NEAT exercise stands for “Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis”. 

In non-tech talk, that’s the energy you expend during anything that’s not actual exercise – basically when you’re piling through your daily activities: taking the vacuum cleaner for a stroll round the lounge; wandering around as you ruminate on your response to a particularly passive-aggressive email from your least favourite colleague; gardening; shopping; walking the dog/ cat/ iguana; playing with the kids; cooking; or even (if you’re a fidget arse like me), how you sit.

Sometimes, it’s also called non-exercise physical activity, or NEPA.

The ‘neat’ thing about NEAT is that it makes it easier to incorporate more movement into your daily routine. Of course, you shouldn’t ditch your regular exercise. But it can be a sneaky way to get a little bit more movement in.

So, why is NEAT particularly important as you head towards perimenopause and menopause?

Thanks to modern technology, and the fact that many of us have been working from largely home for the last eighteen months, it’s totally possible to get to the end of the day and realise you’ve only done about 2,000 steps. All the things that we’re not doing anymore can have a negative impact on our NEAT.

BUT we know by now that movement and exercise are crucial for our optimal health at any time, (but especially during peri and post menopause), to ensure good blood and nutrient circulation; to balance hormones such as insulin, cortisol, leptin and ghrelin; for bone health; and to manage stress.

It’s particularly important to become aware of your NEAT and make a conscious effort to incorporate more of it into your day, especially if you don’t participate in regular planned exercise.

Being sedentary slows down your metabolism and increases fat storage even more as you age. And just to give you a nice whammy, it’s also important to think about the intensity of your exercise. It’s a balance between putting your body under a little stress to increase resilience; but not so much that you raise your cortisol levels, that in turn lead to your body holding on to fat leading to cardiovascular disease, strokes etc.

You’ll be totally shocked that I’m recommending that you book into Pilates, PiYo, or Strength & Stretch* as these are types of exercise that are going to help you get movement in without adding too much stress to your body

*other exercise classes are available. 

How can you increase your NEAT?

What’s the science behind NEAT?

“NEAT is thought to be one of the ways our bodies manage our weight. If we gain weight, NEAT tends to rise; whereas when we lose weight, NEAT often plummets, and people end up sitting more without moving as much.

As NEAT researcher James Levine who coined the term NEAT says “the energy expenditure can vary by as much as 2,000 calories per day in two people of the same size due to activity thermogenesis.

 We may come to appreciate that spontaneous physical activity is not spontaneous at all but carefully programmed."

One research review noted that the benefits of NEAT go well beyond extra calories expended. More NEAT also means less risk of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular events, and death from all causes. Plus, research shows that inactivity can negate the hard work you put into intentional exercise. Fighting sedentary behaviour with NEAT helps you reap the benefits of your workouts.

Got questions, do email me, happy to chat more!

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