Math: Laptop + Treadmill = NetWalking

[FarmerHal]

I put a post about this on the general nos board, but I wanted to talk about it here too.

I spend a LOT of time online. A lot. I like my forums, I also communicate with friends and family, since I move a lot, this is a great way to keep in touch with everyone.

It adds up to hours some days, particularly when the kids decide to play toys nicely by themselves or watch a show. So this adds up to me sitting and burning zero calories and feeling like a slug most of the time.

Decided to borrow dh's laptop and set it up on the treadmill's console. I can walk between 2 and 3mph and type, use the finger mouse just fine.
Been doing this for 2 days and each time I'm really surprised at the time I spend online and the distance I go!

Anyone else a netwalker?

This is a great thing for me I could walk outside but as the kids have gotten older (4 and 2yrs) it's gotten much harder to get them to cooperate for me to take them on a walk in their stroller or wagon. And they have started arguing in the bike trailer, so that's out when I'm on my own too, unfortunately!

SO I'm happy at the moment LOl with this solution.

[la_loser]

Oh, man, you can use that thing to hold a laptop. . . or a book? My precious skinny spouse has always described that as my nacho tray! No wonder I didn't lose weight before! That changes everything!

Seriously though, I can't wait to see if the book holder on my elliptical will hold my laptop "safely!" I can't do the real Urban Ranger thing because of knee and foot issues but the elliptical doesn't make them hurt. My other option to keep me motivated on it has been to put Reinhard's podcasts on my iPod and listen to those while exercising.

I know I couldn't use the keyboard at the same time since you have to use the handlebars, but at least I could watch YouTubes or catch up online on TV shows I missed.

Wonder if the luddite thing wouldn't apply if you're "walking" while surfing the net!

This summer I saw on some talk shows (probably Today or Regis) that some offices are installing "counter style desks that are tall enough for a treadmill to work underneath." My memory is that it really was helping in lots of ways. Of course, it has to be slow but anything would be better than nothing!

Good job on finding a good solution.

[FarmerHal]

So here I am day 4 of NetWalking The first day was 3.37 miles, the 2nd was more than 5, the third was nearly 3miles. Today I just hopped on here while the kids are content to play. Here I sit, tappity tap on the keyboard while my legs plod along happily at 2.5mph.

It's so mindless. I LOVE online time so much that I guess I'll do just about anything to get it and not feel guilty about it LOL. Now- online time is unconscious online time GIggle!

[kccc]

Beyond cool!

I have seen some articles touting the health effects of systems like this...

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2005- ... -fit_x.htm
http://www.treadmill-desk.com/2007/05/a ... unkel.html

Good for you for finding a super-cost-efficient way to do that!

(hm.... I don't own a treadmill, but I bet I could pick one up in a yard sale...)

[JackHacket]

I'm trying to imagine myself trundling along while trying to focus on the keyboard and / or reading on the screen. Somehow, my visualizations always involve a feeling of sickness or a headache. (I've tried reading in the back of a car ...)

Can anyone who's done computing-walking confirm that such discomforts are not an issue?

The basic idea seems excellent, though! If only computers could be fully voice controlled by now ... Wouldn't a trackball attached to your body (e.g. on waistbelt or on chain around neck) be easier to work than a mouse or the fingerpad on a laptop?

[FarmerHal]

Jack,
If you start out at say, 1mph, you hardly notice you're moving at all. And even so, you're doing much better by walking just a little than by sitting in a chair.

I don't get dizzy or anything (and I get fairly carsick if I'm not driving). I can walk and use the laptop mouse and type quite well up to 3mph.

[JackHacket]

SRM,

Many thanks for your quick reply. You've pretty much convinced me it might work for me, too, seeing how you have no problems in spite of being carsick easily. I'll go scour eBay for a good deal on a treadmill then...

Also, congrats on your great progress on the NoS diet. It would be very interesting to know how much your progress will accelerate with continued Netwalking. Please keep us posted.

[FarmerHal]

Thanks Jack!
I've been in a rut on my N days, since I thought I was successful adding a mini-4th meal, it ended up making feel like I could just graze through the afternoon again, so it's total recommittment to vanilla noS. I finally had a green day yesterday LOL.

