Calorie burner: How much better is standing up than sitting? • Hacker News Board

Re: Calorie burner: How much better is standing up than sitting?

#21

Post by driverdan » Wed, Oct 16, 2013, 2:35 PM UTC

> So why is sitting so damaging? One thing it does is change the way our bodies deal with sugar... but how efficiently your body does that is affected by how physically active you are

Terrible reporting here. This has nothing to do with sitting, it has to do with inactivity. You can have an active lifestyle and still sit all day. Later it states

> blood glucose levels fell back to normal levels after a meal far more quickly on the days when the volunteers stood than when they sat.

So what? If you don't have a medical condition related to elevated blood glucose having meal related glucose levels take longer to return to baseline shouldn't cause problems. I'm not aware of any research stating otherwise. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

There are problems due to sitting though, such as

> a sharp reduction in the activity of an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase

and as they mentioned standing burns far more calories (the article said 50/h) which is a good thing.

I'm all for standing but it'd be nice for reporters to get their facts straight.

Re: Calorie burner: How much better is standing up than sitting?

#22

Post by bencollier49 » Wed, Oct 16, 2013, 2:41 PM UTC

krmmalik wrote: post #2

I really like the idea of standing desks and have loved many of the other articles previously posted on this subject, too. I don't know what it's like for others but being a freelancer going from hot desk to hot desk, client to client and doing most of the travel by car or train - This is very hard to maintain since everything has been designed for sitting. I might try standing on the tube from now on though but i mi…

A friend of mine would stand on the tube and attempt to remain upright whilst holding onto nothing at all, which I suppose might be good for legs, balance etc. He was into Yoga.

Re: Calorie burner: How much better is standing up than sitting?

#23

Post by krmmalik » Wed, Oct 16, 2013, 4:04 PM UTC

aestra wrote: post #8

krmmalik wrote: post #2

I really like the idea of standing desks and have loved many of the other articles previously posted on this subject, too. I don't know what it's like for others but being a freelancer going from hot desk to hot desk, client to client and doing most of the travel by car or train - This is very hard to maintain since everything has been designed for sitting. I might try standing on the tube from now on though but i mi…

Don't be so self conscious! I see plenty of people standing on public transportation when there are seats. There are plenty of reasons why I can think of: - They have a lot or big luggage or a backpack with them. - They are only going 1 stop or two. - They have a medical condition where sitting down and standing back up again is difficult, so it is easier to stay standing. - They have been sitting all day at work and…

Wow, great list. Thanks!

Re: Calorie burner: How much better is standing up than sitting?

#24

Post by krmmalik » Wed, Oct 16, 2013, 4:05 PM UTC

pfortuny wrote: post #20

krmmalik wrote: post #2

I really like the idea of standing desks and have loved many of the other articles previously posted on this subject, too. I don't know what it's like for others but being a freelancer going from hot desk to hot desk, client to client and doing most of the travel by car or train - This is very hard to maintain since everything has been designed for sitting. I might try standing on the tube from now on though but i mi…

You do not look weird on the tube. I do not know about the US but certainly, on the tube, there is no way to look weird, whatever you do. Or do not do. Try it, you will find that sometimes it is much more fun to stand than to be seated.

You're right. I should try it. Thanks!

Re: Calorie burner: How much better is standing up than sitting?

#25

Post by krmmalik » Wed, Oct 16, 2013, 4:06 PM UTC

bencollier49 wrote: post #22

krmmalik wrote: post #2

I really like the idea of standing desks and have loved many of the other articles previously posted on this subject, too. I don't know what it's like for others but being a freelancer going from hot desk to hot desk, client to client and doing most of the travel by car or train - This is very hard to maintain since everything has been designed for sitting. I might try standing on the tube from now on though but i mi…

A friend of mine would stand on the tube and attempt to remain upright whilst holding onto nothing at all, which I suppose might be good for legs, balance etc. He was into Yoga.

