I've already mentioned the importance of avoiding inactivity several times, but it's not all about formal exercise.
In fact, most of your daily calorie burn doesn’t come from workouts — it comes from NEAT:
🧍♂️ Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.
That means all the movement you do outside of formal exercise — walking to meetings, standing while on the phone, tidying up, pacing when you think, gardening, carrying shopping...
♥️ I've even read one study that suggests fidgeting might be a major reason why some people keep weight off easier than others!
👉 Research shows that people with higher NEAT have lower blood pressure, lower insulin resistance/diabetes risk, and a reduced risk of stroke and heart disease — even when their gym time is the same.
👉 Sitting for long stretches, on the other hand, is linked to higher all-cause mortality, regardless of exercise levels.
🧠 How to integrate this:
Find 3 extra ways to move more in your normal day.
Here are some ideas:
🚶 Park further away (I always park at the top of the multistorey at work and make myself take the stairs) or get off the bus one stop early
☎️ Take phone calls standing or walking
🪑 Set a timer to stand every 30–45 minutes
📺 March on the spot during TV ads
🧹 Do one 5-minute tidy-up sprint before bed
Each small movement nudges your metabolism, circulation, and blood pressure in the right direction. Over time, these micro-movements compound.
Let me know what you're going to try!