--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are estimates that we daily walked…" description: "\"There are estimates that we daily walked for 10 - 20 kilometers for hundreds of thousands of years. The world's best problem solving machinery grew up ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/100/john-medina-7046_activity_there-are-estimates-that-we-daily-walked_576452.png" --- # There are estimates that we daily walked for 10 - 20… ![“There are estimates that we daily walked for 10 - 20 kilometers for hundreds of thousands of years. The world's best problem solving machinery grew up under conditions of consistent, strenuous physical activity. It makes sense that when we don't recreate the environments in which the organ was…” quote by John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/100/john-medina-7046_activity_there-are-estimates-that-we-daily-walked_576452.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/100/john-medina-7046_activity_there-are-estimates-that-we-daily-walked_576452.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/100/john-medina-7046_activity_there-are-estimates-that-we-daily-walked_576452.png) > “There are estimates that we daily walked for 10 - 20 kilometers for hundreds of thousands of years. The world's best problem solving machinery grew up under conditions of consistent, strenuous physical activity. It makes sense that when we don't recreate the environments in which the organ was forged, we get a loss of function. And that when we do restore those environments, we get that function back. The effects of aerobic exercise on executive function skills is a powerful empirical example of this idea.” [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Regular aerobic activity is essential for optimal brain function, especially executive skills, because our physiology evolved under constant physical exertion. **In simple terms:** Exercise keeps the brain healthy and sharp. Key Takeaway Incorporate daily cardio to boost mental performance. Themes health exercise neuroplasticity performance Mood motivated focused Type scientific practical When to use this quote - workplace productivity - academic studying - aging adults - rehabilitation - stress management Key Concepts cognitive science physiology evolutionary biology Questions to Reflect On - How much cardio do you need for mental gains? - Can sedentary jobs be mitigated by short bursts of activity? A Different Perspective Benefits may vary with intensity, genetics, and consistency; not a cure‑all. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Aerobic Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aerobic-exercise-760653/) [Conditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conditions/) [Consistent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consistent/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Effects Aerobic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects-aerobic-4746712/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Example](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/example/) [Executive Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executive-function-2734253/) [Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executives/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Exercise Executive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise-executive-4746711/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Forged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forged/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew/) [Grew up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew-up/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Machinery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machinery/) [Make sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-sense/) [Organs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organs/) [Physical activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-activity/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solving/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [What does the frontal cortex do? Gratification postponement, executive function, long-term planning, and impulse control. Basically, it makes you do the harder thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/what-does-the-frontal-cortex-do-gratification-postponement-executive/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“What does the frontal cortex do? Its list of expertise includes working memory, executive function (organizing knowledge strategically, and then initiating an action based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/what-does-the-frontal-cortex-do-its-list-of-expertise-includes/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“What was, to many of the people who knew Trump well, much more confounding was that he had managed to win this election, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/what-was-to-many-of-the-people-who-knew-trump-well-much-more/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [“Cognitive flexibility is an important executive function that reflects our ability to shift thinking and to produce a steady flow of creative thoughts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-j-ratey/cognitive-flexibility-is-an-important-executive-function-that/) [John J. Ratey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-j-ratey/) > [Since then, I have not missed five consecutive days in getting some type of aerobic exercise, mostly jogging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-h-cooper/since-then-i-have-not-missed-five-consecutive-days-in-getting-some/) [Kenneth H. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-h-cooper/) > [Five hours a week of vigorous aerobic exercise can lower estrogen and progesterone exposure by about 20 per cent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-greger/five-hours-a-week-of-vigorous-aerobic-exercise-can-lower-estrogen-and/) [Michael Greger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-greger/) > [My inventing time is all done under the influence of aerobic exercise. Basically, I do all my thinking while I run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cronin/my-inventing-time-is-all-done-under-the-influence-of-aerobic-exercise/) [Justin Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cronin/) > [My workouts include aerobic exercise for a healthy cardiovascular system; strength training to maintain muscle tone and bone density; core strength exercise for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-stosur/my-workouts-include-aerobic-exercise-for-a-healthy-cardiovascular/) [Samantha Stosur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-stosur/) > [“Aerobic exercise in particular not only turns on genes linked to longevity, but also targets the BDNF gene, the brain’s “growth