NEAT: definition, benefits... This approach that allows you to burn calories without exercise
As we know, exercising is essential to physical and mental health. However, if it is not always easy to exercise, there are different ways to exercise without necessarily exercising. Athletic coach Pauline Grolt rates NEAT, the phenomenon that gets you active without even realizing it.
Not a sports fan but still want to burn calories? Coming directly from the Anglo-Saxon countries, NEAT, short for "non-exercise activity thermogenesis", which in French means "non-sports-related thermogenesis", will increase your energy expenditure easily and without the need for any activity. Athlete .
NEAT: A new way to fight a sedentary lifestyle
For the less athletic among you, there really is a way to exercise without exercise: NEAT. Obviously, these are the calories you burn in a day by moving, without exercising. "Above all, it allows you to fight a sedentary lifestyle, which is the essence of weight gain. As part of a balanced diet, NEAT will really make a huge difference in your metabolism and therefore in your weight management," explains Pauline Grolt, Athletic Trainer. .
According to the National Agency for Food, Occupational Health and Safety and the Environment (ANSES), more than a third of adults have a high level of sedentary lifestyle and insufficient physical activity. Professor Irene said: “For example, they are more likely to have cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. They are also more likely to have high blood pressure or obesity. In general, the risks associated with inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle increase when they are “cumulative.” Margaritis, Head of the Nutrition Risk Assessment Unit at ANSES in a press release.
Nate: How do we increase it by not exercising?
If you want to become a professional in NEAT, it is advisable to change some of your habits. In other words, since you do not exercise in the strict sense of the word, you may prefer other physical activities, such as gardening, cleaning, shopping, or even crafts. These seemingly harmless movements can make all the difference, especially when you don't exercise much.
“If sporting activities are not your forte, the NEAT may suffice for you provided you haven’t already reached a weight level that puts your health at risk and requires personal follow-up with an athletic trainer,” stresses Pauline Grolt.
Since the principle of NEAT is to wear your gym clothes as many times as possible, here are some simple tips to increase it easily by changing your daily habits. Therefore, the expert recommends the following:
- riding a bike instead of taking a car or public transportation;
- Always stay in motion, for example, you prefer standing while waiting rather than staying seated;
- stairs instead of an elevator;
- Focus on walking whenever you can.
The athletic trainer also specifies that this increase in activity and calorie expenditure is available to everyone and does not require any special conditions. "Everyone can do it at their level," she says.
What are the health benefits of NEAT?
Researchers from the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri (USA), in a study published in the journal Science, found that practicing NEAT has many health benefits. “Men and women who are constantly on the move, and who walk a lot during the day, expend an additional 350 calories per day. Making small changes in movement in daily life can significantly contribute to positive effects, particularly in relation to weight management goals,” explain the authors the study.
The benefits of NEAT can be multiple. Sports coach Pauline Grolt cites in particular:
- Improve the ability of the heart and respiratory system.
- Increase calorie expenditure.
- Strengthening the immune system.
- reduce stress _
- Regulating metabolism.
- Lower risk of heart disease.
- Improving digestion.