Move It!

Whenever a group of writers get together the subject is bound to come up in the conversation.  I can’t say I’m surprised; they’re hard and make your legs turn to Jell-O, who wouldn’t want to talk about them?  Of course, I’m talking about treadmill desks.  These fabulous inventions have become popular recently to fight the occurrence of writer butt spread—terrible disease that it is.  I’ve been on a health kick for the past few months and one thing I’ve been trying is the treadmill desk.

When I first asked Mr. Alpha Male to build me a desk to go over the treadmill, I think he was envisioning some large contraption that would fill half the bonus room.  After much discussion of the design, we settled on a small sleek space to sit either of our laptops on the front handle of the treadmill.  This way it can be easily removed and put away when not in use.  He built mine out of poplar with a walnut finish, but I’ve seen different versions, one even using a wicker breakfast tray held together with bungee cords.  So, even if you don’t know someone with the hobby of wood working, a treadmill desk is a great option for anyone who spends a large amount of time in front of their computer.

After using the treadmill desk for a few months now, I’ve discovered a few things…

1. You can’t jog or the keyboard gets too jumpy to be able to type.  I recommend speed walking.

2. It’s hard to channel your muse and write something brilliant while speed walking.  When I decided to try this idea, I thought I would be able to write my manuscript and simultaneously drop 10 pounds—not so.  What I can do is write a blog entry, write an email, update all of my social media or critique a manuscript for one of the #CRWbadgirlz.  All of these things need to be done, so it’s definitely of value.

3. It’s amazing how fast 45 minutes passes when you’re reading a great manuscript or writing your thoughts on life.

4. It’s amazing how much you can get done in 45 minutes when you’re chained to your laptop walking in place.

5. I might just fit in those skinny jeans by this fall.

I’ll summarize by saying I love my treadmill desk, so thank you to Mr. Alpha Male for building it for me.  What crazy things have you tried in order to fit exercise into your life?