NEAT-EN Up Your Day

The modern world is not very NEAT friendly. NEAT stands for Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis and is one way our bodies burn calories. We burn calories through NEAT performing the activities and chores that make up a day. Years ago these calories were burned through activities like milking the cows, harvesting the grain and walking to get anywhere. In our more recent past people were able to relax a little more but still had to wash clothes and dishes by hand and… get up to change the channel on the T.V.! In the last thirty years, with the advent of more and more technology, there are fewer opportunities to burn calories the NEAT way.

Less activity is one of the reasons two out of every three Americans are overweight. Not only are we eating too much food, but there is little opportunity to move and burn these calories. The good news is, is that there are many ways to work a little NEAT into your day.

The first step is realizing where chances to perform NEAT have been snatched away by modern technology. Here are a few examples and more importantly what we can do about it.

Elevators and escalators make it a breeze to bop from floor to floor all day, but what about the stairs? Start small, make a commitment to walk a few flights a day; a 200 pound person burns about 120 calories in only 10 minutes of walking up and down the stairs.

Ride-on lawn mowers were hailed by fathers across America, but what about mowing some of that green with a push mower? Start small, try mowing a small patch and build from there; a 200 pound person burns about 100 calories in only 15 minutes of mowing the lawn.

The first snow of the season is a real treat and can bring back childhood memories of snow-days but as the winter wears on we can enter a snow-daze as the inches pile up. Use this as a chance to burn some calories the NEATER way. Sure a snow blower is great, but what about doing at least the walkways with a good old fashioned shovel? A 200 pound person burns about 180 calories in only 20 minutes of shoveling. Important- snow can be very dense and lifting heavy shovelfuls can be asking too much of your untrained heart, be sure to start very small and have your doctor’s clearance.

Permanently lose the remote and get up to change the channel and volume. Getting up and walking every 30 minutes can keep you from becoming an “active couch potato”. You may not be burning major calories, but it’s likely the TV will lose some of its luster and you find it’s more fun to go for a walk than stare at the tube. A 200 pound person burns about 130 calories in only 20 minutes of walking.

When was the last time you washed your car instead of sliding into the costly car wash? Washing your car can be fun and a calorie burner; a 200 pound person burns about 200 calories in only 30 minutes of car washing.

Look at your day and see where you can fit more movement and momentum into your day. We all love the newest technology that is making our lives easier, but the easy way is not always the healthy way!