Thermogenesis for Fat Loss: The Basic Strategy You Might Be Missing

You’ve probably heard about thermogenesis, but do you know what it is? Thermogenesis is your body’s way of producing heat—and in the process, burning calories. While it happens naturally every day, most people don’t realize how much it impacts their overall energy expenditure. 

Whether you're sitting still or going for a run, thermogenesis is always at work behind the scenes. 

Understanding how it functions can unlock new possibilities for managing your weight, boosting your metabolism, and improving your overall health. Let’s explore what makes this internal heat engine so fascinating.

Types Of Thermogenesis

All thermogenic activity is not created equal. In fact, there are types that you can take in hand to optimize your calorie utilization. Let’s check them out.

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis—NEAT for short—is one of those things you’re probably doing all the time without even realizing it. It refers to all the energy your body burns through daily activities that aren’t structured workouts. 

So no, we’re not talking about your morning spin class or that weightlifting session at the gym. NEAT includes the calories you burn when you’re cleaning the kitchen, pacing while on the phone, walking your dog, or even tapping your foot under the table.

Fidgeting is a surprisingly good example. Some people are natural fidgeters—they bounce their knees, tap their fingers, or shift in their seats. It might seem minor, but all those little movements add up over the course of the day and contribute to total calorie burn. Likewise, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, carrying groceries, or walking to the corner store instead of driving are all NEAT activities.

So how does NEAT differ from formal exercise, or what’s known as Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT)? The key difference is intention and structure. EAT involves planned, deliberate movement: you're exercising on purpose to get your heart rate up and build fitness. NEAT, on the other hand, is all the incidental movement that happens as part of your everyday life. You don’t have to put on gym clothes or carve out time for it—NEAT just happens naturally, though it can definitely be increased on purpose.

Several factors can influence a person’s NEAT levels. Occupation is a big one. Someone who works a desk job will naturally burn fewer calories through movement than someone who’s on their feet all day, like a nurse, waiter, or construction worker. Lifestyle matters too. If you live in a walkable city and run errands on foot, you’ll likely rack up more NEAT than someone who drives everywhere. Even genetics can play a role—some people are just more naturally active throughout the day without thinking about it.

One of the most interesting things about NEAT is how much of a role it plays in weight management, especially for people trying to lose fat. When someone goes on a diet and cuts calories, the body often responds by subtly reducing spontaneous movement—less fidgeting, less walking, more sitting. This natural reduction in NEAT can make fat loss slower than expected. On the flip side, people who maintain a leaner body weight often have higher NEAT levels without even realizing it.

That’s why NEAT is sometimes called the hidden weapon for fat loss. It doesn’t require a gym membership or a set workout routine, but it can burn hundreds of extra calories per day. By consciously choosing to move more during your day—standing while working, walking after meals, doing chores with a little more energy—you can tap into NEAT as a powerful tool for boosting your metabolism and supporting long-term weight control.

Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT)

Exercise Activity Thermogenesis—better known as EAT—is the energy you burn during intentional, structured physical activity. Think of it as the workouts you schedule into your day: going to the gym, heading out for a run, doing a spin class, lifting weights, playing a sport, or even following along with a YouTube workout at home. If it’s exercise on purpose, it counts as EAT.

Unlike NEAT, which happens as part of your daily routine without much thought, EAT is all about deliberate movement. You carve out time for it. You usually wear workout clothes for it. And most of the time, the goal is to break a sweat, build endurance, improve strength, or just feel better mentally and physically. For a lot of people, this is the most familiar form of activity when thinking about burning calories.

So, how much does EAT really contribute to your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE)? That depends. If you’re someone who works out hard five to six days a week for an hour or more each session, EAT can make up a significant chunk of your calorie burn. But for the average person who hits the gym two or three times a week, EAT often contributes less than people think—especially when compared to BMR (which burns calories 24/7) or even NEAT (which happens throughout your entire day).

