That’s right, Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) is an easy way to help maintain a healthy weight.
NEAT accounts for much of the movements you make during the day – walking, standing, pacing, cleaning the house, cooking, climbing stairs, and folding laundry – yet doesn’t include actual ‘exercise’.
Even seemingly trivial movements such as fidgeting contribute to our NEAT.
The more ‘movements’ you make during the day, the more calories you burn. Whereas if you sit all day, you’re more likely to store calories eaten rather than burn them.
We sit too much
Our society today is packed with “sitters”.
Technology has made it quite easy to sit all day with minimal activity. The remote control allows us to sit while changing the channel, cell phones enable us to stay put while making a call, escalators take the work out of stair climbing, online shopping has taken the walking out of malls, and our long hours of working sit us in front of computers and desks for 8 plus hours at a time.
Studies show that our sedentary lifestyle may lead to some major health risks above and beyond obesity. Sitting for prolonged periods can increase your risk for developing heart disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and increases your risk for all-cause mortality.
The couch potato athlete
Interestingly enough, there are even athletes who can be considered ‘sitters’ – called Couch Potato Athletes.
These athletes work out every day but sit for the majority of the time otherwise. This behavior still puts them in a slightly higher risk group. And it’s scary to admit that many of us might fall into this group.
Increase your NEAT and reverse your Sitting!
Simply moving around and standing more during the day can positively impact our health.
Aiming to get up and move around at least once per hour, or standing for some of the time, can not only burn more calories but also help reduce the risk of all those expensive diseases in the future.
Tips on how to increase your NEAT while Sitting Less
Stand at your desk
Purchase a small table (or a mini laptop desk) for your keyboard, raise your computer screen, and stand for short, frequent periods while working.
This can even be great for your back, shoulders, and legs – helping to prevent cramping, slouching, back and neck pain, and other stresses.
Take short walking or stretching breaks throughout the day
Every 45 minutes to an hour, take a 5-minute walk. This will not only help stretch your legs and back, but also help you refocus on your work with renewed energy.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator
You’ve heard this one before, but it’s such an easy switch to make, especially if it’s only a few flights up or down – why not go for it?
Calling a co-worker who is just down the hall? Get up and walk to them instead
Again, this will help you stretch and refocus.
Take 15 minutes for a nice, brisk walk before and/or after work
This is especially good if you don’t have time for a full workout. This is a great way to help unwind from the day and could be a great excursion for the whole family (your dog will love it too!).
Pace while on the phone
Moving while talking helps get the blood AND conversation flowing!
Goal: Aim for about 10 minutes of NEAT per hour.
By incorporating some of these movement ideas into your day, you could burn up to 500 calories daily. That’s significant!
Of course, other factors go into becoming or maintaining your happy weight, including:
Eating and drinking the number of calories your body needs to support healthy functioning
Regular exercise that gets your heart rate up
Adequate sleep
Stress management.
Yet NEAT is something easy to include in your everyday life, and can even help prevent disease.
Sources
Gao W, Sanna M, Chen Y, Tsai M, Wen C. Occupational Sitting Time, Leisure Physical Activity, and All-Cause and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(1):e2350680. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.50680
Weiler R, Aggio D, Hamer M, Taylor T, Kumar B. Sedentary behaviour among elite professional footballers: health and performance implications. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2015;1(1):e000023. Published 2015 Jul 17. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2015-000023
Kulinski J, Khera A, Ayers C, et al. Association Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Accelerometer-Derived Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in the General Population. Mayo Clinic Preceedings. August 2014. 89(9):1063-1071.
Levine JA. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002 Dec;16(4):679-702. doi: 10.1053/beem.2002.0227. PMID: 12468415.
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