"N-EAT?"
First, the good news. You’re always burning calories. Sitting? Burns calories. Sleeping? Yep, there too. Eating? Yes, even eating burns a surprising number of calories.
Now for the bad news. Modern conveniences are designed to make you gain weight. We haven’t quite reached the sloth of humans in the film Wall-E, but make no mistake: escalators, dishwashers, telephones—even restaurant waiters—are conspiring together to reduce your daily output of energy. And it’s all fabulous until you realize that saved energy has been stored at your waistline.
It seems we’re not neat enough. Yes, our organizational skills probably could use an overhaul, but I’m talking about NEAT, Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. NEAT is created by your usual daily movements—and it’s under threat by our modern world. Worse yet, research suggests that scheduled exercise can’t make up for all that lost activity.
“For the vast majority of dwellers in the U.S., exercise activity thermogenesis is negligible. NEAT, even in avid exercisers, is the predominant constituent of activity thermogenesis,” says Dr. James A. Levine, obesity researcher at the Mayo Clinic. In other words, that 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer can’t hold a candle to the heat you generate (read: calories burned) from all the other activity you should be doing throughout the day.
From USA Today to a feature story in the latest issue of Bicycling Magazine, Levine’s research is hot right now, but not enough to burn those calories for you. Here are five unlikely places where you can increase NEAT and beat down your conspirators:
- On the Telephone: It’s a MOBILE phone for a reason! Even if you’re anchored to that corded dinosaur in your office, there’s probably enough slack to stand while you speak. Pacing back and forth will burn calories, help you focus on the conversation (instead of trolling through Facebook), and make you look more important than Gordon Gekko.
- In the Elevator: The next time you’re trapped in the metal box alone, try calf raises, squats or marching in place. Fearing embarrassment when the bell goes ding? The thrill of your odd behavior will only increase your heartrate.
- At the Office Copier/Microwave: 200 copies, collated and stapled? Leftover spaghetti? Boooring! Practice your latest salsa moves while you wait. In a crowded queue? I dare you to start a conga line.
- Playing Video Games: If there’s one thing the Wii Fit and Guitar Hero have proven, it’s that video games are more fun on your feet. Try standing while you play any game and you’ll soon find yourself mimicking your favorite Tekken move.
- On the Bus/Train/Subway: Defy the rules of seat-snagging, give up your seat, and look like a hero. Feel the warm glow of doing something nice for your fellow commuter? That’s thermogenesis, baby.
Ron S. Doyle is a freelance writer in Denver, CO. Special thanks to Peter Janiszewski, exercise physiologist and PhD candidate at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, for the original source information.
Click here for a link to James A. Levine’s article at the Mayo Clinic website.
