NEAT Healthy Habits
Healthy Habits to incorporate into your life, when it comes to activity and exercise
1st establish (WHY) it’s important for you to exercise. Without desire and passion, a habit can’t last very long or it will never get established in the first place.
One good reason may be that as soon as you stop moving, you start digressing and will eventually die.
If you don’t exercise the heart (aerobically – literally with oxygen) it will become sluggish, weak and unable to perform it’s task of getting blood, oxygen, nutrition, minerals, hormones, proteins and other nutrients to the 70,000,000,000,000 (7 trillion) cells in the body.
If you don’t move and stretch the muscles they will tighten, shorten, and become inflexible. This can lead to tendonitis, bursitis, and arthritis, as well as sore, spasmed muscles.
These are two examples of movement available to everyone.
NEAT – Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis
First, NEAT, which does not include exercise, such as walking, swimming, gym workouts, palliates, Zumba, Yogi or structured dance.
Memorize these 6 S’s.
We have unintentionally become slaves to luxury. This has led us to fatigue, obesity, and illness. We need activity. The Scientific term for that activity is "activity thermogenesis" and every movement counts.
The goal in the beginning is to obtain 120 NEAT points per day.
The six S's of success in the NEAT program. (A Habit of Health)
Memorize and know these 6 S’s.
- Stance - it takes more energy to set up straight then slouch
- Standing - standing takes more energy than sitting down or laying down
- Strolling - strolling engages the large muscles in the legs using energy
- Stairs - engages the large muscles in the lake expending energy
- Samba - music automatically inspires movement using energy
- Switch - do things by hand instead of letting a machine do it for us.
Knowing your energy expenditure (calories used per day) is one of the habits that can be very beneficial for any health program.
Knowing your heart rate at any given time is another key habit in defining health. Knowing your resting heart rate can provide you with an indication of your immune system.
Knowing your maximum heart rate allows you to determine and stay in a Fat Burning Zone, in an Aerobic Zone or when you are stressing your heart itself.
I love the FitBit...
The device that I have chosen is the FitBit Surge, which tracks, steps taken, heart rate, miles walked, calories burnt, and floors walked up. It also keeps track of how well I sleep, noting times that I awoke during the night and also when I was restless. It tracks sleep efficiency as well as many other functions. It is more powerful than anyone would need for the NEAT program, however, if your plan is to move on up to an exercise program, in the future you may want to consider it.
My wife uses the FitBit Charge HR, which is also very efficient in tracking health issues. It is not as powerful as the FitBit Surge but does a wonderful job tracking activity and sleep.
I do not recommend units that do not track heart rate on a continuous basis. I also have a Polar Watch which tracks most exercise functions, however, it requires me to wear a band around my chest to track heart rate. It is very cumbersome at night while trying to sleep.
Next Up: EAT – Exercise Activity Thermogenesis
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Michael McCright
Free Health Coaching – provided by the "Together i Can Group"
Togetherican.com
April 10, 2015