3 ways to exercise at your desk—without all the side-eyes from coworkers

The debate over standing desks at work feels like a conversation that will never die. (Unlike you, apparently, if you sit all day.) We hear all the time that sitting will kill you. But get this: Scientists analyzed 53 different studies on sit-stand desks and found that the best thing to do for your health is sit sometimes and stand sometimes. If you think standing all day is going to contribute to weight loss, well, it won’t. “Sitting all day is bad for you—and standing all day is as well,” says April Chambers, a research assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh, who led the study. Also, who the heck wants to stand all day?

Now that your smug colleagues can take a seat, the question arises as to how to incorporate healthy movement into your workday. Wondering how to replace your standing desk? Behold, three inventive options. Are they extra? Definitely. But they also give a way for you to move your body during the day while still getting sh*t done.

How to exercise your right to work out at work.

1. Cubii Jr., $249

This little guy is basically a mini elliptical that fits under your desk. It allows you to move your feet while you’re just sitting in your chair as you normally do. It’s ergonomic—so your feet won’t constantly bang the top of your desk—and it’s also quiet, so it won’t annoy everyone around you.

2. Flexisport Under Desk Bike, $300

The Under Desk Bike is similar to the Cubii Jr. in the sense that it allows you to move your legs while still typing, talking on the phone, and basically doing everything else you need to do at your desk. While you probably aren’t going to get a Peloton-level workout on it, but it feels better than sitting still—or standing—all day.

3. VARICHair, $195

Remember five years ago when it was “cool” to have a giant rubber ball as your desk chair? This is the elevated, much more comfortable version of that. Unlike those balls, the VARICHair has a little back to it—to support your lower back—but allows for a wide range of motion. You can rock—engaging our legs—or sit up straight, working that core.

Here’s how to make morning workouts actually happen before you get to the office—even if you’re not a morning person. Plus, how to tell if your workout is working.