When it comes to weight loss, your biggest enemy is often your cubicle. Between work-related stress, the fat and sugar-loaded office snacks, and sitting in a chair all day, it’s no wonder your job has made you a bit jiggly. You’re not alone, either; around two out of five people say they’ve gained weight on the job, a 2013 survey found. So, what’s a health-minded employee to do?
A recent study published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health suggests that 15 minutes of light activity is all you need to prevent packing on the pounds. And all it takes is one simple change to your workday.
University of Pittsburgh researchers recruited 74 healthy volunteers in their mid-20s. Their subjects sat, stood, or walked for 15 minutes, wearing a mask that measured how many calories they burned.
Those who walked burned three times more calories than those who sat or stood, according to the final data. Sitting and standing workers burned about 20 calories in 15 minutes, while walkers burned up to 60 calories in the allotted time. Surprisingly, standing burned about the same calories as sitting, the researchers noted.
The results reveal what you probably already know: Sitting all day is taking a serious toll on your waistline. On the flip side, previous research has shown that not only can regular exercise boost your mood, but it can increase your performance at work, too.
Bottom line: You might want to toss out your standing desk—and invest in a treadmill, instead.
