I ran intervals on the treadmill this morning. Two minutes at level 6.0. One minute at level 8.0. Repeat until exhausted.

Trainers recommend interval workouts for a couple of reasons that I don't really understand.* But in short, they're great for your heart, since you get your heart rate really high during the intense times. And the intervals also force you to push yourself without exhausting yourself - maxing out your calorie and fat burning potential.

From a biological standpoint, the early human hunter-gatherer lifestyle likely lent itself well to interval workouts. The day long pursuit of prey, with the sprint lunge attempt at the kill. These were the very first interval workouts.

Our body was designed assuming interval workouts. But in our 21st century lifestyles, they don't happen organically throughout the day. So, we have to pretend we're boar hunting. Only the treadmill has replaced the hunt.

* Please help with the science-y stuff in the comments.

Being fat sucks. Being skinny is awesome.

This week, we're going to explore the world of exercise, healthy eating and most importantly, the psychology and motivations behind these short- and long-term goals in the 21st century.

*Guest posters with specific personal expertise welcome! (E-mail me)