Get your NEAT on

Jane Arlow • September 17, 2021

NEAT, Exercise and Menopause

I’m sure the title of this blog had you going “Huh? What fresh hell is she talking about this time?”

No, it has nothing to do with how ‘neatly’ you organise your exercise schedule or your leggings drawer (ahem, have you seen mine?!).

And, although I’m mentioning menopause, whether you’re menopausal or not, this is important, so pay attention please!

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 you do every day determines your daily levels of NEAT. If you’re on your feet and physically active throughout the day, you will have higher levels of NEAT.

If you sit all day, your NEAT levels will be low and you’ll want to develop habits that increase your levels throughout the day.

Like what, please?

• Stand more. If you usually sit all day, try standing for some of that time – I sometimes take my laptop to the kitchen counter and work from there. Another option, if you don’t have a standing desk, is to raise your laptop on some shelving.

If that’s not practical for you, stand up for at least 5 minutes every time you complete a task. Set a timer to help you remember to take standing breaks.

Those of you who come to Stretch know that I’m always banging on about taking stretch breaks a couple of times each day. Check out my blog on stretches to do if you sit at a desk all day for some ideas on things you can do.

Have you tried sitting on a stability ball? This makes you sit up taller, use your core and/ or fidget a bit more.

If you’ve been enjoying the joy that is endless Zoom/ Webex/ Teams/ Bluejeans calls, dial in with your phone, switch off the camera and take your phone for a walk! A half hour phone call while pacing will burn more calories than sitting wondering why your face looks so weird on the screen.

PS – take the phone outside and walk in the fresh air for the double win!

• Fidget: Did you parents tell you sit still and stop fidgeting all the time? Ignore them! It’s a great way to increase NEAT.

Studies have shown that sedentary people who fidget more than non-fidgeters are healthier and burn more calories than those who don’t.

A study over 12 years, comparing low, medium and high fidgeting among sedentary women concluded that the high fidgeting group had the lowest health risks from being sedentary.

• Go to the shops: Mr Jeff’s online shop has made it very easy to never leave the house. I think he’s had quite enough money out of all of us now, given that he’s bought his own spaceship! Off you pop to the shops – your High Street needs you!

Double win if you can walk back carrying your haul!

• Walk more. Go for a short walk during your lunch break and take the long way around to where you’ve parked your car.

Now that people are drifting back to the office, walk to your colleague’s desk instead of calling; take the stairs to another floor instead of taking the lift; and if you’re commuting, you know you want to hike up the Kilimanjaro-like escalator from the Underground up to the train platforms at Waterloo.

• Count your steps. What gets measured gets done! Using a pedometer or your phone will help you monitor the number of steps you take in a day and will remind you to become aware of your movement for the day.

The recommendation is for 10,000 steps, but set yourself an achievable target and work up to it if you’re a bit out of practice. By the way, if you have a FitBit and want to friend me for a little light competition, I am up for that!

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!

Who do you know who would find this helpful? Why not share this blog post with someone who needs it?

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