A treadmill desk- the awesome fat person’s experience.

I mentioned it briefly in How to Make A Treadmill Desk- home made but I wanted to bring it up again here. Some small part of me thinks maybe some other awesome fat persons will stumble upon this and read something that comes from someone who is in their situation, and then decide what to do from there.

Specifically because all of the examples, the experiences and the youtube videos I saw were of fairly average sized people. I even saw one ad about a woman who lost 40lbs (about 24kgs) walking on hers and there she was strolling on her treadmill in a pink skirt suit with her hair done up, make up, the whole biz. No, for me, that’s not real.

Be aware that I use to work in a call centre- for a bank. And I know there are all shapes and sizes of work places out there but my experience comes from a bustling, populated, on the go workplace where you gotta wear your ‘work clothes’ (or what you could get away with being called work clothes), they might have casual Fridays, political hierarchy, etc.

I now work from home as a Graphic Designer which means that I can set this up for myself and not have anyone around me.

WHAT BEING AN AWESOME FAT WOMAN ON A TREADMILL ALL DAY MEANS FOR ME:

SWEATING

1. I sweat. I sweat even going at a slow pace. This doesn’t deter me. Sweat band on head, shorts and a nice airy shirt. Fan always on next to me and a bottle of water on the desk. I sweat and I accept that. It doesn’t get in the way, it doesn’t make things awkward, it just means at the end of the day the shower I have feels A-MA-ZING. Be okay with sweating. This leads me to number duo…

ATTIRE

2. I work from home which makes this whole process possible. If I did this at work, in a place that required me to wear a nice shirt and pants or a skirt and nice shoes- nope, wouldn’t happen. Number two is all about practicality. I can’t just wear a skirt because my thighs chafe so bad it’s impossible for me to continue. And sweating in to all those nice work clothes would be awful and uncomfortable and prickly. And then walking on the treadmill for that long in a pair of un-supportive work shoes? Noooooo way.

But don’t get me wrong, you can get some really nice shoes that are supportive and would be great. I just personally prefer a pair of good runners- and so do my ankles at the end of the day. Also, I’m sure my deodorant is fantastic but I expect that people would not enjoy being around me so much after a few hours of constant walking in work clothes.

So, just a good pair of track pants/shorts, a comfortable breathable shirt, my runners and comfy socks.

YOU LOOK HOT. NO, SERIOUSLY.

3. Aesthetics. You can love yourself and what you look like, I understand that, but a work place is not the right place for looking red in the face with beads of sweat breaking out on your forehead. I used to do that but that was when I ran to work cos I was late. Then I’d take gulping breaths in the elevator and fan myself when no one was looking to try and cool myself down. Then I’d duck in to the toilets and fan myself rapidly and pat my forehead and wait till I returned back to a normal colour. So unless your work mates are super understanding and you hang out with them outside of work and they don’t care what you look like you may not want to actively look like this, consistently, while on the treadmill.

FOOD

4. I’m still figuring out eating. I’ve read other experiences and they said “I still eat like normal! It’s great! I’ve lost four pounds!” They don’t eat like I do- obviously. I nom here and I nom there, but no nomming on the treadmill. Makes me feel queazy. I did try grapes though and they weren’t bad. But treadmilling makes me sooo hungry. And I think it’s a combination of constant movement + not eating as often. Because I would usually nibble through the day it means that I’m never really REALLY hungry. So now when I get off to have lunch I have to eat all these small things like a piece of fruit and a glass of yoghurt or whatever and try and fill myself up because I know the next time I’m going to be eating is dinner. Each to his own though- this may just be me.

CAN YOU WALK ON IT?

5. Check the treadmill you buy can take your weight. The first treadmill I bought was heavy duty, the kind you’d seen in the gym. I bought this second one el-cheapo and didn’t check the weight limit. When I first got on it the belt stopped under me.  I thought it was because of my weight but after some adjustment and some practice it’s fine. But I expect this treadmill’s ‘classified’ capacity for weight would be around 100kgs, but add fifty more kilos on that and you got me- so it may work but be prepared to make adjustments. This means my treadmill will wear down much faster but I’ll take care of it and lubricate it, and not expect it to last a very long time. It also means my next treadmill will be newer cos I’ll have saved some money.

But if my boyfriend got on there, who is also obese and much larger than me, it would stop and not move at all. The treadmill would have to be a bit beefier to take his weight.

