he said during the podcast. 'High performance is just achieving your goals and staying active — it doesn't need to mean winning medals.' Walk Before You Run — Literally At the heart of Lieberman's philosophy is the humble act of walking. More than a biological necessity, he presents it as a sustainable, natural form of exercise that aligns with how our bodies evolved. Ancient humans walked the equivalent of Los Angeles to New York every year — not because they wanted to, but because they had to. In modern times, incorporating simple changes like walking an extra metro stop or opting for stairs over elevators is more aligned with our evolutionary design than lifting weights for hours or pushing through rigorous cardio regimens. You Might Also Like: What's the best time for breakfast? Harvard doctor shares three rules If you've ever felt guilty for not signing up for that spin class or skipping leg day, Lieberman's research is a breath of fresh, science-backed air. His message is clear: being active is important — but balance is essential. So before you lace up for your next run, consider his advice. Maybe it's time we all gave our legs — and guilt — a little rest. After all, evolution might just be on your side.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel accused of arming Palestinian gang who allegedly looted aid in Gaza
Israel's government has been accused of arming a Palestinian criminal gang whose members have allegedly looted humanitarian aid, in an apparent attempt to counter Hamas in Gaza. Satellite images and videos verified by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz showed on Thursday that a new Palestinian militia has expanded its presence in southern Gaza, and is operating inside an area under the direct control of the Israel Defense Forces. The group, which has also been accused of ties to jihadist groups, is reportedly led by a man known as Yasser abu Shabab, a Rafah resident from a Bedouin family, known locally for his involvement in criminal activity and the looting of humanitarian aid. According to media reports, Abu Shabab's group, which calls itself the 'Anti-Terror Service', consists of about 100 armed men who operate in eastern Rafah with the tacit approval of the Israeli armed forces. It has variously been described as a militia and a criminal gang. The Times of Israel cited defence sources who said that Israel provided members of Abu Shabab's faction with Kalashnikov assault rifles, including some weapons seized from Hamas. The operation was approved by Israel's security cabinet and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the newspaper reported, noting that its article had been approved for publication by Israel's military censor. In a video posted on social media late on Thursday, Netanyahu said Israel had 'activated' some Palestinian clans in Gaza, on the advice of 'security officials,' in order to save lives of Israeli soldiers. The prime minister's office had earlier said that 'Israel is working to defeat Hamas in various ways, on the recommendation of all heads of the security establishment.' The former defence minister and opposition lawmaker Avigdor Lieberman repeated the allegations and alleged that Abu Shabab's group was affiliated with the Islamic State terror group. 'The Israeli government is giving weapons to a group of criminals and felons, identified with Islamic State, at the direction of the prime minister,' Lieberman, who heads the opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party, told Kan Bet public radio. 'To my knowledge, this did not go through approval by the cabinet.' The basis for Lieberman's allegation of ties to IS was not clear. Abu Shabab's group has previously been accused of involvement in smuggling operations linked to Egyptian jihadi groups. A security official told Israeli news outlet Ynet that the arming of Abu Shabab was approved and led by the Shin Bet internal security service, and described the operation as 'planned and managed', with the goal of 'reducing Israeli military casualties while systematically undermining Hamas through targeted strikes, infrastructure destruction and the promotion of rival local forces.' The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In recent weeks, Abu Shabab has published anti-Hamas and anti-Palestinian Authority messages while promoting his militia's efforts on Facebook. Abu Shabab's links with Israeli forces were confirmed by his family, which issued a statement last week formally disowning him. 'We, like everyone else, were surprised by video footage broadcast by the resistance showing the involvement of Yasser's groups within a dangerous security framework, reaching the point of operating within undercover units and supporting the Zionist occupation forces, who are brutally killing our people,' the statement said. 