“Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about about mission statements.” – Peter Gibbons (Office Space)
The Treadmill Desk.
What on earth is this?
I’ll tell you exactly what it is. It’s a treadmill desk and no, it’s not a joke. These things are for real and they could very well be the workstation of the future. The treadmill desk was designed by the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. James Levine. It’s pretty self-explanatory: a treadmill with a desk attached to it. So here’s how it works. Basically, instead of sitting at your desk while working at your computer, you walk while working at your computer. Test subjects burned 100 calories per hour while walking on the treadmill desk at a slow pace (1 mph).
What is the point?
The idea behind this contraption is to give people who don’t have time to workout an opportunity to shed a few pounds. So how much weight can one expect to lose?
Well, if you take a typical 40 hour work week and 50 work weeks per year, this is 2,000 hours of extra walking per year. At 100 calories per hour, this equates to 200,000 calories! A pound of fat is about 3,500 calories, so assuming food intake and everything else is kept constant, we’re talking about 57 pounds per year!
Are there other benefits?
Levine and other advocates of the treadmill desk argue that in addition to burning calories, the extra activity during the workday will help lower stress levels and increase creativity without hindering productivity. The obvious long-term benefit is healthier employees and if this translates into higher energy levels and fewer sick days, the increase in effectiveness of the workforce could very well justify the cost to the employer. In fact several large companies such as Mutual of Omaha have purchased treadmill desks for this very reason.
I have mixed feelings about the treadmill desk.
On one hand, I am glad that someone has discovered an innovative way to incorporate exercise into the lives of sedentary workers. If you’ve read some of my posts on cardio, you will know that I’m a huge advocate of low-intensity steady state cardio (LISS), walking in particular. I believe everyone should try to incorporate more walking into their everyday lives and this is definitely a creative way to do that. If every office worker in America was on one of these, there would definitely be an improvement in the overall health and wellness of our population.
Treadmill Desk specifications.
On the other hand, this whole concept just seems… unnatural. It seems to me that too many people are unwilling to take responsibility for their well being and this invention is a byproduct. If people just made it a priority to exercise for a few hours a week, the treadmill desk would be completely unnecessary. The fact that obesity levels have gotten so bad that someone actually had to come up with something like this is disturbing, but this is the reality we face. A recent article in USA Today states that if current trends continue, within the next ten years, 43% of Americans will be obese. By 2018, obesity could cost the United States over $340 billion a year and make up over 20% of health care spending.
I am an office worker and I would never use a treadmill desk.
Why not? I simply don’t need one. Although I work in an office 40 plus hours a week, I am far from sedentary. I make it a point to get in plenty of exercise outside of work. I don’t believe having a busy schedule should be an excuse to sacrifice your health and wellness. In fact, I believe that staying healthy and fit should be a higher priority than work. After all, your employer may help pay your bills, but it won’t help save your life when you get older. For the majority of people, there is no need for a trade off. Even if you work 60 hours a week, that leaves an extra 108 hours for other things. Surely, you can spare a few hours to invest in your long-term health.
Dr. James Levine talks about the Treadmill Desk
So what would I suggest instead of a treadmill desk?
Real exercise. Get outside and be active. Play a sport. Lift weights. Go swimming. Go biking. Watch your diet. I haven’t even talked about this, since that’s not what this post is about, but making positive changes in what you eat and how much you eat will improve your health more than any amount of exercise or any type of treadmill desk ever will. But that’s just my opinion. How about all the readers? Post some comments and let me know what you think. To all you desk jockeys out there, would you use a treadmill desk?
Darrin says:
I’ve read about these too and also have mixed feelings. I certainly think the idea is solid but would never in a million years buy one for myself.
The fact is sitting for hours every day is just not the type of thing the human body is meant to do. Before the invention of chairs, people rested either by squatting down or sprawling out on the ground. Anything that gets people up and off their butts is good in my book.
But stand-up desks are also becoming big, which circumvents the constant sitting while being MUCH cheaper.
And I think it is much easier (and cheaper) to incorporate LISS into our lives by parking farther away, using the stairs rather than the elevator, walking (or biking) if we are just going short distances, or simply going for more walks in the morning or evening, preferably with friends or family to make it more enjoyable.
Again, I am so glad to see you championing LISS so much – I don’t see many other fitness bloggers who do.
