Goodbye, Dead Butt Syndrome!

Summary

The Wirecutter Show

Episode: Goodbye, Dead Butt Syndrome!
Date: September 17, 2025
Hosts: Christine Cyr Clisset, Kyra Blackwell, Rosie Guerin
Guests: Molly Meersham (NYT Well Desk), Ariana Vasquez (Wirecutter Home Office Writer)

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Wirecutter Show tackles the very real problem of spending too much time sitting—most acutely experienced in today’s work-from-home era. The hosts and guests dive into the physical impacts of sedentary lifestyles, debunk myths such as "sitting is the new smoking," and provide actionable strategies and gear recommendations for building more movement into your day, whether you work from home or at an office. The episode is equal parts scientific insight, practical advice, and product-testing wisdom, all served with the humor and warmth typical of the show.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Problem with Sitting All Day

Segment Start: [01:09]

• Modern Work Realities: All hosts acknowledge sitting much more than pre-pandemic days, leading to feelings of stagnation and physical discomfort.
• Kyra’s Contrarian Take: Kyra Blackwell notes her body "won't let me sit for that long," using daily routines (like dropping off laundry) to break up sitting time.

Quote:
"It's like the gift and evil part of modern life: we can have so much flexibility where we work ... but I also find I end up getting sucked into a vortex of work for hours ... where I'm like, did I move? Have I moved?" — Christine Cyr Clisset [01:34]

Is Sitting Really "The New Smoking"?

Guest: Molly Meersham (NYT Well Desk)
Segment Start: [05:13]

• Health Risks: While sitting isn’t as bad as smoking, it’s linked to increased risks of heart disease, diabetes, and musculoskeletal issues (hip, back, joint pain).
• Why the Comparison Exists: Long periods of sedentary behavior have distinct and significant negative health impacts, especially on metabolism and circulation.

Quote:
"It is not as bad as smoking, but it is true that sitting for long periods of time is pretty bad for your health. ... It's surprising to some people that ... their circulation is affected and their metabolism is affected.” — Molly Meersham [05:28]

• Work-from-Home vs. Office: Those at home have less opportunity to move (no walking to colleagues, fewer natural interruptions).

• How Much Sitting is Too Much? Ideally, you should break up sitting every 30 to 60 minutes—even short, light activity helps.

Quote:
"It's not just the total amount that you're moving ... sitting uninterrupted for a long period of time has all these other negative health effects." — Molly Meersham [10:44]

What is "Dead Butt Syndrome"?

Segment Start: [08:43]

• Technical Name: Gluteal amnesia—the glute muscles become weak and "slow to activate" due to insufficient use, leading to discomfort in the hips, back, knees.
• Surprising Effects: Discomfort doesn’t always show up in the butt; can express as general lower-body pain.

Memorable Reaction:
"That does sound like a joke my three-and-a-half-year-old would make." — Rosie Guerin [09:27]

Movement and Exercise Recommendations

Segment Start: [09:43]

• It’s Not About More Intense Exercise: Instead of piling on formal workouts, break up your sitting with “movement snacks” or intermittent light movement throughout the day.
• Key Takeaway: “It’s not just about the volume of exercise, but the importance of interrupting prolonged sitting as often as possible.”

Quote:
"It's really important to prioritize breaking up the sitting with interruptions as much as you can." — Molly Meersham [10:12]

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Gear & Solutions: Tools to Beat Sedentary Workdays

Guest: Ariana Vasquez (Wirecutter Home Office Writer)
Segment Start: [12:39]

Office Setup Walkthrough

• Ariana's Home Lab: Under-desk treadmill, stepper, trampoline, standing desk, balance board.
• Adaptability in Small Spaces: "Tetris is my friend." [13:48]

Standing Desks

Segment Start: [14:16]

• Recommended for Everyone: Even those who can’t stand for long benefit from switching positions.
• Key Features to Look For:
  • Programmable settings (for standing/sitting presets)
  • Electric movement (for easy and quick adjustment)
  • Appropriate size for your space

Quote:
"The ideal desk is going to have programmable settings. It'll move kind of quickly so you're not having to wait ... and obviously, it should fit the space you're in." — Ariana Vasquez [15:20]

• Top Pick: Uplift V2 Standing Desk (base model ~$600, customizable up to $1,000+) [16:20]
• Budget Options: Use a countertop, ironing board, or books to create a makeshift standing desk. Wirecutter recommends the Flexispot Alcove as a top desk converter for smaller spaces. [18:38]

Walking Pads

Segment Start: [19:09]

• Who Are They For? Best for people who already like walking. Great for blending activity into tasks that don’t require precision.
• Top Picks: Go Plus 2-in-1 Folding Treadmill and Go Youth 2-in-1 Under Desk Pad (prices around $250).
• Noise Consideration: Not silent, but quieter than most treadmills. Barefoot use helps reduce extra noise. [23:53]
• Space-saving: Most don’t fold fully; check if the arm or the track folds for storage.

