What is the smartest way to stay in s...

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Author Message Ron Beard CCS Senior Member Username: rm_beard_ccs Post Number: 383 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 04:56 pm:    About a month ago, I setup my office arrangement so that I had to stand while working at my computer. I graduated from a drafting stool to a chair in front of a typewriter-than-computer nearly 40 years ago and I have been feeling the effects. On Father's Day the local Sunday Parade magazine had an health quiz which listed my subject line as one of their questions. I was gratified to learn that the correct answer was to stand at a computer. According to the answer, sitting for most of a day increases the risk of heart attack by 54%. While my reasoning for standing was my legs and back, but it is nice to know that I am also reducing the probability of heart attack. In regard to my overall physical conditioning, I have long since given up my goal of joining the PGA or even at challenge to William in a little fencing match <g>. "Fast is good, but accurate is better." .............Wyatt Earp Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1269 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - 08:51 am:    That's great if you can do it, but in an office environment, where all the cubicles are virtually the same, I doubt it would fly. I may ask the question, bringing in the article for back-up, though. I'll let you know the results later in July (I'm on vacation next week, so y'all know what this week is like) James M. Sandoz, AIA, CSI, CCS, LEED AP Senior Member Username: jsandoz Post Number: 95 Registered: 06-2005 Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - 09:19 am:    Ron, I have to agree with the notion that standing is better than sitting based on anecdotal evidence. My father was a practicing pharmacist for nearly 40 years and, of course, stood during his entire work day. He even ate his lunch, such as it was, standing. Today he is in his mid-70s and is in great shape and has never had a major health problem. He had his annual check-up about a month ago and his doctor commended him on his health. He does go to the gym at least three times a week and swims while he is there. IMO the swimming plays a big part in his good health. Too, even though he has been retired for more than a dozen years he remains active. It is probably more important to get some exercise on a regular basis throughout the week whether one sits or stands while in the office. Further, a long-time friend of mine had a grandfather who worked as a bookkeeper in a pharmacy in Delhi, Louisiana. He began working there as a young man right out of school. Possibly because the druggist stood while working or from personal choice, this bookkeeper used a stand-up desk. His total tenure at the store was 71 years. He never had a major illness or back or leg pain, maintained a good weight, and retired at age 91. He lived an additional five years after that. On the advice of my mentor I get up and walk around the office several times during the work day. This is partly a defensive move; I need to look over the shoulders of the architects to see what they are up to - I'm not going to rely on them to always remember to tell me :-) Unfortunately, Lynn's observation seems to be prevalent in most offices. Standing while working seems to go against the culture in the majority of cases. Chris Grimm, CSI, CCS, SCIP Affiliate, LEED-AP, MAI, RLA Senior Member Username: tsugaguy Post Number: 262 Registered: 06-2005 Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - 09:29 am:    Steelcase makes something called a Walkstation, which allows you to have a low-speed treadmill (or mini-stair climber) at your computer. A firm I worked for tested this out for a while, and believe it or not it is possible. Personally I just bike to work whenever I can, and I do like James and make rounds to talk with teams I'm working with around the office. Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 499 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - 12:36 pm:    Local news item about benefits of not sitting all day. Ergotron, supplier of workstation mentioned in the report. Ron Beard CCS Senior Member Username: rm_beard_ccs Post Number: 384 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - 03:12 pm:    Being the Scotsman that I am, I purchased a 2'x4' plastic folding table [Home Depot, Shopko, Target, etc. around $40] with straight legs. I extended the legs vertically with 1 1/2" dia. plastic water tubing [10' length cut into 4 pieces ~30" each] and added caps to the end of each piece [optional] for feet. End result is a little bit wobbly [which I accept as satisfactory] or can be blocked against a wall. Total cost under $50. Table can be used for other things in the future so my out-of-pocket loss is about $10. A very small price to pay for better health and comfort. "Fast is good, but accurate is better." .............Wyatt Earp Ellis C. Whitby, PE, CSI, AIA, LEED® AP Senior Member Username: ecwhitby Post Number: 109 Registered: 03-2003 Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - 03:25 pm:    I don’t know if “office culture” per say is as much of a restriction on furniture selection as is “accounting culture” or bureaucracy: the fact that the office cubical furniture often has to be selected from a set list limits choice. Often there is a prohibition on bringing in even your own furniture: “must keep the look of the office uniform”. That said, standing for much of the day may work for some, but with bad knees I know I couldn’t use that arraignment. Maybe we need the mini tread mills or bicycles hooked up to the PCs: minimum speed required to keep the monitors on! That would help with health and energy efficiency was well. I do try to walk around the office a couple of times each day. I also go to the gym at least twice a week and am working to achieve three times a week: I use a stationary bike and various weight machines. Now that our community pool has opened I will have to get back in the water as well. Now, if medical technology would only provide the means to take 30 years “off the top”! Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1270 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - 04:11 pm:    I brought up the issue with our HR department; the basic response is "(name removed to protect the innocent) will offer it if an employee is having ergonomic issues and it is determined that it will help them." Which is fairly decent. Our office makes it a practice to move individuals around depending on the project they are part of, so each project team is in close proximity. Having some standing work stations and some sitting ones would definitely complicate that. Having adjustable work stations for all would be quite an expense. And having adjustable work stations for some would mean a more difficult move. So I can definitely see the reluctance to embrace this idea. But they are willing to work with individuals! Jim Sliff Senior Member Username: jim_sliff Post Number: 67 Registered: 08-2010 Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 - 03:42 pm:    Staying in shape *in* the office can be tough. In my case, a bad back (degenerative discs) eliminates standing for long periods. Getting OUT of the office is the best way to stay in shape. Going to project sites is a good thing (especially if construction elevators are either tied up or use is restricted and you need to climb stairs); a side benefit is you find out what's really going on in the field. Small things can help - when you park your car, take a space as far as you can (safely) away from the building, which forces you to walk. I also try to use stairs if I'm only moving up or down a few floors. Some people walk at lunchtime - but that can be a bit dicey for your co-workers if it's 100 degrees outside and you return looking like you showered in your clothes. But I found a workout tool that can be kept in the office and - 5 minutes on it 3-4 times a day really provides a decent cardio workout and uses of a variety of muscle groups. The one I have is an "Indo Board" but there are other brands (this one's the most popular). It's a small oval-shaped board with anti-slip material on top. It's about 2 1/2' long x 18" wide); you set it on top of a roller made of some kind of plastic (probably injected with hard foam). My daughter lost the original roller so I made one out of 4" OD pipe with safety-tread wrapped around it near both ends so it won't mar the floor. There are several options of roller sizes - most people find the large one too hard to start on but they outgrow the small one quickly..the middle size seems to work for most (the small one is pretty useless on carpet). The wood oval has blocks inset at both ends to allow you to get it moving and so the thing can't go flying on you (although YOU can go flying if you try to move too fast!). You lean the board on the roller, step on the end touching the floor, bend your knees, put your other foot lightly on the raised end - then slowly shift your weight to the raised foot. It usually only takes a few tries before you can keep it fairly level. ANY movement or weight shift will set it in motion, so you are constantly trying to maintain balance. When you can stay balanced for a minute or so try rolling it a bit by shifting positions - that really gets the blood flowing! It's easy to learn (but seems impossible the first couple of tries) and 5 minutes will have your legs shaking for hours until you're used to it. It's a low-impact device and not hard on bad knees (another issue I have). It may look a bit goofy in a cubicle - but almost everyone will want to try it. And you can generate a little extra income by laying bets on how long someone can stay on...(grin). It's actually a surfing training tool not found in sporting goods chain stores - they're not expensive and I've seen 'em on eBay for <$100. If you have decent woodworking tools and can get a piece of pipe cut you can make your own. Steven Bruneel, AIA, CSI-CDT, LEED-AP Senior Member Username: redseca2 Post Number: 280 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2011 - 12:11 pm:    Not technically in the office, but years ago I started the practice of walking home from work. This was before my spec writing career began when I often took projects right through CA, and the high levels of "discourse" left me so high strung at the end of the day that I needed to walk it off. Fortunately I lived and worked in San Francisco as I still do, so walking was feasible and the scenery interesting. As a crow would fly, my home is about 2 miles from my office, not that I ever use the shortest route. And don't forget the hills! I like to start by getting to the top of Nob Hill, because after that everything is relatively downhill. It is easy to take routes that include walking the maze at grace Cathedral or right through the dome of the Palace of Fine Arts. You forgot those mean spirited RFI's in the first few blocks. I still get the "what am I not getting?" feeling I as I walk past the windows of a fitness club, full of people who had driven their car there to pay money to get on a treadmaster. Anne Whitacre, FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: awhitacre Post Number: 1169 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2011 - 01:59 pm:    I can address the "why do people use a treadmill" question, just in case you're wondering. Foot surgery or knee surgery. I had foot surgery three years ago now and am absolutely prohibited from running outside