Darrin´s last [type] ..To Be or Not To Be an Athlete- That Is
Raymond - ZenMyFitness says:
I will never consider something like this .. It doesn’t sit well with me… haha sorry about that pun.
but seriously if I wanted to walk I do it outside, if I wanted to workout I’d go to the gym and do it so intensely, but cool that you addressed this new invention
Raymond
Raymond – ZenMyFitness´s last [type] ..Avoid Dangerous Diets That Celebrities Love to Follow
Steve Attarian says:
I think that the opportunity to add LISS to a busy schedule is a good thing.
This is a beginning step for those of us that do not get to the Gym, even though we may have bought a membership January second. This adds Productivity and focus to computer work and burning 100+ calories an hour is better than lower back compression. At home or at Work, this is a solution for SOME people, and could lead to a healthier workforce and lower Health insurance coverage if implemented like Mutual Of Omaha. Not everyone has the will power of Raymond and Darrin, I sure wish I did.
Thank You
Steve Attarian
Jay says:
You guys are missing the whole point. I purchased one over a year ago (not the Walkstation – it was too expensive for me) and now 14 others are in place at our office and being used daily. This is not intended to take the place of going to the gym or taking a nice walk outside. Rather it is giving office workers the option to change their working position throughout the day.
Walking at a slow 1.0 – 1.5 mph is something anyone can do for hours at a time, but if you have ever tried standing up in one spot for an hour at a time, you will quickly notice it is very difficult to do. Blood starts to pool in your legs and that start to ache after 15 minutes.
Don’t knock it until you have tried it and I bet once you try it you would like it. When we first tried one in our office, most people laughed but once they got on it for a while, it made them realize how much better it is than having to sit all day. We soon had to limit the time each user was on one and eventually ended up buying one for every 3 people in our office.
I would highly recommend trying one out if you ever get the chance – walking while I work has certainly improved my health and mental sharpness all day long.
admin says:
@ Darrin,
I agree that the human body was not meant to sit for hours every day. So while some may argue that the treadmill desk is unnatural, has anyone even stopped to consider that working an office job for eight hours a day is unnatural as well? I know I have.
@ Raymond,
Personally, I also prefer to walk outdoors. It’s much more enjoyable to walk in sunlight, while getting fresh air, and wearing comfortable clothing. Then again, I don’t think the purpose of the treadmill desk was to give people an enjoyable walking experience.
@ Steve,
For people who don’t get to the gym, this is definitely a good thing. Also, if it adds productivity, that is a plus. I still don’t think having one should be a reason to not exercise, but it is way better than doing nothing. I’m also glad you mentioned it’s probably only worthwhile for some people and not necessarily everyone. I think fitness bloggers, myself included, are somewhat biased against it because we get out and exercise regularly.
@ Jay,
It’s good to hear the perspective of someone who is actually using one of these things. You make some great points. Being able to change your position throughout the day is much better than sitting for eight hours. Also, I agree that walking is easier to do than standing in one spot. Taking these considerations into account, the treadmill desk could very well be more beneficial than a traditional office set up or even a stand-up desk.
What I’m trying to get at is this. The societal need for such an invention was brought on by the obesity problem which is caused in part by people not getting enough exercise. While the idea behind the treadmill desk may not have been to replace exercise, the people who need it the most are those who don’t exercise. Therefore, for these people, the benefit is that it essentially serves as an exercise replacement. Thanks for commenting. Glad this sparked some discussion.
Alejandro "The Fittest Vegan" says:
I actually kinda like it, It would be great if I could move my laptop on it for an hour in the morning and again in the afternoon then sit back on my desk. maybe I could even convince my boss to let me bring my dog and have my dog run on it for a bit.
However I do agree with you, this is not the answer, the answer is real exercise outside and if its needed to stretch out then a walk during your lunch should help stretch the legs.
A better idea would be to have a Bike instead of a treadmill, maybe have pedals underneath my desk that I can pull up and pedal a few hours of the day. LOL
Alejandro “The Fittest Vegan”´s last [type] ..4 Tricks to Help You Lose Fat… Fast!
admin says:
@ Alejandro,
I think one of the features that makes it good is that the height is adjustable so you can sit whenever you get tired of walking. A bike desk would definitely be interesting. I wonder if someone will ever come up with one of those.
