That individual you know who seems to eat anything they want and still manages to stay slim?
You could mistakenly believe he was born with a rapid metabolism. The truth is that he most likely wasn't.
Thin people burn more fat for a variety of reasons, one of which is that they have a high level of NEAT.
You might believe that the person you know who eats like a bird but is still overweight has a slow metabolism because she was born with it. This isn't always the case.
People with low NEAT levels are one of the main reasons they don't burn more fat (or have problems losing weight).
If you're already familiar with NEAT, that's great; nonetheless, occasional reminders are essential, so keep reading.
If you're not familiar with NEAT, it's something you should learn more about. In any case, here's the good news: you can burn more fat without even dieting if you raise your NEAT (it's easy using the ideas in today's post).
NEAT isn't about dieting; it's about getting up and exercising.
NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, which is a far too long word. It does not include your "formal" workouts, but it does include all of your physical movement throughout the day.
NEAT is the total number of calories burned via walking, shopping, yard labor, housework, pacing, and standing (being up on your feet instead of sitting). It even includes small behaviors like fidgeting and shifting posture.
Scientists have established that NEAT is one of the most important factors influencing how many calories people burn on a daily basis.
According to Dr. James Levine, a leading endocrinologist and researcher in the field:
"In comparison to lean persons, obese folks move 2.5 hours less every day." This translates to about 350 fewer calories burned per day."
NEAT accounts for roughly 30% of daily physical activity calories for most people.
NEAT, on the other hand, can be as low as 15% in sedentary people and as high as 50% in extremely active people.
The majority of NEAT is made up of walking. Obviously, the work you do has a significant impact on NEAT.
Your NEAT level is low if you sit at a desk all day and rarely get up. Your NEAT can be quite high if you deliver mail or do any form of physical labour.
The fact that most individuals sit all day and surf the internet, watch TV, and play video games is a major contributor to the obesity epidemic.
We have evolved into a technology-dependent, desk-bound culture. To make a living 150 years ago, 90 percent of the world's population worked in agriculture or engaged in some form of manual labor.
“The human body evolved over a million years. But the car-computer-chair-elevator-television-based world has evolved in less than a century” says Dr. Levine. “So you’re imposing a massive environmental change on a very old biology. No wonder it all goes haywire.”
You could think that NEAT is too insignificant to make a difference unless you switch jobs from desk jockey to lumberjack.
You'd probably be correct if you looked at it one activity at a time. When you consider it in the long run, and you make modest changes in your everyday routines that become a habitual part of your lifestyle, it adds up over weeks, months, and years.
In fact, it's a major mistake to focus just on how many calories you burn during your formal cardio or lifting sessions while completely neglecting all of the other moving around you do throughout the day.
You can frequently increase your calorie burn to a whole new level if you focus on moving more throughout the day, which will help you stay a lot leaner.
Consider simple strategies to become more active outside of your usual exercises and include them in your daily behavior objectives to execute an NEAT plan.
Here are some suggestions:
*Instead of taking the elevator, take the steps.
*The back of the lot, not the front, is where you should park.
*Instead of sitting, stand or pace more. (Tip: If you're lifting in the gym, you can do this even in between sets.)
*Purchase a desk treadmill (sometimes known as a "deskmill") or a mini-stepper.
*On the hour, every hour, get out of your chair and walk about, stretch, or do some body weight exercises while working at your desk. (Fitness trackers such as the
FitBit Charge 4 can help you with this.)
*Don't rely on time-saving technology all of the time (riding mowers, leaf blowers, snow blowers, golf carts, electric bikes, and so on.)
*Do some house or yard maintenance on your own.
*Instead of taking a cab or driving, walk for small local trips and errands.
Look for other ways to increase your walking time (walk your dog, for example).
*Spend less time watching TV, surfing the internet, or playing electronic games and more time participating in sports, boating, cycling, hiking, and other physical activities.
*Unless you're on a treadmill or stationary cycle, watch less television.
*If you have children, engage them in as much physical activity as possible.
*Keep an eye out for seasonal changes, especially if you live somewhere where the winters are harsh. The distinction between summer and winter activities can be significant! (Winter weight gain is caused by more than simply holiday food; it's also due to inadequate NEAT.)
Out of all of these suggestions, try to spend less time sitting and more time walking.
