Lose weight with a standing desk. Sounds good, but can you lose weight with a standing desk? Standing desks and weight loss just go together. Losing weight in a sedentary office environment is never easy. The birthday cakes, pastry rounds, pizza lunches, and fast food can all contribute to losing the battle of the bulge. Working longer hours and eating donuts washed down with coffee or soda can start a weight-gaining cycle. Another weight gain factor is stress.
Stress And Weight Loss
When we are stressed we are more likely to reach for comfort foods like pizza, donuts, ice cream, and coffee. These foods really pack on the pounds. An article in the Medical Daily states that overweight employees are less productive and need longer breaks to rest. They are also more likely to develop illnesses associated with obesity.
We may want to lose those extra pounds or perhaps even start a new exercise program or join a gym but a lack of time and our own depleted energy levels may cause us to procrastinate indefinitely. Perhaps we are in a vicious cycle of grabbing a donut or bagel and a cup of coffee as we head out the door to work. Another good reason why standing desks and weight loss just go together.
Movement Equals Weight Loss
The research was conducted regarding the age-old question of why some people gain weight and others do not. An article in the Smithsonian describes an experiment by Dr. James Levine an endocrinologist at the Mayo clinic. Using underwear stitched with sensors that detect every subtle movement, researchers discovered that the participants who were not gaining weight were up and moving around for an average of 2.25 hours a day.
Lose Weight at Your Desk
Before the advent of the standing desk it was not possible to get enough exercise in an office environment. Now you can lose weight with a standing desk. Images of sweaty armpits and beads of perspiration springing from every pore of our bodies may drift through our minds before we even contemplate exercise in an office environment. This can work against our desire to become more active.
What if there was a discreet way to burn calories while improving productivity? Yes, standing desks and weight loss go together like a hand in a glove. The standing desk is the way to do just that.
More Health Benefits From Standing Desks
With most standing desks the height can vary so that your desk is just below shoulder height when you are standing. There are so many worthy models on the market that are either manually or electrically height adjustable. Weight loss is only one of the health benefits you will get from standing. Improved cognitive ability, better circulation, longevity, and enhanced cardio factors are a few more.
Breaking The Sitting Habit 
It can seem daunting to change from sitting to standing but if you do it in stages and take care not to stress your legs, feet, and knees you will find it enjoyable as your energy increases and your bathroom scale verifies that you are on the right track.
The medical profession has agreed that we should stand up and do some form of exercise for every twenty minutes that we are seated. A short walk, squats, or even some jumping jacks can go a long way towards losing unwanted weight. I would rule out a tennis game in the office but you get the picture.
How Does The Weight Loss Happen?
How do you lose weight with a standing desk? The answer is in the number of calories burned while standing. The calories required to stand are about a third more than when in a seated position. The body at rest does not need as many calories so does not burn them as efficiently.
Standing Desks Burn Calories
So if you are looking to burn off those extra lunchtime calories or ameliorate the effects of the last bar of chocolate you just ate, standing can help to do so. Well, what happens when the body stands in terms of calories and metabolism? The heart rate increases which is always good for burning calories.
While seated the body’s cells become less responsive to insulin.
The metabolism improves and helps to metabolize sugars, which is why standing desks can help with diabetes.
Standing burns 50 more calories an hour than while seated.
Metabolism and caloric burn slow down when seated. This can, over time, result in metabolic syndrome. After sitting for even a couple of hours the whole system starts to slow down.
What Would Be a Good Next Step?
There are many cost-effective ways to start the transition from sitting to standing. One of the best is a standing desk converter. These standing desk converters change your existing desk to a standing desk.
It could be a good way to go so that you can get the feel for standing. Standing desk converters are a low-cost solution. A more substantial converter is the Taskmate. Another option would be to get an adjustable height desk. See this post for an in-depth review.
Summary
Can you lose weight with a standing desk? The short answer is yes. If you also watch your diet, you could peel off the pounds and feel more alive as a result. There is an old saying by Mark Twain. “Habit is a habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs one step at a time” This is good to keep in mind when changing a habit. The habit of overeating, poor diet, and sedentary postures was built over time and so changing this habit will take time as well. Just beginning is the first step. Thanks for reading.
