I've taught myself to sit on an exercise bike and pedal it mostly while talking on the phone and watching tv. I go to a gym but wanted something to do at home. I'm not getting a rigorous workout from the bike but I am pedaling. I can do this without much effort because the seat is really comfortable and it has a back and hand holds next to the seat so it is actually a lot like sitting on a chair. Now when the phone rings, I go to the bike to talk. And I don't mind sitting on it for a couple of hours. It is a "Harvil" folding bike. I have the tension turned to the max. it feels like no resistance to me now but I think I remember feeling the resistance a couple of months ago. Don't buy this bike if you are tall.
4
Ms. Reynolds is still trapped in the "calorie" paradigm. Exercise has lots of benefits, but "calories burned" just ain't one of them.
Energy balance is supposed to be automatic and unconscious, like breathing, heart rate, etc. If we have to consciously count calories, then something is already wrong.
2
You feel more virtuous when standing, and it makes everything you say to coworkers sound more authoritative.
8
Anecdotally, I've noted for years now that when i walk regularly for several hours daily (hours) regularly, doesn't have to be high impact, just if I'm out and about for a duration of hours, my weight goes down and my body seems to maintain the lower body weight for months afterwards. Then once I'm walking less, eventually I suddenly put weight back on and even dieting strenously doesn't get me back to the lower weight. So I find this study here simplistic - in contrast, a study reported a few months ago in NYT looked for how the body 'knows' how much it weighs, information it needs to know in order to regulate a consistent body weight. The study found it monitors its own skeletal weight and that people who sit a lot throw the body's monitoring system off, the reason being that when people are seated their weight is supported by the couch so they become sort of 'weightless' and the body thinks it needs to put on more weight. Standing in this sense does help maintain a better weight if one is prone to weight gain.
5
Looks pretty good to me ... and besides, our elliptical machine makes a great clothes-drying rack!
1
This is contributing to the negative PR that has been coming out against Standing Desks lately, which is largely unfounded.
The vast majority of studies show tremendous benefits from enhancing mobility at work, and your behavioral choices are like compound interest.
Would love to see some more balanced reporting and synthesis from the likes of the NYT. https://candesk.ca
Cats are the grand masters of slacking!
7
I switched to standing at the computer when I developed very painful lower back issues from sitting so many hours both at work and at home. I first got a "sit stand" set-up at work and stood for part rather than all of the work day as I got used to it. But after a few weeks, I started standing all day except for meetings and lunch time. Then I improved a homemade standing set-up for my home computer.
Not only did my very painful back problems disappear (never to return) but my leg muscles have gotten much stronger and more toned, my balance has improved, and I find I am more focused when I work while standing.
I've lost a little weight but not much (although I've gained a little muscle, too) but the other health benefits are substantial. I highly recommend people try it -- and give themselves some time to get used to it -- especially if they have back problems, which are almost always aggravated by prolonged sitting and often outright caused by it these days.
9
I WISH I could stand. I have profound nerve damage in my legs, wear braces, and must walk with a walker.
My knees are bone-on-bone (no cushion) but I cannot have knee replacement surgery because of my neuropathy.
When I stand my knees crunch down and sometimes suddenly collapse. So I can no longer do the cooking, and most of the cleaning.
I do exercise in a pool, and use the Nu-Step at our fitness center, two or three times a week. Exercise is crucial to my sense of well being and reduces pain, as well.
I know I should do more, but do not drive, so am dependent on my husband to get to exercise. I cannot even leave the house, due to steps and no sidewalks where we live.
A bright spot on the horizon is a planned move to a Senior Living Community where I'll be able to 'roll out my front door' and walk down the halls with my walker, to the pool and the gym.
5
@elained YES you cannot let your husband sabotage your health and your life!
Not even reading the article (yet).
Just smiling big over that great cat pic! Thank you! :)
16
@jazz one
I was about to write a similar comment! I have 3 very large cats who could have posed for that photo (also have 4 that aren't quite that tubby).
6
Why is everyone so angry? The title told the truth; stand for its health benefits, not for weight loss.
They wrote the title to the probable demographic. Those with weight to lose would not find this a satisfactory plan on it’s own. It simply doesn’t burn enough calories.
If you want to add standing to a life-plan of healthy eating in limited amounts along with regular daily exercise, THEN it will truly help you lose weight.