In fact, NEAT often accounts for more daily calorie burn than EAT simply because it adds up slowly but consistently over many hours. If you do a 30-minute workout but then sit for the rest of the day, you may not be burning as many calories overall as someone who walks a lot and is always on their feet, even if they never hit the gym. That’s why relying solely on EAT for fat loss or weight management isn’t always effective—it’s just one piece of the puzzle.

That said, optimizing EAT can still bring huge benefits, especially when it comes to cardiovascular health, strength, muscle mass, and mood. To get the most out of your exercise sessions, it helps to focus on three key factors: intensity, frequency, and individual variability.

Intensity refers to how hard you're working during your session. Higher-intensity workouts, like interval training or heavy lifting, burn more calories in a shorter time and may even boost your metabolism afterward. 

Frequency is how often you're working out—more sessions per week generally mean more total energy burn, as long as you’re recovering well. Then there’s individual variability: no two people burn calories at the same rate. Factors like fitness level, muscle mass, age, and genetics all affect how many calories you’ll burn during exercise.

The key with EAT is finding something you actually enjoy. You’re far more likely to be consistent with physical activity if it feels rewarding instead of like a chore. Whether that’s dance, hiking, swimming, or lifting weights, regular structured exercise can be a powerful and empowering way to support both your physical and mental health.

Diet-Induced Thermogenesis (DIT)

Diet-Induced Thermogenesis (DIT), also called the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), is the energy your body uses to digest, absorb, and store the nutrients from the food you eat. Yes, eating actually burns calories—but the amount depends on what you eat. It might not be as flashy as a workout, but DIT is an important part of your daily energy expenditure.

Every time you eat, your digestive system kicks into gear. Enzymes break down food, your gut absorbs nutrients, and your body works to convert those nutrients into usable forms or store them for later. All of that takes energy. On average, DIT accounts for about 10% of your total daily calorie burn, though this can vary depending on your food choices.

Not all foods have the same thermic effect. Protein has the highest thermic cost. Roughly 20–30% of the calories in protein are burned during digestion and processing. That means if you eat 100 calories of protein, your body uses about 20–30 of those calories just to digest it. It’s one reason high-protein diets are often recommended for fat loss—they not only help with muscle maintenance but also give your metabolism a bit of a boost.

Carbohydrates have a moderate thermic effect, burning about 5–10% of their calories during digestion. So, from 100 calories of carbs, you might lose 5 to 10 in the digestive process. It’s still a meaningful contribution, though not as high as protein.

Fats, on the other hand, have the lowest thermic effect—just 0–3%. Fat is very calorie-dense and easy for the body to store, so it doesn’t take much effort to break down and absorb. That doesn’t make fat "bad," but from a thermogenesis perspective, it’s not pulling much weight.

Your eating patterns and meal frequency can also influence DIT. Some research suggests that spreading your protein intake throughout the day may have a more favorable impact on DIT than loading it all into one meal. 

That said, the total amount of protein you eat matters more than how you time it. Eating smaller, frequent meals doesn't seem to dramatically change DIT on its own, but frequent meals that prioritize protein might have a slight edge.

If you’re looking to boost DIT, one of the easiest and most effective ways is to prioritize protein. Include a quality protein source with each meal—think eggs, chicken, tofu, Greek yogurt, beans, or protein shakes. 

Whole foods also tend to have a slightly higher thermic effect than processed foods because they require more effort to break down. So instead of reaching for ultra-refined snacks, go for minimally processed meals when you can.

Pro tip: don’t drink all your calories. Liquids are digested more quickly and with less energy than solid foods. Chewing, breaking down, and digesting solid meals create more thermic demand, which can slightly raise your DIT throughout the day.

Factors That Influence Thermogenesis

Thermogenesis isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. Several internal and external factors can affect how efficiently your body produces heat and burns calories. Understanding these variables can help explain why some people seem to burn calories effortlessly while others struggle.

