Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Are You an Office Worker? Ever Tried Pedaling at Your Desk?

Most of my 40's were spent on the edge of the road -- training endless miles and running across states and countries through The P.A.C.E. Fitness Foundation, which I formed to promote youth health and fitness. Speaking at school assemblies, flying/driving here and there, planning running adventures, logging miles, and so many other such things were a part of my daily life. Sure, I had a job through a business I had owned and operated for 16 years, but being sedentary throughout the day wasn't something I did. At the age of 49 I decided to return to a profession that I had worked in earlier during my career, the legal field, and I am retired from ultra-running adventures.

I've worked in law at both the private and federal levels. I find the work interesting and challenging, although it can be quite sedentary. Years ago a friend of mine in the legal profession told me that he decided to install a treadmill desk so that he could walk while working at the office during the day. I've never tried a treadmill desk. I simply try to get up from my desk at least hourly to make sure that I'm moving around.

Many studies have shown that long periods of sitting reduces blood flow to your legs, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries) as well as diabetes, obesity, and depression. Staying active at a desk job isn't impossible. It's actually a huge trend right now, and numerous devices and gadgets are being made available to help office people stay in shape without even leaving the desk.

For instance, Amazon offers an under-desk elliptical with eight levels of resistance, Bluetooth and Fitbit capabilities, and a connected app to track your progress and set exercise goals. More of a biking fan than an elliptical user? The DeskCycle is another product that lets you pedal in place. Patented magnetic resistance in the pedals is said to operate smoothly and quietly to allow you to focus on your work and not annoy coworkers. The machine's display shows time, distance, and calories burned, along with eight calibrated resistance settings, depending on how much of a challenge you want.

There have been studies done showing the benefits of pedaling at your desk. If you have a job that has you sedentary for 40 or more hours each week, consider trying a device for the office that will promote movement and blood flow.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso
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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:
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