Look past the clutter and dirty office and you’ll see what I believe to be the single greatest investment one can make in their long term health.
This walking treadmill/walking pad is valuable far beyond what I can put into this post.
Without it, I (like most desk workers) average about 2-3k steps per day. About a mile of movement, or a combined 20-30 mins of being in motion during an 8 hour work day.
With it, I average 8-10k steps during my workdays. Some days higher, some days lower. All while working on emails, client checkins in my coaching software, conducting phone calls, and conducting video calls.
Outside of taking frequent moderate length breaks from work and popping outside, I would have zero chance to rack up 8-10k steps with my daily work dynamic.
I paid less than $300 on Amazon and have gotten multiple years of use out of it, using it at least a couple hours a day, weekly.
Some folks ask “Is it worth it?” or “Will it last?”.
I understand that line of thinking but say it lasts 3 months. $100/month you’ve paid and it enabled you to spend hours in motion daily before needing to replace.
In that time, your weight has fallen, your anxiety is down, you feel GOOD and not like a slug glued to your desk wishing you could move, your blood pressure improved, you sleep better, etc.
Is all of that worth $100/mo to you?
Now realistically, these things have warranties. Usually 12 months. So the above example is a worst case and won’t happen. But I throw it out there to present the other side of value/“is it worth it?”.
For me, I’d spend the money as often as needed to replace it. But a couple years in, my cheap Amazon unit is still ticking along like it’s fresh out of the box.
I walk on it between 1-2.2mph.
I do not walk fast.
I tell folks imagine the pace you’d stroll around the neighborhood with your kids at. Or your grandparents who you’re trying to encourage to move more. THAT is the goal pace on these.
No need to break land speed records, instead just looking at this as movement now in your routine that has never been there.
“But Jason I can’t walk for hours per day that’s too much!”.
No problem at all. If you can spend 30 minutes on it daily, that’s 30 more minutes than you’d been doing for the past few years sitting all day. 600 minutes per month you are now in gentle motion rather than stationary. Zero health stats that won’t benefit. Total zero.
I usually average somewhere between 1.8-2mph and drone away there til I want to take a break from it. Turn the tread off, now it’s a standing desk. Easy, right?
Starting advice:
-Go slow. Biggest mistake I see/hear is folks getting one and thinking they have to go 2-3mph. Don’t do that. Start slow and as you accustom to your workflow you’ll find your proper pace for each task.
-Start with small chunks. 5 minutes per hour works great. Then 10, then 20. Then figure out how you want to cycle it.
-Don’t worry about ‘how many steps’. The movement you are getting today that has not been in the picture is the goal. You’ll likely drive yourself crazy trying to be perfect tracking steps on a walking tread because most wearables rely on wrist motion. *Movement is the goal*, a certain step count simply represents that movement.
-Remember there is no perfect or best. There’s only what we were doing before vs what we’re doing now. New stimulus causes new outcomes. Our bodies WILL respond and it doesn’t require the speed or total duration most think. Small chunks add up nicely.
-I’ve got no skin in the game and I don’t have an affiliate link but I’ll share mine in the comments below. Just like any other consumer, I did my research, read reviews, and have been super pleased with mine. Dollar for dollar there is literally no purchase a desk worker can make with a guaranteed return on their investment in the form of improved health stats. Providing they 1) use it and 1) are consistent over time with it.
-I meet with clients of ALL types, while walking on this thing. Doctors, lawyers, executives, lots of people in very nice offices in very nice clothes. I was worried way back when I got it that I’d look…weird. I already look weird so joke was on me, as this walking tread goes, 90%+ of everyone I talk to while using it asks about it, asks for the link, tells me how badly they need to get a similar setup, and emphasizes how badly they wish they had ability to move more while starting at their screen. Including those people in very nice offices in very nice clothes. All of us are a lot more alike than anything else and most all of us are grossly aware of how little we move. Don’t overthink it. You will likely inspire others to follow suit if you’re brave enough to be the person that’s walking instead of standing/sitting, and ZERO will judge you for it.
-Walking can be a forever thing. Diet and exercise we tend to ebb and flow with.
-Become a steady consistent walker now and it won’t take you long to realize the physical and mental benefits and you’ll become someone like me that never shuts up about it 
