Stand More, Lose More
Picture a traditional office environment, and you’ll probably imagine a sea of desks, with workers sitting in chairs. It’s undoubtedly true that many office workers sit at work for long hours. In fact, the popularity of standing desks shows that people realize that standing – at least on occasion – is the healthier alternative. Given that the obesity rate in the U.S. increased over 10% between 2000 and 2020, and now hovers around 41.9%, a standing desk is one of our best hopes to reduce obesity levels and encourage healthier lifestyles.
Does Standing Burn Calories?
Yes, standing does actually does burn calories. The reason standing burns calories is that when we stand, we activate large muscles to move and to maintain our balance and posture. That muscle activation requires energy, which is how calories are burned. You’re also more inclined to fidget or move about when standing, adding to the calorie burn.
How Many Calories Does Standing Burn?
It’s also a long-established fact that standing burns more calories than sitting or lying down. In general, we burn about 60-120 calories/hour sitting and 100-200 calories/hour standing. A number of studies have compared the number of calories burned at a traditional sitting desk vs a standing desk, and most come away with similar conclusions – standing simply burns more.
What Affects Caloric Burning?
People vary quite a bit in the amount of calories they burn, even when they’re performing the same exercise. An individual’s height, weight, and age can all affect how many calories they burn when standing.
Can You Really Lose Weight at Work?
There are definitely ways to increase your movement and your calorie expenditure even if your work is mainly stationary. Small actions, like taking the stairs, parking further away from the building, or walking on your lunch break are all ways to move more and lose weight. A standing desk that encourages movement is another part of the equation.
Move More: Burn Calories While Standing
If you really want to lose weight, the key is to increase caloric burn throughout the day. When your work requires you to remain at a desk, why not burn as many calories as you can? There are several ways that people increase the caloric burn while working at height adjustable desks, including:
- Balance boards
- Fidgeting
- Standing desk exercises
- Balance ball chairs
- A stool that requires you to engage your core muscles
Adjustable Desks from The Standing Desk
The Standing Desk offers a variety of pneumatic and electric height adjustable desks, with a range of size and color options. The calories burned would be roughly the same for each model, so it’s a matter of finding the one that fits your space, your body, and your preferences.
Pneumatic Desks
Pneumatic desks are defined by the air-powered cylinders that raise and lower the surface of the desk to adjust the height. They quick, quiet, and power free, which makes them a greener option, and also means they do not need a power cord.
The Klöud
The Klöud is ideal for people who need a large surface area for multiple monitors, especially if they tend to keep a fairly heavy load on the desk. The Klöud is our largest, most heavy-duty pneumatic standing desk – a weight adjustable pneumatic desk that lifts up to 150 lbs. Two surface sizes (60” and 48” width) are available, along with four different surface colors and three base colors.
The Lüften
The Lüften comes with a 60” wide surface, an is ideal for people who need extra space for a larger monitor. It is available in three base colors and four surface colors.
The Ändern Pneumatic
A slightly smaller desk, the Andern is ideal for small spaces or for people who use a laptop or a modestly sized monitor. The Ändern is available in three colors for the base, four for the surface. The Ändern is available with 48” or 40” width surfaces.
Electric Desks
With their powerful electric motors, electric desks can lift some of the heaviest loads with the touch of a button. At The Standing Desk, we use premium brushless motors for quiet operation and low maintenance. Just plug it in and you’re ready to go.
The Oben
The Oben is the largest, most heavy-duty electric sit stand desk, holding up to 250 lbs. The surface is available in two sizes (60” and 48” width) and four colors. The base is available in three colors.
The Ändern Electric
The Ändern Electric desk fits well in smaller spaces and is ideal for a laptop or a smaller monitor. This model has the same color choices as the Oben – three base colors, four surface colors. The Ändern is available with 48” and 40” width surfaces, and can hold up to 150 lbs.
Electric Desks
Electric desks are strong, durable desks that use electric power to raise and lower the desk surface. The electric power boost makes electric desks some of the most robust sit-stand desks available, and the brushless motor means they’re easy on the ears as well.
If you need to have all of your weighty equipment within arm’s reach, you may appreciate the extra strength of a sturdy electric desk.
The Oben: The Oben is the largest, most heavy-duty option in electric standing desks. The base is available in three colors options. There are two surface sizes (60” and 48” width) available in four different colors. With two sturdy steel legs, this model holds up to 250 lbs.
The Ändern Electric: The Ändern Electric has the same choices for color customization as the Oben – three color options for the base, and four color options for the surface. The Ändern is a slightly smaller desk (48” and 40” width surfaces available), which is ideal for laptops or smaller monitors. Although its single steel column frame gives a visually light appeal, this sturdy desk holds up to 150 lbs.
Burn Calories at Work with The Standing Desk
Ready to burn more calories at work? A standing desk can help burn some extra calories, but more importantly can help you along the path to more movement, for an increasingly healthy and active lifestyle.
