No GYM? No worries! There are ways to burn calories in addition to formal exercise.

One of my goals on a daily basis is to MOVE my body. Research has shown that no matter what type of movement you chose as exercise, moving your body on a daily basis makes a world of difference in your health.

Exercise and City Life

After we moved from the suburbs to the “big city”, I got to thinking about people who live in larger cities and don’t drive or drive less often. They walk and move WAAY more than most. They still have to get place-to-place and it’s just easier and more economical to get around without a personal vehicle

Little Movements Add Up

In a google search on exercise, I can find hundreds of articles and ads for “quick fix” weight loss products and suggestions. Most of the time they don’t have lasting effects! I want to introduce you to the NEAT…NON-EXERCISE ACTIVITY THERMOGENESIS– concept.

Add this to your IF (Intermittent Fasting) and you just might have a recipe for a fit life!

In a nutshell, all the “little” movements and steps you make during your day DO add up! These are calories burned in addition to formal exercise, your basal metabolic rate (BMR), and the thermic effect of food (calories burned to break down, digest, absorb the food we eat).

So, what does that mean for you? MOVE!

Ways to increase your NEAT:

1. Add in a walk either before or after work or during your lunch break
2. Park farther away from the store or office
3. Take the stairs (both up AND down)
4. Wear a pedometer and set a daily step goal for yourself
5. Find stairs, trails, or a park near your home or office and EXPLORE
6. Walk and talk next time you’re on a long phone call
7. Resist the urge to haul your groceries inside in one trip and take multiple trips
8. Set an hourly alert to buzz on your phone to remind you to get up and stretch your legs or walk to the water fountain/restroom
9. Consider investing in a standing desk
10. Fidget when sitting
11. Play outside with the kids or your pet
12. Dance

So, start looking for ways to ditch the car and use your body to get place to place…the effects will last a lifetime!

**A couple of sites for more info and actual caloric values when considering NEAT:
breakingmuscle.com

Functional Sports Performance

verywellfit.com