How NEAT! Burn calories without exercise

It turns out that you can truly work up a sweat from cleaning your house. Without stepping foot into the gym, you burn calories through routine movements throughout your day. This is the notion of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).

These low-intensity movements expend energy and therefore burn calories. A study found that NEAT calorie burn can vary by up to 2,000 calories per day depending on the person.

“There are six factors that contribute to person’s calorie burn: body weight, muscle mass, biological sex, age, workout routine and workout intensity,” explains Carol Olbur, a registered nurse and certified group exercise/fitness expert at Advocate Health Care. “The more you weigh, the more calories you will burn. As you lose weight, you will burn less calories which is called a ‘plateau.’”

Examples of NEAT include:

• Chores: Cleaning your house, cooking, taking your trash out and mowing the lawn
• Working: Walking while talking on the phone and repetitive movements
• Leisure activities: Watching television while fidgeting, reading a book while tapping your foot, singing and painting

Besides the calories you burn from NEAT and intentional exercise, you also burn calories while at rest, this is referred to as basal metabolic rate. The combination makes up your total calorie burn.

“Your basal metabolic rate is the minimum number of calories your body needs to function at rest which can vary for everyone,” says Olbur. “The higher your metabolism, the more total calories you will need to take in to maintain your weight.”

Before you rule out exercise altogether, know that calorie burn from NEAT alone is not enough to maintain your overall health. It’s recommended that the average adult gets at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, according to the American Heart Association. It also recommends light-intensity activity, NEAT, to offset the amount of time you are sedentary.

“It’s important to combine exercise and NEAT together,” cautions Olbur. “Overall fitness improves quality of life and has numerous health benefits, including reducing your risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Other long-term benefits include improved brain health, cancer prevention, increased bone strength and weight management.”

Before starting a new exercise regimen, consult your health care physician as the recommended exercise type, frequency and intensity can vary for each person.

Are you trying to watch your weight? Take a free online quiz to learn more about your healthy weight range.