'We affirm that we will not accept Yasser's return to the family. We have no objection to those around him liquidating him immediately, and we tell you that his blood is forfeit.' Abu Shabab has reportedly claimed his group were protecting aid convoys, while Hamas has accused him of looting the aid trucks. On 28 May, Jonathan Whittall, the head of United Nations office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs in occupied Palestinian territories said: 'Israel has publicly claimed that the UN and NGO aid is being diverted by Hamas. But this doesn't hold up to scrutiny. The real theft of aid since the beginning of the war has been carried out by criminal gangs, under the watch of Israeli forces, and they were allowed to operate in proximity to the Kerem Shalom crossing point into Gaza.' When contacted by the Guardian, Whittall confirmed he was 'referring to gangs such as Abu Shabab.' On Wednesday, a labour union representing truck drivers in Gaza said it was halting transport of aid deliveries within the strip after an incident in which several truckers were shot dead by gunmen. The Private Transport Association said it was calling the strike in response to an incident a day ago in which a convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid was attacked by gunmen in the central Gaza. 'This crime is not the first of its kind, but it is by far the most serious in a series of recurring assaults aimed at obstructing relief operations and preventing vital aid from reaching hundreds of thousands of civilians facing dire humanitarian conditions,' the statement said. Jihad Sleem, vice-president of the Special Transportation Association, who lost his relative, Mohammed al-Assar, in the attack, said he did not know who the gunmen were. Asked if he suspected Abu Shabab was behind the killings, he said: 'It wouldn't surprise me if he was involved in these attacks. He's a gangster.' Jamal Risheq contributed to this report
06-06-2025
- Health
Israel arming Gaza militias fighting Hamas, Netanyahu says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed Israel is arming militias in southern Gaza that are opposed to Hamas. Netanyahu admitted to the arrangement after Israeli politician Avigdor Lieberman, formerly the country's deputy prime minister and minister of defense, told the press about it on Thursday. "What did Lieberman leak? That on the recommendation of security officials we launched groups that oppose Hamas?" Netanyahu said during a press availability. "What is wrong with this? It's only good. it saves the lives of Israeli soldiers. But the publication of this is only good for Hamas." Netanyahu has faced internal criticism in Israel for the move, including from Lieberman, a long-time political rival. Aid distribution on indefinite pause The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation closed its aid distribution sites on Friday, without giving a date on when they would reopen, as Palestinians in Gaza remain at risk of extreme starvation and famine, the United Nations and other aid groups have warned. The GHF has previously paused aid delivery in Gaza earlier this week after several people died and were injured trying to reach the sites to obtain food, according to eyewitness reports on the ground, international aid organizations working in Gaza and the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. The majority of victims suffered gunshot wounds, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Israel Defense Forces acknowledged they "carried out warning fire approximately half a kilometer from the aid distribution center, targeting a few individuals who were approaching in a way that posed a security threat," in a video statement by IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin. The GHF, a joint operation by the U.S. and Israel, is now the only major organization delivering aid in the war-torn Gaza Strip. The U.N. has said Aid distribution resumed at two sites on Thursday before being put on hold again Friday. The GHF asked people to stay away from the distribution sites for their "safety," it said in a post on social media on Friday. This comes after the Israeli government imposed an 11-week blockade on all humanitarian aid entering Gaza. The Israeli government said the blockade was put in place to pressure Hamas to release the remaining hostages being held in Gaza. Food distribution centers in southern Gaza have been overrun with thousands and thousands of Palestinians in search of food and medicine after the partial lifting of the Israeli blockade. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it has responded to five mass casualty incidents, four of which occurred in the last 96 hours alone in a statement Tuesday.