on pavement or even a dirt path because the surface is both too hard and too uneven. But a cushioned treadmill got a cautious "okay" from my podiatrist. (with limitations). I walk outside okay, but its generally not enough to really give me an aerobic workout, even with the dog along, and a treadmill provides the additional boost. Not everywhere has the generally benign weather of the Bay Area for after-work or lunch time walks -- and not every office is located in a place where you would want to walk. Since I relocated, I've added in running up and down the steps to the BART stations on both ends, and up and down the steps in both my office and apartment (which has the slowest elevator on the planet -- really ) -- at the end of the first week, both the dog and I were asleep by 8 pm. Jim Sliff Senior Member Username: jim_sliff Post Number: 75 Registered: 08-2010 Posted on Monday, August 08, 2011 - 02:01 pm:    With degenerating discs and bad knees walking and running are out because of the impact; riding a bike puts me in a bad bending-forward position peculiar to my back; swimming has too much twisting. So, seeing as how we live near the beach and my daughter and her fiancee are competitive surfers (and go to the same doctors)...and I'm part Hawaiian...both my GP and Orthopedic Surgeon recommended two things - 1) paddling a surfboard, which I haven't done in years (the slight backward bend doesn't bother me at all - and if I DO decide to ride any waves and fall at least I'll hit something soft...) and 2) a balance board. I use one called an Indo Board. Checked out round ones with a ball in the middle but even though there's 360 degrees of balance involved you can't move your feet around. I keep the Indo Board in my office - it's basically an oval-shaped 28" x 18" board with a hard roller. It might look a little weird at first to other people in an office, but it takes up little space and makes no noise. You're just 4-6" taller and your head moves back and forth... It might seem like something easy but 10 minutes on one (especially when you get used to moving your feet around on it) is a heck of a workout. Cheap too! There are other brands - they all do the same thing. After you get used to it and can balance, you can hold some 3-5# weights in each hand and add arm exercises. PS - I thought I'd look out of place on a surfboard, but the first time I went out I saw two guys near my age - 59 - that I knew from coaching baseball. They were out there for similar reasons. In southern parts of the country you can paddle year-round in an ocean or lake with the right wetsuit. There's even an actual surf club..that rides waves...on Lake Michigan! J. Peter Jordan (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Tuesday, August 09, 2011 - 11:39 am:    Jim, If you grew up in Hawaii, you must have seen some of the old "beach boys" still surfin' away. Lex Brodie, was one of the ones who comes to mind, owned a chain of tire stores and was suring into his 70s. Now, I don't think you see them out at the Pipeline in the winter swells, but... Robin E. Snyder Senior Member Username: robin Post Number: 368 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Tuesday, August 09, 2011 - 12:28 pm:    The balance boards are great. And yes, the indoor treadmill is invaluable in Phoenix from May-September! Also, they are great if you can't exercise outside during the day and are nervous about jogging along after dark. And, like Anne said, they are better for the joints. Jim Sliff Senior Member Username: jim_sliff Post Number: 81 Registered: 08-2010 Posted on Tuesday, August 09, 2011 - 11:52 pm:    It's surprising how much you can do on one of the balance boards once you get good at it (which I'm not...) - my daughter can switch feet and walk on the darned thing...but just moving it around for 15 minutes I work up a sweat as much as I would on a treadmill, and in less space. I spent extra time on it today - 15 kt winds at 2pm and it looked nasty out on the water. JP - Unfortunately I didn't grow up there - my mother did (my great grandmother was native Hawaiian from the Kamehameha line); but she was taught to surf by Duke Kahanamoku! But I grew up where I still am, a few blocks from the beach in California around the old Surf Shops in Hermosa, so I encountered pretty much everybody from the 60's surf scene at some point or another (I can definitely date myself by admitting my first board was balsa wood). Played guitar in the obligatory surf band too! Chris Grimm, CSI, CCS, SCIP, LEED AP BD+C, MAI Senior Member Username: chris_grimm_ccs_scip Post Number: 273 Registered: 02-2014 Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 06:42 pm:    Like Ron opened this thread with, I have set up a standing workstation, and another one for sitting when my feet are tired. My back is really loving this. Also, this article really got my attention and I have a 15 minute repeating timer to remind me to move around. FW: Re: Diabetes and sitting Below is the link I mentioned and it will take you to XNote timer as well. When done configuring, double-clicking it makes it small, and you can drag it around. You will also want to right-click it in this state and say always on top. Chris -----Original Message----- From: Chris Grimm Sent: Monday, August 18, 2014 4:01 AM Subject: Re: Diabetes and sitting Great info, thanks! With all the sitting I do now there's hardly anybody who needs it more than I do! I've got the xnote timer running on a 15 minute loop now and using the simple exercise list here: https://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2014/04/11/intermittent-movement.aspx This also reminds me to plan a real routine of the intermittent fasting, it is another thing that is very easy to do really, and makes great sense that it prompts your body and