A variety of factors can impact weight, including lifestyle. While exercise is important, so is the movement we do throughout the day when we’re not officially “exercising.”
NEAT stands for “Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis,” and it’s basically all of the energy we expend when we’re not sleeping, eating, or exercising. It even includes fidgeting! Even if you exercise every day, that’s still only an hour or so of movement. But think about all of that other movement you do during the 16 or so hours that you’re awake. That counts, too.
Here are some ideas for boosting NEAT:
- At home: Clean the house, dance, do calf raises while brushing your teeth, do wall sits or lunges during commercial breaks, play with your kids or grandkids, squat to get to items in low cupboards, take a stretch/stand break every 30 minutes.
- At work: Have walking meetings, place a trash can further from your desk so you have to get up to throw things away, set a timer to stand up every 30 minutes, sit on a stability ball versus a regular chair, take the stairs versus the elevator, use a standing desk.
- When outside: Go for a lunch or after-dinner walk, opt for more “active” activities such as rock climbing, jogging, or even bowling, park the car further from the store entrance, set a goal of a certain number of steps to do each day, take multiple trips to carry bags into your home.
Fitting more of this type of movement into your days can help you feel better physically and emotionally in ways that feel enjoyable and manageable. In short, NEAT is a great way to develop a more nourishing relationship with movement in ways that work for you.GET EVEN HEALTHIER!
Want to learn how to make positive choices in your own life? Want support in creating your healthiest, happiest life ever? Let’s talk! Schedule a complimentary health coaching consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about!
ABOUT ME
I received my training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I learned about more than one hundred dietary theories and studied a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods. Drawing on this knowledge, I will help you create a completely personalized “roadmap to health” that suits your unique body, lifestyle, preferences, and goals.
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