It is estimated that at any given time almost half the adult population is dieting. Unfortunately, research shows that people who diet regularly are more likely to experience weight gain. Clearly, weight loss alone is not the key to long-lasting fitness. But neither is exercise. Most people who begin an exercise programme drop out after just a short time. Our ancestors were fit out of necessity; they didn't have to work at it. And that's why most diets and exercise programmes are not successful in the long term. We just aren't hardwired for rigid exercise routines and restrictive dieting. Fortunately, there is a simple way to achieve lasting overall fitness and, in HARDWIRED FOR FITNESS, John Ivy and Robert Portman explain that because the body is naturally inclined to be fit, there is no good reason for anyone to be overweight or out of shape. Everything a person needs for optimal fitness is stored within his or her DNA and all it takes is learning how to turn on the circuits. As readers will discover in HARDWIRED FOR FITNESS, the fitness circuitry in the human body is a remarkable, integrated piece of engineering. This circuitry worked incredibly well for our ancestors, and it can work for anyone who implements a few simple measures to reconnect the circuitry. When these circuits are functioning in harmony, they can activate the body's metabolic machinery far more effectively and safer than any commercial product. All it takes is a minimal lifestyle change to reprogramme these switches and reconnect the circuits to give anyone the level of fitness he or she has always wanted.