NEAT - harnessing the power of the fidget

NEAT

No, not about keeping things in order….or maybe it is??  NEAT stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis  - or to you and me, the amount of energy we expend that is not accounted for in sleeping, eating and exercise/sport.  Basically, the movement that we do each day.

So why is this important?

The pandemic has changed the way that will live, and many people complain about the amount of additional body weight that they might be carrying. Some of this could be down to the easy access to food in the house, the boredom, the loneliness, the stress, and tiredness. But a lot of it can be down to the fact that we simply do not move as much. I work part time, and in one 8 hour day I totally a huge 898 steps (!) – Given that the “healthy” aim is around 10,000 steps a day, or about an hour of activity, you can see how this can impact on your health (and well-being) when the walk to your office is only a few steps.

How can we harness these extra burns – “therm” being part of burning the fat off?  Here are my suggestions:

1.        Try to include short burst of activity within your day – this boosts your metabolism, as well as your concentration and memory. It is all too easy to get engrossed in work, stuck in meetings, and have the pressure of deadlines. But without some positive intervention, you will find yourself slowly slipping into gaining more weight and feeling more down. You have a choice to make and if you want to be serious about improving your health then take on board some of the research behind “motivation” and don’t rely on will power or good intentions. These are false news and don’t work….

2.       Visual reminders work. Hence why they are trying to ban adverts for junk food from children’s programmes or sweets by the check out. Dopamine is triggered when you see something that makes you feel good. This is useful information. First, put up some visual reminders of going for a walk – this can be an image of yourself outside, a post it notes on the fridge door, a calendar reminder, a date with a friend. Second, remove the visual triggers for food. Hide the chocolate, the wine, the crisps. If you see it, you will want it – and did you know that the more you try to “resist” eating something you want, the stronger dopamine will trigger you to crave it more…….therefore, I am not saying, ban yourself from these things – just be in control of the visual cue to make resistance easier to achieve.

3.       Rewards work. Linking good times to your memory helps – think of how many people post up photos of “this time last year/s” on Facebook – you must realise that FB is the second most active site on the whole internet,  knows how to keep you enthralled by scrolling through the images and remembering the “good times”.  Diaries help – “today I went for a walk and enjoyed” – that works. It helps you remember; it gives you the reward – so when you do your journal, don’t forget to include the positive words at the end of you day. Remind yourself, so that when you are scrolling back through your week, you will feel rewarded.

4.       N.E.A.T works – don’t underestimate moving around. You don’t always have to do a whole set of exercise (although that is always beneficial!) but think about your daily steps, the amount of fidgeting, the getting up and down – even little things like drink water makes you want to go to the loo more and so more steps!  Keep going. Be in control of your health. Be aware of the choices you are making. Be positive. Be kind. Be flexible. But don’t be still xxx