3 Ways Walking Helps You Lose Weight
What is non-exercise activity thermogenesis?
To lose weight, it’s not all about intense weight lifting sessions that have you gasping for breath and dripping in sweat. Walking is an effective and efficient way to lose weight by way of increasing non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).
What is NEAT?
NEAT is a component of your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) — how many calories (energy) you burn each day — alongside:
- Basal metabolic rate (BMR)
- Exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT)
- Thermic effect of food (TEF)
NEAT is non-exercise activity thermogenesis — the energy burned completing daily tasks like cleaning, fidgeting, gesticulation, and walking.
You might notice that when you feel energized, you are more likely to speak with more hand gestures and move around more, as opposed to when you’re tired or hungry and assume a still position. This is one of your body’s ways of regulating energy balance.
If you want to maximize the amount of calories you burn each day, consciously increasing your NEAT can make a big difference. Interestingly, NEAT contributes to 25 percent of your TDEE, whereas exercise only contributes to 5 percent, as outlined in…
