metabolism
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)
The calories you burn from everyday movement — walking, fidgeting, standing, doing chores — outside of formal exercise.
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) is the most variable component of TDEE, ranging from ~15% in highly sedentary people to 50%+ in manual workers. Between two individuals of identical weight, NEAT can differ by over 800 calories per day. During calorie restriction NEAT drops adaptively (you sit more, move less), which is why long diets often stall — steps and daily movement become one of the highest-leverage levers for sustainable fat loss.
Primary Sources
- Levine JA. "Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)." Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002.