I had thought about trying that since it would be fun, but I was too scared to try it in case I embarrassed myself, but as others (above) have mentioned - I need not be so self-conscious.

Re: Calorie burner: How much better is standing up than sitting?

#26

Post by krmmalik » Wed, Oct 16, 2013, 4:06 PM UTC

kawsper wrote: post #16

krmmalik wrote: post #2

I really like the idea of standing desks and have loved many of the other articles previously posted on this subject, too. I don't know what it's like for others but being a freelancer going from hot desk to hot desk, client to client and doing most of the travel by car or train - This is very hard to maintain since everything has been designed for sitting. I might try standing on the tube from now on though but i mi…

I was going from Mile End to Barbican which takes around 20 minutes, and was standing up the whole way, sometimes the tube was empty. No one looks weird at you.

Excellent. I'm going to do this on my next trip to Baker Street.

Re: Calorie burner: How much better is standing up than sitting?

#27

Post by krmmalik » Wed, Oct 16, 2013, 4:07 PM UTC

mgkimsal wrote: post #5

krmmalik wrote: post #2

I really like the idea of standing desks and have loved many of the other articles previously posted on this subject, too. I don't know what it's like for others but being a freelancer going from hot desk to hot desk, client to client and doing most of the travel by car or train - This is very hard to maintain since everything has been designed for sitting. I might try standing on the tube from now on though but i mi…

if it's mostly empty, you're only going to 'look weird' to a handful of other people... who aren't burning as many calories as you are.

You're right. I need to stop worrying about what others think anyway.

Re: Calorie burner: How much better is standing up than sitting?

#28

Post by keithpeter » Wed, Oct 16, 2013, 4:19 PM UTC

aestra wrote: post #8

krmmalik wrote: post #2

I really like the idea of standing desks and have loved many of the other articles previously posted on this subject, too. I don't know what it's like for others but being a freelancer going from hot desk to hot desk, client to client and doing most of the travel by car or train - This is very hard to maintain since everything has been designed for sitting. I might try standing on the tube from now on though but i mi…

Don't be so self conscious! I see plenty of people standing on public transportation when there are seats. There are plenty of reasons why I can think of: - They have a lot or big luggage or a backpack with them. - They are only going 1 stop or two. - They have a medical condition where sitting down and standing back up again is difficult, so it is easier to stay standing. - They have been sitting all day at work and…

Reason 3 includes chronic back pain in my case. It is just more comfortable to stand than to sit in the really cramped seating (I'm very tall).

Re: Calorie burner: How much better is standing up than sitting?

#29

Post by hackinthebochs » Wed, Oct 16, 2013, 4:20 PM UTC

driverdan wrote: post #21

> So why is sitting so damaging? One thing it does is change the way our bodies deal with sugar... but how efficiently your body does that is affected by how physically active you are Terrible reporting here. This has nothing to do with sitting, it has to do with inactivity. You can have an active lifestyle and still sit all day. Later it states > blood glucose levels fell back to normal levels after a meal far more…

This is wrong actually. Sitting is an independent risk factor for death (i.e. independent of physical activity level): http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/story/2012-07-09/...

The reasoning is that standing activates enzymes and gene expression triggered by activity in your slow-twitch high-fatigue-resistant muscles which run on fatty acids, which has all sorts of benefits for metabolism, body composition, and overall health.

Re: Calorie burner: How much better is standing up than sitting?

#30

Post by thehme » Wed, Oct 16, 2013, 4:25 PM UTC

If I was to stay long term at my company, I'd probably encourage the transition to work while standing, but this is not the case, and I also don't see much interest in the subject here. Therefore, I take consolation in that after work, I go home and work on my own projects while standing, for about 3-4 hrs, so I think I'm safe...according to the article. I concur with other comments about the need for just having an active lifestyle, which should definitely compensate for working at a place like mine, where sitting at a chair in front of your monitor is expected.