June 2026

5 Ways to Build Incidental Activity Levels Every Day

Most people think of exercise as the gym, a running session, or a structured class. And while those things are valuable, there's another, often overlooked, way to be more active that can significantly impact your long-term results after Bariatric Surgery.

It's called incidental physical activity. And it adds up more than you'd think.

What is NEAT?

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) refers to any unstructured activity that expends energy, the movement that happens outside of deliberate exercise. Things like:

Grocery shopping
Gardening
Hanging out the washing
Walking to a meeting
Even digesting food and maintaining body temperature

NEAT makes up almost three-quarters of our daily energy expenditure. That means the movement you do throughout the day, not just in the gym, has a profound effect on how much energy your body uses overall.

NEAT makes up almost three-quarters of our daily energy expenditure.

Building more incidental movement into your day means you don't have to carve out hours of structured exercise to see meaningful results. Small, consistent movement throughout the day contributes to better energy, improved vitality and long-term health, without needing to wear lycra or set foot in a gym.

Start small. Ten minutes at a time is a completely valid starting point, and consistency matters far more than intensity.
Overall, it's easier than you might think to increase the energy you burn in a day. And then you won't have to squeeze hours and hours a week of structured exercise as you would imagine the only way to lose weight and keep it off.

5 Practical Ways to Move More Every Day

People who move more will have better physical health, which starts a snowball effect physically, mentally, and physiologically. Once you're moving more, you'll inherently feel more energetic, motivated, and optimistic about yourself.

So the best thing to do is to set mini goals if this is all new to you or you are in the recovery stages by committing to one or two small changes to your daily routine at a time. Start with 10 minutes and work up from there.

1. You spend a lot of time at your desk on the phone.
Try holding three walking conversations each day instead of sitting. Same call, more movement.

2. You work long hours and have family commitments.
Leave a pair of walking shoes at work and use your lunch break to get outside, even a 15-minute walk makes a real difference over time.

3. You spend long hours at work followed by kids' activities.
Use the sidelines productively. Instead of sitting and watching, walk laps of the oval or park while your kids train. It all counts.

4. Being active hasn't been part of your routine.
Look for ways to weave movement into things you already enjoy. Walking catch-ups with friends, a stroll through a gallery or museum, choosing a restaurant within walking distance, or joining a dance class, movement doesn't have to feel like exercise to count.

5. You have a long commute by car.
Consider public transport a few days a week, the walking to and from stops adds up. Public bikes or scooters for part of the commute are another great option, and the change of scenery can do wonders for your headspace.

There's good reason to find opportunities to move more throughout the day - the cumulative effect on your health, energy and wellbeing is genuinely significant. Every bit of movement counts, and the best place to start is wherever you are right now.