You would have to be living under a rock to not know that being physically active is one of the most important things you can do for your health. However, when it comes to physical activity, our minds immediately think that we need a high-intensity workout, or run a marathon in order to stay fit. Not true!
The World Health Organization defines physical activity as “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that require energy expenditure.” In other words, any type of movement counts! The benefits of staying active include improving your brain health, weight management, reducing disease, and strengthening your bones and muscles.
The benefits of physical activity are most effective when exercise is unstructured and incorporated into daily life. NEAT, or non-exercise activity thermogenesis, is all the energy you expend when you’re not eating, sleeping, or doing structured exercise.
There are many ways to increase NEAT, including walking, gardening, dancing around the kitchen, stretching while watching television, cleaning, and even 
fidgeting! The beauty of NEAT is that it doesn’t require adding more time to your day; you can squeeze in small amounts of movement anytime, anyplace.
Here are some NEAT ideas:
- Stretch More
- Start your day with 5–10 minutes of stretching or yoga
- Stretch as you watch TV or work on your computer
- Try seated stretches at your desk
- Take two-minute stretch breaks throughout your day
- Walk More
- Try a ball chair, which forces you to use your core and practice your posture
- Set a target step goal using a pedometer, smartphone, or smartwatch
- Park a little farther away from store entrances or get off the subway one
stop early - Have walking meetings or consider your lunch a “movement break”
- Stroll around your house, apartment, or office space while talking on the phone
- Do squats, lunges, or even a plank or two during commercials and do calf raises while brushing your teeth or waiting in line
- Break up the sitting when traveling. On an airplane or bus, stand up every hour or so. If driving, take more pit stops than you might normally take
- Have dance parties – or dance breaks!
What are 1–3 NEAT ideas you can fit into your daily life starting this week? Send your thoughts in the comments below.
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