Wellness Wednesday 

Hey, that’s NEAT.

NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. It’s any physical movement that is not exercise and accounts for a portion of our daily metabolic output. Simply engaging in active living can increase the amount of calories you burn.

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator, escalator or moving sidewalk.
• Open doors manually rather than use the wheelchair button, which, by the way, is not meant for lazy people, but that’s a rant for another time…
• Carry your own bags rather than wheel them around or have a porter do it for you.
• When sitting, practice some stretching exercises or do a little chair yoga.
• Walk everywhere all the time whenever possible.
• And for those staying in self-catering accommodations, hand wash your laundry and bake/cook manually without using electrically powered kitchen appliances.

The majority of calories needed by the body daily go towards sustaining life and participating in NEAT. Only a small percentage of calories is burned through exercise alone. Be weal, be active and be NEAT for good health.

http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/3757/the-n-e-a-t-way-to-exercise/