NEAT Improvement Strategies to Improve Weight Loss
Replies
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This thread is Inspiring me to keep up with household chores better
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Would hitting 10k steps a day help. I'm mostly sedentary as I continue to recovery from breaking my ankle back in December. I lift about 4 to 5 days a week but have decided to include walk away the pounds to help me hit 10k steps a day3
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Great ideas here.
So far I get my steps in doing weekends volunteer work, walking my errands, and walkng instead of mass transit (which is usually a mess in NYC). I'm usually carrying a backpack, gym bag, or rolling grocery bag while doing this. I'm a believer in multitasking.
At home I do most of the chores. So it's repeated vacuuming, wiping down countertops, picking up clothes, and sweeping bunny poo (she kicks it out of her cage). At work, running up and down stairs from the 4th floor, using the furthest bathroom and copy machine, dropping off paperwork in person if possible, and calf raises or counter push ups while heating up lunch.2 -
I keep recipes up on the computer when I cook in the kitchen, instead of pulling them up on my phone... so I have to go to the other room to look up the next ingredients or step (that's where I keep all my recipes anyway).
I walk loops in my house when I'm on the phone. Might as well be active instead of doing nothing...
I avoid sitting in my couches and recliners unless I'm done for the day.. it's harder to get up from those than my old computer chair. I park a bit farther in parking lots and always take the stairs (and return my cart to the cart return, but that's a HUGE pet peeve of mine).
And yeah... if I'm going to watch tv anyway (and have time for a shower afterwards), I'll get on the treadmill to do it...1 -
MissMingLeee wrote: »Would hitting 10k steps a day help. I'm mostly sedentary as I continue to recovery from breaking my ankle back in December. I lift about 4 to 5 days a week but have decided to include walk away the pounds to help me hit 10k steps a day
Absolutely! Every movement helps a little, and extra steps can add up to helping a lot. Also, extra steps are easier to measure, so easier to estimate calorie burn, than some of the other strategies. All the movement burns calories, but with the ones that are easier to estimate, we can make more informed choices about whether to eat those calories back or add them to our weight loss rate, if we're still in weight-loss mode.
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MissMingLeee wrote: »Would hitting 10k steps a day help. I'm mostly sedentary as I continue to recovery from breaking my ankle back in December. I lift about 4 to 5 days a week but have decided to include walk away the pounds to help me hit 10k steps a day
10K steps is roughly equivalent to 5 miles...so I don't so how it couldn't0 -
I'm super twitchy. I can't sit still very long (I fall asleep) so I'm usually up and about. I walk to people when I need something and if it requires, follow up with email AFTER making the request. I'm a super fast walker -- my husband has to tell me to slow down all the time, though not sure that counts.
I take the stairs (+1 floor to my desk, +7 floors to the cafeteria), go for lunch walks, and sometimes go for dinner walks. Though I often FEEL sedentary but here I am bouncing my leg and thinking about how I can't stand still for long (I'll sway or weight shift from one foot to the other). I get steps, though usually about 6000ish a day on average, unless I'm REAL good about going for a walk. I used to aim for 10k/daily, but I got lazy about that. I should aim for that again now that it's nice outside for walkin'!
I don't know how all that adds up to NEAT shakeout, but hey, every little bit counts!
ETA: I have this little roller thing that used to be what my computer tower was on (before we all got laptops), and I've kept that thing through all our moves because it has wheels. I like to roll it around with my feet and do wheelies under the desk. Little wheelies, but my feet sure get to have more fun than me!3 -
dhiammarath wrote: »I'm super twitchy. I can't sit still very long (I fall asleep) so I'm usually up and about. I walk to people when I need something and if it requires, follow up with email AFTER making the request. I'm a super fast walker -- my husband has to tell me to slow down all the time, though not sure that counts.
I take the stairs (+1 floor to my desk, +7 floors to the cafeteria), go for lunch walks, and sometimes go for dinner walks. Though I often FEEL sedentary but here I am bouncing my leg and thinking about how I can't stand still for long (I'll sway or weight shift from one foot to the other). I get steps, though usually about 6000ish a day on average, unless I'm REAL good about going for a walk. I used to aim for 10k/daily, but I got lazy about that. I should aim for that again now that it's nice outside for walkin'!
I don't know how all that adds up to NEAT shakeout, but hey, every little bit counts!
ETA: I have this little roller thing that used to be what my computer tower was on (before we all got laptops), and I've kept that thing through all our moves because it has wheels. I like to roll it around with my feet and do wheelies under the desk. Little wheelies, but my feet sure get to have more fun than me!