For everyone regardless of weight, it’s a healthy habit. Personally I’d caution those with spine, hip, and knee problems.
6
Thanks for the cat photo. He is spitting image of a cat my daughter had several years ago. Similar to this guy, he spent most of his time either sleeping on his back in a saucer chair or sitting at his food dish. Not much reason for standing for this dude. His name was well earned, he was lovingly known as Fat Boy.
13
I'm with the cat.
16
Sample size too small and not random!
3
That point of view isn't even logical by scientific standards for health studies.
Watching what one eats and exercising for your entire life matters.
It ain't rocket science.
8
Why would you give this discouraging title to the article? Standing more and sitting less has many significant benefits mentioned in the third paragraph, including burning more calories... use your editorial power for good!
1
As an enthusiastic cat lover I always enjoy cat photos. The cat in the photo, however, is very obese. Obviously the photo was selected for that reason.
He is doubtless a neutered male indoor cat who needs to be put on a very strict diet or he will die young from heart disease.
At least cats do not actively drink or smoke, but passive smoking can injure them.
3
Love that picture of afternoon siesta, no worries in the world, just let it all go , just breathe in , hold and breathe out. .
6
So, don't just sit there - do something is better than just stand there - you say.
I have heard another study on work habits of busy bodies especially those always doing something - though often not productive or useful.
For these busy bodies - the new wisdom is don't just do something - sit there.
Either way - I go with a study published in NYT a couple of years back - that moving around for just 30 minutes a day - is often very healthy in the long run - if done consistently.
1
Why so quick to dismiss the relevance of burning an extra 130 Calories per week? Weight gain for most happens over many years, pound by pound. It is a bit simplistic to estimate caloric expenditure and weight gain using simple arithmetic, but for the sake of argument: 130 kcal per week over a full year is 6,760 kcal, which is equivalent to almost 2 pounds of fat.
9
@Joel Geerling
The dismissal is because instead of changing your routine (and your furniture) to stand for 2 hours a day, 7 days a week you can obtain the same results by jogging around the block once a week. And both of those are about the equivalent of cutting out six slices of bread per MONTH. As the article says, a lot of effort for a very small payoff...
4
Because most people who want to lose weight are not worried about 2 pounds; people worry about many more people than that. Even slender people, (crazy), worry about 5 to 10 pounds and they want to lose it before: the wedding, the vacation, the high school reunion, etc. Waiting a full year to lose two pounds isn’t going to be a selling point to 99% of Americans. But as a health benefit it’s good. The title is honest.
1
I've had a Varidesk for about one year. I lost a belt loop in one year without changing any dietary habits.
That inspired me to start power-walking at lunch. I sit down to eat and look at the NYT and that is about it.
I use a mat that promotes movement, however slight (TOPO).
I got off wheat, walked 2.5 miles 4 days a week and am down 25 pounds.
Color me convinced that we're not meant to sit all day long.
18
Oh for goodness sakes, this is the exact same picture (only in black and white) used January 17, 2018 in the NYT article, “How Our Bones Might Help Keep Our Weight in”.
No pictures of obese humans in the NYT archives?
I'm heavier than average bear so I don't mind donating my mug for photos if there is currently a shortage.
16
Not much of a shock...I could have done the study in 20 seconds or so....qualitatively.
The fact that the majority of energy consumed is used to maintain one's body temperature/ normal functions and fuel the brain leaves little room for small bits of exercise to matter much. Jogging a few miles burns about 350 calories easily offset by adult beverages. Losing weight takes a lot more long-term discipline.
3
@Glennmr
I wouldn't dismiss the small things. It's true burning 350 calories doesn't offset much- one big bagel (w/o spread) or a mixed drink, perhaps, but if you don't burn the calories, you're still likely to consume that same stuff.
You know, 350 cals, 5x a week, is a pound saved every two weeks. That certainly can add up fast!
9 calories an hour is still meaningful. If you use a standing desk for the entire day, that equates to a burn of 60-100 additional calories per day. I recently calculated the daily calorie surplus behind a 15-pound weight gain over six years and was stunned to realize: it could be explained by just 25 extra calories per day. 25! As long as you don’t use standing as an excuse to over-consume, the added energy expenditure is a great boost to a weight loss plan and argues strongly for using a standing desk over sitting. Great study, helpful article.
10
I'm not a cat person but I love that picture.
