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.

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.