Exercising and Desk Jobs

So I sit at a desk all day. About 2 weeks ago I got a stationary peddler to use while sitting at my desk. It's working out pretty good so far.

Replies

  • aki619
    aki619 Posts: 15 Member
    I've thought about investing in one of those. Do they make any noise?
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    I tired one of those and liked it but got to monotonous for me. I kept teasing I was going to turn it into a small generator and have a light bulb attached to it so I would have to keep peddling to have light!



    I take a few 15 minute breaks for walking and a longer lunch when possible to exercise. A big change that helped was the standing desk.
  • kschwab0203
    kschwab0203 Posts: 610 Member
    I have this issue too. At my last job I was constantly walking and moving around. Now I am sitting at my desk a majority of the day. I just try to get up and walk around as often as I can. I have thought about one of those peddlers too!
  • LiftandSkate
    LiftandSkate Posts: 148 Member
    I have a desk job. A standing desk (Veridesk) has changed my life! I now stand and work 3-4 hours/day. The longer I have it, the more I prefer to stand and work. My back pain has virtually disappeared! I honestly don't know how I lived so long without it.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    I have a desk job. A standing desk (Veridesk) has changed my life!

    I have got to use one here and there but still waiting for my permanent one. What I noticed was the restricted lack of blood flow through the body in the sitting position was a huge issue. I got my benefit from the standing desk (also anecdotally felt better), then the small peddling thing. Even as much benefit as getting out walking.

  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    They make power meters for real bikes, devices that measure the energy you put into the pedals (with a maximum error of +/- 1.5%). From that you can tell exactly how many calories you've burned. They're so accurate you can use them to measure aerodynamics and compare two jackets or helmets, or riding positions.

    It's telling that none of these under desk cycles have power meters. You buy them to burn calories, there's a way to measure how many calories you've burned cycling, it's not available with these machines. I bet if people knew how many calories they burned on these machines, nobody would buy them.
  • djwar9858
    djwar9858 Posts: 43 Member
    Under desk cycle? Amazon...here I come! Who cares about calories burned? I'd be happy to just keep moving rather than being sedentary.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I have a desk job...I've tried those things before and it just doesn't do much for me. About once per hour I get up and take the stairs to the first floor restroom and break room and use the facilities if needed and fill my water bottle and then go to the opposite stair well back to the third floor and across the building to my office...one big loop. I also park further away from the office...I park further away from other venues, etc.

    Beyond that, I just make time for deliberate exercise...primarily cycling and lifting 2-3x per week.
  • pacingoamy
    pacingoamy Posts: 78 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I have a desk job...I've tried those things before and it just doesn't do much for me. About once per hour I get up and take the stairs to the first floor restroom and break room and use the facilities if needed and fill my water bottle and then go to the opposite stair well back to the third floor and across the building to my office...one big loop. I also park further away from the office...I park further away from other venues, etc.

    Beyond that, I just make time for deliberate exercise...primarily cycling and lifting 2-3x per week.

    Same here. I am literally going to another building to use a restroom (1200 steps round trip and still only about 15 minutes). I'm in HR, so I also realized this was a huge way to see our employees face-to-face. I got asked more W2 questions on those walks than I ever did in my office!! Then, on my lunch break I take a 2 mile or so walk. That has me at 10,000 steps before I leave for the day and it's changed the way I exercise. Before, cramming exercise in was a necessity so I would hurry to leave work, get a jog in, run home to the kids/dogs/hubs and do all the things we do at night. Getting these steps in early means that I can enjoy the fun part about exercising later.
  • tahxirez
    tahxirez Posts: 270 Member
    pacingoamy wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I have a desk job...I've tried those things before and it just doesn't do much for me. About once per hour I get up and take the stairs to the first floor restroom and break room and use the facilities if needed and fill my water bottle and then go to the opposite stair well back to the third floor and across the building to my office...one big loop. I also park further away from the office...I park further away from other venues, etc.

    Beyond that, I just make time for deliberate exercise...primarily cycling and lifting 2-3x per week.

    Same here. I am literally going to another building to use a restroom (1200 steps round trip and still only about 15 minutes). I'm in HR, so I also realized this was a huge way to see our employees face-to-face. I got asked more W2 questions on those walks than I ever did in my office!! Then, on my lunch break I take a 2 mile or so walk. That has me at 10,000 steps before I leave for the day and it's changed the way I exercise. Before, cramming exercise in was a necessity so I would hurry to leave work, get a jog in, run home to the kids/dogs/hubs and do all the things we do at night. Getting these steps in early means that I can enjoy the fun part about exercising later.

    This is exactly what I've done since switching to desk work from active work. Built more activity in my day so that exercise is an enjoyable bonus not a punishment for all day laziness. Staying active throughout the day makes me want to continue the momentum of movement (laws of motion and all.)
  • Spartan_Gingi
    Spartan_Gingi Posts: 194 Member
    I've improvised a standing desk, and I walk in place. It's truly a game changer. My feet no longer fall asleep, and I've got more energy throughout the day. And, pride be damned, I don't even care if my coworkers get a kick out of it :).
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
    aki619 wrote: »
    I've thought about investing in one of those. Do they make any noise?

    Two of my coworkers have the elliptical style and they don't make a sound. When my cube neighbor uses his in a standing position, he looks pretty silly though. Like he's dancing to music only he can hear.
  • majesticdj
    majesticdj Posts: 22 Member
    I'm a receptionist and my job is very stationary as I take over 100+ call a day. I stand over 50% of the day... I take the stairs whenever possible and I also bring resistance bands to work. I do leg lifts... arm curls... whatever I can come up with. I also go down to an empty conference room and do hiit for 10-15 min by running in place.. jumping jacks... etc...