Treadmill for working from home?

[Scifijulai]

I am currently working from home and I need to do more exercise to shed the WFH/lockdown weight. My WFH is computer (laptop) based and could easily be done whilst walking on a treadmill. Do you think it could work? I get a bit bored being stuck at my desk and have to take regular breaks to walk about. Would combining work and exercise be totally bonkers?

I sometimes do it for reading reports on screen, and for attending online workshops/seminars where I just need to listen, but I wouldn’t be able to type. It’s not bonkers though!

I think it's a great idea! I'd do it if I had the space to have one.

Treadmills are expensive and take up a lot of room. I cant see how youd get any work done while using it. You'll be using it to hang the laundry before too long...

I'd suggest you get yourself a mat, one or two pairs of dumbbells and a resistance band and start working out with YouTube trainers. Lucy Wyndham Read is very good for beginners, Growingannanas is a step up and excellent, and Caroline Girvan is brilliant for more advanced.

This will help you get fit and keep you motivated, but to lose weight you need to reduce your calorie intake. Try intermittent fasting and replacing refined carbs and UPF with lean protein and plenty of vegetables.

I couldn't type and walk at the same time,never mind run. It does sound bonkers OP. Even typing by voice, would struggle, with recognition problems. What type of job do you do? Can you take breaks, and do it that way?

@FlowerArranger I need to do this so thanks for the recommendations. I've started forcing myself to take a proper lunch break and could easily fit this in. I was literally walking from my desk to the kitchen (& I don't live in a mansion so all of about 5 steps!!) , grabbing lunch then sitting back down again no wonder so many wfh have piled on the weight!
Op walking whilst listening in on a conference call or similar might be doable but as others have said unless your work is just reading, can't see typing working on a treadmill so maybe those exercises would be good. I also have a fried I meet for a walk twice a week after work which helps me switch off on time and gets me out and about. It's hard, I sympathise .

You can by treadmill desks but they are v expensive!

I think the idea is that you walk v slowly so it's possible to type etc at the same time.

I've worked standing up for years and this seems like an extension of that- it quite appeals to me..

Getting out for a walk at lunchtime seems like an easier first change to make!

I've just bought a height adjustable desk from Amazon, it's great so far! I only work one or two days at home but on those days I walk in place when on zoom or teams calls or in a training event, and will also stretch and move more freely when standing too. I have an exercise watch that buzzes if I'm sedentary for an hour so I make a point of getting up and stretching as a minimum. Was thinking of buying a stepper machine or something to go alongside it but thought a treadmill would be unreasonably expensive and take up too much space in spare room (plus also would not be able to do most of my work which is typing). Might be worth looking on market place though? I seen one recently from a very honest lady listing it as a waste of money since it ended up collecting dust under her sofa as it was a collapsible one!

I think it might work. My work is remote assessing, NVQ type stuff. I mainly asess videos and give feedback and the feedback can be verbally recorded. The videos can be anything from 15 mins to hours and I have to watch them all the way through. So I could walk whilst watching those then stop if I need to type.

That does sound manageable OP. I'd give it a go!

You can get a walking mat treadmill for under a standing desk

https://www.homefitnesscode.com/products/motorised-treadmill-with-lcd-display

I've seen 'perfect people' use them on Instagram reels, I'm not sure how good they would be in real life. 😂

Whenever I wants to do workout, mostly, I prefer outdoor workouts, but doing indoor workouts also gives good results. So, using treadmill is also giving good results. Mostly purchase treadmill from online store is a nice thing, because we can know more about the pros and cons about that branded one.

A more compact alternative might be an under desk "bike" which you can use while seated.

Don't do it on work video calls. If they don't know they won't have a problem. I have a colleague that does it on work calls and it's so weird. Also there's no way you can get our type of work done properly while doing this.

It's a health and safety issue. I was on work call with another team and someone mentioned a mgr had came to her with that scenario (I didn't let on I knew who they were talking about). The big boss said eh so she's at home alone and doing this. What wld happen if she fell and hit her head. So they are sending out a company to do an assessment on it so that the NO is not coming directly from us 😂 madness a waste of money!

Treadmills are nightmares for overuse injuries as it’s just such a repetitive movement, outside you’re changing pace slightly, going round bends, adjusting your stride to cross roads etc etc, none of that on a treadmill!

That’s a good idea. If you start using a treadmill while you are working will keeps you active. You will not get bored if you can work from home and walk on a treadmill. Walking in between your work will refresh your mind!

@FlowerArranger - just checked out Caroline Girvan. Her technique with a kettle bell is really awfu and unsafe!

I agree @takemetomars - kettleballs are not her thing. I think she realizes this and has stopped using them.

Have a look at her EPIC programmes, such as EPIC Heat. Life changing!

Would work also come out to asses I can use my kettle correctly when I make a cup of tea or go up and down my stairs to the toilet in between bits of work

So i’ve purchased a second hand under desk treadmill today and i’m going to give it a go! I’ll keep you posted.

So OP… how is it going?!