Did you know that the best way to manage weight might not include daily gym visits? That’s right; researchers have taken a long hard look at the ramifications of a sedentary lifestyle and concluded that your favorite chair could be your worse enemy. The term NEAT – an acronym for – was coined by Dr. James Levine, a Mayo Clinic obesity researcher.

NEAT is the energy expended or calories burned for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating, or sports-like exercise. These activities range from gardening and housework to fidgeting, puttering and basically standing instead of sitting as much as possible.

Looking for ideas to up your NEAT tally?

1. At work, move the wastebasket to the other side of the office. You’ll have to get up out of your seat to toss your apple core.
2. Just say “no” to elevators.
3. Get up and walk around while chatting on the telephone.
4. Use a more distant restroom so you have to walk a longer distance.
5. If you find yourself sitting for long periods of time, set a timer for every hour as a reminder to get up and walk around or to do a few stretches.

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