The Treadmill Desk: Burn Calories While Working and Surfing the Web

So. I’m very seriously thinking of asking Santa for one of these this Christmas. I’ve been toying with this idea for a few years and now I’m getting serious.

Highest Rated Treadmill Desk

I sit a lot…like waaaay too much. Some days vary, like the days when I’m hanging wreaths on windows or painting a room, but most of my days spent blogging full-time involve hours of sitting as I read/answer the 100+ emails I get on a daily basis, sort through the way too many pictures I take of each project, post to Pinterest, interact on Facebook…you get the idea. It’s all part of my job as a full-time blogger and I love every minute of it, but I can tell it’s taking a toll on my health. All this sitting is not good, not good at all.

I’ve started exercising occasionally to an old video tape I have, but it’s just not enough to make-up for all the hours of sitting. The thing is, I love my online time. If I could combine exercise with what I love, I think that would be a win-win combination.

So, here’s what I’m thinking. I could use my laptop (while walking) to do all of the things mentioned above and probably create/write my daily blog posts while sitting at my office desk. Although, I could see myself even creating my rough draft while walking.

When I was in high school and college, if I was cramming for a particularly difficult exam and had a lot of material to learn, I frequently walked around and around in circles in my living room while I studied, reading my notes as I walked. Crazy sounding, right? I found my brain absorbed and retained the material much faster if I was moving as opposed to just sitting quietly at a desk or on the sofa. Can’t explain it but that’s the way it worked. It was almost like the movement of my body expedited the movement of the information right into my brain.

Treadmill Desk

Photo from PC Mag linked below

 

So, who knows, I may even find writing a post goes faster while walking. As I’m writing this post, I’m talking myself more into it, can you tell? I love the idea of burning calories while I’m doing the work I love

The good thing is, if I order it on Amazon, they’ll bring it right to my front door and if it doesn’t work out, they’ll pick it back up at my front door. So that should at least give me a chance to try it and see if it’s as great as all the reviews online at Amazon seem to indicate.

A few of the things I like about this particular unit is the desk is adjustable for your height, not all of the desk treadmills I saw online were. The desk part is also built separately and not attached to the treadmill itself. This prevents problems with the desk wobbling from walking movement, another issue I read was common with less expensive brands.Height Adjustment for Treadmill Desk

It also shows you how many miles you’ve walked and how many calories you’ve burned. Cool!

Readout on Treadmill Desk

 

Do you have one of these? Know anyone who does? How do you/they like it?

Think you could read, type work while walking slowly?

This particular treadmill desk has a lot of great reviews on Amazon. Amazing how much you can learn about a product by just reading the reviews.

You can see it online at Amazon here: LifeSpan Desktop Treadmill

You can read a review and see it in action in PC Mag here: LifeSpan TR1200 Treadmill Desk

(Neither of the links above is an affiliate link…just sharing what interests me in case it’s helpful for you, too.)

*If a post is sponsored or a product was provided at no charge, it will be stated in post. Some links may be affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. *



 Never miss a Between Naps on the Porch post! 

*Subscribe to have updates delivered to your Inbox. 



Comments

  1. SharonFromMichigan says

    Susan – do you remember the notoriety Donald Rumsfeld received for his “standing desk”? The treadmill desk looks neat, but I myself would not be able to type and mouse click while I was walking. I’m just not that coordinated. On the flip-side it definitely would be a fool proof way of getting in 10,000 steps per day. Right now I cherish my treadmill time in my basement with the flatscreen TV in front of it watching Hallmark Christmas movies every night.

  2. You can get a voice activated function for drafting on your laptop, and then you would’t have to type while walking. This would be a great way to multi-task. You are onto something about learning and retaining information while your body is active. I read a study about this some years ago, but alas, I forget where. I must not have been walking at the time!

  3. That looks cool, but I would totally fall off and break something if I tried to use a laptop while walking on a treadmill.

  4. Susan:
    Ok woman, it’s the holidays. You are not allowed to even mention the word “exercise/diet”…. just kidding.

    It does sounds like it would be a bit hard to write while peddling. I am definitely not that coordinated. It has taken me two months to realize how to use my core instead of legs when posting on my horse during a trot. Aside from being very sore from using muscles I haven’t used since I was 18, the good news is that I actually lost 20 pounds, but my trainer is German and slightly on the side of merciless. If I miss one night of training, she will make me ride without stirrups…Yikes.

    When it comes to the videos, I find Pilates works the best. It really works your core more so than anything. Also, maintaining an alkaline diet will also shed some serious pounds. Susan E. Brown is a PHd and has written a book on which foods are acidic and which aren’t. She has backed up that information with scientific facts and education. Acidic foods are truly an open door for all sorts of diseases to enter into your body. It is truly surprising how much weight you will lose by simply switching the way you eat. It also clears up your skin, liver and kidneys. Anyways, this is what works for me.

    Happy Thanksgiving and good luck whatever you decide.

  5. With all the cakes I bake this would be awesome. I do workout regularly and also teach fitness. However, I still have lots of sit down time. Maybe if I fill Santa up with his favorite dessert this will be under the tree!