Oh, man, I think I burned some calories just reading about all that motion: Good show, it's gotta be helping!2 -
Increasing my NEAT has become important to me too as my weight has reduced and I’ve learnt more about all this stuff!
I mostly do it through steps- I ensure I always get at least 10k per day- usually more (unless I’m sick), and have a Fitbit to track this.
I think all the things I do have already been mentioned- I often pace the house while waiting for things to cook or the jug to boil, instead of sitting down- I have a little lap I do around the house that is ab it 300 steps per lap. Pace while on the phone, park further away etc etc.
I’m a teacher, so already pretty active at work, but I’m now more intentional about walking around my classroom (going to the kids instead of getting them to come to me), taking trips to the copier or office more often, walking the long way round to get somewhere etc. Even things like walking up and down the sideline while supervising cross country training inst ad of just standing there (I have to supervise a section for safety reasons, so can’t run with them or anything!) But I now enjoy referring soccer games, and pacing the sideline while I support the school sports teams etc.
It all helps!2 -
Public service announcement: For folks monitoring this thread, there are some good NEAT-improvement ideas being interspersed in another thread here that's on a related topic. Check it out:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10676131/what-s-your-weird-exercise-habit6 -
My job is super sedentary so I use one of those under desk epiltical machines and probably pedal on that for three to four hours every weekday. I like it because I can easily do it while focusing on other things.
I’m the opposite of a fidgeter in public and instead practice “statue” moves where I purposely engage a set of muscles while remaining still (mostly core or glute) for as long as possible. For example, I’ll sit in a meeting with both feet/legs off the floor by an inch or so using my lower core to keep them up for several minutes at a time. Or I’ll practice engaging my posterior chain (like at the top of a deadlift) while I am standing in line. As a bonus, it also gives me impeccable posture and makes me extra aware of my muscle engagement when I am actually working out.
New to this thread but am interested in the under desk elliptical machine. I'll have to look it up. Thanks for the post from another office dweller.2 -
I live in a house where the kitchen is downstairs from all the other rooms. You would not believe how often I go up and down those stairs. And I don’t try very hard to combine trips; if I’m taking my tea and a plate of food upstairs, and there’s the slightest risk that I might spill something, that’s two trips.6
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Taking the stairs at work every time. Offering to run to different parts of the hospital to get medications/equipment
Walking the kids to and from school
Playing music with a fast beat when cleaning- I really speed up and enjoy it more
Having a ‘lunch break’ on days at home when I eat and then have a certain amount of time I can read/watch TV sit still until my ‘break’ is over. I can always find something to do when my breaks over
Audio books. Some of my inactivity is due to the fact I’m an avid reader and can read for hours without realising. Audio books or podcasts mean I get my story fix while I’m on the move
When waiting for my PT to arrive instead of sitting in the car go for a quick jog to warm up
Exploring the local nature reserve with the family on weekends, going to the beach with the kids and dog.
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My job is super sedentary so I use one of those under desk epiltical machines and probably pedal on that for three to four hours every weekday. I like it because I can easily do it while focusing on other things.
I’m the opposite of a fidgeter in public and instead practice “statue” moves where I purposely engage a set of muscles while remaining still (mostly core or glute) for as long as possible. For example, I’ll sit in a meeting with both feet/legs off the floor by an inch or so using my lower core to keep them up for several minutes at a time. Or I’ll practice engaging my posterior chain (like at the top of a deadlift) while I am standing in line. As a bonus, it also gives me impeccable posture and makes me extra aware of my muscle engagement when I am actually working out.
New to this thread but am interested in the under desk elliptical machine. I'll have to look it up. Thanks for the post from another office dweller.
Just wanted to update that I got the Cubii Jr under desk elliptical. Love it!
You do need about 3 inches of clearance for your knees under your present desk. (the pedals are off the floor a couple of inches, plus room to pedal).
Its mostly quiet. Sometimes it makes a slight ticking noise, but this is usually remediated by changing where my feet are located on the pedals.
I definitely feel that it has sped up my weight loss.... I'm on a very slight deficit because I don't like to suffer
I see the scale moving every week now, rather than over several weeks, before Cubii... 9 -
Glad to see some new ideas & good practices coming into the thread: Yay!4
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Ooh I have a good one.
If you have wood floors buy a good soft broom and sweep them.
I've been doing it for so long I had forgotten about it.
