Is NEAT Part of BMR? Understanding Non-Exercise vs. Basal Metabolism

October 30, 2025 •

4 min read

Over 60% of your daily energy expenditure is accounted for by your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), the energy your body uses at complete rest. Given this, many wonder: is NEAT part of BMR, or do these two concepts relate differently to your overall metabolism? This article clarifies that NEAT is a separate but highly variable component of your total daily calorie burn.

Quick Summary

NEAT is not part of BMR; they are distinct components of total daily energy expenditure. BMR covers calories burned for essential functions at rest, while NEAT comprises calories expended through all other non-deliberate movements and daily activities.

Key Points

NEAT and BMR are Distinct Concepts: Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) is separate from your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), though both are components of your total daily energy expenditure.
BMR is Resting Metabolism: BMR represents the calories your body burns for vital functions like breathing and circulation while at complete rest and accounts for the largest portion of daily calorie use.
NEAT is Non-Exercise Movement: NEAT covers all calories burned through physical activity outside of sleeping, eating, or intentional exercise, including fidgeting, walking, and household tasks.
NEAT is Highly Variable and Controllable: Unlike the relatively stable BMR, NEAT can vary dramatically between individuals and can be increased with conscious, simple behavioral changes.
Increasing NEAT is Key for Weight Management: Boosting your NEAT is a powerful and accessible way to increase your daily calorie burn, especially for those with sedentary lifestyles, contributing significantly to weight control over time.
Total Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the Sum: Your total daily energy output is the sum of BMR, NEAT, the thermic effect of food (TEF), and exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT).
Sedentary Lifestyles Reduce NEAT: Studies show a correlation between higher rates of obesity and lower NEAT levels, as individuals with more sedentary jobs or habits expend fewer non-exercise calories.

What is Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)?

Your Basal Metabolic Rate, or BMR, is the number of calories your body burns to perform basic, life-sustaining functions while at complete rest. Think of the energy needed for processes like breathing, circulating blood, cell production, and maintaining body temperature. A true BMR measurement requires strict conditions, including being in a state of fasting (at least 12 hours) and being completely rested in a controlled, neutral-temperature environment. For most individuals, BMR accounts for the largest portion of their total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), typically around 60–75%.

Factors influencing your BMR

Several factors determine your unique BMR, most of which are out of your direct control:

Genetics: Your metabolic rate is partly decided by your genes.
Body Size: Larger bodies generally have a greater surface area and require more energy to maintain.
Age: BMR decreases with age, primarily due to a natural loss of lean muscle mass.
Sex: Men typically have a faster metabolism and higher BMR than women due to having more muscle mass.
Lean Muscle Mass: Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, meaning people with more muscle have a higher BMR.
Environmental Temperature: Being in very cold or very hot environments forces your body to expend more energy to maintain its core temperature.

What is Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)?

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, or NEAT, is all the energy your body expends for everything you do that is not sleeping, eating, or purposeful exercise. It is the cumulative effect of a multitude of small, spontaneous movements throughout the day. NEAT is highly variable between individuals, contributing anywhere from 15% to over 50% of your daily calorie burn, depending on your lifestyle.

Examples of NEAT include:

Fidgeting, tapping feet, or shifting your weight
Walking to and from your car, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator
Household chores like cleaning, cooking, and gardening
Occupational movements, such as standing at a desk or performing physical labor
Playing with children or pets

NEAT vs. BMR: A Clear Distinction

To definitively answer the question "Is neat part of BMR?", we must understand how these two components operate separately within the larger context of Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). TDEE is the sum of all your daily calorie-burning activities and consists of four main parts: BMR, the thermic effect of food (TEF), exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT), and NEAT. As shown, NEAT and BMR are separate, distinct pieces of the metabolic puzzle.

Comparison Table: BMR vs. NEAT


Feature	Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)	Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)
Function	Energy used for essential functions at rest (e.g., breathing, circulation).	Energy used for all physical movement that isn't formal exercise.
Variability	Relatively stable and predictable, determined by fixed factors like age, sex, and genetics.	Highly variable and differs greatly from person to person and day to day.
Calculation	Estimated using formulas like Mifflin-St Jeor or measured via indirect calorimetry.	Calculated by subtracting BMR, TEF, and EAT from TDEE, or estimated with activity monitors.
Control	Largely involuntary and difficult to change significantly.	Largely voluntary and can be easily increased by conscious behavioral changes.
Contribution to TDEE	The largest component, typically 60–75% for sedentary individuals.	The most variable component, contributing 15–50% or more depending on activity.
Key Determinants	Lean body mass, age, genetics, gender.	Occupation, leisure activities, habits, intentional movement.

The Crucial Role of NEAT in Weight Management

While BMR represents the baseline energy cost of living, NEAT is often the most overlooked and potentially controllable variable in your daily energy equation. The vast difference in NEAT between sedentary and highly active individuals can amount to as much as 2,000 extra calories burned per day, a profound effect on body weight over time. Research has found that obese individuals, on average, have lower levels of NEAT and spend significantly more time seated than their lean counterparts.

By focusing on increasing NEAT, you can significantly boost your total daily calorie expenditure without dedicating time to structured exercise. For individuals who find it challenging to fit long, intense workouts into their schedule, leveraging NEAT provides a powerful, sustainable, and accessible pathway to greater calorie burn. For example, a sedentary individual who spends an additional two hours a day on NEAT-boosting activities, like standing or walking, could burn an extra 350 calories per day. This seemingly small increase translates to a notable difference in weight maintenance over the long term, making NEAT a critical component of successful weight control strategies.

Conclusion

In summary, NEAT is not part of BMR. BMR is the energy your body requires to function at rest, accounting for the bulk of your daily calorie expenditure, while NEAT is the highly variable energy expended through all your non-deliberate daily movements. BMR is a relatively fixed number determined by factors like age, sex, and lean muscle mass, but NEAT is a dynamic and controllable element. For anyone seeking to manage their weight or improve their health, understanding this distinction is empowering. By consciously increasing your non-exercise activity—whether by taking the stairs, standing more often, or fidgeting—you can significantly increase your daily calorie burn and positively impact your energy balance, making it a sustainable and effective tool for long-term health.

Boost your NEAT with these simple strategies to begin positively influencing your metabolism today.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary difference is that BMR is the minimum energy required to sustain life at total rest, while NEAT is the energy expended for all non-intentional, non-exercise movements throughout the day.

Yes, you can increase both, though they are influenced differently. BMR is most effectively increased by building lean muscle mass through strength training, while NEAT can be increased by incorporating more general movement into your daily routine.

To increase NEAT, you can make simple changes like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, standing up and stretching frequently, walking while on the phone, or doing household chores more vigorously.

No. While BMR is relatively stable, it varies based on factors like genetics, age, and body composition. NEAT is highly variable, differing significantly from person to person based on lifestyle, occupation, and habits.

BMR accounts for the majority of daily calorie burn, but NEAT is the most variable and controllable component for increasing daily energy expenditure without formal exercise. It plays a critical, often underestimated, role in long-term weight management.

Yes, fidgeting is a classic example of NEAT. Any small, spontaneous muscle contractions or movements that are not part of planned exercise contribute to NEAT.

While traditional, vigorous exercise offers unique cardiovascular benefits, focusing on NEAT can be a more sustainable and accessible strategy for many individuals. The cumulative effect of increased daily activity from NEAT can significantly increase total calorie expenditure over time, contributing substantially to weight loss or maintenance.