For those of you who train at Innovative Fitness Kitsilano, you may have noticed that our Front Desk Administrator gained a standing desk before the New Year. This stirred up quite a bit of attention, so we thought we would highlight the top 3 reasons why a standing desk is beneficial to your working life!
1. Standing lowers your risk of weight gain and obesity.
In today’s world, weight gain is ultimately caused by ingesting more calories than you can burn in a day, which can slowly build up over time. While exercise is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories and lose weight quickly, sometimes with our busy schedules and predominantly sedentary lifestyle, it can be impossible to do the amount of exercise we really need to maintain a fit and healthy body.
Simply standing instead of the sitting in the office can make a huge amount of difference, studies have shown that standing can burn 170 more calories than an equal amount of sitting. Over a week, that’s over 1000 calories!
Standing will also increase the likelihood of you moving and walking around. Instead of picking up the phone to connect with your colleague in another room, you’re more likely to walk there instead. Also, increases the likelihood of periodic dancing! More calories burnt!
2. Using a standing desk may lower blood sugar levels, lower your risk of heart disease and other diseases.
High blood sugar levels can cause problems with your health, including damage to your nerves, blood vessels, stomach and intestines and other organs. It can also lead to more serious conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
A study of office workers showed that standing for 180 minutes after lunch reduced the blood sugar spike by 43% compared to sitting for the same amount of time. Another study involving office workers found that alternating between standing and sitting every 30 minutes throughout the day reduced blood sugar spikes by an average of 11.1%.
Studies have also found that bus conductors who stood all day had half the risk of heart disease-related deaths as their colleagues in the driver’s seats. There is no doubt that spending more time on your feet is beneficial for your overall health.
3. Reduce back pain and improve posture.
Back pain is one of the most common complaints of office workers who sit all day. Increasing walking and having the freedom to do small stretching exercises increases circulation and reduces the chance of muscles seizing.
Several studies have been done on employees with long-term back pain, which showed participants reported up to a 32% improvement in lower back pain after several weeks of using standing desks.
Helpful tips for using a standing desk
Like with anything, too much of a good thing can still be bad for you! If you swap your sitting desk for a standing desk, your body will need to stay loose and limber in order to really experience the positive effects. Here are a few stretches you can do throughout the day.
Hip Circles
From a standing position, bend your knees slightly, drop your pelvis forward so that it is directly in your centre line, and rotate the pelvis in small and then large circles. Keep the head and feet in the same position and move as smoothly as possible. This pose is great for massaging the midline, around the lower spine, strengthening blood flow around the body.
Forward Fold and Halfway Lift
With your feet hip distance apart, bend your knees slightly and bend over slowly lowering your palms to the floor. Inhale and bend your knees slightly and rise with a straight back to a half way lift, exhale and fold back down, straighten your knees (still in the forward fold, without locking your knees). Inhale and rise to standing. Repeat as much as necessary. This pose is great for the hamstrings and the lumbar spine, and providing fresh blood to your head.
Downward Dog
Come down onto your hands and knees, walk your knees about three inches behind your hips, tuck your toes under and lift your knees off the floor, allow your hips to lift up toward the ceiling. Allow your chest to press back toward your thighs. This pose is great for the spine, hamstrings and shoulders and helps to provide blood flow to the head.
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Yin Lau
Front Desk Administrator
IF Kitsilano
