Before getting into all of this, it’s important for you to understand what we mean when we refer to our ‘Total Daily Energy Expenditure’…
Definitions:
TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure: This is composed of BMR, EAT, NEAT and TEF
BMR - Basal Metabolic Rate (or often referred to as Resting Metabolic Rate): The calories you burn at rest I.e. basic bodily functions
EAT - Exercise Activity Thermogenesis: I.e. calories burned through structured exercise E.g. a gym workout
NEAT - Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis: I.e. calories burned outside of ‘structured exercise’ E.g. taking the stairs, housework, fidgeting
TEF - Thermic Effect of Food: The calories we burn through digesting, absorbing and storing food
So what should we focus on when it comes to burning calories? EAT or NEAT?
EAT
Lets start with EAT - the calories you burn through structured exercise. Looking at the diagram below we can see that we actually only burn a very small portion of your TDEE with structured exercise (keep in mind that this can vary from person to person based on the different types of training etc they do). But this does not make it not important…
Intentional exercise to improve strength, endurance, mobility, flexibility etc is very important. It is recommended that you partake in exercise that improves your strength on at least 2 days per week, focussing on all the major muscle groups [1].
NEAT
So what about NEAT - the calories you burn outside of structured exercise. This includes any energy expended through your occupation, leisure time activity, standing, fidgeting, dancing, singing, washing, and more. Again, looking at the diagram we can see that NEAT actually makes up a bigger portion of your TDEE compared to EAT. However, as a more sedentary population, the average persons NEAT has substantially reduced. It's suggested NEAT can count for around 6-10% of TDEE in sedentary individuals or up to 50% in highly active individuals [2]. Thus, the research also suggests that low levels of NEAT are associated with obesity and obesity related chronic illnesses e.g. Type 2 diabetes [3].
Therefore, with consideration of the benefits each one has, we should prioritise both EAT and NEAT. Your physical activity routine should consist of moderate voluntary exercise's and NEAT-enhancing activities. So workout regularly but also reduce your time being sedentary. Get your step count up!
References:
[1] NHS, 2021. Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 [09/04/22]. Available from: Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
[2] VON LOEFFELHOLZ, C and A. BIRKENFELD, 2018. The Role of Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis in Human Obesity. Endotext [Internet] Comprehensive Free Online Endocrinology Book. Available from: The Role of Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis in Human Obesity - Endotext - NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
[3] CHUNG, N. et al., 2018. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT): a component of total daily energy expenditure. Journal of Exercise Nutrition and Biochemistry, 22(2), 23-30
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