Loved this post! It’s one of the clearest explanations I’ve seen for the “my friend can eat anything” phenomenon without falling back on the lazy “fast metabolism” trope. From a physiology lens, your point about NEAT as the swing variable is exactly right: BMR and TEF don’t usually vary enough to explain the day-to-day gap we observe between two people with similar body size, but small, continuous movement differences absolutely can. And the Mayo overfeeding example is such a memorable anchor for how behavioral micro-movements can buffer fat gain. 
I also appreciated the nuance on “sitting disease” and the Hadza contrast; not “move more” in the abstract, but how you rest matters (chair sitting vs active resting postures), because muscle contraction is a metabolic signal (LPL, TG handling, etc.), not just calorie burn. 
My favorite practical takeaway: NEAT is the most malleable part of TDEE for most busy adults. So the winning strategy isn’t forcing more gym time (which people drop), it’s redesigning the day so movement becomes the default: walk calls, stairs, parking farther, “movement snacks”, and breaking up long sitting blocks.
High-signal, very actionable, and refreshingly non-moralizing!
YES this article is great! As a dietitian, I talk a lot about this concept with patients with weight loss goals. Especially with my busier patients who have limited time for exercise I try to encourage small bouts of movement throughout the day like calf raises when brushing teeth, parking further when grocery shopping, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, doing a few squats during tv commercials, etc. Often I refer to it as “movement snacks” for simplicity haha
Thanks, Nita, for another informative article. My NEAT in winter is different than my NEAT in summer, of course. I hibernate for the four months of cold in Wisconsin. I'm sure watching the Green Bay Packers contributes to my slim body type - at least until the pizza is delivered.
I imagine Wisconsin winters make curling up with a blanket and a cup of Joe very tempting. The hibernation instinct is strong. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) can help generate heat in those colder winter months.
BAT is packed with mitochondria containing the protein UCP-1 (uncoupling protein-1), which alters the normal ATP-making process, so the chemical energy that would become ATP is released as heat instead.
The result is that resting energy expenditure can increase 2 to 8% with mild cold exposure.
Thanks, Tom. As luck would have it, I recently started a physical therapy program that caused moderate rhabdomyolysis, so I’m trying to recover from that. Hope everything is well on your end.
I'm a big believer in Physical Therapy. I was fellled by COVID four years ago, spent two weeks flat on my back, and have been doing daily physical therapy exercises since. As I drift into my mid-80s, I find the exercises keep me up and moving, not a small accomplishment at this stage of life. Keep at it, Nita. You're my inspiration to move forward despite the speed bumps.
I’m so glad to hear physical therapy is helping with strength and mobility. I had recently started blood flow restriction training, but the therapist had me wearing the inflated cuffs for a full hour while lifting. Apparently, they’re not supposed to be used for more than 20 minutes at a time. I’ve been dealing with hyperviscosity syndrome since then because of fluid shifts from the blood to muscles and interstitial spaces.
Yikes! I never even heard of blood flow restriction. I remember studying Polycythemia vera, primary and secondary, back fifty years ago. That sounds like hyperviscosity syndrome. The treatment back then was frequent bleeding.
Compulsive leg shaking feels left out.
Guilty as charged, I’m a compulsive leg shaker myself
Skinny leg shakers unite!
Loved this post! It’s one of the clearest explanations I’ve seen for the “my friend can eat anything” phenomenon without falling back on the lazy “fast metabolism” trope. From a physiology lens, your point about NEAT as the swing variable is exactly right: BMR and TEF don’t usually vary enough to explain the day-to-day gap we observe between two people with similar body size, but small, continuous movement differences absolutely can. And the Mayo overfeeding example is such a memorable anchor for how behavioral micro-movements can buffer fat gain. 
I also appreciated the nuance on “sitting disease” and the Hadza contrast; not “move more” in the abstract, but how you rest matters (chair sitting vs active resting postures), because muscle contraction is a metabolic signal (LPL, TG handling, etc.), not just calorie burn. 
My favorite practical takeaway: NEAT is the most malleable part of TDEE for most busy adults. So the winning strategy isn’t forcing more gym time (which people drop), it’s redesigning the day so movement becomes the default: walk calls, stairs, parking farther, “movement snacks”, and breaking up long sitting blocks.
High-signal, very actionable, and refreshingly non-moralizing!
Thank you so much for the detailed feedback! Yes, active rest is an underrated lever we could stand to pull more often. 😉
YES this article is great! As a dietitian, I talk a lot about this concept with patients with weight loss goals. Especially with my busier patients who have limited time for exercise I try to encourage small bouts of movement throughout the day like calf raises when brushing teeth, parking further when grocery shopping, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, doing a few squats during tv commercials, etc. Often I refer to it as “movement snacks” for simplicity haha
I love that advice! Bite-sized activities really do add up over the course of 24 hours.
Thanks, Nita, for another informative article. My NEAT in winter is different than my NEAT in summer, of course. I hibernate for the four months of cold in Wisconsin. I'm sure watching the Green Bay Packers contributes to my slim body type - at least until the pizza is delivered.
I imagine Wisconsin winters make curling up with a blanket and a cup of Joe very tempting. The hibernation instinct is strong. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) can help generate heat in those colder winter months.
BAT is packed with mitochondria containing the protein UCP-1 (uncoupling protein-1), which alters the normal ATP-making process, so the chemical energy that would become ATP is released as heat instead.
The result is that resting energy expenditure can increase 2 to 8% with mild cold exposure.
Stay toasty and go Pack go! 🏈
Exactly. Thanks, Nita. Hope all is well with you.
Thanks, Tom. As luck would have it, I recently started a physical therapy program that caused moderate rhabdomyolysis, so I’m trying to recover from that. Hope everything is well on your end.
I'm a big believer in Physical Therapy. I was fellled by COVID four years ago, spent two weeks flat on my back, and have been doing daily physical therapy exercises since. As I drift into my mid-80s, I find the exercises keep me up and moving, not a small accomplishment at this stage of life. Keep at it, Nita. You're my inspiration to move forward despite the speed bumps.
I’m so glad to hear physical therapy is helping with strength and mobility. I had recently started blood flow restriction training, but the therapist had me wearing the inflated cuffs for a full hour while lifting. Apparently, they’re not supposed to be used for more than 20 minutes at a time. I’ve been dealing with hyperviscosity syndrome since then because of fluid shifts from the blood to muscles and interstitial spaces.
Yikes! I never even heard of blood flow restriction. I remember studying Polycythemia vera, primary and secondary, back fifty years ago. That sounds like hyperviscosity syndrome. The treatment back then was frequent bleeding.
And no, before you ask, we didn't use leeches.