Why it’s important to stay N.E.A.T during COVID-19

The world is in lockdown and now more than ever it’s important to keep our NEAT up, and I’m not talking about keeping tidy!

NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis which is the amount of energy our body uses for everything except sleeping, eating and basic bodily functions. So, pottering around the house, cleaning, gardening, fidgeting, basically every waking movement we make. Before I go into why it’s so important right now, let’s take a look at how NEAT fits into our body’s ‘energy equation’

As you can see, the largest proportion of our bodies energy is used keeping us alive whilst at rest, known as our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Next is the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) which is the amount of energy used eating and digesting food. Then comes NEAT, and then right at the top is the amount of energy expended through planned exercise (going to the gym, running, sport etc). The total of these amounts adds up to our Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which if we exceed, we gain weight, and if we eat less than this amount, we lose weight.

With gyms, exercise classes, swimming pools etc closed, many of us have lost our planned exercise. Therefore, the amount of calories we can consume without gaining weight is reduced by the equivalent amount. In the example above, this persons ‘break even’ daily calorie amount will be reduced from 2000 to around 1800. Therefore it is more important than ever that we keep our other activity (or NEAT) levels high. That’s hard to do whilst we’re under lockdown though. There’s going to be a lot more sitting, and walking to and from the fridge may count as NEAT but the tempting snacks inside will more than counteract that! Plus, if we are more sedentary than usual, this reduces our daily calorie requirement even further. As we may be boredom snacking more, it’s even more likely that we will exceed our daily calorie requirement easier and quicker, resulting in weight gain.

How can we combat this? At time of writing, we are still allowed a daily walk so this is a must. For those of you that are working from home, make sure you get regular breaks to get up from your desk. Maybe use the time that you would’ve spent commuting going for a jog or an doing an online exercise class? Even the smallest of movements whilst sitting count so maybe try some of these:

-       Tapping or marching your feet under your desk

-       Clenching your bum

-       Ankle rotations

-       Arm circles

Throwing children into the equation makes things tricky too. However, running around after them certainly counts at NEAT, as does joining in with any physical activities, and playing games with them. It is also very important to keep the little ones active during this time too, regardless of how tempting it is to stick them in front of the TV to get five minutes peace. Get them helping with cleaning, gardening and chores (although this may often be counterproductive!). And if you are working from home and have children, well hats off to you! Be kind to yourself and try to find time for you. I know it’s hard. I’m finding it difficult myself with two young children and at times it’s a real struggle, but knowing that I have an allocated exercise slot each day is keeping me sane, even if it’s at unusual times…

The bottom line is, if you can’t exercise like you used to, don’t stress. As you saw in the above graph, NEAT generally burns more than the average persons planned exercise, so by keeping on the move throughout the day, whether cooking, cleaning, chasing the kids etc, you will be more than doing your bit to make up for the lost calorie burn. No doubt, our lives will slowly return to normal in the coming months and we will be able to resume the exercise and sports that we love. In the meantime, stay healthy and stay active!

If you would like to increase your body confidence, get fitter, and get stronger from home, I am pleased to be able to offer live personal training sessions over the internet. Please contact me for a free no obligation consultation at karen@transformtrainingpt.co.uk

Mobile personal trainer in Haslemere, Liphook, Hindhead, Fernhurst, Grayshott, Surrey, Hampshire, West Sussex.