You wouldn't believe how much more relaxing it actually is than dragging out the vac and having that noise in your ears, I find it quicker too.
Not for everyone, but I do 'wash' and polish the floors on my hands and knees too once a month. Kind of like an ab roller workout
Quick go over with the Swiffer mop when needed between times.
(1300sqft total, a section per week)
Cheers, h.10 -
middlehaitch wrote: »Ooh I have a good one.
If you have wood floors buy a good soft broom and sweep them.
I've been doing it for so long I had forgotten about it.
You wouldn't believe how much more relaxing it actually is than dragging out the vac and having that noise in your ears, I find it quicker too.
Not for everyone, but I do 'wash' and polish the floors on my hands and knees too once a month. Kind of like an ab roller workout
Quick go over with the Swiffer mop when needed between times.
(1300sqft total, a section per week)
Cheers, h.
Don't know how I missed this when you posted it, middlehaitch: Cleanliness is next to calorie expenditure, if not to actual godliness. Or goddessliness, in your case, I guess.
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middlehaitch wrote: »Ooh I have a good one.
If you have wood floors buy a good soft broom and sweep them.
I've been doing it for so long I had forgotten about it.
You wouldn't believe how much more relaxing it actually is than dragging out the vac and having that noise in your ears, I find it quicker too.
Not for everyone, but I do 'wash' and polish the floors on my hands and knees too once a month. Kind of like an ab roller workout
Quick go over with the Swiffer mop when needed between times.
(1300sqft total, a section per week)
Cheers, h.
Don't know how I missed this when you posted it, middlehaitch: Cleanliness is next to calorie expenditure, if not to actual godliness. Or goddessliness, in your case, I guess.
It reads much more of an exhaustive endeavour than it is annpt77.
I just hate the sound of the vacuum cleaner so much I find the alternative relaxing. I hate house work so finding a way to semi enjoy it is a plus.
Cheers, h.2 -
MFP Blog had a list of NEAT tips yesterday:
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/15-ways-to-sneak-more-activity-into-your-day/
I liked this one:
2. Use commercial breaks as an opportunity to clean and organize your living space.4 -
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I love this!!!!1
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I have to say that this thread right here has been the biggest help to me in my weight loss journey so far (and that’s saying a lot since I’ve gotten so much great advice, info and help from this community when I’ve asked for it)!
I’m an older, shorter female 62, 5’2.5”) who started back here in January at an obese BMI of between 30-31. I didn’t exercise at all, and really thought my daily activity was ok (office job, keeping a house and garden, etc).
When I began logging and staying within my calorie allowance, the weight began to drop. I started back with Pilates and began walking at least 30 minutes most days and felt better.
It all really started to gel when I took to heart the power of NEAT. I made it my business to move more in my everyday life, the usual things like parking farther out in a parking lot, being inefficient at home and climbing more steps, going to the recycle bin numerous times instead of letting things build up, vacuuming both floors daily (I’m a clean freak, so bonus!), and things like that. I’m not obsessive, but more aware.
According to my Fitbit (and my weight loss bears this out), my calorie burn averages between 1800-1900 a day which allows me to eat at around 1500 calories a day and continue to lose. I’m not breaking any speed records there, but it’s comfortable and sustainable.
I started at 173 and am at 137 (normal BMI) currently. I hope to be in the mid 120’s or so by the end of the year.25 -
I work at a food co-op, and my gym is a 3 minute walk from it. Some days off, I park at the co-op, walk to the gym, lift weights, then walk back to shop.
it's becoming common for stores to offer drive ups for groceries. my tip for able-bodied shoppers: opt out of this option, walk the cart to your car, unload the groceries, then bring the carts back inside the store. Not only is it an easy way to increase NEAT, it's considerate and safe for other shoppers not to leave your carts in the middle of the lot (especially if the store doesn't have corrals).
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workinonit1956 wrote: »I have to say that this thread right here has been the biggest help to me in my weight loss journey so far (and that’s saying a lot since I’ve gotten so much great advice, info and help from this community when I’ve asked for it)!
I’m an older, shorter female 62, 5’2.5”) who started back here in January at an obese BMI of between 30-31. I didn’t exercise at all, and really thought my daily activity was ok (office job, keeping a house and garden, etc).
When I began logging and staying within my calorie allowance, the weight began to drop. I started back with Pilates and began walking at least 30 minutes most days and felt better.
