Lose weight by standing up

[Larwee]

Lose Weight By Standing Up

That sounds like a headline from some sales pitch that is going to tell you how easy it is to lose weight by making a purchase of some fantastic product they are trying to sell.

This isn't what that is about. Those are the words of a team of scientists from the University of Missouri who have found that standing up and moving around can possibly be just as helpful as exercising.

They have found that the enzymes responsible for burning fat almost completely shut down when people sit, possibly to as little as 10 percent of normal.

According to the scientists and their research with animals and humans, what people need to do is sit less by getting up as often as possible and move around.

Here is a link to an interesting article that gives more details. It is three pages but the pages are not long ABC News: Overweight? Standing May Be Solution

 

[Linda Buquet]

WOW! For years I worked online standing up. I had a really high desk and everything organized so I could always stand. I stood all day long and felt weird if I sat and worked. I never gained weight. Then due to a variety of things I started sitting while I worked and gained weight like crazy.

I've been thinking I should stand part of the day again for my back,
but now I've got another reason to stand. I'm excited to try it.
Off to read the article...

Thanks Larry.

 

[Julia15]

Interesting article, however when I worked in previous jobs where I was on my feet the whole time, I tended to get tired after a couple of hours. Linda - your feet/legs never got sore standing all day?

Also, the comment "he says his work shows that exercise alone won't get the job done" seems a little extreme. I mean people who follow a balanced diet and get a moderate level of exercise on a regular basis seem to be just fine - even if they sit at desks all day.

 

[Linda Buquet]

"Linda - your feet/legs never got sore standing all day?"

Not back when I used to do it all the time. I was used to it and would work
standing up for 10 hours at a time.

I just tried to this AM but my legs and back got sore after just 1/2 hour.

One cool thing to have if you are going to try to stand up even parts of the day is a monitor like mine. I have my monitor up on about a 12 inch riser already, so when I raise it to full height it's almost at standing eye level.

Click to watch the video.
ViewSonic:VG2230wm

 

[LeMichelle]

Good point Julia.

You know, thinking about this whole standing concept makes me tired. Yikes, methinks my head might be out of shape too.

 

[Larwee]

Julia, after reading what he said a few times I took it to mean something slightly different than you did.

Here is the exact quote:

According to the researchers, most of us sit too much. 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.

Notice he said:

In most cases...

also notice he was being nice when he said

take off those added pounds.

Now notice how the article begins:

Scientists have found intriguing evidence that one major reason so many people are overweight these days may be as close as the seat of their pants. Literally.

When it is all put together I got the impression he was saying that for people who are overweight, exercise alone might not be enough for all of them. Saying "extra pounds" does sound much better than fat or overweight.

Many people are fit and keep themselves in shape. Sitting all day for them doesn't seem to be the type of problem it is for people who overweight and out of shape. At least that is impression I got from what was said.