Quote:
"Things that improve my quality of life from a health perspective are investments rather than splurges. You cannot really put a price tag on health." — Ariana Vasquez [21:24]

Under-Desk Ellipticals

Segment Start: [25:02]

• What Are They? Bicycle-like crank system, placed under the desk for seated pedaling—discreet movement during work.
• Best For: Those who want to stay seated but still move their legs (especially in calls or meetings).
• Price Range: $100 and up; testing ongoing for Wirecutter’s best pick.
• Tip: Manual versions provide more active engagement (can even break a sweat).

Steppers & Balance Boards

Segment Start: [27:12]

• Steppers: Platform-based devices for standing, alternating heel pressure for a stepping motion. Great for non-static standing desk use. Example: Sunny Health and Fitness Mini Stepper.
• Balance Boards: Curved boards for moderate side-to-side sway, add subtle movement and comfort underfoot. Example: Fezibo Balance Board (~$70).

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Actionable Tips & Movement “Snacks”

Segment Start: [29:41]

• Set up walking meetings if everyone’s amenable.
• Move around (or even do low-key exercises) during off-camera calls.
• Keep formal workouts separate from office time, but grab “movement snacks” as needed (walking, stretching, steppers).
• Having a dog is an effective (and adorable) way to increase daily steps.

Quote:
"If there's buy-in from both [for walking meetings], that's great ... It's a nice little thing." — Ariana Vasquez [30:13]
"Highly recommend [getting a dog]. They make me walk." — Ariana Vasquez [31:08]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Dead butt syndrome ... is gluteal amnesia. The muscles in your butt get so weak because you’re not using them enough that when you need to use them, they're slow to activate." — Molly Meersham [08:53]
• "No one's going to be cranking. So by default, those [manual standing desks] aren't even a consideration." — Ariana Vasquez [17:05]
• "If the whole middle part of my day is just like a sandwich of sitting, then it's not good." — Christine Cyr Clisset [32:08]
• "I'm really going to lean into my fidgetiness ... maybe it's only been 30 minutes ... I'm going to say yes, 30 minutes, it's time to get up, instead of being mad at myself." — Kyra Blackwell [32:27]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:09 – How WFH increased sitting; personal habits
• 05:13 – Molly Meersham on health impacts of sitting
• 08:43 – Dead butt syndrome explained
• 14:16 – Ariana on standing desks: features, picks, and pitfalls
• 19:09 – Walking pads: uses and recommendations
• 25:02 – Under-desk ellipticals & affordable options
• 27:12 – Steppers and balance boards
• 29:41 – Tips & hacks for sneaky movement
• 32:08 – Hosts recap takeaways and next steps

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Episode Tone & Takeaways

The hosts and guests bring a mix of scientific authority, personal anecdotes, and a touch of irreverence ("dead butt syndrome" jokes abound). The practical takeaway is clear: breaking up sitting is essential, and there’s a wide variety of products—from high-end standing desks to simple steppers and balance boards—that can make a big difference. But ultimately, whatever your gear budget or space, the priority should be simply making movement a natural, routine part of every workday.

Action Step?
"Now get up, take a walk." — Rosie Guerin [32:44]

Transcript

[Clinique Narrator]

Taking care of your skin is a personal, daily ritual. No matter what regimen works best for you. It's important to remember that great skin care doesn't have to be complicated. With Clinique's classic three step routine, fresh, radiant skin is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Clinique's iconic trio of products used to cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize is specifically created to address your skin's needs and provides a refreshingly simple solution for maintaining beautiful, resilient skin twice a day, every day. Great Skin starts here. Visit clinique.com to learn more.

[Ariana Vasquez]

I didn't even mention manual desks because you have to move your chair to the way and then start cranking a desk to raise it up. Ain't nobody got time for that. No one's gonna be cranking.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'm Christine Cyrclassette.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Rosie Guerin]

I'm Rosie Guerin. And you're listening to the Wirecutter show. Hello, my friends.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Hey there.

[Rosie Guerin]

I was thinking about this the other day as I got buzzes on, buzzes on buzzes from my new Apple watch telling me to stand up that in this new work from home life. And you know, we're in the studio together right now, but we are often at home talking to each other via computer. I realize I sit so much more than I ever used to.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Ugh.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I know. It is so annoying.

[Rosie Guerin]

Is that the deal for you guys?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

It's like the gift and evil part of modern life is that we can have so much flexibility where we work.

[Rosie Guerin]

And it's a privilege for sure.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

It's a total privilege. But I also find that I end up getting kind of sucked into a vortex of work for hours and hours and hours where I'm like, did I move? Have I moved?

[Molly Meersham]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And yeah, then I find that I have been sitting for hours and hours and hours.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Actually. Don't feel this way, you guys.

