Understanding NEAT
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended for all activities that are not sleeping, eating, or structured workouts. It includes everyday movements like walking to your car, typing, doing household chores, and even fidgeting. While
these actions may seem minor, their cumulative effect on your daily calorie burn can be substantial. In fact, the difference in NEAT can account for a variation of up to 2,000 calories per day between individuals of similar size, largely due to lifestyle and occupation. Increasing your NEAT is a powerful way to combat the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle, which is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Stand Up More Often
One of the simplest ways to boost your NEAT is to reduce the amount of time you spend sitting. Standing burns more calories than sitting. On average, you can burn an extra 20 to 50 calories per hour just by standing instead of sitting. While that might not sound like a lot, it adds up. Standing for an extra three or four hours throughout the day could burn an additional 100-200 calories. Consider a standing desk at work, or simply make it a point to stand up when taking phone calls or during meetings. At home, you can stand while folding laundry or watching television.
Walk and Talk
Turn your phone calls, virtual meetings, or catch-ups with friends into opportunities for movement. Instead of sitting at your desk or on the couch, pace around your room or take a walk outside. Walking burns significantly more calories than both sitting and standing. Even a slow-paced walk can make a big difference over the course of a day. This simple habit helps break up long periods of sitting and can also boost your mood and creativity.
Embrace Household Chores
Your to-do list at home can be a great tool for increasing NEAT. Activities like vacuuming, scrubbing floors, gardening, washing the car, and even cooking from scratch are all forms of light physical activity. Instead of trying to get chores done as quickly as possible, think of them as built-in movement breaks. Be less efficient on purpose; for example, take multiple trips up and down the stairs to put away laundry instead of carrying it all in one go. These small bouts of activity contribute to your overall energy expenditure and help keep your body moving.
Take the Stairs
It’s a classic piece of advice for a reason: it works. Choosing the stairs over the elevator or escalator is a simple switch that engages your leg muscles and gets your heart rate up slightly. It’s an effective way to integrate more activity into your daily routine, whether you're at the office, a shopping mall, or your apartment building. Every flight of stairs you climb adds to your daily calorie burn.
Fidgeting Can Be a Good Thing
That nervous energy that makes you tap your feet, bounce your leg, or drum your fingers can actually be beneficial. Fidgeting is a form of NEAT and, while seemingly trivial, can contribute to your daily energy expenditure. Studies have shown that individuals who are naturally leaner tend to fidget more than those who are overweight. While it’s not a substitute for more significant movement, allowing yourself to fidget can be a small but consistent way to burn a few extra calories throughout the day.
Park Farther Away
When you’re running errands or heading to the office, intentionally park your car at the far end of the parking lot. This forces you to walk a longer distance to your destination. The same principle applies to public transit—get off one stop early and walk the rest of the way. These extra steps might seem insignificant on their own, but they add up over weeks and months, contributing to improved cardiovascular health and increased calorie burn.