Age and Gender

As we age, thermogenesis tends to decline. This is largely due to a natural loss of muscle mass and a slowing of metabolic processes. Older adults typically have a lower Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which means fewer calories burned at rest and during thermogenic processes. Gender also plays a role—men usually have more lean muscle mass than women, which gives them a metabolic edge when it comes to burning calories through both exercise and non-exercise activity.

Hormonal Balance

Hormones are powerful regulators of thermogenesis, especially those from the thyroid gland. Thyroid hormones like T3 and T4 help control metabolism, and when these levels are low—as in hypothyroidism—thermogenesis slows down significantly. On the flip side, an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can ramp up calorie burning and heat production. Hormones like insulin, leptin, and cortisol also influence how efficiently the body uses energy.

Muscle Mass and Body Composition

Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, meaning it burns more calories even when you're not moving. Individuals with higher muscle mass naturally have a higher BMR and tend to experience more effective thermogenesis. This makes strength training and preserving muscle especially important if you want to optimize your metabolic health over the long run.

Sleep and Stress

Poor sleep and chronic stress can interfere with hormones like cortisol and disrupt your metabolism. When you're sleep-deprived or constantly stressed, your body tends to conserve energy, reducing both spontaneous movement and thermogenesis. Prioritizing good sleep hygiene and stress management isn’t just good for your mood—it can help support your body's energy-burning potential too.

Ambient Temperature

Cold environments can trigger thermogenesis, especially through a process known as non-shivering thermogenesis. Your body burns more energy trying to stay warm, often activating brown fat to produce heat. Regular exposure to cooler temperatures—like taking cold showers or spending time outdoors in winter—can stimulate this process in some people.

How to Support and Enhance Thermogenesis

Thermogenesis, as previously noted, can be influenced by a variety of factors. If your goal is to improve fat loss or maintain a strong metabolism, there are several proven ways to support and enhance this natural process.

Prioritize Protein in Your Diet

Eating more protein is one of the most effective ways to support thermogenesis. Your body expends more energy digesting and metabolizing protein than it does with carbs or fats, making it a powerful tool for calorie burning. On top of that, protein helps you stay full longer and protects lean muscle, which keeps your metabolism running efficiently.

Stay Active Throughout the Day

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) refers to the calories you burn during daily, unstructured activities—think walking around the house, doing laundry, or even fidgeting. These small movements add up quickly and often make a bigger impact on your total calorie burn than structured workouts. Try to stay on your feet more often, take the stairs, or find reasons to move every hour.

Structure Your Workouts for Maximum Burn

While NEAT is important, Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT) also plays a key role. Resistance training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and even moderate-intensity cardio can boost your metabolic rate during and after the session. The post-exercise calorie burn—called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC)—keeps your metabolism elevated even when you’re at rest.

Focus on Sleep and Stress

Sleep and stress have a direct effect on hormones that control metabolism, hunger, and energy balance. Poor sleep and chronic stress can slow your metabolic rate, increase cravings, and make fat loss harder. Prioritizing consistent, quality sleep and practicing stress management techniques like mindfulness, walking, or breathwork helps keep your metabolic hormones in check.

Use Targeted Supplements for Extra Support

In addition to healthy habits, thermogenic supplements can give your metabolism a gentle push in the right direction. A product like Lean by BrickHouse Nutrition stands out for including lesser-known but promising ingredients such as Meratrim®, a blend of Garcinia mangostana and Sphaeranthus indicus, shown in some studies to influence fat breakdown and reduce waist circumference. Another standout is InnoSlim®, a patented mix of Panax notoginseng and Astragalus membranaceus, which may help regulate glucose uptake and support fat metabolism at the cellular level. These unique compounds make Lean more than just a typical fat burner. When used alongside a good diet and active lifestyle, it can provide added support for your thermogenic goals. 

Final Words

With a greater understanding of thermogenesis in tow, you can positively impact yours and effectively achieve your weight loss goals. Turns out it’s really a matter of counting; you need to ensure that you expend more calories than you ingest. 

Follow some of our guidelines mentioned and you’re on the way to hitting your goals.