[Rosie Guerin]

What's your mindset about getting up and out?

[Kyra Blackwell]

I mean, I don't even have a choice. My body won't let me sit for that long. So whenever I have a break between meetings or if I'm, you know, jumping from one article to another, I will take a walk or go drop off my laundry or literally do anything but sit down because I can't do that.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Well, I think you're practicing good daily movement. But, you know, I think all of us have heard this term. Sitting is the new smoking, which I'm not actually sure if that's true or not, but. But there is a lot of evidence that sitting too much is not great for us. Today we're going to tackle this too much sitting issue straight on. First, we're going to talk with Molly Meersham. She is a senior staff editor at the New York Times on the well desk. And we're going to get into what exactly happens to our bodies when we sit all day long.

[Rosie Guerin]

I suspect it's not going to be good.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

No, I don't think so. And Molly's also going to help us answer this burning question. Is sitting the new smoking? How bad is it for us?

[Kyra Blackwell]

Because this is wirecutter. Of course, we have to talk about the best gear to help you move more at home. So we're also talking with Ariana Vasquez, wirecutter's home office rider, to kind of walk us through some home office gear that you can invest in to hit that goal. Plus, some of our fitness team's best tips for sneaking in movement snacks throughout the day.

[Rosie Guerin]

I wonder if I would move more if I just referred to it as a little snack.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Or like towards us now.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

All right, so after the break, we'll talk with Molly. We'll be right back.

[Clinique Narrator]

Taking care of your skin is a personal daily ritual. No matter what regimen works best for you, it's important to remember that great skin care doesn't have to be complicated. With Clinique's classic three step routine, fresh, radiant skin is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Clinique's iconic trio of products used to cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize is specifically created to address your skin's needs and provides a refreshingly simple solution for maintaining beautiful, resilient skin twice a day, every day. Great Skin starts here. Visit clinique.com to learn more.

[Ashley (Caller)]

Hi, this is Ashley. I live in San Francisco with my boyfriend. We would love to officially share my New York Times subscription with separate logins. We both love cooking, love being in the kitchen, but I'm a 30 minute and under efficient dinner girly. I want a sheet pan meal. He is very elaborate. He wants to get into the storytelling. I want to be able to save my easy meals and check off the ones that I've completed. And I think him having his own profile would be great.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Ashley, we heard you introducing the New York Times family subscription. You get your own login and Mr. Elaborate gets his. Plus room for two others. Find out [e-mail] Family welcome back.

[Kyra Blackwell]

With us now is Molly Mirheshim, a senior staff editor at the New York Times on the well desk. She Covers fitness, and she's edited a lot of coverage around how bad it is to sit all day.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Molly, welcome to the show.

[Molly Meersham]

Thanks so much for having me.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'm super curious. I think a lot of listeners have heard this adage that sitting is the new smoking. Is sitting all day as bad as smoking cigarettes during the day?

[Molly Meersham]

It is not as bad as smoking, but it is true that. That sitting for long periods of time is pretty bad for your health. It's been linked to an increased risk for various health problems like heart disease and diabetes. And then also, just as anybody who's sat all day at a desk knows, it's just really tough on your muscles and joints, so you're more likely to experience discomfort, like hip pain, low back pain, things like that.

[Kyra Blackwell]

My lower back does hurt a lot these days.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I also feel like we really should be doing this episode standing up.

[Molly Meersham]

Why are we standing up?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Do you know why people use that term, though? Like, sitting is the new smoking. Why do people say that?

[Molly Meersham]

Yeah, I think it's because we now, at this point, have enough evidence that being sedentary for long periods of time can just increase your risk of a number of chronic diseases. So I think it's the connection between, like, the way that long periods of sitting affect your metabolism and your circulation. I think a lot of people know intuitively, just because of how it feels to sit for a long time, that it's bad for their muscles and joints. But I think it's surprising to some people that, like, their circulation is affected and their metabolism is affected, and that might put them at risk for chronic disease.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah, I feel like sometimes people forget that we are literal mammals and we're supposed to be outside, like, running, hunting, gathering, move.

[Rosie Guerin]

It's funny, too, because so much of it, I imagine, is psychological, too, and just how we've evolved over time. I have a hard time getting myself to stand up and move when I'm at home, but if I'm on an airplane, I am panicked. I am, like, every, you know, 30 minutes, I gotta get up. So I don't know, it just seems to me like sort of a brain thing, too.

[Molly Meersham]

Yeah, I definitely don't think you're alone in that. One of the physical therapists I was talking to in some of the reporting for this, he brought up that, like, it's often less his patients who work in an office who have trouble getting up and moving around, but, like, people who work at home and they just are comfortable in their space and they're just not. They don't have as much room to, like, walk to their colleague's desk and talk to them.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

This is so validating. This is exactly what I experience. Like, I feel like when I went from working in an office to working from home, I just noticed this whole difference in how I felt. I mean, I felt mentally awesome. Cause I was working from home, but physically, I was like, I'm not getting enough movement.

