Balancing energy intake with expenditureย 
Let’s face facts… It’s Christmas, therefore we’ll all be eating MORE for a couple of weeks.
Therefore one strategy that may benefit a lot of people is rather than overly restricting themselves to food and treats to keep calorie intake down, why not balance the other side of the equation by doing more exercise & physical activity?
Other ways we can burn more calories is through N.E.A.T, and this is very effective for less physically active people. N.E.A.T. (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) is the energy we use that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise. Walking, brushing & mopping, hoovering, gardening, stretching and even fidgeting are classified as N.E.A.T. Doing more of these activities can help use more energy and can really contribute towards a calorie deficit.
So how can exercise & N.E.A.T. be utilised sensibly to increase energy expenditure?
ย Increase the intensity or duration of your training if you’re already physically active.
ย Going for a daily walk
ย Do a few daily exercises at home (press ups, squats, star jumps, bicep curls with bags of sugar)
ย Take the stairs, not the lift!
ย Stretch while you watch the TV
ย Stand up for a bit longer
ย Walk to the next bus stop
ย Chew chewing gum
ย Fidget when cold or not doing anything
Take home messages:
Include a few extra every day activities each day and make your training that extra bit harder to burn more calories. Walking is an excellent option so do it a bit more.
Although this allows you to enjoy your food and not feel restricted, doing that extra bit of activity could greatly benefit an energy balance/deficit.
#EnergyBalanceย #Exerciseย #NEATย #PerformanceNutrition
