5 reasons why Stand-Up Desks can save your life
Sedentariness has been coined the “sitting disease” and “sitting is the new smoking.”We aren’t made for sitting yet we sit on average 60-80% of the day and most of that time is at our desks. The solution is a stand-up desk and here are 5 reasons why Stand-Up Desks can save your life.
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Sedentariness has been coined the “sitting disease” and “sitting is the new smoking.”
We aren’t made for sitting yet we sit on average 60-80% of the day and most of that time is at our desks. The solution is a stand-up desk and here are 5 reasons why Stand Up Desks can save your life.
Here’s more to the story: For many years, I used to sit 10-12 hours at a desk and in front of a computer. I would take a short break to do my exercise routine but other than that I was sitting on my butt for most of the day.
Then one year I ran my first Lifestyle program with a small group of students. I thought it would be a great idea to give them all a Fitbit activity tracking device because this would let me track their activity stats, which would increase their accountability to my program.
I bought myself one too so I could lead by example and participate in all of the step challenges with them.
Well here’s what happened…
I realized how little I moved! This new-found awareness got me thinking differently, specifically how would I be able sit less, stand, and move more throughout the day.
I refer to it as “make-up movement,” which my 45 minute workouts everyday weren’t making up for my sedentariness throughout the day.
I will share 5 ways a stand-up desk can save your life:
1. Reduce obesity: Extensive research has been done on what James Levine, author of “Move a little, lose a lot,” https://amzn.to/2mHabLG describes as N.E.A.T. (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). You may be surprised by how many more calories you can burn just by sitting less and moving more!! In fact, some studies have shown that you can burn up to 30% more calories only by standing. Now that’s some serious motivation to get a stand-up desk!
2. Reduce heart disease: This is not a new idea, it was first proposed in 1953 where a study of bus conductors who stood all day had half of the risk of heart disease as opposed to those who were seated while driving the bus.
3. Reduce blood sugar: Excessive sedentariness is linked to over a 100% increase in the incidences of type 2 diabetes which is the new pandemic especially in the western society.
4. Less neck, back, hip and knee pain: This is the result I immediately noticed (thankfully) when I switched a few years ago to a stand-up desk. I had tried all types of office chairs, treatment, you name it, but nothing would relieve my chronic joint pain. The stand-up desk worked so well for me that I started recommending it to my lifestyle coaching clients as well. Did you know studies show a 30 % reduction in back pain? It’s true!
5. Live a longer life: Many studies have shown a 41% increase of dying earlier for people that are excessively sedentary. If you sit at a desk for 8 hours or more a day, in my opinion, you are overly sedentary and need to get off your butt and move more often. A stand-up desk is a solution which won’t interfere with your work productivity, in fact, many studies have proven it helps with productivity. I guess this is why they call it, “thinking on your feet.”
Case and Point: Why do we think we need to sit when we work, is there any evidence that says we work better when we’re sitting vs. standing? As you can see, there’s plenty of evidence to say that excessive sitting is killing us slowly and that a stand-up desk could save your life.
Here’s a challenge for you: If I’ve convinced you to consider investing in a stand-up desk, comment below or forward this post to your boss and for the next 30 days, rotate from a standing desk position to a sitting desk position every 30 minutes.
Here’s where you can get a stand-up desk:
FREE STUFF
————
Get more FREE Training & Downloads: https://www.krisjsimpson.com/free-downloads
Get a FREE Hardcopy of my new Book: https://www.krisjsimpson.com/books
Inspire to aspire,
KJ Simpson
Author & Life Coach
Get a FREE copy of my new book the All Inclusive Diet HERE
Like this episode? Please share it! My blog, videos, and podcast are ad-free ONLY because you share my work!
Full Transcript
Sedentariness has been coined the “sitting disease” and “sitting is the new smoking.”
We aren’t made for sitting yet we sit on average 60-80% of the day and most of that time is at our desks. The solution is a stand-up desk and here are 5 reasons why Stand Up Desks can save your life.
Here’s more to the story: For a good 15 years I use to sit 10-12 hours at a desk and in front of a computer. I would take a short break to do my exercise routine but other than that I was sitting on my butt for most of the day.
Then one year I ran my first Lifestyle program with a small group of students. I thought it would be a great idea to give them all a Fitbit activity tracking device because this would let me track their activity stats, which would increase their accountability to my program.
I bought myself one too so I could lead by example and participate in all of the step challenges with them.
Well here’s what happened…
I realized how little I moved! This new-found awareness got me thinking differently, specifically how would I be able sit less, stand, and move more throughout the day.
I refer to it as “make-up movement,” which my 45 minute workouts everyday weren’t making up for my sedentariness throughout the day.
I will share 5 ways a stand-up desk can save your life:
1. Reduce obesity: Extensive research has been done on what James Levine, author of “Move a little, lose a lot,” https://amzn.to/2mHabLG describes as N.E.A.T. (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). You may be surprised by how many more calories you can burn just by sitting less and moving more!! In fact, some studies have shown that you can burn up to 30% more calories only by standing. Now that’s some serious motivation to get a stand-up desk!
2. Reduce heart disease: This is not a new idea, it was first proposed in 1953 where a study of bus conductors who stood all day had half of the risk of heart disease as opposed to those who were seated while driving the bus.
3. Reduce blood sugar: Excessive sedentariness is linked to over a 100% increase in the incidences of type 2 diabetes which is the new pandemic especially in the western society.
4. Less neck, back, hip and knee pain: This is the result I immediately noticed (thankfully) when I switched a few years ago to a stand-up desk. I had tried all types of office chairs, treatment, you name it, but nothing would relieve my chronic joint pain. The stand-up desk worked so well for me that I started recommending it to my lifestyle coaching clients as well. Did you know studies show a 30 % reduction in back pain? It’s true!
5. Live a longer life: Many studies have shown a 41% increase of dying earlier for people that are excessively sedentary. If you sit at a desk for 8 hours or more a day, in my opinion, you are overly sedentary and need to get off your butt and move more often. A stand-up desk is a solution which won’t interfere with your work productivity, in fact, many studies have proven it helps with productivity. I guess this is why they call it, “thinking on your feet.”
Case and Point: Why do we think we need to sit when we work, is there any evidence that says we work better when we’re sitting vs. standing? As you can see, there’s plenty of evidence to say that excessive sitting is killing us slowly and that a stand-up desk could save your life.
Here’s a challenge for you: If I’ve convinced you to consider investing in a stand-up desk, comment below or forward this post to your boss and for the next 30 days, rotate from a standing desk position to a sitting desk position every 30 minutes.
Here’s where you can get a stand-up desk:
FREE STUFF
————
Get more FREE Training & Downloads: https://www.krisjsimpson.com/free-downloads
Get a FREE Hardcopy of my new Book: https://www.krisjsimpson.com/books
Inspire to aspire,
KJ Simpson
Author & Life Coach