[Rosie Guerin]

So, Molly, I presume that sitting for eight hours straight, not so good. If you're sitting for a couple hours, what are we talking about there?

[Molly Meersham]

Yeah, that's a good question. I mean, the experts generally recommend that you're getting up at least to stand. Even better to move around a little bit, like, every 30 minutes or at least every hour. So it's not great to be sitting for a couple hours at a time. But the health risks really go up the longer you sit without any kind of interruption. So a couple hours is definitely better than sitting uninterrupted all day every 30 minutes.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I don't even think I'm doing that, and I don't like to sit that long.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah. Molly, do you try to get up every 30 minutes? Do you have, like, an alarm set motivating yourself to get up and walk?

[Molly Meersham]

I don't have an alarm set. I just naturally feel uncomfortable, I think, when I've been sitting for a long time, so I do get up. I don't do, like, a bunch of exercises during the day, but I will try to stand, just, like, walk to get a glass of water, move around the floor that my desk is on a little bit, just to get a little bit of movement.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Y'.

[Kyra Blackwell]

All. This is reminding me of that office episode when they do, like, the HR training. And Michael's like, yeah, that's why it's really important to go to the cooler and get your water so you can, like, chat with your co workers. It's, like, good for your health. Like, that's actually true.

[Molly Meersham]

It is true.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So in 2024, your team published this piece about dead butt syndrome, which sounds like a spongebob joke or something. What is that?

[Molly Meersham]

Yes, that is a truly terrible name. The fun technical term for it is gluteal amnesia. And it's basically when the muscles in your butt get so weak because you're not using them enough that when you need to use them, they're, like, slow to activate or slow to turn on. So some people actually, when they're sitting for long periods of time, they'll feel like a dull ache in their butt. But for a lot of people, it Kind of shows up in other forms of discomfort. So you're walking around throughout the day and you might feel low back pain, you might feel hip pain, you might feel knee pain. And that's basically just because your glute muscles aren't doing enough of the work for, like, regular movements that you're doing. And so other parts of your body are kind of taking that over and getting overtired.

[Rosie Guerin]

Kyra, you're exact. That does sound like a joke that my three and a half year old would make.

[Kyra Blackwell]

All right, not the iron butt.

[Rosie Guerin]

Dead butt. Sitting down and then laugh at himself.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I try to work out almost every day, but I always feel like I'm counteracting all of that by sitting at my desk during the day. I've read that people who have desk jobs need to try to get more than the recommended quote, unquote, recommended. Like, I don't know, it's like 150 minutes of, like, moderate activity a week. How much should somebody who is sitting a lot try to move? Like, should they be shooting for more than that during the week?

[Molly Meersham]

Generally, the experts I've talked about this basically recommend thinking about, rather than thinking about your total volume of sitting and your total volume of exercise, like thinking about your day as a whole. So if you're getting your recommended exercise in, that's great, but it's really important to kind of prioritize breaking up the sitting with interruptions as much as you can. So it's not necessarily that you need to try to squeeze in like another hard workout another day of the week. But if you're doing that exercise and then sitting most of the day, prioritizing the movement breaks and like, light physical activity is basically the most important thing.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I like that.

[Molly Meersham]

I think we now know that the health effects of sitting for long periods of time are kind of a distinct thing from not getting enough exercise. It's not just the total amount that you're moving, but just on its own. Sitting uninterrupted for a long period of time has all these other negative health effects.

[Rosie Guerin]

What I'm hearing from you, Molly, is that the idea is do your best to move, stand up, stand up at intervals, take a walk, move your legs, move your joints. And if you can, it's going to benefit you in the long run.

[Molly Meersham]

Yeah, exactly.

[Rosie Guerin]

We're also going to link to an article from the well desk in our show Notes for a simple routine to loosen those hips after you're sitting too much, which the three of us probably should do right about now. Thanks for joining Us.

[Molly Meersham]

Molly, thanks so much for having me.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Thank you.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Now that we've covered how bad sitting all day for us is, we're going to get into some solutions, even if you have a job that requires you to be glued to a screen all day. So after the break, we're going to talk with Ariana Vasquez, one of Wirecutter's home office writers, about some office gear that can help you stay more mobile during the day. Plus, our fitness experts best hacks to keep moving. We'll be right back.

[Ariana Vasquez]

The New York Times app has all.

[Rosie Guerin]

This stuff that you may not have seen.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

The way the tabs are at the top with all of the different sections.

[Rosie Guerin]

I can immediately navigate to something that.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Matches what I'm feeling. I go to games, always doing the.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Mini, doing the wordle. I loved how much content it exposed me to things that I never would have thought to turn to a news app for.

