NEAT refers to the calories we burn when we are not sleeping, eating, or doing scheduled exercise. This can be anything from walking, doing housework or fidgeting.
On a daily basis we burn calories regardless of whether we're training or not. We burn calories just by being alive. This is achieved in 4 ways:
1) BMR (Basal metabolic rate) - contribute to about 70% of our total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and is also referred to as our resting energy expenditure (REE). These are the calories we burn from energy used for internal bodily processes.
2) NEAT (Non exercise activity thermogenesis) - after BMR, we burn all the extra calories through activities that we do throughout the day. For instance walking the dog, working in the garden, washing dishes or fidgeting. These activities DO NOT include your daily scheduled training at the gym or sports club. Your NEAT will contribute approximately 10-15% of your TDEE.These activities DO NOT include your daily scheduled training at the gym or sports club. Your NEAT will contribute approximately 10-15% of your TDEE.
3) TEF (Thermic effect of food) - this refers to the calories we burn while digesting our food. Pretty funny to think that we burn calories while eating. Although this happens, it only accounts to about 10% of our TDEE. For instance the digestion of protein burns more calories than carbs or fats.
4) EAT (Exercise activity thermogenesis) - these calories are the ones we burn while doing our daily workout. Although we feel that we smashed the workout or activity, in reality we only burn around 5-10% of our TDEE through EAT.
(NREE - Non Resting Energy Expenditure)
According to our TDEE chart we can conclude that scheduled daily exercise ONLY contributes to about 10% of our daily energy output (calories burned). Based on this we can draw the conclusion that training alone is not enough to help us with fat loss.
Although eating in a calorie deficit and getting sufficient good quality sleep (7-9 hours) are also important contributing factors in fat loss, we need to move more. This is exeptionally hard for most of us, since we are confined to desks and offices for most of our day.
An easy way to track your daily NEAT is by using a smart device such as a step tracker. Accumulating 10 000 steps daily (outside of planned exercise) is a great way to up your NEAT.
A few strategies you can implement:
1) Find a parking spot further away from the shop
2) Take the stairs instead of the elevator
3) Go for a 30min walk - during your lunch break or early in the morning
Fat loss is not tricky, and nor should it be over complicated. You don’t need some fad diet to yield amazing results. Small changes and consistency and you are on your way to being successful.
How NEAT are you?
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