
Overweight? Standing May Be Solution - gibsonf1
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/DyeHard/story?id=3922069&page=1
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bootload
_"... In most cases, exercise alone, according to a team of scientists at the
University of Missouri, isn't enough to take off those added pounds. ..."_

Horse crud.

Exercise is the best way to reduce weight for all but the most unfit. My guess
the real reason why you get statements like this is because they are factoring
in the time you have to take to exercise. How much? Well minimum 10K steps.
For me thats 7 almost kilometers per day. If you walk, thats about an hour.
Less if you run (20-30 min) or ride (20-25 min). Remember thats a minimum.
Couple that with a reduced intake of food and you will loose weight. But work
gets in the way of this. Ever tried exercising 1Hr+ per day during the working
week? Every day?

For most (unless you create your own job) this is not possible because your
work requires your presence in one spot working hard for longer hours. [0]
Thats why this kind of research could be important. It is hardly a substitute
for regular exercise and movement.

[0] _"1982 and 2002, the proportion of full-time workers working a 40 hour
week declined from 39% to 24%"_ ~
[http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/industrial/family/overview/statis...](http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/industrial/family/overview/statistics)

~~~
downer
> Horse crud.

> Exercise is the best way to reduce weight for all but the most unfit.

Not so. That hour of walking you suggest is easily replaced by simply reducing
caloric intake slightly. In fact, you have to watch intake anyway, because
when you exercise, your body automatically increases your appetite to
compensate for the additional energy expenditure.

<http://nymag.com/news/sports/38001/>

 _"He will have to climb twenty flights of stairs to rid himself of the energy
contained in one slice of bread!" Newburgh observed. So why not skip the
stairs, skip the bread, and call it a day?_

The reasons to exercise include all sorts of health and fitness benefits, but
losing weight is pretty far down the list. Even top athletes always have to be
careful with diet and often weigh their food with gram scales.

~~~
bootload
_"... That hour of walking you suggest is easily replaced by simply reducing
caloric intake slightly. ..."_

One thing I have found is exercise done before eating reduces appetite. Slight
reductions in food is difficult if there is an abundance of high fat/high
calorie food. Especially if it tastes good. One insight into the relationship
between food, exercise and culture is the Japanese in places like Okinawa [0]
& Sakaemura [1] who have:

\- low calorie, low fat diet

\- high energy output (mostly via farming & activities such as karate)

\- social networking

contributing 4-5 years on average longer lifespans it is thought through
leanness. [2] They key thing appears to the combination of diet, exercise and
societal connection. Exercise is one of the keys to leanness but not the only
one.

One thing you can bet on. If you don't exercise, eat the wrong foods and too
much of it you will loose fitness.

[0] <http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/stories/s1329191.htm>

[1] <http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/09/1089000356464.html>

[2]
[http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200704/000020070407A00...](http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200704/000020070407A0077297.php)

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patrickg-zill
Michael Dell, according to people I know that have worked for him, has a
standing desk (sort of like an oversized lectern) instead of a regular sit-
down desk. Getting up and sitting down were considered to be time wasters.

~~~
mynameishere
I think the real reason has to do with piles.

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umjames
I wonder if kneeling or lying down has the same detrimental effects as
sitting.

At home, when I am coding on a laptop, I often alternate between sitting in a
chair and kneeling at the foot of the bed. Oftentimes, kneeling feels better
until my knees get sore, then it's back to the chair.

~~~
dfens
Hey that's what I do.

------
kirubakaran
The Hacker's Diet

<http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/hackdiet.html>

It is a great book.

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umjames
Does this mean we should make desks and tables higher so that we are forced to
stand while we work?

~~~
mhartl
Basically, yes. The best solution is probably to get a desk with adjustable
height. A couple of my friends have them, and swear by them. They're a bit
pricey, but I might get one anyway. (Do a web search on "height adjustable
desk" for some options.)

Incidentally, being able to experiment with your work environment like this is
yet another reason not to work in a 'normal' job. Not too many offices would
let you get away with a standing desk, and if your desk is publicly visible
the social cost of being the only one standing could be significant.

~~~
umjames
I definitely agree with the 'normal' job comment. I'm just curious about the
concept of standing all day to code.

I guess the good thing about it is that it can force you to take regular
breaks, even if the break consists of just sitting down.

~~~
zach
I did it once. Worth doing! I was coding at someone else's house and they had
a standing desk and sitting desk. I was at the standing desk all day, partly
out of necessity and partly out of curiosity.

By the end of the day, my feet were a little sore and I was a little more
tired than otherwise, but I felt more active while I was doing it. I would
like to try it again before committing to a new desk, however. Now that I've
been reminded of it, I'm already thinking of how I can try that at my place.

