NEAT stands for Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. It is one of the most significant variables when it comes to weight loss or muscle gain, or pretty much any physical goal you might have. Essentially, NEAT is all the calories you burn over the course of the day through all movement OTHER than exercise. It is the calories you burn through walking, sitting down working at a desk, walking upstairs or through standing up in a lift. Any movement you make outside of your daily or weekly exercise will contribute to your NEAT.
Why is it so important? Well for one, because unless you are running some type of ultra-marathon or ultra-endurance event, the vast majority of your calorie burn on a daily basis will be attributable to NEAT. We often place so much emphasis on our structured training / exercise programme – pushing as hard as we can, working as hard as possible for that prescribed amount of time – while placing little to no emphasis on the rest of the day. That is something we need to address.
It is also something to bear in mind that some people feel that they have earned or even deserve a reward after their training / exercise session. For example on a research study into class names at a gym, it was found that people ate more calories after having completed a ‘Fat Burning Class’ compared to a ‘Cardio Tone Class’. Both classes were exactly the same workout, but it was all in the name that people felt they had burned more fat in the ‘Fat Burning Class’ and therefore rewarded themselves by eating more calories!
So, if we want to affect weight loss in an effective and sustainable way, increasing our NEAT is a very good method to do so. If you are able to increase your daily activity by a small amount on a consistent basis (every single day), the effort required is minimal, but the results soon add up.
For example, if you walk an extra 500m every single day, that might not seem like a huge amount. Now let’s say you do this every day for six months. That’s an extra 90km walked (based on a 30 day month). Suddenly your small activity change seems a lot more significant!
NEAT is something we can all improve. Affecting the energy balance is the only natural way to alter our bodyweight, but sometimes we put too much focus and energy into the wrong areas. Rather than trying to drastically change our diets or punish ourselves through intense exercise, finding small, manageable habits that we can stick to long-term is often far more effective.
And that’s exactly why walking is so powerful.
Especially for women over 40, daily walking can help:
- Reduce stress levels
- Support hormone health
- Improve mood and mental wellbeing
- Increase calorie burn naturally
- Improve energy levels and sleep quality
It’s one of the simplest and most underrated tools for both physical and mental health.
With May being National Walking Month, there’s never been a better time to focus on increasing your daily movement and building healthier habits that actually fit into real life.
Whether it’s walking around the block one more time each day, taking the stairs instead of the lift, parking further away, or simply getting outside for some fresh air, every step counts.
10 Simple Ways To Increase Your NEAT & Sneak Extra Steps Into Your Day
- Try walking one way to your destination and getting a lift, taxi or public transport home
- Arrange your next coffee date near a park and walk while you chat
- Walk to work or park a little further away
- Walk your dog, borrow a friend’s dog or volunteer at a local shelter
- Take the stairs instead of the lift or escalator
- Get moving while doing housework – vacuuming and mopping all count!
- Use a fitness tracker and challenge yourself to increase your steps gradually
- Set reminders to stand up and move every hour
- Take the scenic route whenever possible
- Pace while brushing your teeth or waiting for appointments – it all adds up!
Ready To Move More & Feel Better?
If you’ve fallen out of routine and need some motivation, accountability and structure, my 10K EVERYDAY 14 Day Challenge starts THIS Monday (11th May) and is the perfect way to kickstart healthier habits during National Walking Month.
For JUST £14 you’ll receive:
✅ Full 14 Day Menu Plan + Recipes
✅ Daily indoor walk/run workouts to help boost your step count
✅ Motivation & accountability every day
✅ Full access to my Sandra Brooks Online Fitness Studio for 14 days
✅ Amazing results both physically AND mentally
This challenge is designed to help you feel healthier, happier and more in control again – without overwhelm or extreme workouts.
👉 You can join here:
https://sandrabrooks.co.uk/offers/