It all really started to gel when I took to heart the power of NEAT. I made it my business to move more in my everyday life, the usual things like parking farther out in a parking lot, being inefficient at home and climbing more steps, going to the recycle bin numerous times instead of letting things build up, vacuuming both floors daily (I’m a clean freak, so bonus!), and things like that. I’m not obsessive, but more aware.
According to my Fitbit (and my weight loss bears this out), my calorie burn averages between 1800-1900 a day which allows me to eat at around 1500 calories a day and continue to lose. I’m not breaking any speed records there, but it’s comfortable and sustainable.
I started at 173 and am at 137 (normal BMI) currently. I hope to be in the mid 120’s or so by the end of the year.
Thank you so much for this "testimonial"! I'm your age, 62, and also started at BMI 30-31, now at BMI 22.
Too many people underestimate what they can accomplish by working at higher NEAT. Your story helps make that point that it can be quite significant.
Good show!6 -
I work at a food co-op, and my gym is a 3 minute walk from it. Some days off, I park at the co-op, walk to the gym, lift weights, then walk back to shop.
it's becoming common for stores to offer drive ups for groceries. my tip for able-bodied shoppers: opt out of this option, walk the cart to your car, unload the groceries, then bring the carts back inside the store. Not only is it an easy way to increase NEAT, it's considerate and safe for other shoppers not to leave your carts in the middle of the lot (especially if the store doesn't have corrals).
Great ideas!
Bonus NEAT points when shopping: Unless physical limitations prevent, use a hand-basket rather than a cart whenever possible, and hand-carry the bag(s) to the car.
As a li'l ol' lady, I routinely get "are you sure? it's going to be heavy!" from cashiers, when I tell them to put it all in my reusable bag . . . say, 3 half-gallons of milk, a quart of kefir, a big tub or two of yogurt, a six-pack, and some veggies. It gives me great satisfaction to smile brightly (while gaily swinging the full bag to my shoulder) and say "li'l ol' lady goes to the the gym for a reason; enjoy your day!"
(Bonus story that I found Just. Hilarious.: I bought two big rectangular jugs, 2.5 gallons each, of distilled water, so a bit over 40 pounds total. I carried them from the back of the store to the register, then out to my car, which was well out in the lot.
On the way to my car, a total stranger stopped me (obese guy younger than me, as it happened), because he needed to tell me that joke about how elderly people should exercise by lifting 10 pound potato sacks, switch to 20 pound sacks when that gets easy, and when that's going well, start adding potatoes.
Completely bemused, I'm patiently standing there in the parking lot, while he tells this lame old joke to a gray-haired age 62 li'l ol' lady who's holding 2 jugs with 40+ pounds of water. While I merely laughed politely (internal eye roll) in the moment, I truly thought the whole event was very, very funny.)16 -
I actually order groceries and get curb-side pickup for a different reason. It keeps me from impulse buying. Trade-offs!12
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You’re most welcome, and thank you for putting this information out there. I think it’s an important piece of the puzzle. Be well:)workinonit1956 wrote: »I have to say that this thread right here has been the biggest help to me in my weight loss journey so far (and that’s saying a lot since I’ve gotten so much great advice, info and help from this community when I’ve asked for it)!
I’m an older, shorter female 62, 5’2.5”) who started back here in January at an obese BMI of between 30-31. I didn’t exercise at all, and really thought my daily activity was ok (office job, keeping a house and garden, etc).
When I began logging and staying within my calorie allowance, the weight began to drop. I started back with Pilates and began walking at least 30 minutes most days and felt better.
It all really started to gel when I took to heart the power of NEAT. I made it my business to move more in my everyday life, the usual things like parking farther out in a parking lot, being inefficient at home and climbing more steps, going to the recycle bin numerous times instead of letting things build up, vacuuming both floors daily (I’m a clean freak, so bonus!), and things like that. I’m not obsessive, but more aware.
According to my Fitbit (and my weight loss bears this out), my calorie burn averages between 1800-1900 a day which allows me to eat at around 1500 calories a day and continue to lose. I’m not breaking any speed records there, but it’s comfortable and sustainable.
I started at 173 and am at 137 (normal BMI) currently. I hope to be in the mid 120’s or so by the end of the year.
Thank you so much for this "testimonial"! I'm your age, 62, and also started at BMI 30-31, now at BMI 22.
Too many people underestimate what they can accomplish by working at higher NEAT. Your story helps make that point that it can be quite significant.
Good show!
