Overweight? Standing May Be Solution

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/DyeHard/story?id=3922069&page=1

by gibsonf1 • 19 years ago

24 19 19 years ago

abcnews.go.com

umjames3• 19 years ago

Does this mean we should make desks and tables higher so that we are forced to stand while we work?

mhartl2• 19 years ago

Basically, yes. The best solution is probably to get a desk with adjustable height. A couple of my friends have them, and swear by them. They're a bit pricey, but I might get one anyway. (Do a web search on "height adjustable desk" for some options.)

Incidentally, being able to experiment with your work environment like this is yet another reason not to work in a 'normal' job. Not too many offices would let you get away with a standing desk, and if your desk is publicly visible the social cost of being the only one standing could be significant.

umjames3• 19 years ago

I definitely agree with the 'normal' job comment. I'm just curious about the concept of standing all day to code.

I guess the good thing about it is that it can force you to take regular breaks, even if the break consists of just sitting down.

jbf• 19 years ago

Desks with adjustable height are great. Being able to change positions throughout the day is well worth the cost. Long work sessions are far more comfortable since I began using one.

I've got the 72" version of this: http://anthro.com/cpage.aspx?ssid=12

Their stuff is very, very solid.

abstractbill• 19 years ago

Agreed, being able to experiment is awesome.

I keep wondering if I could rig up a work environment where I'm lying flat on my back, on the floor, with an LCD panel mounted far enough above my head that I won't hit it when I get up.

The big show-stopper, as far as I can see, is that I can't touch-type so I'd have to mount a keyboard somewhere roughly above my neck or chest where I could see it... but then I think my arms would get tired quickly.

stevei• 19 years ago

I have an adjustable height desk from Ikea that goes from sitting to standing with the touch of a button. It has a little electric motor that moves the entire desktop up and down. The motor system is just a different base for their GALANT line of modular desks, so you can configure it any way you'd like. By far the least expensive adjustable desk that I've seen...

patrickg-zill• 19 years ago

Michael Dell, according to people I know that have worked for him, has a standing desk (sort of like an oversized lectern) instead of a regular sit-down desk. Getting up and sitting down were considered to be time wasters.

mynameishere• 19 years ago

I think the real reason has to do with piles.

plusbryan• 19 years ago

I really love my height-adjustable desk from ikea: http://lifehacker.com/software/coolest-workspace-contest/coo...

bootload2• 19 years ago

"... In most cases, exercise alone, according to a team of scientists at the University of Missouri, isn't enough to take off those added pounds. ..."

Horse crud.

Exercise is the best way to reduce weight for all but the most unfit. My guess the real reason why you get statements like this is because they are factoring in the time you have to take to exercise. How much? Well minimum 10K steps. For me thats 7 almost kilometers per day. If you walk, thats about an hour. Less if you run (20-30 min) or ride (20-25 min). Remember thats a minimum. Couple that with a reduced intake of food and you will loose weight. But work gets in the way of this. Ever tried exercising 1Hr+ per day during the working week? Every day?

For most (unless you create your own job) this is not possible because your work requires your presence in one spot working hard for longer hours. [0] Thats why this kind of research could be important. It is hardly a substitute for regular exercise and movement.

[0] "1982 and 2002, the proportion of full-time workers working a 40 hour week declined from 39% to 24%" ~ http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/industrial/family/overview/statis...

downer• 19 years ago

> Horse crud.

> Exercise is the best way to reduce weight for all but the most unfit.

Not so. That hour of walking you suggest is easily replaced by simply reducing caloric intake slightly. In fact, you have to watch intake anyway, because when you exercise, your body automatically increases your appetite to compensate for the additional energy expenditure.

http://nymag.com/news/sports/38001/

"He will have to climb twenty flights of stairs to rid himself of the energy contained in one slice of bread!" Newburgh observed. So why not skip the stairs, skip the bread, and call it a day?

The reasons to exercise include all sorts of health and fitness benefits, but losing weight is pretty far down the list. Even top athletes always have to be careful with diet and often weigh their food with gram scales.

bootload2• 19 years ago

"... That hour of walking you suggest is easily replaced by simply reducing caloric intake slightly. ..."

One thing I have found is exercise done before eating reduces appetite. Slight reductions in food is difficult if there is an abundance of high fat/high calorie food. Especially if it tastes good. One insight into the relationship between food, exercise and culture is the Japanese in places like Okinawa [0] & Sakaemura [1] who have:

- low calorie, low fat diet

- high energy output (mostly via farming & activities such as karate)

- social networking

contributing 4-5 years on average longer lifespans it is thought through leanness. [2] They key thing appears to the combination of diet, exercise and societal connection. Exercise is one of the keys to leanness but not the only one.

One thing you can bet on. If you don't exercise, eat the wrong foods and too much of it you will loose fitness.

[0] http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/stories/s1329191.htm

[1] http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/09/1089000356464.html

[2] http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200704/000020070407A00...

Goladus2• 19 years ago

If your goal is only to reduce weight, reducing calorie intake works. Losing weight is a giant red herring anyway, though. A lot of people that say that want to lose weight really just want to be more healthy and fit. They don't want to be lugging around a sack of fat all day long.

In any case, I've found it far easier to manage my calorie intake when I have an extra 1000 calories/day to work with. For people who just eat because they have to, that might work. But I love food, and I think most people do as well.

Goladus2• 19 years ago

Ever tried exercising 1Hr+ per day during the working week? Every day?

Yes, and I drove 35 minutes each way to do it. It was great, but it consumed most of my free time. The time I didn't spend working out was spent eating and cleaning. I didn't any weight to lose really (lost maybe 5-10 lbs), but turned a lot of fat into muscle. Coupled with Yoga, stretching, and a balanced diet problems I'd had in the past with aches, fidgeting, and circulation went away. (it was an ~80% cardio routine, burning 800-900 calories per workout).

Incidentally, based on what I'm reading from the article, the Yoga probably counteracts the sitting problems somewhat. Holding yourself erect and breathing regularly even while seated probably is more like standing.

Also, I notice an enormous difference in my ability to sleep based on how active I was during the day. If I spent 90% of the day sitting down, I have all kinds of trouble, even if that 10% was a decent workout. The workout helps, but spending all day walking around the city makes it really easy to fall asleep.

umjames3• 19 years ago

I wonder if kneeling or lying down has the same detrimental effects as sitting.

At home, when I am coding on a laptop, I often alternate between sitting in a chair and kneeling at the foot of the bed. Oftentimes, kneeling feels better until my knees get sore, then it's back to the chair.

dfens• 19 years ago

Hey that's what I do.

kirubakaran• 19 years ago

The Hacker's Diet

http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/hackdiet.html

It is a great book.

Overweight? Standing May Be Solution

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