N.E.A.T: A Fitness Habit
Now that all of you have some context about my fitness journey, I wanted to share a fitness revelation that I’ve had over this circuit breaker period called N.E.A.T. and … it’s actually really neat - haha!
When I was going to Ultimate Performance, I’d go to the gym diligently 3 times a week, very obediently eat a super clean and healthy diet as well (Okay, I didn’t really have a choice given I had paid an exorbitant amount of money). In addition to that my trainer told me that I had to hit at least 10,000 steps a day. I thought it was just a ‘nice to have’ so I obviously didn’t put in as much effort as I should have to hit those 10k steps everyday, and man do I regret it! If I did, I’m pretty sure my results would have been even better when I ended the program.
Honestly though, thinking back, I was actually really struggling hit 10k steps everyday - I attribute this to my lifestyle and of course my deskbound job. I used to drive everywhere all the time, so that required me to walk very little - and given my job at Google is deskbound most of the time (though I try my best to stand), hitting 10k steps a day proved to be quite difficult. Besides. I had already exercised in the morning, so I figured I had done my due diligence for the day, so I’d just pretty much stay sedentary throughout the rest of the day.
So… What Exactly Is N.E.A.T?
During this circuit breaker period however, gyms are closed and thus I was forced to find other ways to keep myself fit.
Though I had already built a home gym, I decided that it would be the perfect time to conduct an experiment - I wanted to see whether I’d be able to maintain my muscles and fats ratio even without my normal gym routine. I’d do body weight exercises throughout the day, and aimed to walk at least 15k steps a day - in an attempt to increase my N.E.A.T during this period.
1.5 months in - and I was pretty happy with my results! My muscles didn’t drop in % at all, in fact it increased by a few %, and my fats also decreased by a few %! I couldn’t believe that just by doing body weight exercises and simply walking more each day, I was able to ‘maintain’ my physique. Imagine how much fat I would have been able to lose if I had added in some resistance training!
How N.E.A.T Works
If you look at the infographic I compiled below, you can see how much N.E.A.T contributes to our total daily energy expenditure.
From this experiment, I also figured that N.E.A.T is best ‘accumulated’ as you move throughout the day, not only within a 1 hour timeframe / period. Assuming we spend 1 hour a day exercising, 8 hours a day sleeping, the rest of the 15 hours are spent moving, going about our daily routines (N.E.A.T) - clearly we are able to easily increase our N.E.A.T by simply moving more instead of being sedentary all the time. Increasing N.E.A.T doesn’t even require you to run or do any strenuous exercise. After learning this, I finally understood why my trainer has insisted for me to be active throughout the day, not just during my 1 hour gym session.
How I’ve Been Increasing My N.E.A.T
After every meal, I’d take a quick 15 - 20 minute walk to digest my food as well as to clock some steps. I found that I was able to clock at least 3k steps within this time - and I didn’t even have to walk really far! Another example I did was to put the pull up bar at my door. Everytime I needed to use the toilet, my ticket to the toilet was 5 pull ups. Sometimes, I’d switch it up to make it 5 push ups or squats instead. By the end of the day, I’d have accumulated at least 50 pull ups (yes, I pee alot because I hydrate quite a fair bit).
Conclusion
If we are able to maximize our N.E.A.T movement, it would be one step closer to being able to better help burn fat!
To Sum Up:
Keep active throughout the day where possible to increase your N.E.A.T.
N.E.A.T movements are simple: Stop a bus stop earlier and walk back home or climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator
Now, instead of driving, I try to walk everywhere and take as much public transport as possible just to clock steps! I sometimes have fun with my friends by competing with them on steps challenges to keep myself motivated!
What I LOVE about N.E.A.T is that it’s easy to develop, just like how you develop a habit. All you have to do is to implement small, simple and incremental movements to your everyday life! So don’t underestimate the compounding beneficial effects of N.E.A.T movement, and start adding some of these easy movements to your day!
Fun Fact: When you grocery shop, you’re able to clock up to at least 2k steps! Start there ;)
Resources
Not a Diet Book: The Must-Have Fitness Book From the World's Favourite Personal Trainer - James Smith ( Book | Depends on your reading speed)
