That is the question posed by Vybarr Cregan-Reid. In his article, he details how our lives are becoming more sedentary and exercise is simply one of the tasks in the long list of things that we need to do every day. And one of the reasons why we tend to set it aside is the fact that our obligations to other people take more precedence and so we don't mind putting it off.
We would also rather engage in more leisurely and less physically strenuous activities after a regular working day so exercise doesn't really have as much a priority today. Even ordinary physical chores and tasks which were more common a century ago have been easily replaced through various means that make our lives more convenient.
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Instead, the fittest and healthiest people on the planet have never been to a gym. These people, who report high levels of wellbeing and live extraordinarily long lives, inhabit what have been called “blue zones” – areas where lifestyles lead to peculiar longevity. ... Over the years, many studies have looked at the lifestyles of people in “blue zones” and found that a number of their customs and habits contribute to a long life (everything from a sense of belonging and purpose to not smoking, or eating a predominantly plant-based diet). In the list of contributory factors, there is a noticeable absence of exercise.