Your metabolism or genetics are an easy scapegoat when it feels like we can’t eat as much as others without gaining weight. But the real driver behind how many calories we burn each day is often how much we move.

Do you ever feel like other people can eat more than you and not gain weight? If you have, I’m sure you’ve also blamed genetics or your slow metabolism for the unfairness of it all. But what if I told you genetics probably isn’t the main culprit? Instead of blaming your slow metabolism, you should be thinking about your activity levels.

Here’s what I mean… I pulled some data from my Apple watch to demonstrate the difference between sedentary and active days.

On a day where I’m very sedentary (0 workouts and 6200 steps) my apple watch estimated I burned 1831 cals
On a day I didn’t workout but was more active (11k steps) my watch says I burned 2018 cals
On this day where I’m much more active (workout and more normal for me at 14k steps) my apple watch says I burned 2320 cals

Going from sedentary to moderately active allows me to eat 500 more cals per day and maintain my weight!

Your metabolism or genetics are an easy scapegoat when it feels like we can’t eat as much as others without gaining weight. But the real driver behind how many calories we burn each day is often how much we move.

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is made up of several factors: basal metabolic rate (BMR), the energy burned through digestion (TEF), exercise (EAT), and NEAT—Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.

NEAT, which includes all the little movements we do throughout the day (like walking, fidgeting, and even standing), is actually the second-largest contributor to your TDEE, right behind BMR.

The biggest lever you can pull to increase your calorie burn isn’t just through workouts—it’s through increasing your NEAT.

Going from sedentary to moderately active (think more steps, standing more, just being on your feet) can make a huge difference. In my case just walking more and being lightly active can allow me to eat 500 more calories per day while maintaining my weight compared to a day when I’m more sedentary.

So if you want to “boost your metabolism” and have more flexibility with your food intake, focus on moving more throughout the day. Small, consistent changes in daily activity levels can have a huge impact on your overall energy expenditure.

Train With Moxie