Find yourself a NEAT activity to do

Pilates People Cork

By Jaconel Janssen

I have to admit, I am not fond of house work. Let’s be honest, is anybody? But since learning about the real meaning of NEAT, I see it in a different light.

NEAT or non-exercise activity thermogenesis is the energy we burn from everything we do when we are not sleeping, eating, resting or deliberately exercising. We might not call it ‘exercise’, but to our body it is the same thing: movement. So get it where you can.

An hour in the gym is wonderful, but so is gardening, walking the stairs, carrying the shopping, getting off your chair, playing with the cat, tapping your feet, chopping your vegetables, making the bed, washing the windows. You get the idea. Just by moving around and being on your feet, you can burn a lot of calories.

With a little imagination you can add a lot more movement to your day. Add something to what you already do. When you hang up the laundry, add a few squats. Squat while holding the basket filled with laundry, to add some much-needed upper body strength.

A great exercise to gain upper body strength is the ‘push-away’. It helps strengthen the chest, arms, shoulders, back and core. To start with, you can use a wall. To progress, work with a lower surface, such as a kitchen counter or a table, as shown on the photos. Make sure this is strong enough and will not move.

Add a knee or leg lift for even more strengthening. Always work with good form, ears aligned with shoulders, hips and heels. Breathe out as you push away, make sure never to hold your breath.

Stand facing the wall, feet hip distance apart, about 2 feet away from the wall. Place your hands up against the wall, in front of, or slightly wider than your shoulders, fingers pointing up. You can move closer or further from the wall to make the push-away easier or harder.

Bend your elbows and begin to lean toward the wall, until your nose is close to it. Make sure your back stays straight and your hips don’t sag. Then straighten your arms to push away from the wall, back to the starting position. Repeat several times.

Doing the laundry might never be the highlight of your week. But seeing it as a NEAT activity, it might just put a spring in your step!

Jaconel Janssen is a pilates and Buff Bones teacher and founder of Pilates People Cork. She teaches movement classes in Cork, both in person and online, and a monthly outdoor class. For more on classes or one-to-one sessions, visit pilatespeoplecork.com or contact info@pilatespeoplecork.com or 085-1613505.