DON’T RUSH. THIS IS PERMANENT.

6. This one I probably won’t remember much myself. Take it eeeasy. You are walking every day and your body will adjust. Trust it to adjust. Trust it to work. Be clear on your goal and STICK TO IT. My goal is not to loose weight. As hard as I convince myself of that, it’s true. I’m so used to saying Exercise=weight loss goal. But it’s not. It’s to reduce my chances of health issues, and to feel good about myself. Should weight loss come? Awesome.

But what does this mean? This means that if I don’t get three hours on a treadmill in a day THAT’S OKAY. If I only get half an hour IT’S OKAY. If I miss a day here and there? I’TS OKAY. The simple reason I’ve set this up is so that when I work, I walk. I can also work on my laptop if I like. But it’s cutting down how many hours a day I sit- and that’s the key. Try with just half an hour a day for a week. Or an hour. Whatever you’re comfortable with.

Or… if you’re like me… you’ll say to yourself “I’ll just do five hours the first day.” Doofus.

DO OTHER STUFF LATER

7. As mentioned before I love eating. Because I’ve started this a big part of me says “you should start eating great and doing everything else!” I short circuit myself because I suffer from chronic anxiety, which means too many goals paralyses me and stops me from doing anything.

I’m sure there are other’s out there who do as I do: Exercise=weight loss. But this is a MAJOR, ONGOING CHANGE  in your life. Expecting yourself to follow diets and stuff at this point is expecting a LOT. So I would say for at least the first month until you make it a permanent situation in your life and get used to it just do everything else as you would normally do and let this become natural. Eat what you like, listen to your body, note how it responds. Just focus on getting used to it in the first place and the rest will come in time. Be kind to yourself and recognize what a huge experience this is for you and your body.

Okay that’s it from me today. Good luck with your own adventures!

Treadmill day 4- after 3 hours of lousy sleep.

Day 4 on the Treadmill. Yesterday had the day off.

Hours: 3.2

Distance: 8.4 kms

 

Very very happy with the way today went. The first hour went by without a thought. After my break yesterday my body has repaired and come back as good as ever, and even though my feet aaaaaaaaached I kept on without an issue. Once I’m on the treadmill my body gets in to the swing of things very easily and the stiffness or pain in my feet disappears.

I did want to do the 4 hours but I have to keep reminding myself this isn’t about achieving big goals. I’ll get to that down the track. It’s just about moving every day and making sure I don’t sit on my ass all the time. It’s reminding myself what that youtube video was all about: moving every day for a half hour or an hour or more to reduce my chances of getting diabetes or heart disease etc. I was particularly impressed with the results of those who got a stent compared to those who just got active.

I feel great. Achy, but great. And this morning I was NOT in the mood to get on there I tell you.

Last nights heat meant I only got about three hours of broken sleep. One hour, woke up, then another hour, woke up, then another hour in the morning somewhere. Makes me so grumpy when I don’t get a good sleep, I feel like it ruins my whole day. Today I got on the treadmill and once I got things going I felt great, and kept feeling better and better. I’m going to get THE BEST sleep tonight.

One thing still figuring out though is eating. Because I’m always moving I feel too awkward to eat. Not the handling of food that’s awkward but having it settle in my stomach. I always like eating when I’m working, having a packet of something there to munch on while I type away. Now I gotta figure out when to take specific breaks so I can sit down and eat.

Time to pack it in, goodnight!

treadmill desk day 3

Day 3 on the Treadmill Desk!

It is exhausting- it’s also 33 degrees celsius . This is only for dedicated people. I mean, the idea of having a treadmill desk is to force yourself to exercise. It’s hard to just move a treadmill out of the way. After an hour, an hour and a bit, I had to get down. The constant movement is activating my bowels a lot so I have to let my stomach sit for a bit. Also my feet hurt! As a fat person undergoing this experiment my experience would be a bit different from others I think.

At least the people I’ve seen on the net doing their treadmill desk are not overweight or I haven’t seen one that is obese so I’m putting my hand up saying here I am! Obese guinea pig going through the paces.

 

I’ve definitely adjusted to typing and working while walking. Still need more space for my mouse but moving as I walk doesn’t hinder me so much.

 

I’ll be round out to about 3 hours which is roughly 7.5 kms. I’m very happy with that. And I am high on an endorphin rush!

