If anyone were to ask me if I get enough exercise, my answer would be a resounding “Yes!” I always make it a priority to set aside time for physical activity, to get my heart rate up, and to keep moving. Of course, I probably wouldn’t mention that I prefer to drive half a mile to get my coffee instead of taking a 15-minute walk. Or that the convenience of the drive-thru is far more appealing to me than getting out of my car. Or even that I rarely choose to take the stairs at the end of the day. Individually, these shortcuts may not seem like a big deal. After all, I did work out today, right? But when you add them all up, they slowly chip away at a crucial aspect of metabolic health that often goes unnoticed. This concept is known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT for short. NEAT refers to all the calories burned through daily activities excluding purposeful physical exercise. Think of the effortless movements you make throughout your day, like doing household chores, walking through the grocery store, climbing stairs, tapping your leg at your desk, or cooking dinner. Dr. James Levine, an endocrinologist who pioneered research on NEAT, explains that studying it is difficult because there are so many factors involved. However, researchers have made progress in understanding NEAT and how to maximize its benefits. They’ve discovered that even small changes in behavior can greatly impact NEAT and have powerful effects on your health. They’ve also found that individuals of the same size can have significantly different levels of NEAT, influenced by factors such as their job, where they live, and their innate drive to move. What is clear is that many of us who lead sedentary lifestyles have the potential to incorporate more NEAT into our daily routines. This doesn’t necessarily require drastic lifestyle changes but rather a shift in mindset and small-scale adjustments. Understanding How NEAT Works and How to Increase It NEAT fills in the gaps in your daily energy expenditure. A majority of our energy is spent on basic bodily functions, known as our basal metabolic rate, which is relatively fixed and not easily modifiable. Another portion of energy is used to digest and metabolize food, which also cannot be significantly changed. This leaves about 30% to 40% of daily energy expenditure for physical activity, where NEAT comes into play. By incorporating movement into your daily activities, you can gradually increase NEAT and burn more calories. Interestingly, even for those who exercise regularly, NEAT often plays a bigger role in calorie burning than dedicated workouts. While NEAT should not replace structured exercise, as it has its own well-established benefits, it can be more accessible for individuals who may not have the time or inclination for intense workouts. Small Changes in Daily Activities Can Make a Big Difference. Dr. Levine conducted experiments to understand the energetic costs of various daily activities. He found that sitting up burns only about 5% to 7% more calories than lying down, but fidgeting while seated can increase calorie burn slightly. When you engage in light activities such as ironing or folding clothes, the metabolic rate can reach about 15%. However, the real change happens when you start walking. Walking at a pace of one and a half to two miles per hour, such as when you’re shopping, can double your metabolic rate. These seemingly simple movements, like walking to the store or mowing the lawn, can accumulate over the day and make a significant difference. Even activities like chewing gum or cooking can increase calorie burn. For example, chewing gum burns around 20 calories per hour above your resting metabolic rate, while cooking can burn an estimated 50-100 calories per hour. Therefore, it can be beneficial to find ways to incorporate more movement into your daily routine. An Internal Apple Watch: The Role of Biology in NEAT. Evidence suggests that some individuals have a better ability to sense when they consume extra calories, leading to an unconscious drive to move more. In a study conducted by Dr. Levine, it was found that people who were able to burn off extra calories and avoid weight gain had a strong NEAT response. However, this compensatory action has not always been consistently replicated in subsequent research. Nevertheless, there is evidence supporting the role of biology in NEAT. Dr. Cathy Kotz is studying a brain compound called orexin that appears to play a key role in regulating NEAT. By stimulating orexin neurons in the brain, it was observed that animals moved more. This suggests that biology may affect our innate drive to move and can influence NEAT. While these experiments have yet to be conducted in humans, the hope is that medication could leverage orexin to increase NEAT. In conclusion, NEAT is an essential component of metabolic health that is often overlooked. By incorporating more movement into our daily routines, even through small changes in behavior, we can maximize the benefits of NEAT and improve our overall health.
Understanding NEAT in Fitness: Boosting Your Activity Levels for Optimal Health
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