CBC
06-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Israel 'operated clans' in Gaza, Netanyahu says, after being accused of arming Palestinian militias
Social Sharing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has "operated clans" in Gaza in a video published on social media Thursday after an opposition leader accused him of arming Palestinian militias in order to bolster opposition to Hamas. When asked about the allegations made by Avigdor Lieberman, leader of one of the opposition parties in the Knesset and a former defence minister, and whether he made them for political gain, Netanyahu said:. "What did Lieberman leak? ... That with the advice of security forces, we have operated clans in Gaza who oppose Hamas. What's wrong with that? It is only good. It only saves IDF soldiers' lives." In the video posted on his Facebook and X accounts, Netanyahu said releasing details of Israel's actions is "benefiting only Hamas," according to a translation of the original Hebrew from Reuters. In the wake of Lieberman's comments, The Times of Israel reported that Israel had transferred weapons to Yasser Abu Shabab, a leader of a large clan in the Rafah area that is among those accused of looting humanitarian aid. Rafah is now under full Israeli army control. The reported cited a defence source. The New York Times reported similar details citing two Israeli officials close to the matter who told the paper that Israeli authorities had provided "support, including weapons, to Yasser Abu Shabab." Abu Shabab denies receiving arms from Israel A few hours after Netanyahu's video was posted on social media, Abu Shabab posted a statement on Facebook in which he claimed Israeli media reports were false and denied that he received weapons from Israel. "We categorically reject these accusations and consider them a blatant attempt to distort the image of a grassroots force born from suffering—one that stood up to injustice, looting, and corruption," the statement read. It went on to say that the weapons his group does use are from the "support of our own people." Abu Shabab said his clan would never be "a tool of the occupation" and called on Israel to present evidence to Palestinian people and the media. Abu Shabab previously said that he was building up a force to secure aid deliveries into some parts of Gaza. Aid sites shuttered on Friday Meanwhile, aid distribution in Gaza was halted on Friday after the U.S. and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) said overcrowding had made it unsafe to continue operations in the latest disruption to its troubled relief effort. With severe food shortages plaguing the coastal enclave, fighting continued in many areas of the Gaza Strip. Local health authorities said 16 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes, mostly in northern Gaza, while the Israeli army said four of its soldiers were killed and five were wounded by an explosion in a building in Khan Younis to the south. WATCH | GHF aid sites close due to 'safety concerns': Gaza aid group closes distribution centres over safety concerns 8 hours ago Duration 3:33 Ten Palestinians were killed by Israeli tank fire in Gaza on Friday, local health authorities said, as a U.S.- and Israeli-backed group handing out aid in the enclave said all its distribution sites were closed until further notice. In a day of confusing messaging, the GHF first announced its distribution sites in southern Gaza were closed then it revealed that it had actually handed out food, before saying that it had had to close its gates as a precautionary measure. "The distribution was conducted peacefully and without incident; however, it was paused due to excessive crowding that made it unsafe to proceed," it said in a statement. As Palestinians across the war-ravaged Gaza Strip marked the start of one of Islam's most important holidays, Eid al-Adha, Israeli forces continued military operations that they say are needed to root out and destroy Hamas militants. The Israeli military said four soldiers were killed in a booby-trapped building, which brought the army death toll to eight since the start of June. Eid prayers held amid rubble The army earlier issued new evacuation orders for areas in and around Gaza City, warning of an imminent attack. With many residential areas of Gaza reduced to rubble by months of fighting, locals held Eid al-Adha prayer services in the open, next to bombed-out mosques and homes. "As you can see, we are holding Eid prayers, while the bombing, shelling and planes are ongoing," said Umm Mahmoud in Khan Younis. The United Nations has warned that most of Gaza's 2.3 million population is at risk of famine after an 11-week Israeli blockade of the enclave, with the rate of young children suffering from acute malnutrition nearly tripling. The GHF began distributing food packages in Gaza at the end of May, overseeing a new model of aid distribution that the United Nations says is neither impartial nor neutral. It suspended operations on Wednesday and asked the Israeli military to review security protocols after hospital officials said more than 80 people had been shot dead and hundreds wounded near distribution points between June 1 and 3. After the two-month ceasefire broke down in March, Israel blockaded aid supplies into Gaza for 11 weeks, prompting a famine warning from a global hunger monitor. Israel, which has only partially lifted the blockade since, vets all aid into Gaza and accuses Hamas of stealing some of it, something the militant group denies. WATCH l Friend of Weinstein, Haggai relieved family gets 'peace of mind': Israel has re-intensified an offensive against Gaza's dominant Hamas militant group since breaking a two-month-old ceasefire in March in a war triggered by the cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023, led by Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by several countries including Canada. The initial attacks killed 1,200 people in Israel, including several Canadian citizens. Some 251 hostages were also taken, with around a couple dozen believed still alive, according to the Israeli government. While many of the remaining were freed in periodic prisoner exchanges, the bodies of other hostages have been repatriated, including Canadian citizen Judih Weinstein and her husband just this week. Israel's military campaign in response to those attacks has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.