Treadmill report day 2:

I used the treadmill easily today, and walked without holding on to the desk! Hazzah! I finished reading a friends book on the computer while I walked, and filed my nails while I walked. So that’s a good hour I was walking with minimal contact with the desk.

I wrote an email while walking too, and it was a long email, and I did okay.

I’m wondering if I should write up an email about how I put together the whole thing, from top to bottom, as I myself searched through miles of blogs to find out how they did theirs and each one was different. Yes. I will do that, because I have nothing else to do on a Sunday night.

Total hours walked: 2. 2

Scarlett’s treadmill desk.

Can you guess what I’m doing right now?  I would say definitely not! And if this entry never finishes it’s because I’ve fallen and concussed myself!

 

How, you ask?

 

I made myself a treadmill desk. Yes, a desk with a treadmill. And today is the first time I’ve been able to try it out. So good so far but I really do feel like I need a helmet and also probably to buy a newer treadmill as this one slips randomly- and my tightening it has helped somewhat but I don’t think it’ll tighten anymore.

I haven’t yet been able to part with my beloved desk as it’s beautiful wood and green leather and an antique I bought about eight years ago. So I’ve put stuff on that and I’m trying to work with it for now.

 

Whoops, there goes a slip again! But I’m okay, still walking. Going at about 2.5kms an hour. And once I get my gait up into a rhythm the slips become fewer and far between. Still can’t let go of my keyboard table though which is something I think I will absolutely need to do in the future. Can’t keep walking on a treadmill without being able to just stand up straight and relax my upper body!

 

As I said, not yet. But this is one experiment that has cost so far:

 

$80 for the second hand treadmill (ebay)

$15 for the keyboard table at Ikea

and a fantastic monitor arm from Mike- yet to advise price.

 

I think that’s pretty bloody good for a treadmill desk set up. Still… shopping obsessively online for stuff that would improve the situation but lets be realistic. Can I walk while I work? So far. Have I fallen? Not yet. For $80 should I do my best to wear the crap out of this simple treadmill? YES.

 

So that’s what I’m doing. Wish me luck!

Are you just being…nice to me scales?

Sneaky Sneaky?

I don’t know if it’s total bullshit or not but the scales registered me today at a 1.7kg loss.

That in itself isn’t bullshit. This is the first week on Optislim and it’s the water weight that drops first.

It’s just… I don’t know… I’m using my Housemate’s scales. They’re weight watcher ones and she said they’re not really trustworthy- although sometimes they are. For instance the other day she got on them and each time she got on (because you never just get on once do you?) it had a difference, sometimes of .3 sometimes of .5. Given our bathroom floor isn’t simply flat I agree- this happens with my own scales. You have to keep them in the exact same place to get the exact same level of reading.

So yesterday when I got on hers- because the batteries died in mine- they gave me a solid reading. 144.4. They told me this twice, or maybe three times. Then after I had my shake and tested my weight again it was 144.8. So this sort of reading sounds pretty good.

So getting on it three times this morning to read 142.7kgs I think just maybe gave me a shock? I don’t want to believe it till I get on scales I trust?

However- if this *is* true then that means I’m back to the 20kg mark. Hazzah! 20.3kg lost, actually. Or not so much lost as… dissolved.

 

Garmin

This afternoon I’m walking over to my dad’s place- he’s about 5k’s away over in Ringwood East. I always wanted to walk it, this area is so lush with nature. However there are some Yay-hole hills to climb. But this is the perfect opportunity to wear the Garmin and the heart strap so that’s what I’m doing.

Completed:

Day: 1 of 3

Meditation: 30 minutes

Weigh in: 142.7kg

Adjustment period.

Lets...go...ride..a bike...

You know change can be really scary.

I have recently had to decide to defer from my Bachelor Degree and go full time with work as I cannot sustain myself at the moment with my income. I’m two steps away from closing up shop and declaring myself. I have got some work lined up, and another job interview tomorrow for more permanent work at Yarra Valley Water which is what I’m crossing my fingers for.

Either way, today my post is about the fear I feel when I think about my 8 hour days at work, and how I will exercise around that. My eating will be straight forward and easy, I figure. They do have a cafe there but so long as I take my optislim with my then I’ll have no reason to go. Also, so long as I keep my wallet at home then I can’t buy things also. Still, I know I’ll be tempted.

If I get the job my shift may start at 7am or finish at 7pm. 7am starts means exercising after work. It won’t be late in the day, and since summer is coming up the sun doesn’t set until later which is lovely. But still, I’m anticipating coming home and just not being fucked. With my 7pm starts, I prefer to get my exercising out of the way so I don’t imagine that will be a great problem if and when I get that shift.

