The NEAT way to add movement to your day (see what I did there?)

I’m mid-walk — while also at work — when my fitness watch rudely asks, “Are you still working out?” I am, I swear! I’m just typing while on a Zoom call, which eliminates my arm swing, thus causing the watch’s concern. My legs are still moving (even if my device doubts me) on the mini treadmill beneath me, so it still counts … right?

Let me back up and explain the path that took me from my office chair to knocking out a few miles during my virtual meeting. Whether working at home, in the office or in a hybrid setup, it’s clear that Americans are sitting too much. The average American adult spends between 7.5 and 9.5 hours a day sedentary, such as sitting at a desk. Those days with back-to-back-to-back virtual meetings? Yikes. So how do we get up and do something about our tendency to do nothing?

Treadmill desks or walking pads are a recent wellness trend I am happy to get behind (I happen to also enjoy snail mucin and mushroom coffee). Though likely popularized by employees who remain working from home post-COVID, the invention dates back to 1999 when Mayo Clinic endocrinologist Dr. James Levine made his own while conducting research on movement we do when not intentionally exercising.

I consider my walking pad a great investment. Luckily, my team has gotten used to my bobbing head (and slightly breathless answers). I’ve also started a department trend, passing the product link to multiple co-workers. Maybe I should attempt to enter the influencer world …

What is NEAT? What are the benefits?

The acronym NEAT stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis — the calories burned through daily physical movement outside of planned exercise. Exercise is planned and sustained movement for physical fitness. NEAT is the rest. Examples of NEAT include fidgeting, petting your dog, household chores or walking to the mailbox. “Depending on the type, duration and intensity, exercising for an hour may burn up to an additional 500 calories per day. Having an active lifestyle with intentional NEAT can burn up to 1,000 calories,” says Kate Russell, CEP, an exercise physiologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Unfortunately, intentional exercise alone does not combat a sedentary lifestyle. Prolonged sitting reverses the benefits of even vigorous exercise, says Russell. The ideal situation would be regular exercise and an active general lifestyle.

What are the risks in being sedentary for most of the day?

Higher levels of sedentary behavior are associated with a shorter lifespan, no matter the cause of death. What’s even more worrisome? A study at Mayo Clinic showed an increased risk of 35 percent to 40 percent for those who sit for six or more hours regardless of a regular exercise routine. “The patients I see at the clinic usually understand the importance of aerobic exercise, but sometimes do not fully appreciate that all physical activity is important. Lower-level activity such as walking during the day, taking the stairs and other forms of NEAT have many health advantages,” says Dr. Donald Hensrud, a Mayo Clinic internist and author of “The Mayo Clinic Diet.”

So, is a walking pad a good idea? Is there anything less expensive?

Absolutely it’s a good idea, but if the $125 to $225 you’ll pay for a decent pad is outside of your budget, there are plenty of other options. If you don’t have a standing desk, consider an under-the-desk stepper or pedals that can cost as little as $25, says Russell. If that’s not your cup of tea, think walking around when on your cell phone, standing or walking meetings, a few sets of resistance band exercises each time you stand up, or walking to visit the colleagues down the hall instead of instant messaging them. If you do choose to jump on the walking pad trend, ensure you have supportive shoes and enough room around the walking pad to step off safely.

What’s next?

“Our environment has changed a lot,” says Hensrud. “We have engineered physical activity out of our lives with more sedentary jobs and step-saving activities. I encourage my patients to outsmart their inner brain and look for excuses to obtain physical activity throughout the day. Any activity is good activity.” In short: Get moving!

Relevant reading

The Mayo Clinic Diet Book, Third Edition and Journal Bundle

This revised edition of the #1 New York Times bestselling book offers a simple, time-tested, no-nonsense approach to losing weight and keeping it off. The Mayo Clinic Diet isn’t a fad diet – it’s an approach that draws on years of research from thousands of individuals seeking to lose weight. It’s a plan…