HOW N.E.A.T. ARE YOU?!
THE OTHER KIND OF NEAT
Whether or not you make your bed, pick up your laundry or do the dishes, I am not here to judge. The NEAT I am talking about is the other kind:
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.
Whaaaat?! What the heck is that?!
This is a fancy way of describing the energy you use to do stuff outside of exercise and sleep: walking up the stairs, picking up laundry, fidgeting, tapping your foot, vacuuming, grocery shopping - the list goes on. All these little movements add up, leading to an increase in total calories burned.
WHOA! Pretty neat stuff, eh?
When it comes to hitting your personal goal(s), being consistent with regular exercise and eating REAL, whole foods is the ticket! As your coaches, this is what we have always and will continue preaching because it works. While your daily NEAT is NOT a replacement for regular exercise (we repeat, is NOT a replacement), it is the perfect compliment to your every day routine!
Here’s why:
It would be nice to hit the gym for an hour every day and lounge the other 23 but this isn’t practical and likely doesn’t support your goals.
The way you spend your day directly effects your NEAT, especially what your job entails. For some, our jobs are more sedentary at a desk and on the computer. For others, we are constantly on our feet and on the move. An example is the daily NEAT between an IT analyst and construction worker. In this instance, the construction worker’s daily NEAT is going to be higher.
By default, if you are moving more during the day, your daily NEAT is higher.
HOW TO BE EXTRA NEAT
You know that feeling when you wake up and your body’s super stiff? If you’re hunched over a computer screen all day, or driving, this is the same effect. Sitting in a chair and staring at a screen makes us tense up, makes us feel tired and makes our brains foggy. Moving your body isn’t only beneficial for the obvious reasons, but also provides an immediate mental boost!
I HIGHLY recommend moving your body every hour for 5-10 minutes. Give your body and your brain a few minutes to reset and refresh. Physically removing yourself from your work station is the balance you need to maintain sanity and quality productivity.
Working from home? Take a stroll around the block. Vacuum. Walk up and down your stairs.
Working at your office? Grab a buddy, mask up and take a stroll in or outside your office building.
If moving every hour feels impossible, try it first and take note of how you feel. If it’s just not doable with your schedule, your goal is moving 3-4x/day. Designate times to intentionally move your body by scheduling this on your Outlook calendar or setting your phone alarm.
If you have hit a bump in your progress, take a step back right now and evaluate how you’re spending your waking hours outside of exercising. You may not realize how little you are moving because life gets busy and there’s added stressors and demands living in a pandemic.
Here are 5 ways to immediately increase your daily NEAT and move one step closer to where you want to be:
#1. SKIP THE ELEVATOR!. Get those legs moving and take the stairs when going between floors. At home? Take an extra trip up and down for a little extra movement in your day.
#2. CLOCKWORK! Move every hour. Set a goal to hit a specific number of steps each hour. Most fitness devices allow you to program an alarm or notification to get you up and moving. Aim for 10,000 steps per day.
#3. DANCE IT OUT! Before settling in to watch your favorite show, dance along to your favorite song. That 3-4 minutes of dancing will add up and as an added bonus, may brighten your mood!
#4. PARK FARTHER AWAY! Park at the other end of the parking lot. Do this several times a day and you are closer to your step goal for the day.
#5. STANDING DESK! Sitting is the new smoking. Sitting behind a desk for 8-10 hours per day is a major detriment to your health and well-being. A standing desk will allow for more movement and keep your blood flowing.
All of these extra movements to your day can add up quickly and get you closer to your goals! Your goal this week is to pick one and do it for the next 7 days. Have questions about your daily NEAT? Did help brainstorming other ideas to bump this up? Email me now so we can chat!
Stay Fueled