I did look up how far it is, and it’s only just under 10ks from my place. This is excellent, as I would love to ride to work. But we’re talking 10ks on the hwys and stuff, so it would be longer if I were on a bike. I just want to adjust to this change easily, in flow. I want to accept my new shifts at work- whichever work that may be wherever I happen to land- and get into a routine enough to just get my workout over and done with, exhausted or not. How does everyone else do it??

Run update.

4.1k today, 6k yesterday (including going to the Supermarket at the end of my run).

Did 4.1ks in 45 minutes, feeling great about it. It was an excellent run at the gym, on the treadmill. I was able to put in a calorie goal instead of a distance or time so I put in 350.

I wanted to do more exercise this arvo but it’s such a dreary day and I just can’t get my head working well enough to think  of anything to do. Even just walking or something, ah well, maybe after dinner.

 

*Edit: Went for a 55 min stroll, 3ks after dinner.

Surgery? Smurgery!

Run: 5kms 59.24 mins! Woohoo! I actually got my 5km under 60 minutes! I think I just achieved one of my Hot 100 goals. I’m going to have to look at that.

My last run I booked went so well but that’s because I was on the tready in the gym. I could push up my speed and it feels less awkward than when I try and pick up my pace on the pavement. With gravity, and the fact I don’t have a belt pushing my legs back as I go, it feels a lot harder.

Anyway, since that treadmill run I’ve been thinking that I can up my walking. When I have my walking breaks I’ve been dawdling. Not dawdling, but I have been at a very comfortable pace. So I upped it, since I’m feeling strong in my lungs and heart rate. My legs can keep up most of the time.

And because of that, I just got my 5ks back under an 60 minutes! I feel good. I feel great. Thankyou Universe!

The depths.

I wrote an entry yesterday but it disappeared for some stupid reason.

Last night I had another one of those moments when I just collapsed. Everything inside me broke and I was suddenly in tears. I couldn’t explain it, I just suddenly felt totally helpless and I wanted food and food was the only thing to comfort me and I didn’t know how else to handle the situation.

A comment was made on a previous entry that I should stop making food such a big deal, to deal with it without going into a tail spin and enjoy it in moderation. But this is a lot bigger than just food. When I get into this place food is all I want, but it is not the source of the issue. Food is my coping mechanism, just as if it were alcohol, medication, cigarettes, running, etc. I’ll say straight up I immediately became defensive, as though the way I felt was invalid, or insignificant and I should just get over it. But that’s the same reaction I have from a lot of things and it’s not a personal thing. It’s just a sensitive reaction.

These situations that happened are triggered, I think, mostly by the inability of me to have something. Have food. Mike and I are trying something new, sort of. In a book he’s reading it mentions how the French have their main meals at lunch or breakfast, and it’s great because instead of having dinner and not burning it off you eat and then burn it off through the day. But when you try it, and get to 6pm and you got nothing but a shake to consume, I felt very lost and suddenly just wanted wanted wanted. I wasn’t prepared by the reaction I was going to have.

I was a mess. I didn’t know what to do, I knew if I ate I’d regret it. I was lost. Mike, the superhero that he is, held me and hugged me and gave me multiple options for handling the situation. Going for a drive somewhere, going bowling, giving in and eating, going to the gym, whatever I wanted to do I was allowed to do it. The moment he said the gym something in me said YES YES YES. We were going to play squash but canceled out. But I still felt this old habit of snuffing out my want to do things, the way I used to feel when we would go for a walk or any type of exercise. Just closing off, shutting down. I wanted to say no, bury my head in a bowl of potatoes. But I managed to get through it somehow and say yes, lets go. So Mike took me. And I had one of the best work outs I’ve ever had. It was awesome and I felt awesome afterward.

So thanks to my amazing boyfriend, I was able to move my way out of that once more. I was able to break that pattern once more. This is the second time it’s come upon me, and I know I have to face this and get through it in order to change. These moments were the difference between me going back and me doing something different. Feeling no hope at all and being totally blind to wanting health or any of my goals.

Anyway today I ate a lot more than I should have. I.e: pieces of chicken at lunch and a couple of rissoles at dinner along with my salad. Then I had some ice cream and strawberries. But I’m okay with that. I’m alright with the way I am right now.