We burn calories in different ways. Our total caloric expenditure is a combination of our resting energy expenditure (calories we burn to keep our bodies functioning, even if we’re laying down watching tv), the thermic effect of foods (calories we burn to digest and absorb the different types of food we eat), our exercise (lifting weights, running, etc) and the Non Exercise Active Thermogenesis - NEAT.
The NEAT comprises all the physical activity we do in a day, except for exercise. Walking, grocery shopping, cleaning the house, and gardening are all examples of NEAT activities.
Our resting energy expenditure makes up to about 70% of the calories we burn. It’ll vary depending on gender, age and body weight, but it’s highly determined by our genetics. The thermic effect of food can be increased a bit, if we eat more whole, unprocessed foods, but it makes up for only about 5% of our daily expenditure (1). Exercise is a powerful tool to burn more calories, but it requires more time and effort, and we all know that not many people are able to come to the gym every day.
With that in mind, the NEAT is probably how we can mostly increase our caloric expenditure on any given day. For example, an active person may burn up to two thousand calories more than a sedentary person in a day, regardless of exercise (2).
Considering that most of us would like to lose some weight (more than 50% of Americans are overweight or abese), and the balance between calories in vs calories out is a key factor for it, this is good news.
By planning and implementing better habits, we can burn thousands of calories without even realizing it. For example, a 170lb man walking briskly for 15min will burn around 100cal. Doesn’t seem like much, right? But if done every day, that’s 700cal a week, 3,000cal a month and 36,5000cal a year. So if we can make that walk part of our lifestyle, good things will happen!
As always, consistency is key. Creating a realistic plan that you can stick to is fundamental. Biking to work, walking to the local grocery shop instead of driving, gardening or walking your dog every day are common ways to do it, but it really is up to you to determine what makes more sense for your lifestyle.
We are meant to move. The health benefits of a more active lifestyle will go way beyond the calorie burning, but that’s a topic for another day. =)
How are you going to increase your NEAT?
Willian Alba
1: PMID: 33677461
2: PMID: 16439708
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