[Ariana Vasquez]

This app is essential.

[Rosie Guerin]

The New York Times app, all of the times, all in one place.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Download it [e-mail] app.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Welcome back. We're now talking with Ariana Vasquez, one of Wirecutter's home office writers, and we're going to talk about office gear that can help you move more and how to avoid that dreaded dead butt syndrome we just talked about with Molly.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Ariana, welcome.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Hi.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So your whole job is to test home office gear at your home. We just want to know what your office setup really looks like. What are you using so that you're not sitting all day, you're getting movement, hopefully every 30 minutes. Staying active. What do you do?

[Ariana Vasquez]

Well, I'll be honest, I don't move every 30 minutes. Okay. But right now my house looks like a lab because of some of the equipment that I'm testing, which I will save for later. But I have a treadmill, like one of the under desk treadmills. I have a stepper, so if I'm standing at the desk, I can actually use a stepper. I actually don't like just straight up standing. So whether it's like a wobble board or a step or something, I need something to move while I'm standing and that's at my standing desk. And then I have a trampoline also just to get a little bit of blood pumping between, you know, when I'm feeling stagnant.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That feels so 80s. I love it.

[Kyra Blackwell]

You live in New York, right? How are you fitting all this in an apartment?

[Ariana Vasquez]

Tetris. Tetris is my friend.

[Rosie Guerin]

We want to talk about three pieces of office equipment that wirecutter either recommends or that you're currently testing. And these are things that can help you, ideally, move more during the day. So a standing desk, walking pad, and under desk, elliptical. Let's start with standing desks. Explain it to me. Who are these good for? What makes a good standing desk?

[Ariana Vasquez]

Well, as far as who they're good for, I would say everyone. Even people who can't stand for very long, even they can benefit from a little bit of movement at the desk. Having something that's totally fixed is it basically, like, puts you at the mercy of the manufacturer to have to work with what they need. So a standing desk, in one way or another, is going to help you to optimize working at a station that fits your needs, Rather than you having to make it fit whatever they thought it was good for. So a good standing desk, ideally, is something where you can kind of program it so that it can have a fixed height for when you're standing and a fixed height for when you're sitting, because you really want to remove as much friction between movement as possible. And so even just a small thought of, like, oh, man, then I have to, like, stand up and then wait to get it to the perfect height. Even that little bit of friction could be enough to deter you from standing. So the ideal desk is going to have programmable settings. It'll move kind of quickly so that you're not having to wait upwards of over a minute for the desk to raise to the right height or go back down. And then obviously, you know, it should fit the space that you're in, so.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

It should be electrical. It should have some little button that, like, allows you to go up and down.

[Rosie Guerin]

I didn't actually realize that.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, I have a standing desk that is actually just static because my office space at home is too small to accommodate one of these bigger standing desks that are electric and that move up and down. Because they're pretty big, right? I mean, you need to have a pretty big space for these. I have one that is, like, pretty small. It's probably maybe two feet wide, and it just stays in one spot. But I kind of, like, shift between my kitchen table and the standing desk.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Yeah, I started looking into really small standing desks because now they're coming in much smaller sizes. We haven't tested them yet. They have mixed reviews. And from what I've seen, they don't move very quickly. But for a situation like yours where, like, you don't have the 42 inches, most of these desks that's the minimum size.

[Kyra Blackwell]

That's big.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Yeah, that's big.

[Rosie Guerin]

That's big.

[Ariana Vasquez]

So there are smaller desks. I'm curious to test them.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I want to know how much these things cost and what is our top pick.

[Ariana Vasquez]

So our top pick is the uplift version 2, the base model, like without any extra bells or whistles, usually goes for about 600. And then from there add ons, upgrading the countertop, getting, you know, grommets and things that can get you up into like a thousand and up, depending on how many extra bells and whistles.

[Kyra Blackwell]

What's a grommet?

[Ariana Vasquez]

A grommet is basically a cutout hole in the desk where you can pipe your cables through. So you can get like a desktop that's like a normal table with no holes, and you have to just like, feed the cables over the edge. Or you could get something with a little bit of cable management, or you could get like a full kit with trays underneath the desk and outlets directly into the desk, that kind of thing.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay, so they're going to charge you an extra $400 for holes for your cables?

[Ariana Vasquez]

Yeah, sort of. You know, the drilling is expensive.

[Rosie Guerin]

And ideally, these should last a long time, right?

[Ariana Vasquez]

Yes. Yeah, they should last. And they should have good warranty so that if you have issues with them, if the motor conks out, you can get those fixed. I didn't even mention manual desks because in the history of wire cutters, standing desk guide, we've never recommended them. Because you have to move your chair away and then start cranking a desk to raise it up. Ain't nobody got time for that. No one's going to be cranking. So we don't even. We've never recommended. And so, like, by default, those aren't even a consideration.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

But it would get you technically more movement to crank like that, right?