35
I agree with another reader- why does the NYT insist on reporting these ridiculous "studies"? Believe it or not everything is not quantifiable nor is everything amenable to study in such a way that the results will be useful /valid. Sitting long hours isn't good for for ones health- its simple. Sit less,move more.
11
@nlitinme. Obesity has a chance of ending when a safe appetite suppressant is available. Sitting too much is still a bad thing and so is being overweight. Articles like this one are not helpful in the long run.
Obesity is not always about overeating. Drugs are never guaranteed to be safe.
2
@nlitinme I'm with you. I think the NYT lowers itself to print silly articles with 'catchy/scary titles' for two reasons:
1) People will read them! And readership (eyes on the page) is key to advertising revenue.
2) The NYT has to fill up all the space that the on-line format makes available. There isn't enough real news to fill up the digital format.
I am often outraged by the titles of articles which prove to be either useless rambling or unsubstantiated 'research', or both!
But, here we are, making comments about an article that is both useless and less than accurate.
So it works.
“while standing does not represent an effective weight-loss strategy,” it might help some people to avoid adding weight. That’s because even small energy surpluses — consuming a few more calories each day than you expend — can contribute to long-term weight gain and obesity."
I understand all too well the premise of this article for many other articles like this one have been reported on.
My bone of contention is this:
Why must a CAT lounging on a sofa always be the mascot or trademark of stories about overweight HUMANS? For crying out loud, obesity continues to expand exponentially throughout this country on a yearly basis, so please don't tell me there are no pictures or illustrations of an obese individual loafing around on a hammock in summer with a cheeseburger in one hand and a diet Coke in the other hand.
Enough with the fat cat photos. Besides, for all anyone knows, this feline may have thyroid issues.
Thank you for allowing me to rant. Sincere apologies for the outburst.
8
@Marge Keller
Because cats are lazy compared with dogs. I had two Frenchies. One of them would have played fetch until he had a heart attack. Both would play tug until they could no longer stand. Dogs love to run around. If one get a dog, one is guaranteed to get some walking done. Cats are for lazy people.
@Marge Keller The illustration that you suggest would not “sit” well with the political correctness police.
I love the NYT, but I find myself continually dismayed at the publication of such minute study findings. A study based on such a small sampling of the population doesn't really have any statistical relevance. The NYT loses credibility by giving so much credence to these incidental findings, no matter how much one might want to believe them. The only thing that can truthfully be said of such a small study is that its results beg more study.
20
Great picture of a cat.
44
Watching a “BBC nature documentary” is a way to “stave off boredom”?!?
7
@Robin Cunningham
awful experience for those forced to watch a nature documentary.
perhaps a few car chases here and there; the occasional murder or an nfl game for 3 1/2 hours with the ball actually in play about 12-15 minutes.
5
Talk about burying the lead! I had to read 15-16 paragraphs to find out just how many calories standing actually saved. In straight news stories, give us the gist first, then the deets please.
4
Again, use common sense here, the extremes are no good.
Sleeping 24/7 or exercising 24/7 are the most harmful for your body, ie sleeping turning into a flabby couch potato or exercising, having all sorts of knee, feet, back etc. injuries.
Sitting is a little better than lying down, getting up frequently is better than sitting 24/7 etc. etc.
2
What about standing at the sink, while eating a Dagwood sandwich?
19
@PNRN Better than sitting an eating one, apparently.
3
Nibbling at the edges of a huge societal problem that is forced inactivity. Most "work" today uses the brain instead of the body. That involves hours in front of screens, in meetings, in various forms of transportation where even standing is not possible. Just try standing up away from the table at a meeting and see what happens or stand in the back of a classroom instead of sitting - it won't be pretty.
We have created a society with long commute times to work, desk based work, meetings upon meetings, little to no time to move around during an elongated work day and by the time you do get home you feel exhausted despite not having done a lot of physical activity (you're brain tired).
All the items from the standing desk to the Fitbit do not change the root-cause of the problem - the structure we have created that is designed to minimize physical movement.
Unfortunately we, as an economic society, are not yet prepared to change the underlying structure of our days.
22
This would jive with my anecdotal experience. I LOVE my standing desk and rely on it, mostly to keep my posture in check. I can work for lengthy periods without the literal "Sitzfleisch," as the Germans would say. I am definitely warmer when I stand to do my computer work, but not so warm that I'm not freezing cold when I'm being miserly with the heat. Although standing to do my computer work provides me with many health benefits, a massive calorie burn is not one of them.
