| Copyright (c) 2007 The Brain Code LLC
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| | to some calorie burn as well.
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| One of the biggest reasons we are getting
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| | Benefits of Fidgeting
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| so fat is no secret, we eat more calories
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| | Some folks, like me, are very fidgety -
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| than we burn. For example, if you take in
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| | when I was little my parents always told
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| 2000 calories a day and you only burn or
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| | me to stop fidgeting so much. Other
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| excrete 1900 then you have a net increase
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| | people sit motionless much of the time.
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| of about 100 calories per day, which
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| | These �innate' behaviors account for a
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| translates to about 10lbs of increased
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| | lot of calorie burn.
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| body weight per year. Do this year after
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| | It turns out, according to estimates from
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| year and you find yourself 50lbs
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| | the researchers, that fidgeting can
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| overweight in just a few years.
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| | actually differ by a couple of hundred
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| There are three main ways that we burn
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| | calories per day between fidgeters and
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| calories
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| | still people. If you think about that in
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| First, is our basal metabolic rate
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| | terms of weigh gain that can add up to 10
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| (called BMR). These are the calories that
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| | - 20 lbs. per year. That's a huge
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| we burn just lying still. The calories we
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| | difference and may be one of the reasons
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| burn just breathing, pumping blood around
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| | that some people just don't gain as much
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| and basic physiology. In individuals that
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| | weight as others, even when they seem to
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| have a sedentary occupation and don't
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| | eat and exercise about the same amount.
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| exercise much, this accounts for most of
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| | This does not mean that if you are a
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| the calories burned.
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| | fidgeter and seem to be protected against
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| Second, are the calories burned from
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| | weight gain that you do not need to
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| eating and digesting food. These are
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| | exercise. The benefits of getting your
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| called the TEF or Thermic Effect of Food.
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| | heart rate up go far beyond burning
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| This accounts for about 10 � 15% of
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| | calories and losing weight. Exercise also
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| total daily calories burned by most
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| | contributes to cardiovascular strength,
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| people.
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| | muscle tone and even brain function, as I
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| Third, are the calories burned by
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| | have discussed in the past.
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| physical activity. Most people think of
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| | NEAT things to do
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| these as the calories burned by the
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| | Fidgeting is not likely something that
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| amount of exercise that you get. There
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| | you can adopt if you are not a fidgety
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| are all kinds of formulas to calculate
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| | person. It seems to be programmed in.
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| how many calories you burn while
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| | However, you can do a lot of things to
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| exercising and most exercise equipment
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| | increase your level of NEAT and burn a
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| can do this for you.
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| | few more calories every day, which can
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| Activity is not always as it appears
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| | add up to big effects.
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| However, there is another form of calorie
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| | Here are a few suggestions:
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| burning from physical activity that is
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| | Stand up and walk around when you talk on
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| under appreciated. These are the calories
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| | the phone instead of sitting at your desk
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| burned from NEAT, which stands for Non
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| | or on the couch.
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| Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. Kind of
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| | Don't sit in your chair for more than 15
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| a mouthful, so let's just stick with
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| | minutes without standing up and
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| NEAT. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic are
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| | stretching a little.
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| heading up much of the NEAT studies, but
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| | Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
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| it is catching on elsewhere as well. In
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| | Park further away from the store and
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| fact, one of my colleagues at the
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| | spend two extra minutes walking instead
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| University of Michigan is working with
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| | of two extra minutes driving around
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| the Mayo people to study NEAT in a
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| | looking for the closest spot to the door.
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| pre-diabetic rat model that we are
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| | Park a block away from work or get off
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| studying.
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| | the bus a block early.
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| NEAT is essentially the energy that you
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| | These are all simple things that don't
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| burn just by moving around. If you have a
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| | seem like much but when you think about
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| job that keeps you active then this will
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| | these in terms of cutting 10 � 20 lbs
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| account for much of your NEAT. But
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| | per year off your waistline, it should be
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| tapping your fingers, shifting in your
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| | worth it.
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| chair, bouncing your leg, etc. all add up
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