5 Ways to Build Incidental Activity Levels Every Day

Factors that influence the amount of NEAT in your day vary. They include environmental conditions like ambient temperature.

For example - when you're feeling a little cold - and your body is working to maintain temperature - your muscles will contract to create more heat - and this uses ENERGY! The same goes for when you are hot, and your body is working on producing sweat to cool you down.

Biological factors like height, weight, and fat mass versus fat-free mass contribute to how much energy you burn at rest (your basal metabolic rate). Adding muscle to your frame is awesome for building a healthy metabolism. Other influences include occupation and working hours, which may contribute to stress, sleep, and time spent doing structured exercise.

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. 

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. PROBLEM: You spend much of your time at your desk on the phone.
TRY: Holding three walking conversations each day.

2. PROBLEM: You work long hours and have family commitments.
TRY: Use your lunch break to add more activity to your workday by leaving a pair of walking shoes at work so you can take them to the streets during your lunch break.

3. PROBLEM: You spend long hours at work followed by kids' activities after school hours.

TRY: Drop and run! Literally :) We love watching our kids do well in their activities, but this is prime time you could use more calories and improve your zest for life and your goal of a healthy weight.

4. PROBLEM: Being active is not something you've been committed to.
TRY: look around at things you are interested in and see how you can make them a part of a healthy and more active lifestyle.

Here are some examples:
If you like spending time with friends, organise walking catch-ups instead of sitting and eating a meal.
Some examples of this are: 

• Take your dogs for a walk together and get coffee at your favourite cafe.
• Meet at the museum or art gallery and wander through with a friend.
• Choose a place to eat that is within walking distance from home and meet there, so you walk there and back.
• If you have family overseas or in other states, plan your phone calls for a time when you can take a walk at the same time.
• Join a dance class.

5. PROBLEM: You spend a long time in the car commuting to and from work.
TRY: Explore the city you live and use public transport more often - this increases incidental exercise and gives you time to clear your head on the way to and from work. Use public bikes and scooters to commute to work.

Being more active doesn't lock you into wearing lycra and sweating it out in the gym. Being more active as part of your day is where the benefits are. Even 10 minutes of activity at different times throughout the day is an incredible way to boost your health, mood, and vitality.

And you know they are now saying sitting is the new smoking!
There's good reason to get on your feet as often as possible!