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah, but it wants to do that.

[Rosie Guerin]

So what if you don't want to shell out that much money? 600 to $1,000. Are there other options? Other, cheaper options?

[Ariana Vasquez]

For sure, there's other options. The cheapest option is like a kitchen countertop or an ironing board or even just like stacking some books on a table just to kind of raise your laptop up so you can stand in. Because really the goal is to just stand for a little bit in the midst of your workday so you're not sitting all day. Whatever it takes to do that. That's it. If you did say, for example, you had a desk that you really loved, or in your case, where you can't fit a larger desk. We also have a guide for standing desk converters. They are what they sound like. They sit on top of a desk, and then they'll have some contraption, a lever or something, and you can raise the platform. So, for example, in my bedroom, we have a small IKEA desk, and we have the top pick sitting on top of that. So that way we can stand and sit at the desk when we need to.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah. And what is our main pick?

[Ariana Vasquez]

It's the Flexispot alcove.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay.

[Ariana Vasquez]

And that actually has two tiers. So it's got a base tier that sits basically right on top of the table that it's sitting on. And that's where your keyboard, your mouse, or even maybe your laptop would go. And then it's got a second platform, and that's where your monitor would go to encourage better ergonomics. So you're not kind of hunching over to look at a monitor below you.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I want to talk about my favorite piece of equipment, the walking pad. I have one of these at home. I'm curious, what do you think these are good for? Who do you think they're good for? Who would you recommend walking pads for? Because they're kind of dorky. Honestly, I'm just going to put it out there.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Well, I don't think they're dorky, but I also think that they're. I think walking pads are phenomenal. I also have one. I don't use them when I'm reading or doing administrative tasks, because me walking and trying to read just, like, doesn't work. I actually only use them when I'm writing, when I'm not moving my head side to side, when I don't really have to mouse around a lot. Because I find it frustrating to try to use the mouse while I'm walking. It introduces a little extra movement. It makes things a little harder to click. So I only use it when I'm doing something like a focus task. I think walking pads are fantastic for people who like to walk. Getting one with the intent of becoming a walker, I don't think is going to make you. You're not going to use it. It's just going to sit. I think if you want to stand or you want a bit of movement, get something like a stepper or get like a wobble board. But if you're someone who genuinely likes the movement of walking and you can enjoy it, the thought of walking while you're working seems like something that's like, oh, hey, that's kind of Cool. I like that. I could see myself doing it. By all means, it's gonna be great.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, I love that. Yeah, I love to walk. I use it when it's too hot in the summertime to go outside. Like when it's like 100 degrees outside. But I, unlike you, cannot write when I'm walking. I have to be still. And so I use it when I'm the tasks that my brain can still, like. I think I can't, like, rub my belly and my head or whatever at.

[Rosie Guerin]

The same time because I think it's actually incredible to be able to do two things at once.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I just can't imagine reading while bobbing.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Right, right.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Like, that, for me is just, like, too much.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Which one are you using?

[Ariana Vasquez]

I'm using one that is. It's not a pick. Okay. It's one that I actually tested when we were initially doing the testing. But our pick, it's the Go plus two in one folding treadmill.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I have our other pick in the guide, which is the Go Youth two in one under desk pad.

[Kyra Blackwell]

And how much did you pay for that, Christine?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I paid for. I paid $250 for it. I actually think it's a great value. I think, like, it's a great value for, like, if that's something that you prioritize.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Yeah, I like to think about things that improve my quality of life from a health perspective or from a personal development as investments rather than splurges. Because you cannot really put a price tag on health. And sitting all day, every day is bad for your health, no matter what. And so spending $250, even for someone who maybe, like, financially, you know, having a hard time, the health bills are so much more than that $250 walk pad. So I think it's worth it.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

If you are thinking, I am very interested in a walking pad. I don't yet have a standing desk. Or maybe you already have a standing desk. What's the order like? For me, it was finding a desk that worked for me and then finding a walking pad that actually fit with the desk. Is that the order you would recommend going in? Or would you be like, just find the walking pad you think you want and get a desk that works with it?

[Ariana Vasquez]

I think the answer is yes, because again, like, if we get back to the core issue, the core issue is, like, are you sitting all day? And if that's the case, then you really want to introduce some form of movement. The most important thing is just not sitting all day. If you only have the budget for one thing. And you have the ability to get away from your desk for 10 to 15 minutes every so often. Getting the walking pad first gets you to that goal much faster. You can get away from your desk. You set a little pomodoro timer, or use your kitchen timer and set it for an hour, whatever. But at least you have that movement there. You just have the walking pad next to your desk. And then you get up, you do a little walking, you go back to sitting. At some point in the future, then maybe you can upgrade and get some sort of a standing desk situation that lets you walk and work at the same time.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I had never even considered using my walking pad without my desk. Now I'm gonna use it all over my apartment. I'm just gonna move it all over the place.