brain to go into repair mode. -----Original Message----- > i am sending this to all my friends who either > * have diabetes > * know somebody that has diabetes (and who doesn't these days?) > * have a job where you sit a lot > > > Here is an interesting DIABETES CURE from a reputable Doctor. He also addresses how sitting longer than 15 minutes at a time influences your health. > > http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/17/intermittent-fasting-high-intensity-exercise.aspx?e_cid=20140817Z1_SNL_Art_1&utm_source=snl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20140817Z1&et_cid=DM55291&et_rid=624242111 > > > Use it wisely; tell your friends. Lynn Javoroski FCSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1885 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Monday, August 25, 2014 - 10:29 am:    Update: I now have an adjustable work station. I'm standing right now, on a 1 inch thick pad (so I'm not on just concrete). The work surface adjusts electrically - just push a button - from standing height for me to sitting height for short people. I usually stand for about 2 hours and - if I remember - sit for about 1/2 hour, all day. Even considering I sit for an hour or so while driving, I'm standing more than I'm sitting. I haven't noticed any health benefits; haven't lost any weight, didn't have a back-problem; but I have noticed the callus on my right hand is diminished. Changing position any more frequently would be hard on concentration and continuity, I think. I change position when I change thoughts, maybe from one project to another. But, the important thing is my company was willing to listen, brought in an ergonomic evaluator to observe and measure, and had the work station built. Can't ask for more than that. James Sandoz, AIA, CSI Senior Member Username: jsandoz Post Number: 150 Registered: 06-2005 Posted on Monday, August 25, 2014 - 10:50 am:    Lynn, I re-read this thread including your post on June 22, 2011. I'm pleased to learn that your firm has taken action. Please keep us posted. BTW, I forgot to mention when writing about my father and grandfather that they both stood on a thick rubber pad while working. It was about 4 feet wide and was made of interlocking segments so that it ran the length of the pharmacy counter: about 20 feet. It was dark green with white lines molded in to simulate marble. That was kind of neat for something only the two of them (and I) ever saw. John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener Post Number: 710 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2014 - 12:53 pm:    Ideas for exercise by spec writers: - Run around in circles trying to get meaningful design decisions. - Jump to conclusions when unable to get design decisions. - Balance work and play. - Carry on simultaneous conversations. Extra value if spouse is involved. - Dodge product reps who want specs to exclude competitors. - Walk inexperienced staff through basics of construction contract documents. - Keep ahead of the rats in the Rat Race of arbitrary deadlines. Margaret G. Chewning FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: presbspec Post Number: 259 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2014 - 02:38 pm:    Hi John, You may have slowed down a bit recently, but you still got it my friend! LOL Margaret PS we'll miss you in Baltimore next week Chris Grimm, CSI, CCS, SCIP, LEED AP BD+C, MAI Senior Member Username: chris_grimm_ccs_scip Post Number: 282 Registered: 02-2014 Posted on Thursday, October 23, 2014 - 01:24 pm:    A site with lots of good info about standing desks and a variety of products and accessories: http://notsitting.com/, some nice desk options like Lynn described and a bunch of others, for anyone who is not doing the rigged up method. Rather than an under-desk treadmill, I picked up a Gold's Gym mini-stepper for $20 on Craigslist, works perfectly for what I needed. This weekend I plan to ditch the boxes that support my stand-up desk, in favor of the simple pipes for leg extensions like Ron's been telling us about! Skipping PVC for mine though. Black steel pipe is not much more. Another piece of this puzzle for me is remote control software e.g. TeamViewer that I've been trying out, so when I switch to or from my standup desk I have the same thing on my dual monitor displays at my sit-down desk as well. Works great, especially when I realized you can pop each monitor out in it's own window at the other computer and full-screen them, and switch to either side in the software quite easily. I'm running about the same software on each computer, though I can try a new version out on just one of them and have the other to fall back on. Oh wait, we're not talking about computers in this thread....LOL. But, it is good for your physical health to not do one thing all day - especially if that thing is sitting, and it is good for your mental health to not be tied to only one set of solutions because they inevitably fail sometime. The site at the link above also has tall desk chairs, or desks easily adjustable like Lynn's, so it is not necessary to run two machines, that's just working well for me as an option because I decided to totally wipe an old laptop and rebuild it, which ended up faster than my new laptop. John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener Post Number: 719 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Saturday, November 08, 2014 - 06:27 pm:    Simply walking is a free way of exercising. I have an elderly uncle who is in excellent physical condition. He walks five miles a day. Last we heard, he was 30 miles north of Santa Barbara. Lynn Javoroski FCSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1912 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - 10:03 am:    GROAN....what a way to start a week.