  6. I’m in the same boat as you — started an online shop this year and went from being on my feet all day as a chef to sitting on my butt all day as an entrepreneur. I’d be all over this desk if I didn’t think I would end up being secretly videotaped and seeing myself on America’s Funniest Home Videos. If you do get it, please be sure to let us know how you do with it.

  7. You should get one!! I want one too. You can do 2 things at once without feeling it. I love to watch TV when I am on the treadmill. Time goes by so fast and you get a great work out. I think this is genius. I to am just sitting sometimes for hours with my IPad. I think it might even be FUN. Only problem where to put the ugly thing.

    • Yup, that’s the only thing I don’t like, although if it’s not out in full view, I’d never use it. This one is in two parts so the treadmill part would be easy to hide under a bed, but then there’s the desk, which is pretty big. Be nice if it folded up somehow, then you could tuck both parts away if you wanted to hide them for some reason.

  8. I remember reading not too long ago about how even just standing instead of sitting was beneficial in terms of health (muscle/cardiovascular) and weight loss.

    Its recommended to get up and walk around and/or stretch for every hour to half hour of sitting.

  9. Susan,
    Love this! I know that I could not work on line while I walked, no matter how slow it will go. I am not that coordinated! (I am the kind that trips on my own feet). 🙂 I could however see myself reading while I walked or watching a movie or TV.

    Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

  10. Kathyludwig says

    My niece built one. She used 2x4s for the sides and for the desk top area she used 3 2×4 s nailed together . She set her laptop on it and watched movies and face times w friends. Grant it, hers is nit adjustable in height or gives a cumulative readout(but most treadmills will do that anyway. Best part…. IT ONLY COST ABOUT $20.00. She used it for years like that.

  11. I have been thinking about this myself but probably not until christmas 2014. I am having a knee replacement in Feb (already have one knee and both hips replaced) and I need to keep walking as much as possible. To be able to combine my computer time with exercise sounds awesome. Please let us know how you like it……

    • Theresa, I’m not sure if you already have a regular treadmill or not. I think they make stands for treadmills that you can prop laptops and notebooks on for reading. It doesn’t turn them into a desk but is supposed to be for reading. I need the desk option since I want to work at it, but just wanted to mention that in case you already had a regular treadmill. Best wishes for a fast recovery!

  12. We gave a standard treadmill & my husband bought a plastic bin like for under the bed storage. He
    removed the lid & placed the bin across the arms of the treadmill. He keeps books there that he reads while walking. I have tried it & put my laptop on a stack of the books and I can watch something just fine while exercising. I find it difficult to type while I am walking though. I would not be able to accomplish much typing while walking but maybe that is just me. Maybe you could practice that on your desk keyboard while walking in position to see how it would feel to you. It does look like a neat idea. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

    • Thanks for that suggestion, Linda. Good thing is if I order it, Amazon will let me return it if it doesn’t work out. That may be the only way I’ll know for sure. That’s pretty cool that your hubby thought of a way to read while exercising!

  13. Here is something a little cheaper. I just got a Fitbit Flex which I wear on my arm in an attempt to get over 10,000 steps per day. You download an app for Fitbit to you computer and not only does it log your steps, calories out and sleep pattern, you can also input what you eat. I have linked it to MyFitPal.com which I use for calorie counting and MapMyWalk.com which records each of my walking routes – distance and how long it took me to walk it. Fun to see if I can beat my previous time

  14. Best idea, ever! I have tried reading, while I was on a treadmill and it did not work. Therefore, I quit walking on the treadmill – well, I could not stop reading could I???? Anyway, this looks perfect and we need a new treadmill. I will give it a look. Thanks for sharing this!!

  15. Beth Wilson says

    I would check out this first:

    Stamina In-Motion Elliptical Trainer

    I have it and I love it! Fits under my desk at home and at work.

  16. Claudette Flanigan says

    I walk on my treadmill every day and love it. Mine also shows the calories burned and miles walked. I have tried reading a book but I would have to really lower my speed to do this. I walk at a 3.5 pace which is kind of fast…to me anyways! LOL So I either watch TV or listen to my ipod. I will be interested to see how you like this one! You can’t lose with the Amazon deal! Good luck!

  17. Oh, my goodness! I do the same thing! When I want to remember something I repeat it outloud and walk around! Glad to know I’m not weird 😉
    This looks interesting – seems to take up some space though, sigh. We’re limited. Dearest and I have an elliptical in his office – he puts his IPad on it – he’d probably like this treadmill. Very thought provoking – I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving –
    Kathy

  18. I don’t think I could handle the walking and trying to type at the same time, but totally agree the all day sitting is not good. The Amazon deal sounds like a good one.

  19. Thanks for sharing.

    Treadmill desks are a great idea for keeping moving whilst working – and hopefully staying healthy at the same time.

    They’re still a bit on the pricey side. But with a bit of skill and imagination it’s possible to make your own. There’s a couple of videos showing how people have done just that, on http://treadmilldesk.org.uk

I'd love to hear from you! Please leave a comment!

*