[Rosie Guerin]

Can we circle back? Because you mentioned that the top rack for the walking pad is folding. What does folding mean in this case?

[Ariana Vasquez]

It's a little bit of a tricky thing. So there are walking pads that can fold, and they're meant to be stowawayable in the sense that you can like, literally fold the part that you walk on in half and then put it on their couch or something, assuming there's clearance. This is not that the actual treadmill itself does not fold in half. What folds is an arm that can come up. And that's really for. If you're gonna be running on it. That's the folding part.

[Rosie Guerin]

I know treadmills sometimes can get quite loud. So what about the walking pads? Are they very noisy?

[Ariana Vasquez]

They're not whisper silent. They all make some form of noise. So there's the machine noise, there's the belt that's going to. I've used some machines that are very loud. Like when we initially started doing the testing for the treadmills, like in the office, there were some that were loud, like you could clearly hear them. RPICs are the quietest ones that I know of that I've tried. But there is some noise there. There's also how you are on them. So I tend to use my walking pad barefoot. So I don't introduce a whole lot of noise besides the sound of like my footfall. But using them with sneakers on, especially if you're using a sneaker that's got like a. That's meant for like running, for example. There's also that, like the sound of like the plastic sneaker hitting the belt. That also introduces noise too. So they're not so loud that they interrupt things. But when I've been on meetings and I've been walking. The person I'm on the call with has been able once or twice to say that they can hear the walking in the background, but it sounds like a low thud. Almost like I've got a washing machine going and there's like a cycle happening.

[Kyra Blackwell]

You've also been testing under desk ellipticals.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Yes.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Can you just explain what these are and who do you think they're good for?

[Ariana Vasquez]

So an under desk elliptical is literally like the crank system of a bicycle in a small housing, low to the ground. So you put it and it sits basically in front of your office chair and you pedal on it while you're working or while you're doing things. So say, for example, you were in a meeting and you didn't want to be moving all over the place on peloton or like a walking pad. It's a more discreet way to get a little bit of movement in.

[Kyra Blackwell]

But you're still sitting.

[Ariana Vasquez]

You're still sitting, but your legs are not sitting. Just like potatoes under the desk, like doing nothing. They're moving. There are electric and there are manual versions. With the manual version, as you might imagine, you are the motor. So you have to push and then you can ratchet up the tension. So I've actually gotten quite a bit of a workout using them. Like a little bit of a sheen. Start to start to form.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Glowy.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So what's our top pick? Do we have one?

[Ariana Vasquez]

We don't have one yet.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, are you working on it?

[Ariana Vasquez]

Yeah, I'm still in the process of testing it. I thought I had some and then I had my partner use them the other day just to get a sense of like what he thought. One model, like his foot didn't even fully fit. Like his little pinky toes were hanging off. So picks to come.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Well, how much should somebody expect to pay for one that's good?

[Ariana Vasquez]

Under desk ellipticals are kind of marketed for a range of people. And there's even one that's upwards of almost $300. And it even has handles with bungee cables and videos. And you could do like a whole workout while you're sitting at the desk.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I will be doing that on zoom calls.

[Ariana Vasquez]

You could do like fly, you know, arm flies and stuff like that. But for the purposes of what we're looking for, which is an under desk, something you can use while you're working, you really just need something that'll introduce a little bit of movement. So anywhere from like 100, 150, something like that, maybe even less. I still. There's One that looks promising. That's sub 100. But I gotta put it through spaces to make sure that it's actually good.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay. Sounds like one of the most affordable options here.

[Rosie Guerin]

Is there any other gear that you keep in your home office to keep moving during the day?

[Ariana Vasquez]

Oh, yeah. Steppers. I have a stepper.

[Rosie Guerin]

What is a stepper?

[Ariana Vasquez]

So steppers, basically two platforms that stick out. And unlike ellipticals, which are meant to be used from a seated position, in fact, every single elliptical has big, bold letters that say, do not use this while standing. Steppers are designed to be used while standing. You literally stand on them, and you exert weight pushing pressure down on one heel and then the other, and it's a stepping motion. And then you can increase or decrease the tension, which basically increases or decreases how deep the step is. So at the easiest mode, the step is very little. At the hardest, you're stepping all the way down, and it's like really shifting your weight from side to side. And I use those a lot when I'm playing D and D.

[Rosie Guerin]

So it's not quite a StairMaster.

[Ariana Vasquez]

No, no. You're not putting one foot in front of the other. Instead of one heel is going down, and then the other heel is going down, but your feet are side by side.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I feel like I saw my grandpa had one of these. I think that these are kind of old school. Like, at least the versions I've seen, they're kind of old school, and they were around in the 80s.

