With the rise of HIIT classes that leave you drenched in sweat, a walk in the park can seem like a lazy option. However, getting in your steps can have as many benefits.
WHAT IS NEAT?
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended for everything we do that does not include sleeping, eating, or exercise; and ranges from simple things like standing and fidgeting to moving about.
NEAT can have a huge impact on hitting your goals with very little effort.
NEAT not only has benefits in weight loss but also in controlling and improving lifestyle disorders.
If you are sedentary(which means you have lower NEAT levels) you’re at a higher risk of obesity and other long term health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some cancers.
Being sedentary is directly associated with poorer long term health regardless of weight.
When you workout for one hour, whether weight training or cardio, that only accounts for 4% of your day.
If you sleep for 8 hours, the rest of your time awake is an opportunity to increase your NEAT levels.
That time makes up 63% of your day. That’s 63% of the time you have an opportunity to get some more movement in your life.
There are some common reasons why you are not incorporating NEAT.
Firstly, fueling yourself properly throughout the day (aka under-eating) can cause a decrease in energy levels and will decrease your involuntary movements (like fidgeting, standing up more, pacing around more, etc.) and also subconscious decision making like choosing to take the stairs or cleaning the house because you’re choosing to preserve energy and take it easy.
Eating a surplus of processed foods can cause spike/fall of blood sugar levels causing you to fatigue more easily.
Some easy ways to get in more NEAT throughout the day include, walking around during phone calls, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking a little farther way in the parking lot, going shopping instead of doing it online, taking a regular bike, instead of an electric one, playing with your kids outdoors, cooking in the kitchen or picking up your food, gardening, cleaning your house, drinking more water so you have to get up and pee, etc!
The more you move, the more energy you’ll get from moving over time.
The hardest part, is starting and getting out of the routine of NOT moving!
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