I totally want to hear if you get a treadmill/computer desk set up!!

I walked a bit over 2 miles this morning, checking email and researching some information. Just plodding along at 2mph. So much better for me than if I had just sat there, like I'm doing now at my regular computer

[JackHacket]

I've been investigating the best way to set myself up for "netxercise" and have meanwhile eliminated all exercise machines except treadmills for the following reasons:

(mini-)steppers: Apparently, the pistons on this type of machine heats up a lot due to friction and when you use them for longer than 15 minutes at a time, the heat combined with the ongoing wear ruins the mechanics pretty quickly. From what I've gleaned from several forums and review sites, most of these machines break within half a year if used for lengthy sessions 3 or more times a week. So although I figured this would be the ideal type of motion for relatively comfortable operation of a computer while exercising, these are out because they aren't durable enough and because the movement isn't smooth enough and considered not to be very easy on the joints.

crosstrainers: Looked at a few of them in the mall today. One look is enough - their bars and their relatively high consoles make them unsuitable for the job - it would be hard to place a screen in an easily viewable position and since they cannot be operated without having the hands on the bars, input on the computer while exercising is impossible.

Voila: the only option indeed seems to be the treadmill!

I'm now avidly trying to hunt one down somewhere near my home via eBay. I'm guessing a non-electrical, mechanical version will do?

Cheers

[FarmerHal]

Hmm, I dunno. I have an electric one that I set between 1 and 3mph.

I have the bodyguard T 240 if that helps, works great to set my laptop on it.

[JackHacket]

Thanks. I'll probably go mechanic as they sell for as little as $50 on German eBay and might well do the trick. If that should fail for some reason, I can always upgrade.

[JackHacket]

Here's me reporting back in after more than four months. Gosh, how time flies!!

Well, I found a cheap mechanical treadmill on eBay I could pick up on my way home from a longish car trip, but it took a while for me to really get going.

At first, in imitation of Shamrock Mommy's example, I tried to UR while doing all manner of things, like surfing the web or marking essays but after a few minutes it always becomes too hard to keep reminding yourself to go on walking while I'm concentrating and getting into the "flow" of surfing or marking (in my case). Thus, I think a mechanical mill is not suitable for any mentally demanding activities. I assume you need a motorised treadmill to keep you going after you enter the "forgetting / not wanting to bother to keep walking anymore" phase. Or maybe SRM is just better at multitasking than I am. After all, the word is that men are unable to multi-task.

So you might think I went out and got a motorised treadmill, but I didn't, as I discovered that I find listening to audio books (i.e. performing audio didactics) while DRing (read: Domestic Rangering) very satisfying and have had a high habit compliance with this combination. This way, I consider it a break / reward that I enjoy rather than something taxing like I did with the walk-marking.

Recently, I've added my facial tanning machine to the mix. I rotate its position to tan 1. face and chest, 2. back, 3. front of legs and 4. rear of legs on consecutive days. This way, I can tan while exercising and it's easy on the skin as I only tan the same area every four days at most (if I DR every day). I use it for 20 minutes at a time (I usually go on DRing for a while after it switches itself off) so as not to damage my skin. I enjoy this as the resulting slight tan makes me look better, the UV light improves my mood and in the wintertime it produces some much-needed vitamin D.

Okay, now you can all picture me doing this and laugh your heads off...

But: I score a lot of green days this way.

[FarmerHal]

I had forgotten all about this thread until today!

We moved and dh deployed and took his laptop with him so that ended my treadwalking. I have a spankin' new laptop on its way so that I can start up again, as I still spend a lot of time on line and have gained a bunch of weight- both going off noS (or let's just say I had a LOT of red days!) and moving to the upper midwest with an insanely long winter.

At any rate, I'm excited to get netwalking again, as I find walking on the treadmill excessively boring and it's been downstairs gathering dust!

[jessie1]

Is that a correct solution?

[KrystalRingKreations]

I wish I had a treadmill so that I could do some netwalking but I don't even have the room for a treadmill in my tiny house! If I could find a reasonable priced one thatI could fold up and put away then that would be great but right now that just not feasible!