About NEAT and why you should be mindful of movement.
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)
Here is what you need to know about NEAT and why you should be mindful of movement! Neat, the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or fitness-like exercise. It ranges from the energy expended for walking, typing, performing yard work, doing the daily chores, and fidgeting.
Research shows that individuals who move throughout the day are more likely to maintain weight loss compared to more sedentary people who have one vigorous exercise session a day. There is a much greater caloric expenditure that occurs throughout the day through consistent movement.
With our rise and grind society, people spend the majority of their day at work and with that one easy way to increase caloric burn is to be mindful of the non-exercise movement throughout the workday.
Here are ways to integrate movement in the work day:
Change your choice transportation. If possible, walk or bike to work instead of driving. This starts and ends the day on a good, moving foot, along with a breath of fresh air.
Implement walking meetings. Head outdoors and boost your team’s creativity with a walking meeting. Walking is an effective way to burn calories, stimulate the brain and bond the team.
Throw out your garbage can. Give your eyes and body a break from the computer screen by removing your garbage can from under your desk. This gives you a reason to get up and walk to the workroom or break room to throw out your trash or recycling materials.
Give yourself a challenge. One step at a time. Create your own walking challenges. Try to meet or beat a set amount of steps during the day. This can be walking 7,000 steps per day for 7 days. Individuals who meet or exceed the goal’s challenge can win a prize or an incentive reward.
Take the stairs. Tried and true. Skip the elevator and take the stairs to keep the body moving throughout the day. I need not to say more.
Stand instead of sit. Your resting heart rate is higher while standing than sitting, thus increasing caloric output. If its not feasible at your workplace to do this.. try standing and scrolling the internet to reap a small benefit. This can make a small difference. It’s definitely better than slumping into the couch, especially if your work is sedentary.
