Reading through a recent story that suggested ways to burn more calories, I came across this typo. The person meant to say “stairs” instead of stars but I liked the mistake, thought it was good for sharing a smile.
People were sharing ideas on what scientists call “Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.” Those are some big saucy words that spell NEAT and mean two things:
a) You’re moving and getting oxygen to the brain but you don’t call it formal exercise
b) You’re burning calories and you may not even realize it!
Why is it that so many of us like moving better when it’s not called exercise? No matter what we call it, the goal is to make NEAT an instinctual and frequent part of your day. Doing so will make you productive and might even stave off those extra pounds that tend to creep front and center (or back and below if that’s your body-type) as we age.
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” ~ Mohandas Gandhi
We all know we need to move as much as possible, and most of us truly believe it really helps in terms of feeling good. Actually getting up off that chair, however, is the harmony we find difficult to swing.
So we decided to force the issue recently and roused people to their feet for a new kind of learning experience. Though we weren’t vacuuming up to the stars we did burn some extra calories during four wellness leader trainings we did with Vermont school employees these past two weeks, and I can tell you it was NEAT for sure.
It was a bit of an experiment…
Would stretching and sending oxygen to the brain improve people’s recall of some complicated data we were presenting? Last spring we spewed out similar data to the drone of my voice and few questions were asked. This time, when all was said and done, bottoms back in their chairs, the hands went up and the discussion was lively. What a difference.
Neat indeed, people learned and had fun! How could they not have fun learning with Olga? Check out the data she shared with them while they stretched. The PATH Adventure is a 10-week wellness challenge and below are the outcomes we’ve recorded over three years.
Is there evidence to say people learn better as a result of moving? Of course, and it’s robust. One renowned molecular biologist Dr. John Medina states that “…an increase in oxygen [from exercise] is always accompanied by an uptick in mental sharpness.” Exercise also improves concentration, impulse control, foresight and problem solving skills. And the list goes on. Check out Medina’s website and book, Brain Rules, for more details on how to stay brain fit.
In the meantime, when you get mentally stuck at work, at home or in the classroom, get up and move, reach for the sky and vacuum those stars! It only takes 10 minutes of romping around to feed that magnificent brain of yours. Do that threes times a day and you’ll also meet the Surgeon General’s recommendations for physical activity (30 minutes a day). There’s that old two-for-one deal we like to see!
Hope to see you romping with the stars on the PATH Ahead.