Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)
Regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but fitting a workout into a busy day can be challenging. That’s where NEAT comes in! Non-exercise activity thermogenesis or NEAT is the energy we burn for any activity that is not sleeping, eating, or dedicated exercise.
The conveniences of modern day living make our lives easier. At the same time, many of these conveniences have engineered movement out of our lives. Do you remember the last time you got out of your chair to change the television channel? Opened the door for yourself at the supermarket? Washed dishes by hand? These small movements may not seem like much individually, but when added up over the days, weeks, months, and years they equal a lot of missed opportunities to move!
Physical activity does not need to leave you breathless to have health benefits. In fact, a recent study showed that taking just 7,000 steps a day significantly lowers risk of death. The intensity of the steps didn’t seem to matter—just that they were taken over the course of a day.
Finding ways to increase your NEAT can be a useful strategy to get more movement, especially on days when time is short. You might try parking at the far end of the supermarket lot, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, raking leaves instead of using a leaf blower, or even purposely fidgeting during a work meeting. Once you start looking for more ways to move, the possibilities are endless!
Check out the following suggestions for increasing your NEAT. Remember, all movement is good movement no matter how small.
- Expand your morning routine: The morning tends to be filled with routines—brushing teeth, making coffee, getting dressed. Pair one or all of these movements with a physical activity such as a set of 4-5 lunges or pushups. You might even place a dumbbell next to your coffee pot and knock out a few bicep curls while waiting for your morning brew.
- Talk and walk: Consider pacing during your next phone call or even going outside for a loop around the block if you know it will be a longer conversation.
- Squats before screens: Before you take a break to check your social media, move your body in a meaningful way.
- Stand when you can: Stand during activities when you would normally sit such as while working on your computer, during a virtual meeting, or in the waiting room for the dentist.
- Clean regularly: Brief bouts of sweeping, scrubbing or vacuuming are not only an excellent physical activity, but have the added bonus of creating an environment that is less stressful.
- Schedule reminders: Use the reminders feature on your phone to set regular notifications to get up and take a few steps throughout the day.
- Pair cooking with movement: Chopping by hand, washing dishes in the sink, or moving side to side while you saute are all ways to add in movement while you get dinner on the table.
*References available with PDF download*