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I work at a food co-op, and my gym is a 3 minute walk from it. Some days off, I park at the co-op, walk to the gym, lift weights, then walk back to shop.
it's becoming common for stores to offer drive ups for groceries. my tip for able-bodied shoppers: opt out of this option, walk the cart to your car, unload the groceries, then bring the carts back inside the store. Not only is it an easy way to increase NEAT, it's considerate and safe for other shoppers not to leave your carts in the middle of the lot (especially if the store doesn't have corrals).
Great ideas!
Bonus NEAT points when shopping: Unless physical limitations prevent, use a hand-basket rather than a cart whenever possible, and hand-carry the bag(s) to the car.
As a li'l ol' lady, I routinely get "are you sure? it's going to be heavy!" from cashiers, when I tell them to put it all in my reusable bag . . . say, 3 half-gallons of milk, a quart of kefir, a big tub or two of yogurt, a six-pack, and some veggies. It gives me great satisfaction to smile brightly (while gaily swinging the full bag to my shoulder) and say "li'l ol' lady goes to the the gym for a reason; enjoy your day!"
(Bonus story that I found Just. Hilarious.: I bought two big rectangular jugs, 2.5 gallons each, of distilled water, so a bit over 40 pounds total. I carried them from the back of the store to the register, then out to my car, which was well out in the lot.
On the way to my car, a total stranger stopped me (obese guy younger than me, as it happened), because he needed to tell me that joke about how elderly people should exercise by lifting 10 pound potato sacks, switch to 20 pound sacks when that gets easy, and when that's going well, start adding potatoes.
Completely bemused, I'm patiently standing there in the parking lot, while he tells this lame old joke to a gray-haired age 62 li'l ol' lady who's holding 2 jugs with 40+ pounds of water. While I merely laughed politely (internal eye roll) in the moment, I truly thought the whole event was very, very funny.)
Great idea on the baskets. My acupuncturist instructed me to carry them after I was told I may have osteoporosis. I carry a basket on each hand for equal weight bearing. And I always find the "are you sure you can carry this?" Funny. I am guilty of this because there have been customers who got testy if I didn't.
Another thing in regards to the driveups - we keep the groceries in carts to push to the car. Lately, I started carrying them instead if they're manageable.quiksylver296 wrote: »I actually order groceries and get curb-side pickup for a different reason. It keeps me from impulse buying. Trade-offs!
Valid reason! It's hard working at the store and not buying sweet potato chips every shift. I unfortunately live just on the outskirts of any delivery service. They would totally help me out on bad Crohn's days, or when I just don't want to leave the house. 2 -
Wow that thread has been an eye opener for me. I've always complained here how small my TDEE is compared to people with similar stats and amount of exercise as me.
Now I see these people posting here and it is their NEAT that made it so big.
I don't do any of those things listed. And to be fair I don't feel like I want to start doing them (I actually am happy to have taught myself out of fidgeting and I finally feel so relaxed).
However, despite that, I'm so relieved now to see why my TDEE is so much less. I don't feel like a freak anymore. I'm free to make a choice. How nice is that.
ETA: That's why MFP default sedentiary cals never worked for me and I had to always use 250 less. My sedentiary is just sitting (safe for toilet trips). All day long. And people here would consider sedentiary quite a different thing.13 -
This came up on another thread, so I'm coming back to comment here:
Speaking only for myself, especially as someone who doesn't link an activity tracker (Fitbit or whatever), I almost never log extra "exercise" for individually minor NEAT improvements. The individual items are so small and difficult to estimate that trying to log them can be a bit of a trap. Yes, they add up through the day, and the total can be significant (as we've seen from reports above). It can definitely increase our NEAT/TDEE, if we're persistent over a period of time. But it would be super easy to over-estimate the calories, and thus wipe out any benefits for weight management.
Instead, I personally just try to do as much as I can think of, and have energy for, and see what happens on the scale. If I'm losing a little faster than I expect - or losing when I should hold steady - over a period of time, then I consider adding some calories to my daily eating budget. Adding NEAT improvements tends to be gradual, so the numbers are unlikely to be big enough to create any health risks through too-fast loss, unless someone is already pushing healthy boundaries.
I admit I've occasionally logged something NEAT-ish but truly major that went well beyond my regular routine (like when my sedentary self spent multiple hours for several days in a row running up and down a stepladder and installing full-height shelf brackets and shelves along one entire wall of my garage). In those rare cases, I will log a shorter time, and a very lowball calorie estimate.
But trying to log calories for being inefficient about putting away laundry or parking at the far end of the lot . . . well, it seems like a way to become a "Help! Not Losing!" forum thread. 12
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