Do you count standing at a standing desk?

heykatieben
heykatieben Posts: 398 Member
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys - those of you who start with exercise level 'sedentary' and add on exercise - do you count time standing at a standing desk?

Thanks :)
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Replies

  • mamahannick
    mamahannick Posts: 322 Member
    I would not log standing as exercise. Rather, factor it into your activity level. Instead of "sedentary", select "lightly active". A lot of people think they are sedentary when they're not. For example, I work a desk job but still am not considered sedentary. I have a toddler I run around after and do plenty of daily chores around the house to make me lightly active. Truly sedentary is not doing much more than lying in bed watching TV all day.
  • usafbeach
    usafbeach Posts: 147 Member
    I just jury-rigged one at home to get myself to be a little less sedentary. As far as if I would count it or not, I think I agree with mamahannick and if you're using it all day during the work week (as opposed to sitting at a desk) I might consider upping your activity level.

    Good luck with it either way!
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I would probably do lightly active if you're there for 8+ hours a day using the standing desk. But, then you should be cautious on the days you're not at work if you're more sedentary. It's not that you couldn't add on the standing calories to a sedentary estimate, but it's pretty difficult to actually estimate those calories.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    I would not log standing as exercise. Rather, factor it into your activity level.
    ^This.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Hi guys - those of you who start with exercise level 'sedentary' and add on exercise - do you count time standing at a standing desk?

    Thanks :)

    Does standing at your standing desk raise your heart rate? If it does, sure, log it as exercise. If it doesn't, sorry, you are just standing, not exercising.
  • snootmaster
    snootmaster Posts: 69 Member
    standing.png

    I have nothing particularly useful to add to this string but did have to comment about the comic-HILARIOUS! Thanks for a good morning chuckle.
  • davemunger
    davemunger Posts: 1,139 Member
    According to Runner's World, using a standing desk burns an extra 163 calories per day:

    http://www.runnersworld.com/health/using-standing-desk-boosts-calorie-burn
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    Hi guys - those of you who start with exercise level 'sedentary' and add on exercise - do you count time standing at a standing desk?

    Thanks :)

    I love to count time, I just wouldn't count that as exercise.

    tumblr_inline_n2cvhp84441qkxg6r.jpg
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    I can't think of what it's called but my friend has one, you stand on it and it has little pedals, kind of like an elliptical but nothing else to it other than the pedals you stand on and pedal back and forth. You could totally raise your heart rate with that and log it as light exercise!! Don't know how well you could concentrate while doing it but hey might be worth a try for extra calorie burn.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    According to Runner's World, using a standing desk burns an extra 163 calories per day:

    http://www.runnersworld.com/health/using-standing-desk-boosts-calorie-burn

    That's two Oreos
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
    It's a little over 100 calories, maybe not that much depending on your weight.

    They're great. Sitting is so last century.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    According to Runner's World, using a standing desk burns an extra 163 calories per day:

    http://www.runnersworld.com/health/using-standing-desk-boosts-calorie-burn

    If that count is correct, I wouldn't log it at all.
  • flyingwolf
    flyingwolf Posts: 4 Member
    I have a question on this, I usually work between 9 and 11 hours, if I put in the 660 minutes of standing at my desk based on the numbers I get from different places then I burn 2k calories standing, now granted I am 400 pounds, but there is no way that is right is there?
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    I have a question on this, I usually work between 9 and 11 hours, if I put in the 660 minutes of standing at my desk based on the numbers I get from different places then I burn 2k calories standing, now granted I am 400 pounds, but there is no way that is right is there?
    You're only meant to log actual workouts as exercise. Everyday things like work, housework, yard work, child care, and standing is meant to be factored into your activity level.
  • flyingwolf
    flyingwolf Posts: 4 Member
    Perfect, thank you both, for some reason I wasn't wrapping my head around it and thinking BMR plus standing at my desk when I should have been thinking BMR IS standing at my desk.

    Got it all sorted now.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Perfect, thank you both, for some reason I wasn't wrapping my head around it and thinking BMR plus standing at my desk when I should have been thinking BMR IS standing at my desk.

    Got it all sorted now.

    No, actually BMR is only what your body needs to survive, for organ function, etc, like if you were in a coma. The activity modifiers that you choose should include it - ie whether you pick sedentary, lightly active, etc. I would choose lightly active over sedentary in that case. I would not expect that anyone would burn 2000 calories standing.
  • flyingwolf
    flyingwolf Posts: 4 Member
    Got ya!
    I chose lightly active, I take a mile long walk each day and I work on my feet all day which includes often running after the toddler and whatnot. So I would say very lightly active.

    Thank you.
  • sanderdejonge
    sanderdejonge Posts: 415 Member
    I don't log unless I do real exercise.
    So I don't log walking, commuting on bicycle (unless it's longer than 1h) etc; barely burns up energy anyways.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    whatever my fuel band picks up , I record. If I am buying an extra 163 calories a day, the scale will tell me and I will adjust accordingly.
  • jorebkoki
    jorebkoki Posts: 2 Member
    MFP has "standing desk work" and "fishing from river bank, standing" under cardio/exercise.

    I just got my standing desk and since it does burn more calories than sitting I wanted to log this additional activity - so for 6 hours (360 minutes) of standing work my total came to 1220 calories (yes, I'm heavy).

    I'm inclined to include this "exercise" but I wonder if I should.
  • MsMaeFlowers
    MsMaeFlowers Posts: 261 Member
    I log my standing desk time, or I did until I got my fitbit that just does it for me. But, I only work standing 1 day a week, so it's not part of my every day activity. I get to eat all the food on Tuesday because it's also gym day in the morning and dog walking in the evening plus standing all day. I love Tuesdays.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    jorebkoki wrote: »
    MFP has "standing desk work" and "fishing from river bank, standing" under cardio/exercise.

    I just got my standing desk and since it does burn more calories than sitting I wanted to log this additional activity - so for 6 hours (360 minutes) of standing work my total came to 1220 calories (yes, I'm heavy).

    I'm inclined to include this "exercise" but I wonder if I should.

    You would need to figure out how many calories you burn sitting for the same amount of time...you only burn about 20 or so more calories standing than you do sitting per hour.
  • fbchick51
    fbchick51 Posts: 240 Member
    Dewymorning wrote: »
    standing.png

    At my office, we have a standing desk that has been attached to a treadmill. LOL
  • 3rdof7sisters
    3rdof7sisters Posts: 486 Member
    I have a standing desk, but it never even occurred to me as exercise.
    I assume you burn more calories standing than sitting, but I won't add it as exercise.
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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    3rdof7sisters wrote: »
    I have a standing desk, but it never even occurred to me as exercise.
    I assume you burn more calories standing than sitting, but I won't add it as exercise.

    very slightly more...it's pretty negligible really.
  • JeepHair77
    JeepHair77 Posts: 1,291 Member
    I love my standing desk, but no, I don't consider it exercise, and I really don't even consider it a big enough difference to get someone from "sedentary" to "lightly active." Standing doesn't burn considerably more calories than sitting, I don't think.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    It's just "bonus burn" that helps cover logging & estimating variations.
  • BeeerRunner
    BeeerRunner Posts: 728 Member
    No, definitely not. My heart rate is not elevated that much when standing. It's healthier though.
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