Lose weight at work

Men's Fitness, March, 2008 by Cora Daniels

Ever wish you could get in a good workout while you trudge through e-mail or tabulate numbers in that spreadsheet? Now you can. In what's got to be a first, the folks at office-furniture manufacturer Steelcase have teamed up with the obesity experts at the Mayo Clinic to develop the first truly mobile office, which they've dubbed the Walkstation. Imagine an office desk attached to a treadmill, so you can walk while you work. And it is office friendly: The speed of the Walkstation's treadmill remains low so as not to interfere with productivity. The machine also operates on an extra-quiet motor, so you're still able to make phone calls while you work out. "The purpose of the Walkstation is not to work up a sweat," says co-designer James Levine, M.D., Ph.D. "Instead, it's simply another way to help you increase movement while working, because there are so many health benefits to that movement."

According to Levine, research has shown that workers become sharper and more productive when they increase their activity level. And, having done his own office work for years with a similar setup, Levine estimates that users will burn approximately 100 calories per hour with the Walkstation. While that may not sound impressive at first, if you log seven hours a day walking on the machine, five days a week, you could burn a full pound of fat without making any additional changes to your routine. Losing weight while you work? Who doesn't want that? $4,500@steelcase.com

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