Exercise vs. Standing? You Probably Need to Do Both

nytimes.com

25 points·ALee··5 comments

I have both a standing desk and a desk treadmill. Personally I think you have to be a bit of a masochist to use a standing desk alone for more than 15 minutes per hour. I have used anti fatigue mats, massage balls under my feet and objects to alternate resting legs on and it never clicked until I bought the treadmill.

My ideal is walking 1-2 mph while working. Doesn't distract me from work and by the end of the day I find I've walked 5+ miles mindlessly.

"I think you have to be a bit of a masochist to use a standing desk alone for more than 15 minutes per hour."

I'll agree to a point regarding the 15 minutes per hour when you first transition to a standing desk, but after that I'll have to strongly disagree.

I've been using a standing desk (Versa Desk) for almost a year now, and I have no problems standing for hours on end - even after running 4 miles before work (4x a week). But, I'm sure it helps that I have comfortable shoes on and can lean from time to time (this helps a lot). I will find myself seated though, when there are long RTFM campaigns, or if there are too many pieces of a trouble-shooting puzzle in play.

Do we really need an article to explain that standing != exercise?

Are there really people who think that if you switch over to a standing desk you no longer have to exercise?

It's no surprise that standing is not a substitute for exercise. What's surprising, and what this article addresses, is that exercise may not fully mitigate the ill effects of sitting.

After dinner I stand while watching tv until my wife complains that she wants me sitting next to her.

Also stand with my leg out (Karate style) back and forth.

Helps with digestion (this is a substitute for walking after dinner which I don't have a practical way of doing). (Time: Usually about 50 minutes...)

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