hormone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-perlmutter/aerobic-exercise-in-particular-not-only-turns-on-genes-linked-to/) [David Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-perlmutter/) > [“I knew aerobic exercise was a powerful antidepressant, but I hadn't realized it could be so profoundly mood stabilizing and--I hate to use the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/i-knew-aerobic-exercise-was-a-powerful-antidepressant-but-i-hadn-t/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“Physical exercise is one of the most potent ways of changing your genes; put simply, when you exercise, you literally exercise your genes. Aerobic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-perlmutter/physical-exercise-is-one-of-the-most-potent-ways-of-changing-your/) [David Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-perlmutter/) > [When doing your aerobic exercise, go at a comfortable pace until you've developed more stamina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-haney/when-doing-your-aerobic-exercise-go-at-a-comfortable-pace-until-you/) [Lee Haney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-haney/) > [“I tell you, because military training is not publicly recognised by the state, you must not make that an excuse for being a whit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophon-memorabilia-371bc-marchant-translation/i-tell-you-because-military-training-is-not-publicly-recognised-by/) [Xenophon Memorabilia. 371BC Marchant translation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophon-memorabilia-371bc-marchant-translation/) > [“Running is a highly recommended physical activity for the survival of brain cells. A research study on normal adult mice and older mice demonstrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osnat-duman/running-is-a-highly-recommended-physical-activity-for-the-survival-of/) [Osnat Duman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osnat-duman/) > [“As with everything she did, Aimi excelled. Academically, she was in the top one percent of students in the state and was in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-w-simpson/as-with-everything-she-did-aimi-excelled-academically-she-was-in-the/) [Phillip W. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-w-simpson/) ## More by John Medina > [Don't start with the details. Start with the key ideas, and in a hierarchical fashion, form the details around these larger notions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/don-t-start-with-the-details-start-with-the-key-ideas-and-in-a/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [“The more handles one creates at the moment of learning, the more likely the information is to be assessed at a later date. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/the-more-handles-one-creates-at-the-moment-of-learning-the-more/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [If you wanted to create an education environment that was directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing, you probably would design…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/if-you-wanted-to-create-an-education-environment-that-was-directly/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [“Every time I lectured to a group of parents-to-be about baby brain development,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/every-time-i-lectured-to-a-group-of-parents-to-be-about-baby-brain/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [We must do a better job of encouraging lifelong curiosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/we-must-do-a-better-job-of-encouraging-lifelong-curiosity/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [“reasoning is a uniquely human talent. It may have arisen from our need to understand one another’s intentions and motivations. This allowed us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/reasoning-is-a-uniquely-human-talent-it-may-have-arisen-from-our-need/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [If you wanted to create an education environment that was directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing, you would probably design…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/if-you-wanted-to-create-an-education-environment-that-was-directly-2/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [“Emotionally arousing events tend to be better remembered than neutral events. While”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/emotionally-arousing-events-tend-to-be-better-remembered-than-neutral/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [“attention Brain Rule #6 We don’t pay attention to boring things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/attention-brain-rule-6-we-don-t-pay-attention-to-boring-things/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [Most brain scientists have not taught 4th grade, and don't know very much about the classroom, even though they might study learning in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/most-brain-scientists-have-not-taught-4th-grade-and-don-t-know-very/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [“The more parents talk to their children, even in the earliest moments of life, the better their kids’ linguistic abilities become”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/the-more-parents-talk-to-their-children-even-in-the-earliest-moments/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [Even though we don't know squat about how the brain works, the little we do know suggests that if you wanted to design a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/even-though-we-don-t-know-squat-about-how-the-brain-works-the-little/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [“More research has since confirmed and extended these simple findings. In addition to satisfying relationships, other behaviors that predict happiness include:        •    a steady dose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/more-research-has-since-confirmed-and-extended-these-simple-findings/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [What you do and learn in life physically changes what your brain looks like—it literally rewires it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/what-you-do-and-learn-in-life-physically-changes-what-your-brain/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [Brain scientists and education scientists don't get together very often, and we end up living in our own little silos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/brain-scientists-and-education-scientists-don-t-get-together-very/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) [Explore all 93 John Medina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) [Gero Miesenbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gero-miesenbock/) > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are estimates that we daily walked for 10 - 20 kilometers for hundreds of thousands of years. 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