When most people think about fat loss, they immediately jump to intense workouts and strict diets. While structured exercise and nutrition are important, there’s another major factor that’s often overlooked — and it could be the missing link in your progress. Enter NEAT, or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.

NEAT refers to all the calories you burn from activities that aren’t formal exercise. That means everything from walking the dog, standing while working, fidgeting, doing chores, pacing while on the phone, or even just getting up to grab a glass of water. To put it simply, NEAT includes all the little movements that make up your day — and they can add up in a big way. Unlike that hour-long workout, NEAT is constantly working in the background, influencing your total daily energy expenditure more than you might think.

Why NEAT Matters for Fat Loss

Here’s the reality: Even if you hit the gym for an hour, that still leaves 23 hours in your day. If you’re sedentary for the rest of it, you’re missing a huge opportunity to burn more calories and improve your overall health. To further underscore the importance of NEAT, If your training in the gym centers around resistance training, most of the benefits you get are not, strictly speaking, calories burned. 

Research has shown that NEAT can vary by up to 2,000 calories per day between individuals, depending on their occupation, lifestyle, and habits. That means someone who moves frequently throughout the day could be burning hundreds or even thousands more calories daily than someone who doesn’t — without ever setting foot in a gym.

If your fat loss has stalled, and your training and diet are already in check, focusing on NEAT could be the subtle shift you need to reignite your progress.

How to Increase Your NEAT

The good news is, boosting your NEAT doesn’t require massive changes. Here are some simple, effective ways to add more movement into your daily routine:

• Take walking breaks – Aim for a 5-10 minute walk every hour, even if it’s just around your home or office.
• Use a standing desk – Alternating between sitting and standing helps keep your body active.
• Pace while on calls – Instead of sitting during phone calls or Zoom meetings, try pacing around the room.
• Opt for the stairs – Ditch the elevator whenever possible.
• Do chores mindfully – Cleaning, vacuuming, yard work — they all count.
• Park farther away – Choose parking spots that force you to walk a bit more.
• Get a step tracker – Wearing a fitness tracker can help you set and reach daily movement goals
  

Fat loss isn’t just about hitting the gym — it’s about how your energy balances out over each day. NEAT might not get as much attention as cardio or strength training, but it plays a crucial role in creating a sustainable calorie deficit and keeping your metabolism healthy.

So the next time you think about your fat loss strategy, don’t just count your reps — count your steps, your chores, and all those little movements that keep your body in motion. NEAT could be the piece of the puzzle you didn’t know you were missing.