1
@LE Richardson: "Jibe" not "jive." Jive is a funky dance.
This article neglects the more current research regarding calories-in versus calories-out. The concept of regulating calories has been shown to be of minor importance (not unimportant) compared to the makeup of the calories you eat for individuals eating to satiety. The benefits to standing or at least moving more frequently is more related to circulation and mobility (important issues for everyone especially as you age). I have seen many individuals with standing desks who are as sedentary as those sitting.
6
@Jim
If you consume fewer calories than you burn you will lose weight. Period. There are certain diets that may facilitate weight loss and help you burn more fat than muscle but the fact remains. It’s science! And it still comes down to individual will power.
When I travel on the NYC subway I always stand. Sometimes outside of rush hour I'm the only one standing in the entire car which always feels odd. But adjusting my balance to the stops, starts, jolts and turning of the train is great "exercise." There is a psychological benefit of believing that I'm doing something healthy.
22
THAT is one relaxed feline, whoa!
If only I could also strive for a similar level of uh, mid-day meditation... sigh... but, surely, that soft looking, hand-knitted coverlet nearby doesn't hurt.... thanks for the pic, you made my day, whether standing or sitting!!
60
That picture is hilarious. I have to stop looking at it because it keeps cracking me up.
I never expected standing to burn that much more by itself but it has other advantages. By being so used to doing this, I can much more easily walk or run long distances (or, "time on my feet," as we used to say) without feeling fatigued. It also helps me to not be so hungry and snack as often as I would while sitting. Of course, while already standing, it's more natural to want to do physical tasks. OTOH, I don't like standing while writing, reading, or internet browsing. So, sitting still has a definite place in my life.
I'm one of the great standers, too. A guy even asked me once if I had been a guard in the military because I can and do stand for hours at a time without even noticing it. My current job has no seats to begin with. It makes sense because it's strictly a laborer's job. Since it's not all that easy to stand for a whole shift if you're not used to it, it makes getting these types of jobs pretty easy for me.
Did I say how cute that pic is?!
29
Yes, well, for us “experienced sitters” (30+ years of a desk job) we know that our metabolism just about shuts down completely the moment we sit down at our desk until we leave for the day. We are, in effect, train our bodies to turn off when we work at a desk job. So standing and moving slightly during the day might prevent that...it seems to.
8
Those of you who are distance runners (and short-distance runners, too) might already know the benefits of BOTH sitting and standing: sitting for too long can cause hamstrings to shorten a little (and temporarily), in which case standing can allow one's hamstrings to loosen up and lengthen. Then again, standing for too long can stress the feet tendons and even the hip joints if one tends to stand sway backed or tilting to one side or the other. (I notice that my feet ache if I stand on them for long periods of time during the day after a morning workout-- in which case sitting is a great relief. So, if you are able and if circumstances allow, mixing it up a bit (sitting / standing) is a pretty good plan.
24
These phys ed (now styled "human kinetics" or "kinesiology") so-called"studies" are comical. The study population sizes are far too small to conclude anything and the selection methods are farcical. Then the authors try to make a big noise over findings of a few percent difference between the groups, aerobic exercise, episodic intense training, interval training, whatever when their study design couldn't reliably or validly determine something as simple as whether the lights have been left on the "lab" (read: exercise bikes, treadmills). How any of this gets taken seriously is way beyond me. Dietary studies aren't a whale of a lot better. If it appears in some jock journal re-invented as "metabolism" or "exercise physiology", watch out. The odds that it's good science aren't great.
23
Thankful for my Fitbit, which reminds me to stretch, breathe and move around in order to get blood circulation distributed around my body when I’m in the zone of studying and working for hours straight. It truly does make a difference on how you feel and how efficiently you work moving forward.
7
@Jennifer Glen
You're in Darien! After Greenwich, it's the most beautiful place on Earth. I'd be out running 3 hrs a day.
3
@Jennifer Glen
People need to be reminded to breathe?
No offense Ms. Glen but I found your first sentence incredibly sad and quasi alarming - the fact that so many folks need reminders to move about and stretch and breathe because they get so caught up in their own world they forget to do those instinctive functions.
Wow - I suddenly feel as obsolete and useless as a dinosaur and clamp-on roller skates.
1
@Marge Keller
I was a doctoral student. I sat reading for 6 hours a day. So, I understand her comment.
2