David Bassett, a professor at the University of Tennessee, has researched the physical activity and health of a community of Amish people, who still live as most people did 150 years ago. His findings were published in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise journal36 [2004]: 79-85). Wearing pedometers, the Amish went about everyday activities. The men spent about 10 hours a week doing heavy work like plowing, shoeing horses, tossing hay bales, and digging. The women spent about 3 ½ hours a week at heavy chores. Men spent 55 hours a week in moderate activity and were taking an average of 18,000 steps a day (9 miles). Women reported 45 hours a week of moderate chores, such as gardening and doing laundry, and taking an average of 14,000 steps a day (7 miles).
Their reported diet is similar to the pre–World War II diet in the US, with lots of meat, potatoes, gravy, and even pies and cakes. They ate a substantial breakfast, their main meal at noon, and a substantial dinner, too. This research showed that Amish men ate about 3,600 calories a day; the women, around 2,100 calories. Bassett commented, “It really struck me that we have come a long way from our biological heritage to what we do today. The amount of physical activity required to live in today’s society is very low.”
No kidding! In other words, our way of modern eating and inactive living is not compatible with our genes. If we want that pie, we have to work it off or walk it off! For metabolism, the simplistic formula is calories in equals calories out for maintenance of weight. A greater number of calories in than out means weight gain, and taking in fewer calories than are worked off means weight loss. Of course, in reality, it is much more complex, but as the body’s metabolism interprets the equation, that is the bottom line.
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.