1) Basal
metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of
energy required to maintain bodily functions at rest - this accounts for about
60% of total daily energy expenditure (Levine & Kotz, 2005).
2) “Thermic effect of food is the increase
in energy expenditure associated with the digestion, absorption, and storage of
food and accounts for 6–12% of total daily energy expenditure” (Levine &
Kotz, 2005, p. 310).
3) Thermic
effect of physical activity is subdivided
into two components: exercise related activity thermogenesis
(planned exercise) and non-exercise
activity thermogenesis [NEAT] accounting for 15-30% of daily energy
expenditure (Levine, 2004). Planned exercise burns calories, but most of
us cannot spend hours exercising every day.
NEAT is everything we do that isn’t sleeping, eating, or planned
exercise. “NEAT includes the energy expenditure
of occupation, leisure, sitting, standing, walking, talking, toe-tapping,
fidgeting, playing guitar, dancing, and shopping” (Levine, 2004, p. S82).
Basal metabolic rate decreases
with age and when one loses weight, hence fewer calories are needed. In addition to planned exercise sessions, NEAT
should be incorporated into your day!
Try of few of the suggestions below to increase NEAT:
·
Take a walk at
lunch or have a walking meeting
·
Park the car
further away when you’re at work or at the grocery store
·
If you live close
enough, walk your kids to school
·
Stand or walk
when you’re talking on the phone
·
Ask your boss
about a standing work station
·
Make dinner
instead of stopping for take-out
·
Clean house
·
If you are
watching TV, get up during commercials and do something
References:
Levine, J. A. (2004). Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT). Nutrition
Reviews,
62(7), 82-97.
doi:10.1301/nr.2004.jul.S82S97
egocentric & geocentric environmental factors vs. biological
regulation. Acta
Physiologica Scandinavica, 184(4), 309-318.
doi:10.1111/j.1365-201X.2005.01467.x
