N E A T – the only ‘metabolism hack’ you need
Does the acronym NEAT mean anything to you?
Maybes aye, maybes no… but it’s a pretty handy thing to know about.
I’m not going to get all sciencey and use big words (they don’t suit me) but what this stands for is Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.
What it MEANS is the activity you do throughout the day that isn’t ‘exercise’ – or planned gym/workouts etc.
So steps, fidgeting, housework, dancing, walking around the house, general movement you do day to day.
One thing you may or may not know about NEAT is that apart from your BMR (that’s your Basal Metabolic Rate – or the energy you need to live/breathe) is that it uses more energy that anything else. That is it uses more calories, you expend more.
It uses more calories than your gym or class workout, more than doing burpees for 20 mins (though why would anyone do that?)
So if you know about energy balance (one for another blog perhaps?) you’ll know that for fat loss we must consume less energy than we expend. To gain weight we must consume more calories than we expend.
So if you’re looking for fatloss – this is the one ‘hack’ you can use to get your activity up, to burn more calories – get your NEAT up.
Move about, get your walks in, get the steps up. You don’t need a magic metabolism hack that someone may wish to sell you. This is it.
And not only does it assist you in fatloss – this helps your general fitness, wellbeing, cardiovascular fitness, your mind…
Here are Some Tips to increase your NEAT – (climbing hills isn't required, we just like to do that here)
· Got to work at a desk? Try a standing desk if you can for a bit.
· Got a break at work? Go for a walk – doesn’t have to be a long one – even round the block, round the building, out in the garden
· Get off the bus a couple of stops earlier – or take your bike!
· Park the car further away from the entrance of the building, supermarket or your destination
· Take the stairs instead of the lift – if this seems to much then start getting off one floor earlier and work your way up
· Tidy up the hoose a bit more – hoovering, dusting aaaww that stuff is activity! The washing probably doesn’t though unfortunately, that might make me do it more
· And while you’re doing anything – like waiting, taking a call, listening to a podcast… walk!
So there you have it – the beginner’s guide to NEAT. Let me know if this has helped you!
Conic hill Walking Strathaven views