HOW TO BURN CALORIES BY USING A STAND-UP DESK AND OTHER EXERCISES
As we've outlined before, using a stand-up desk while working can greatly improve your health and the way you feel. It also helps you burn more calories as you're constantly moving around or shifting your weight from one leg to another.
It's really nice to burn an extra couple hundred calories simply by standing up while working rather than sitting. It's also a very easy lifestyle change to make, although we recommend not standing for 8 hours right off the bat. Work your way up to it; start with an hour here or there and slowly build up. Our adjustable height desks are great for this becaues you can quickly raise or lower the desk from standing to sitting position.
Some experts talk about NEAT exercises, or non-exercise activity thermogenesis. These are things you can do through the course of your day that really add up to help you burn calorie sand get in shape. Using a stand-up desk is the easiest way to get started but there are many other NEAT activities you can build into your day.
Here are some example NEAT exercises that you can quickly implement:
- Taking the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator
- Carrying a basket while shopping rather than using a cart
- Do some squats, pushups or calf raises while waiting for things like the microwave
- If your computer is chugging on some big task while working, take the opportunity to do some pushups or situps
- Walking to someone's house instead of calling or texting
- Walking to stores instead of taking the bus
- Pacing or otherwise moving around while on the phone at work
- Standing and/or balancing while reading books/homework
- Wash the car yourself, don't use the automatic car wash (this is also a great money saver!)
- Walk into the restaurant rather than using the drive-thru
- Park further away rather than up close (besides, you actually save time rather than driving up and down aisles looking for a "good" spot)
It can be hard to manage a 40 hour work week, kids, school, and perhaps other responsibilities and still get a workout in. That's why these sort of NEAT activities are great! The idea is to find little things like this to build into your day. If you do enough you won't even have to workout; you can still burn enough calories to lose weight & get in shape! Of course a stand-up desk is our #1 recommendation, but all of these other things help out as well.