Everyday Movement and NEAT: Staying Active as You Age
NEAT Movement: Why Everyday Activity Counts More Than You Think
There’s a lot of noise around exercise.
Plans. Programmes. Fresh starts. January motivation.
But most of the movement that keeps us well doesn’t happen in a class, a gym, or a perfectly timed routine.
It happens while you’re living.
Making the bed. Carrying washing upstairs. Standing to chop vegetables. Walking to the shops. Pottering in the garden. Playing with grandchildren. All of it counts.
We just don’t tend to call it exercise.
What is NEAT (in plain English)?
There’s a name for this kind of movement: NEAT.
NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. In simple terms, it’s the energy you use doing everyday things that don’t look like exercise.
Anything that gets you moving outside of a workout falls into this category – walking around the house, tidying up, gardening, climbing stairs, carrying shopping, standing instead of sitting.
And according to research, it matters far more than most people realise.
Why NEAT matters (especially as we get older)
I’ve been doing a bit of reading this week around everyday movement and how it affects our health. What keeps coming up is the same idea from different angles: a large part of our daily movement doesn’t come from workouts, but from the things we do in everyday life.
Reviews looking at NEAT show that this kind of low-level, everyday activity can make up a significant portion of our total daily movement, especially for people who aren’t doing lots of structured exercise. They also highlight how small amounts of movement, repeated across the day, quietly add up.
What’s important is that NEAT is highly individual.
Two people can eat similarly, weigh similarly, and even “exercise” the same amount, yet move very differently day to day. One potters, tidies, wanders up and down stairs. The other sits for long stretches. That difference adds up.
Low NEAT is strongly linked with long periods of sitting – not because people are lazy, but because modern life quietly removes movement unless we’re intentional about keeping it.
This fits well with NHS guidance, which focuses less on perfect workouts and more on moving regularly, breaking up sitting time, and staying active in ways that fit real life.
More recent reviews have continued to highlight the importance of everyday activity, showing that total daily movement is made up of far more than just formal exercise, and that low-intensity movement accumulated across the day plays a meaningful role in overall energy use and health.
Everyday things that count (even if you don’t call them exercise)
One of the most common things I hear from clients and members is, “I feel like I should be doing more exercise. This is where most people underestimate themselves.
Everyday movement that counts as NEAT includes things like:
Making the bed
Hoovering or mopping the kitchen floor
Carrying laundry upstairs
Hanging washing on the line
Carrying shopping bags from the car
Walking to the post box
Watering the garden or doing a bit of weeding
Standing to prepare meals or wash up
Tidying cupboards or moving furniture
Walking while on the phone
Getting up and down from the floor with grandchildren
Repeated trips up and down the stairs
If it makes you move, lift, bend, reach, balance, or get a little warmer – it counts.
Why NEAT often works better than exercise plans
Formal exercise is brilliant. But it relies on motivation, time, confidence, and energy lining up all at once.
NEAT doesn’t.
NEAT happens because life asks it of you. You don’t need special clothes, the right mood, or an uninterrupted hour. You just live your day.
That’s also why so many people say, “I didn’t do anything today,” when actually, they moved more than they realised.
They just didn’t label it as exercise.
The power of noticing movement
This is where the idea of a NEAT journal comes in.
A NEAT journal isn’t about steps, calories, or targets. It’s about noticing what you already do.
When people write down their daily movement, a quiet shift happens:
“I didn’t exercise” becomes “I moved more than I thought.”
That shift builds confidence – and confidence changes behaviour far more reliably than guilt ever will.
Where Jim’s Gym fits into all of this
NEAT isn’t something to replace or compete with. It’s something to support.
This is where Jim’s Gym becomes a natural partner to everyday movement.
Jim’s Gym doesn’t exist to take over your life or replace it with workouts. It exists to make daily life easier to move through.
Stronger legs make stairs feel less taxing.
Better balance makes moving around feel safer.
Improved mobility makes bending, lifting, and reaching feel more comfortable.
When movement feels easier, people naturally do more of it – not because they’re chasing NEAT, but because life feels more manageable.
That’s the quiet win.
Instead of asking, “How much exercise should I be doing?”
A better question is, “How easy does my life feel to move through?”
NEAT reminds us that movement doesn’t have to be dramatic to be effective. And when it’s supported by sensible, enjoyable strength and mobility work, everything else tends to follow.
No grind. No reset theatre. Just building capacity, confidence, and ease – one ordinary day at a time.
If you’d like support making everyday movement feel easier, Jim’s Gym offers live and on-demand classes designed for people over 55, all done from home, all focused on real-life strength, balance, and confidence.
Just keep moving.
FAQ: NEAT, Everyday Movement and Exercise
What does NEAT mean in exercise?
NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. It refers to the energy your body uses during everyday activities like walking, cleaning, gardening, cooking, and moving around the house – anything that isn’t structured exercise.
Does everyday movement really count?
Yes. Everyday movement plays a major role in overall health, especially as we get older. While it doesn’t replace strength or balance training, it significantly contributes to daily activity and helps reduce long periods of sitting.
Is NEAT enough on its own?
NEAT is incredibly valuable, but it works best alongside some purposeful exercise. Strength, balance, and mobility work help make everyday movement feel easier and safer, which often leads to doing more NEAT naturally.
How can older adults increase NEAT safely?
Small changes make a big difference. Standing up regularly, walking while on the phone, household tasks, gardening, and breaking up sitting time are all simple, safe ways to increase NEAT.
How does Jim’s Gym support everyday movement?
Jim’s Gym focuses on building real-life strength, balance, and confidence for people over 55. This helps everyday tasks like climbing stairs, carrying shopping, and getting up from the floor feel easier.
Do I need a gym or equipment to improve NEAT?
No. NEAT happens naturally as part of daily life. Jim’s Gym classes are done from home, require little to no equipment, and are designed to support movement that fits real routines.
References
Levine JA. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT). National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279077/
Review article on non-exercise activity thermogenesis and daily movement. Journal of Exercise Nutrition & Biochemistry. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6058072/
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