NEAT is one of the most powerful fat loss tools. Learn what NEAT is, how it works, and how DEXA Scan data helps track real changes in fat and muscle.
When most people think of burning calories, they immediately think of workouts. But one of the most powerful tools for fat loss has nothing to do with the gym. It is called NEAT, and it can have a bigger influence on your daily energy burn than your workouts combined.
At Kalos, we see how NEAT impacts body composition through DEXA Scan data. Clients who increase NEAT often lose more fat, maintain more muscle, and feel better throughout the day, all without adding extra gym sessions.
NEAT stands for Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. It is the energy you burn through movement that is not formal exercise.
This includes:
NEAT is everything you do when you are not deliberately working out.
NEAT can make up a surprisingly large portion of your total daily calorie burn. For many people, it accounts for 15 to 30 percent of total energy expenditure.
This means that increasing NEAT can lead to fat loss even if your workouts stay the same.
A single workout may burn 300 to 600 calories. NEAT can burn thousands across the week without you even noticing.
Workouts can be intense and taxing. NEAT is gentle on your body and does not interfere with recovery, which helps you keep lean muscle while reducing fat.
When people diet or over exercise, their metabolism often adapts downward. Increasing NEAT helps counteract this by keeping your daily calorie burn higher.
NEAT does not spike cortisol like high intensity workouts can. This makes it ideal for sustainable, long term fat reduction.
With DEXA Scan tracking, we often see clients who increase their daily NEAT experience:
Because NEAT is easy and low impact, it creates improvements without adding extra recovery demands.
Here are practical ways to boost your NEAT without changing your routine dramatically:
Aim for 8 to 12 thousand steps per day. Walking is one of the easiest ways to increase NEAT and support fat loss.
Use a standing desk or divide your day into sitting and standing blocks.
Set a reminder every hour to move for 2 to 3 minutes.
Park farther away, take stairs, or choose walking routes that increase distance.
Cleaning, vacuuming, organizing, and gardening all increase NEAT naturally.
Walk during phone calls whenever possible.
A Kalos client struggled to lose fat despite training four times per week. Their NEAT was extremely low due to a desk job. After increasing daily steps from 3 thousand to 9 thousand, their next DEXA scan showed:
The difference came not from exercising more, but from moving more throughout the day.
NEAT is one of the most underrated tools for fat loss and long term metabolic health. You do not need more workouts to improve your body composition. You need more movement.
By combining increased NEAT with strength training and DEXA Scan tracking, you can create a sustainable, effective fat loss strategy that keeps your muscle healthy and your energy high.
If you are ready to take control of your health with the most accurate body composition analysis available, it is time to book your DEXA scan at Kalos. Whether you are looking to get lean, build muscle, improve performance, or optimize longevity, our advanced technology and expert guidance will help you get there.
Schedule your scan today at Kalos, your journey to data-driven fitness starts now.
Bay Area residents trust KALOS to deliver results. We proudly serve the entire Bay Area including the following locations:
