Neuroscientist: Burn 800+ Calories Per Day NO EXERCISE

Summary

The script discusses how subtle movements, such as fidgeting, can significantly increase calorie burn and promote fat loss without traditional exercise. Studies by Rothwell and Stock reveal that people who fidget burn 800 to 2500 extra calories daily. These movements trigger epinephrine release, enhancing fat mobilization and oxidation. This insight offers a practical method for weight management, especially for those averse to exercise. Incorporating fidgeting, such as bouncing a knee or tapping a pen, can effectively support weight loss and maintenance.

Takeaways

• 🔥 Small, subtle movements, such as fidgeting, can significantly increase fat oxidation and energy expenditure without the need for traditional exercise.
• 🏃‍♂️ Fidgeting can stimulate the release of epinephrine (adrenaline), which aids in fat mobilization and oxidation, potentially burning 800 to 2500 calories per day.
• 🧬 The concept of 'fidgeters' was studied by Rothwell and Stock in the 1960s and 70s, revealing that those who engaged in frequent, small movements did not gain weight despite overeating.
• 🔍 Modern studies have confirmed that fidgeting and other forms of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) can lead to substantial weight loss and fat reduction.
• 🤔 Fidgeting might be an effective entry point for people who are averse to traditional exercise or have limited opportunities to engage in physical activity.
• 🐾 Even pets, like the speaker's Bulldog Costello, exhibit behaviors that can be compared to human fidgeting, illustrating the natural tendency towards such movements.
• 📈 The amount of calories burned through fidgeting can offset excessive calorie intake, potentially compensating for indulgences in food.
• 🧘‍♀️ While exercise is crucial for overall health, the script highlights the benefits of NEAT as a complementary approach to burning calories and losing weight.
• 🌡️ Shivering is mentioned as a potent stimulus for fat loss due to its ability to trigger adrenaline release, similar to the effect of subtle movements.
• 🤹‍♂️ The script encourages embracing behaviors often seen as nervous or irritating, such as knee bouncing or head bobbing, as they contribute to increased calorie burn.
• 🔗 For those interested in learning more, the speaker offers to link to studies on NEAT, emphasizing the scientific basis for the benefits of fidgeting and subtle movements.

Q & A

What is one of the strongest stimuli for fat loss according to the script?

One of the strongest stimuli for fat loss is movement, particularly subtle forms of movement like shivering or fidgeting.

How does movement stimulate fat loss without traditional exercise?

Movement stimulates fat loss by mobilizing and oxidizing fat and energy, and by stimulating the release of epinephrine (adrenaline) from neurons that connect to fat.

What is the range of calories that can be burned through subtle movements like shivering or fidgeting?

Subtle movements can burn anywhere from 800 to 2500 calories per day.

Who discovered the pathway by which subtle forms of movement can increase fat loss?

The pathway was discovered by a group in England during the 1960s and 70s, specifically Rothwell and Stock.

What did Rothwell and Stock observe about people who overate but did not gain weight?

They observed that these people engaged in lots of subtle movement throughout the day, essentially being fidgeters.

What is meant by the term 'fidgeters' in the context of the script?

'Fidgeters' refers to people who engage in frequent, subtle movements such as bouncing their knee, head bobbing, or nodding a lot, which can increase fat metabolism and fat loss.

How do fidgeters differ from non-fidgeters in terms of their movements?

Fidgeters tend to have more staccato, quick movements, such as bouncing their knee, standing up and sitting down frequently, and pacing, while non-fidgeters have slower and more deliberate movements.

What is the significance of the studies conducted in 2015 and 2017 regarding fidgeting and fat loss?

These studies confirmed that simply moving a lot, even in subtle ways, greatly increases the amount of energy burned and can lead to considerable fat loss and weight loss.

How can fidgeting be beneficial for people who are averse to traditional exercise?

Fidgeting can be a powerful way to increase calorie burn without the need for traditional exercise, making it a good entry point for those who are not inclined to engage in more strenuous physical activities.

What is NEAT and how is it related to the concept of fidgeting discussed in the script?

NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, which refers to the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating, or sports-like exercise. It is related to the concept of fidgeting as it includes the calories burned through subtle movements and fidgeting.

Outlines

00:00

🏃‍♂️ Subtle Movements for Fat Loss

This paragraph discusses the impact of small, subtle movements on fat loss and energy expenditure. It emphasizes that activities like shivering or fidgeting can stimulate the release of adrenaline, leading to increased fat oxidation. The speaker references the work of Rothwell and Stock, who discovered in the 1960s and 70s that people who overeat but do not gain weight often engage in frequent, small movements throughout the day. These 'fidgeters' were found to burn an additional 800 to 2500 calories per day compared to those who are more sedentary. The paragraph also humorously connects this concept to a thin, successful European scientist known for his energetic movements, illustrating the real-life application of these findings.

05:01

🤔 Fidgeting as an Alternative to Exercise for Fat Loss

The second paragraph explores the idea of fidgeting as a non-traditional method to increase calorie burn without the need for formal exercise. It suggests that for those who are averse to exercise or have limited time, incorporating more fidgeting into daily routines can be an effective way to stimulate fat loss. The speaker explains that these small movements, such as standing up and sitting down frequently or pacing, can trigger the release of epinephrine, which in turn increases fat mobilization and oxidation. The paragraph also highlights the importance of understanding how these movements affect the body's sympathetic nervous system and can contribute to significant fat loss, even in the absence of traditional exercise. It concludes by encouraging the use of fidgeting as a tool for those looking to increase their daily calorie expenditure.

Keywords

💡Calories

Calories are a measure of energy that the body needs to function and are derived from the food and drink we consume. In the context of the video, calories are discussed in relation to how certain activities can help burn them, thereby aiding in weight management and fat loss. The speaker mentions that fidgeting can burn '800 to 2500 calories per day,' highlighting the impact of subtle movements on energy expenditure.

💡Exercise

Exercise is a physical activity that helps improve health and fitness. The video script discusses exercise as a traditional form of burning calories but also introduces the concept of non-exercise movement, such as fidgeting, as an alternative for those averse to traditional exercise. The term is used to contrast with the subtle movements that can also stimulate fat loss.

💡Epinephrine

Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is a hormone that plays a critical role in the body's 'fight or flight' response. In the video, it is explained that subtle movements can stimulate the release of epinephrine, which in turn increases fat mobilization and oxidation. The script uses the term to explain the physiological mechanism behind the fat-burning effects of fidgeting.

💡Fat Mobilization

Fat mobilization refers to the process by which fat cells release fatty acids into the bloodstream to be used as energy. The video emphasizes that certain movements, such as fidgeting, can stimulate fat mobilization through the release of epinephrine, leading to increased fat oxidation and potential weight loss.

💡Fat Oxidation

Fat oxidation is the process where the body breaks down fats to use as energy. The script explains that fidgeting and other subtle movements can lead to increased fat oxidation rates, contributing to the burning of a significant number of calories without traditional exercise.

💡Thermogenesis

Thermogenesis is the process of heat production in organisms. In the context of the video, it refers to the increase in heat and energy expenditure caused by certain movements, such as fidgeting, which can lead to increased fat loss. The script cites the work of Rothwell and Stock, who are famous in thermogenesis literature for their discovery related to subtle movements and fat loss.

💡Fidgeting

Fidgeting is the act of making small movements, often nervously or restlessly, which can include bouncing a knee, head bobbing, or pacing. The video script highlights fidgeting as a powerful, yet subtle, way to increase calorie burn and stimulate fat loss without the need for formal exercise.

💡Resting Tremor

Resting tremor is a medical term describing involuntary shaking or trembling that occurs when muscles are at rest. The script contrasts this with the deliberate, small movements of fidgeting, which are shown to have a positive impact on energy expenditure and fat loss, even though resting tremor is not the focus of the video.

💡Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) refers to the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating, or sports-like exercise. The video script introduces NEAT as a concept to explain how activities such as fidgeting can contribute to overall calorie burning and weight management.

💡Overeating

Overeating is the consumption of more food energy than the body needs. The video discusses how some individuals overeat but do not gain weight, attributing this to their engagement in frequent subtle movements throughout the day, which increases their NEAT and helps offset the extra calories consumed.

💡Adapost Tissue

Adapost tissue, likely a mispronunciation or typo in the script, probably refers to adipose tissue, which is the body's fat storage. The script mentions that some people seem to accumulate excess adipose tissue more easily when they overeat, but those who engage in frequent subtle movements may avoid this due to increased fat oxidation.

Highlights

Fidgeting and subtle movements can stimulate fat loss without traditional exercise.

Small movements mobilize and oxidize fat, burning 800 to 2500 calories per day.

Stimulating epinephrine (adrenaline) through movement increases fat oxidation.

Shivering is a strong stimulus for adrenaline release and fat loss.

Subtle forms of movement discovered in the 1960s can greatly increase fat loss.

People who overeat but don't gain weight often engage in lots of subtle movement throughout the day.

Fidgeters, who bounce knees, headbob, and nod a lot, burn 800 to 2500 more calories than non-fidgeters.

Modern studies confirm that fidgeting and frequent movements increase energy expenditure and fat loss.

Fidgeting can compensate for overeating and help with weight loss.

Fidgeting may be a good entry point for overweight individuals averse to exercise.

Fidgety movements trigger epinephrine release from neurons, stimulating fat mobilization and oxidation.

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is a significant factor in calorie burning.

Fidgeting and small movements can offset excessive calorie intake and aid in weight management.

Low-level movements and fidgety activities have a major effect on fat loss.

Fidgeting can be a powerful tool to increase calorie burn without traditional exercise.

Small movements can be incorporated into daily life to increase fat loss and energy expenditure.

Fidgeting and subtle movements provide a practical approach to weight management and health.

Transcripts

if you're really interested in burning

calories and you don't have the

opportunity to exercise or you're averse

to exercise for whatever reason is one

of the strongest stimula that one can

incorporate to stimulate fat loss 800 to

2500 calories per day that's a

considerable amount this has nothing to

do with exercise in the traditional form

these small movements are actually

mobilizing and oxidizing a lot of fat

and a lot of

energy so one of the most powerful ways

to stimulate epinephrine which is also

called adrenaline from these neurons

that connect to fat and to thereby

stimulate more fat mobilization and

oxidation is through movement but I'm

not talking about exercise the type of

movement that I'm referring to is

extremely subtle and some of you may be

familiar with this type of movement but

I'm guessing you're probably not

familiar with what I'm about to tell you

which is that shiver or shivering is a

strong stimulus for the release of

adrenaline into fat and the increase in

fat oxidation and mobilization but

shiver is not just induced by cold and

there are other subtle forms of movement

that can greatly increase fat metabolism

and fat loss there was a group in

England during the 1960s and70s that

discovered a pathway by which subtle

forms of movement can greatly increase

fat loss this is the work of Rothwell

and stock it's very famous in the

thermogenesis literature and I learned

about this early on when I was an under

undergraduate and I asked how did they

come across this and here's How The

Story Goes they were aware that some

people overeat and yet don't put on

weight other people overeat even just a

little bit and they seem to accumulate

extra adapost tissue now this is long

before all the discussions about

microbiome and hormone factors and you

know was long before it many of the

hormone factors besides insulin had even

been discovered what they did was they

examined people who overate and did not

gain weight and what they observed was

that those people engaged in lots of

subtle movement throughout the day in

other words they were fidgeters and

that's what they called them what they

found were people that overeat but don't

gain weight as a consequence and in fact

many people who had low levels of body

fat had a lot of resting Tremor not of

the parkinsonian type but they would

bounce their knee while they were

sitting when they would talk they would

engage in very angular movements they

were sort of electric in fact now in

science I was chuckling about this as I

was diving back into this literature

because the other day I heard a a

wonderful lecture on a totally different

topic from a colleague of mine we all

adore him uh he's over in Europe and

he's this tremendously successful

scientist so we like to poke fun at him

and every one of his movements is

incredibly electric and staccato and

he's rail thin and he eats like a horse

and so it fits very well into the

discovery of Rothwell and stock who

discovered that fidgeters people that

bounce their knee people that have a

headbob while they're listening people

that nod a lot people that stand up and

sit sit down a lot throughout the day

and people that pace burn anywhere from

800 to 2500 calories more than the EXP

the control group in the experiments

that they looked at and indeed there's

been a modern look into all this and

these numbers check out that simply

moving around a lot even if those are

subtle movements greatly increases the

amount of energy that you burn and

people who overeat the people who can

have the the second or the third

doughnut or Donuts at all and don't seem

to put on weight to the same degree they

are people that move around a lot even

when seated they are people that will

often move their limbs very quickly as

well that there even have been studies

that have explored other things that

correlate with fidgeters fidgeters stand

up very quickly at the end of a lecture

or they start to gather their things

very quickly whereas non- fidgeters

don't so dogs like my Bulldog Costello

definitely not a fidgeter every movement

is incredibly slow and deliberate

sitting down is a process if you ask him

to sit down it's sort of a slow motion

you ask him to get up and he kind of

looks at you size and stands up the

fidgeters are the opposite of that right