[Ariana Vasquez]

The stepper that I have is by a brand called Sunny Health and Fitness. That brand is very popular for, like, price, approachable fitness stuff at home. It's almost silent. It's great. Again, I like not sitting for too long, but I don't like standing, so anything that will keep me from standing still is a boon for my workday.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

You mentioned earlier balance boards. What's a balance board?

[Ariana Vasquez]

It's a board that's got a bit of a curvature toward the sides. So when you stand on it, your feet are standing not directly straight underneath you. They're more out a little bit to the sides. And then because the board has a curve that goes up at the edges, you can kind of wobble back and forth on it. It's not crazy. The edges might be like an inch, an inch and a half off the ground. So it's not like you're. You're on one of those, like, rides at the amusement park where you're just, like, pendulum swinging from one side to the other. But if you're someone that Likes to shift your weight a lot from side to side, which I do. It's really nice because some of them have, like, padding. So it's. You're. It's almost like you're standing on a standing mat. There's like foam to support you, but you get a little bit of extra movement there.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I like that.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Which one do you use and how much does it cost?

[Ariana Vasquez]

The one that I have is actually our pick. It's pretty fizzy bow. It's usually around $70.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Ariana. I reached out to our fitness team here at Wirecutter to ask them what they do during the day to get more movement. And we collected some of these ideas and we want to ask you what you think of them and if you think they're discreet enough for work.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Oh, man.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

We may have thrown in a couple that were not from our fitness team, but that we may have witnessed in the wild. So I'll go first. What are your thoughts about setting up a regular walking meeting with your boss, a colleague, or someone else?

[Ariana Vasquez]

I think if there's buy in from both, that's great. Like, at one point I had a little thing with my manager where we would both take our meeting standing and it was just like a nice little thing. So if there's buy in from both, I like the support. I think that's really nice.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay, what about working out during a call where you don't necessarily need to be on camera?

[Ariana Vasquez]

If you're just a participant, for example, like a company team meeting, I would say that's fine. However, I would not work out with my camera on because I think that's toeing the line a little bit.

[Rosie Guerin]

I can't even utter this. This is like, hard for me to even propose squats and push ups at the office in front of colleagues.

[Ariana Vasquez]

No, no, no, no. Do it in a broom closet or something. Be your best fit self. Yes. Don't involve everyone else.

[Rosie Guerin]

And finally, getting a dog to go on daily walks.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Highly, highly recommend if you live in a place that allows for pets. I highly recommend. I have two little dogs and they, they make me walk. If I have like a meeting that goes long or it's scheduled over when they're supposed to go for a walk, they come and harass me. They let me know it's time to go.

[Rosie Guerin]

That is precisely why I will not get a dog. I don't want to be told when I have to go outside.

[Ariana Vasquez]

But the routine is good for, for you.

[Rosie Guerin]

I know, it's great. You're right.

[Ariana Vasquez]

I love them.

[Rosie Guerin]

Ariana, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate having you here.

[Ariana Vasquez]

This is fantastic. Thank you for inviting me.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Thank you.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Thanks.

[Rosie Guerin]

How do you both feel after this episode?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I feel like I've been sitting too long.

[Rosie Guerin]

Well, you definitely. Yeah, we definitely have.

[Ariana Vasquez]

Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

But I don't feel too bad. I feel like I'm kind of in the middle. Like, I could do a little bit better, but I'm not doing horrible, which surprised me.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, I feel like I want more gear. I have my walking pad now. I'm like, ooh, maybe I want to get a stepper and maybe I want a balance board.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Where are you going to fit it all in this magical idea?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I have no idea. But beyond the gear, actually, both conversations affirmed for me that it's just important to get up and move. And if the whole middle part of my day is just like a sandwich of sitting, then it's not good. So just trying to build that in a little bit more.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah. I think I'm kind of on the same page. I am really gonna lean into my fidgetiness and my inability to sit still for too long, and I'm just gonna be like, yeah, maybe it's only been 30 minutes. Cause usually I feel bad about that, but I'm gonna say, yes, 30 minutes. It's time to get up instead of being mad at myself.

[Rosie Guerin]

Turns out it might be your superpower. If you want to find out more about Wirecutter's coverage, or if you want to check out any of the products Ariana recommended to today, you can check out our website and you can also find a link in our show notes. Thanks so much for listening. Now get up, take a walk.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Bye.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Bye.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

The Wirecutter show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel. Engineering support from Matty Mazziello and Nick Pittman. This episode was mixed by Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marian Lozano, Alicia Ba Itup and Diane Wong. Cliff Levy is Wirecutter's deputy publisher and general manager. Ben Fruman is Wirecutter's editor in chief. I'm Christine Cyrclassette.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Rosie Guerin]

And I'm Rosie Guerin.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Thanks for listening. What I'm hearing is I need a standing desk that is just automated and just, like, makes me move.