Dave - Fitness Training Tips says:
Very unique idea but not one I think I’d ever adopt at the office. Somehow I think walking while trying to create spreadsheets would be distracting and slow me down. I definitely prefer finding time outside the office to exercise…or going for a nice walk outside during a lunch break.
admin says:
@ Dave,
Agreed. I also use a lot of Excel at work… plenty of navigating around using keyboard shortcuts and the walking would probably trip me up at least a little!
FitXcel says:
I think I’d rather keep my gym time at the gym.
-Drew
FitXcel´s last [type] ..7 If You Diet- You Will Lose Muscle Mass
admin says:
@ Drew,
I’m with you on that one.
Hazman - Crazy Fitness Guide! says:
A treadmill while you work! Now thats what i call multi tasking, and getting the job done in many different ways than one! lol…I also agree with Darrin on the fact that the human body wasnt made to be lazy and sit around, we were given legs and arms, and a heart to pump! Human body should be exercising everyday really, by walking, running, climbing, back in the days, when chairs only existed to the rich, the poor, were out running, fighting, staying fit naturally, as a part of their life, this is the instincts of a warrior and a survivor at the same time, this kept people fit, and lean, and people wonder these days, why they get fat and dont have a body they wish they could have! lol…just takes a bit of hard work, and being more active!
Hazman – Crazy Fitness Guide!´s last [type] ..How To Perform Bodyweight Strength Exercises! Create Definition- Strength- and Athleticism!
admin says:
@ Hazman,
I agree if we were to live a lifestyle similar to our hunter gatherer ancestors, obesity wouldn’t be an issue. Unfortunately, the way we live today is completely unnatural and not in sync with the way our genes were programmed. The first step is recognizing this problem and the next step is taking measures to counter it, one of which is becoming more physically active.
By the way, nice site dude. Just joined on GFC.
Shauna says:
It is completely incorrect that if people would just exercise there would be no need for a treadmill desk. It is a proven fact that you cannot make up for sitting 8 hours a day by exercising. The damage is done. http://health.newsvine.com/_news/2010/10/26/5352934-why-your-desk-job-is-slowly-killing-you#comments
Eddie Louise says:
I work full-time (spending 8+ hours at a desk) and I am writing a novel, so I spend another 3 to 4 hours at my desk at home.
To offset all the sitting, I walk a minimum of 2 miles daily as well as take 5 flights of stairs 6 times through the day.
I would still welcome this idea. Not as as exercise replacement, but as a way to continue to do my desk-bound work in a manner that doesn’t destroy my body. After 4 hours in a chair (even with getting up twice to run the stairs), I am stiff and my ankles have swollen. I can’t stand for longer than 25 minutes before my back starts hurting. I can walk at a slow pace forever though, and feel looser, and more energetic after. Why wouldn’t I want that?
Part of the reason so many Americans are fat and out of shape is the all or nothing mentality of the fitness community. Getting Fit is seen as a HUGE sacrifice and small efforts are pooh poohed as unworthy.
It seems to me that if people had this type of thing, they would begin to see benefit and start making incremental changes that can add up to better health in the long run! After all, if you are walking 8 miles or more a day on the treadmill desk, the ‘far-away’ parking spot will not seem so far and taking the stairs instead of the elevator will not seem unreasonable.
Eddie Louise´s last [type] ..And This Little Piggy Went Wii- Wii- Wii
admin says:
@ Shauna,
Sitting around for 8 hours a day is certainly not ideal for overall health and wellness. However, you can easily make up for it (and by that I mean obtain and maintain an ideal lean body) with a combination of diet and exercise. I am living proof.
@ Eddie,
Great point about how this could encourage incremental changes. Small positive changes that evolve into healthy habits really add up and ultimately make a difference. I wouldn’t recommend for anyone to go from doing nothing to walking 8 miles per day overnight. However, an overweight person would undoubtedly benefit from taking gradual steps in this direction.
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Randy says:
Sure makes sense to me. I do not sit at a desk, but I did for a short time. It was very, very hard for me to just sit there all day, filling out forms and solving math problems. I found myself walking around, a lot.
This is a great idea.
admin says:
@ Randy,
This is a good contraption for people who have trouble staying seated for long periods of time. Of course for them, an office job may not be the best fit to begin with.