5 Neat and easy ways to burn calories all day, every day!

Posted July 14, 2009
File under: Weight Loss, Workout

You know that friend, the one who is always tapping her leg, getting up to straighten the bookshelf, the one who generally just can’t sit still? She’s likely burning an extra 200 to 300 calories a day on top of any workouts she does or the amount of calories she burns just being alive. This process is neatly called NEAT, which stands for “NonExercise Activity Thermogenesis” (say that 5 times fast!), and it’s essential for successful weight loss. Basically, it’s the extra stuff you do, physically, all day long that adds up. Make a point to add more “neat” into your day and you can zap another 500 calories! Here are a few ideas:

Do crunches in bed: You could burn about 20 calories in under 5 minutes just by drawing your knees to your chest 25 to 50 times, plus it strengthens your abs and gets your blood pumping. Check out these 10 ways to boost your calorie burn

Dance around while getting dressed: Turn up the radio or listen to upbeat music on your iPod (if you can) while doing all your morning rituals—an hour of hip shakin’ can burn about 55 calories. Tired of the belly fat? Dance it off!
Stand up! Don’t sit when you can be on your feet—you’ll burn about 40% more calories. So just take a stand—when you’re on the phone, watching kids at the playground, making small talk at a party.

Laugh: Watch something that’s consistently funny (like 30 Rock) and you could burn about 40 calories if you guffaw for 10 to 15 minutes straight.2 Minutes to a happier, healthier you!

Walk, pace, jog down the hall: In other words, MOVE! Doing little bits of activity all day—taking the stairs to use the restroom on another floor at work, doing an extra lap around the grocery store—can help you burn an additional 375 calories a day!

Now remember these are ways to burn EXTRA calories and not a substitute for actual workouts!! You still want to get in your cardio sessions and weight training!

Have a great day!!

7 Comments so far

meltingaway @ July 14th, 2009

Great ideas, thanks for sharing!
backtomyheydays @ July 14th, 2009

I love dancing in the morning. : )
kerstinaparton @ July 14th, 2009

boy oh boy my husband is one of those leg gigglers. it drives me nuts.. Makes me nervous.. HUH maybe now I should join him hahah thanks for the tips
sayalot @ July 14th, 2009

Sheesh, I should be skinny as all get out! I’m one of those people that cannot sit still for 5 minutes. lol.
Lori @ July 14th, 2009

Thanks for the tips

I am sure we can all think of ways to move more and just little things can make a difference.

COOL

Have a GREAT day!
Lori
jennifer0414 @ July 14th, 2009

Great blog! Thanks for the ideas. I love to crank my music and dance around when I get ready!
Dagny @ July 14th, 2009

Great blog!
Ever since losing weight I have had more energy I know. Like if I am going down the hall I often jog or hop, or skip though I can’t really skip but I try.
I also discovered during the 30 day shred that I can do jumping jacks and jump rope (if only for 30 seconds) so often if I am walking I jump rope down the hall…or while standing in a door way. Weird I know…
and sometimes when I am bored, I get on the floor and try to do planks or other poses I remember from my pilates dvds
yup somepeople might look at me and think I am a bunny, crazy or the energizer bunny! haha
I try not to do this in public though…