Movement: You May Need More of it in Your Life

You exercise just as much as your co-worker, you restrict your calorie intake to the same amount that she does but your weight stays the same, while she melts like butter at a picnic in high summer .

The reason behind your stubborn weight stagnation may be a simple lack of daily motion. Some of us fidget, stand, shift around in their chair and wiggle their toes more than others. Some of us would rather pick up the phone than walking to the co-worker in the next cubicle to deliver a message or ask a question than get up and go talk to them. After work do you just go home and microwave a dinner, than fall, comatose in front of the TV? Your friend may be out at a PTA or Cub Scout meeting, or she may be walking the dog. She may be sewing a Halloween costume, working on a craft or hanging laundry out to dry, folding cloths or ironing. On Saturday she may volunteer at the animal shelter or local library. These are all activities that burn calories, this calorie burning phenomena is called "non-exercise activity thermogenesis" or NEAT. What it means is that she continues to actively to burn extra calories during the time that she does these activities. This NEAT behavior can burn up to a 350 calorie a day according to James Levine, MD, head of the NEAT laboratory at the Mayo Clinic. To give you an idea of what that means, one pound of fat is equal to about 3,500 calories. That means that if you keep your diet and exercise the same and add NEAT you could loose a pound every ten days, three pounds a month or thirty- five pounds or more a year.

Some ideas to help you to put this NEAT calorie burning into effect:

At work, try to get up and move about. Push the phone further away so that you need to get up, or at least stretch to reach it.
Go for a walk at lunch time.

Play with rubber bands or a 'stress ball.'

Use the stairs instead of the elevator.

Use a manual can opener.

Rake your leaves the quite way, by hand.

Shovel your snow-laden walk with a manual shovel.

Use a push lawn mower instead of a power mower to cut your grass.

Hang your laundry out to dry.

Vacuum your home in half the usual time.

Shopping for just a few items, carry your groceries in a basket instead of using a cart.

Put your groceries away in half the usual time.

While waiting at the pharmacy, doctors or dentists, stand instead of sitting.

Park your car farther out from the door at work and walk the distance to the door.

Sit in a rocking chair n gently move it back n forth.

Sit on a stability therapy ball, one that allows your knees to stay at a ninety-degree angle when seated, while you are on the computer.

See if you can sit on a stability therapy ball at work instead of your office chair, you might want to go back to your chair after an hour but the daily hour you spend on that ball will work your core muscles.

Go for a walk in the park or a hike.

Take dance lessons or a water aerobics class.

Go for a bike ride around the neighborhood.

Mix cake or cookie batter by hand instead of reaching for the electric mixer.

Take up gardening or wood carpentry.

Play an active game with your children or grandchildren.

Walk around the block every night after dinner, it's a good habit.

Don't just sit there, wiggle, shift, move in your chair.

Just think, you'll be melting off pounds in no time. Be fit, be healthy and happy.

Reference: Consumer Reports on Health Volume 20 # 9.