In this episode of, “Weight for Wellness” you and I will look at whether working at a standing desk can help you lose weight and why it may not be a good idea even if it does.
This is your host Stephen Carter of the, “Weight for Wellness Show”, the show where you can learn and apply the latest scientific discoveries about achieving your healthy weight.
A new study published in the, “European Journal of Preventive Cardiology” looked at 46 studies that included 1,184 people to determine if standing for extended periods could help shed weight.
Based on the study data, If you’re a woman, standing burned about 0.1 calories per minute more than sitting. Men burned 0.19 calories per minute compared to sitting. If you’re a 145 pound woman who stands six-hours a day, theoretically you could burn about 55-calories a day. Assuming that’s done daily throughout the year, that could result in about 5.5 pounds of fat loss.
This isn’t exactly headline making weight loss, but when we’re overweight every lost pound matters.
Ah, but let’s wait a bit before running out and spending money for a standing desk. Is there a downside to standing for extended periods?
Downside of Standing Desks
In a study published in the journal, “Ergonomics”, researchers at Curtin University in Australia tracked 20 people as they worked at standing desks for two hours. Their findings included:
Reported discomfort increased significantly for the lower back and lower limbs. This finding supports earlier research suggesting long-term standing can lead to swelling veins that could increase heart risk.
Mental reactiveness slowed after about 75-minutes. Creative decision making improved slightly, although there’s no data to show if this slight improvement is sustained with longer periods of standing. In my experience, it’s tough to be creative if you’re feeling discomfort in your back and legs.
Given the evidence, in my view there is little benefit of using standing desks as a weight loss tool. For most people, six hours of daily standing is too physically taxing on the back, legs, and - with possible swelling - potentially the heart.
Walk Your Way to Healthy Weight Loss
What does make sense is incorporating a low impact exercise such as walking into your daily activities. While the number of calories burned by walking will vary depending on weight, distance, and other factors, typically a 180-pound person will burn about 100 calories per mile while someone weighing 120-pounds will burn about 65 calories per mile.
Walking speed will vary depending on multiple factors, but taking a walking speed of about 3-miles per hour, a 20-minute walk could burn about 83 calories for a 150-pound person.
If you increase the speed, distance, or both, you could burn even more calories. In addition, you get the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of exercise above and beyond what is possible with extended standing.
Stand, Move, and Breathing Break
Does getting up out of your chair frequently throughout the day have benefits? Of course it does. Taking a stand, move, and breathing break every 30 to 45-minutes at a minimum can be highly beneficial.
Physical activity is vital for health. Choosing a weight loss approach that combines healthy eating and exercise can be a winning approach to achieve and maintain optimum weight. Of course, you’ll want to talk with your doctor before starting a weight loss or exercise program.
Until our next visit, this is your “Weight for Wellness” host Stephen Carter asking you to please, stay well, stay active, and stay blessed!
Blessings, light, and wellbeing,
Steve Carter | Stress Solutions, LLC | www.EFT-MD.com
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Sources for this show and post:
“Differences of energy expenditure while sitting versus standing: A systematic review and meta-analysis”; “European Journal of Preventive Cardiology”; http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2047487317752186
“Standing desks increase pain and slow down mental ability, study suggests”; “The Telegraph”; https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2018/02/23/standing-desks-increase-pain-slow-mental-ability-new-study/
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