you say how are you doing and they go

great so even sometimes their speech

will be accelerated although not always

but staccato movements fidgeting Etc and

in 2015 and again in 2017 there have

been studies that have been have

explored this using some Modern

metabolic tracking and indeed simply

moving a lot being a fidgeter bouncing

your knee standing up and pacing several

times or many times throughout the day

led to considerable amounts of fat loss

and weight loss when people were

ingesting the same amount of food if

they overate they were able to

compensate and burn off that food and if

they were trying to lose weight and they

Incorporated this fidgeting protocol of

deliberately trying to fidget more and

move around during the day Pace stand up

more quickly sit down more often sit

down and stand up more often rather they

found that they greatly increased their

weight loss anywhere from 20 to 30%

increases and in some cases you know

there are always those few people who

burned a lot more it seems to work best

in people who are already slightly

overweight so for people that are

overweight who are kind of averse to

exercise fidgeting might actually be a

good entry point and 800 to 2500

calories is a considerable amount of

calories when you really think about it

now why am I telling you this well

there's clearly a tool to export from

this which is that you can increase the

amount of calories burn without having

to go on additional long runs I do hope

that people are exercising regularly

because it's so important for other

aspects of brain and body Health but

nonetheless we all we are all time

limited and we are not all so ready to

embrace exercise I have a family member

who has been slowly coaxed into exercise

but if I were to tell her for instance

you need to fidget more she'd probably

go for it so this is a powerful way to

increase the calories that are burned

now that's great and you can think about

the protocols but I want to Nest that

protocol in what I said before which is

that fat is controlled by these neurons

and the epinephrine they release you

might say well how could these little

micro movements lead to so much caloric

burn and that's where it really gets

interesting Rothwell and stock and

others that they worked with

subsequently found that these little

fidgety movements the engagement of

certain aspects of our musculature that

are nothing like exercise it's not these

large coordinated or rhythmic uh body

movements but rather subtle little bits

of fidgety movement and here I am doing

a lot of fidgety movement as an example

tapping the pen this kind of thing there

I was probably that kid in class most of

the time I was like I try not to do it

to irritate people but I was definitely

a knee bouncer um I'm not particularly

lean or or not but um you know I was

definitely this is a a common activity

for me people that do that sort of thing

it turns out that it's not the kind of

caloric burn that we normally think of

of like oh you're running lifting weight

swimming yoga etc those subtle movements

of our core musculature not just the

core but all our Limbs and our in our

musculature those low-level movements

they trigger epinephrine release from

these neurons and they stimulate the

mobilization of fat and then that fat is

oxidized at higher rates and I find this

fascinating I wish more people knew

about it which is why I'm telling you

about it today this has nothing to do

with exercise in the traditional form

and yet 800 to 2500 calories per day

that's a considerable amount of fat

oxidized if you are in a calorie

maintenance mode or a if you're sub

caloric that's going to add to it still

additional fat loss the data on this are

tremendous I'll link to a few studies if

you're really interested in learning

about what's called neat

neat which is

non-exercise activity thermogenesis neat

so what's the protocol fidget if you're

really interested in burning calories

and you already exercise you want to

burn more or you don't have the

opportunity to exercise or you're averse

to exercise for whatever reason

fidgeting movements staccato movements

standing up walking around pacing all

the sort of nervous activities that

we're so critical of in other people and

sometimes in ourselves are actually

mobilizing and oxidizing a lot of fat

and a lot of energy and while this

probably won't compensate for chronic

overeating the caloric burn from this is

considerable and very likely can offset

a you know a meal that had excessive

calories or a kind of steady state of

accumul of eating too much and it also

starts to open up all sorts of thoughts

and discussion about you know when you

travel you tend to eat foods that are

kind of outside your your normal ones we

tend to eat uh you know foods that

aren't so great for us we also tend to

be a little bit more sedentary when we

travel we're on the plane Etc but all of

that aside just the use of something

like low-level movement and it's almost

like a Tremor but also the these like

short small fidgety movements I'm

intentionally doing a lot of these today

so you have examples that you can use

that to select from if you like these

can have a major effect on fat loss and

it raises a second tool if these low

meaning these small movements that we

engage in trigger epinephrine adrenaline

release from these neurons of the

sympathetic nervous system that

innervate fat and increase fat

mobilization and oxidation now it should

make sense why shivering is one of the

strongest stimul that one can

incorporate to stimulate fat loss

[Music]