Taking the stairs instead of the elevator

[mkrishnan]

However, I work on the 10th floor and it's hard enough to walk DOWN to the 1st floor, nevermind walking UP!

Start with walking down, then -- take the elevator up and the stairs down. Each little bit of extra activity and less eating you do, makes a difference, my friend. The data seems to suggest you have to do both of those things to make a big difference, though (eat less and get more active). But you don't have to go cold turkey -- you can be gradual.

Other little things:

- if you have to go from floor to floor in your building, e.g. from the 10th floor to the 12th or 8th, then use the stairs for that.

- when you park your car, don't make any attempt to find a nice parking space -- just take the first one you find in the back of the parking lot, and walk the rest of the way.

- break up your work day with short walks for a couple of minutes, even just a lap around the floor you're on.

I really think those little things can add up.

 

[yellow]

Just a suggestion, since I'd miss your smart-ass comments if you were to have a heart attack on Monday, is it possible to take perhaps a smaller initial step into exercise? For example, go up 4 or 5 flights, then take the elevator the rest of the way? Then you could increase it by a flight every week or so.

Thanks for the concern.

Unfortunately, this building appears to have a gold repository somewhere, as one can only access floors that one is 'allowed' access to. So, for me, of the 13 actual floors in this building, I can only access 1, 3, 9, and 10.

I do always use the stairs travelling between 9 & 10, and in the parking garage.

 

[emw]

So, for me, of the 13 actual floors in this building, I can only access 1, 3, 9, and 10.

Yeah, ours is like that too. I can only get to floors 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42.

 

[taytho]

little changes ..... ripple effect.

 

[emw]

little changes ..... ripple effect.

I think the "ripple effect" is what they're hoping to get rid of.

 

[yellow]

Yeah, ours is like that too. I can only get to floors 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42.

Heheh.. nice. No WONDER Hurley thinks those numbers are evil!

 

[Doctor Q]

Problem is that the entry floor stairs can only be opened from the stairwell and the work floor elevators can only be opened from the office/shared hallway. It's bad enough in the mornings when I have to use the elevator to go from 1 to 4, but when I have to run errands, I have to take it between floors 4, 7, and 8. Since 7 and 8 are shared hallway floors, nobody will ever hear you if you knock from the stairwell...

Perhaps you could have an accomplice, e.g., somebody at the reception desk. You could call them from your cell phone when you arrive on your floor and they'd open the stairway door for you.

We have the same problem, that certain floors aren't open from the stairwells for some reason. One of them seems to be open for construction workers, so I've been using that one. In any case, I can take stairs, then an elevator, then more stairs, and then finish in the elevator, or skip one of the elevator trips if I'm willing to end up outside the building, turn a corner, and walk back in again.

Of course we could trot up and down a single flight of stairs 10 times, going back and forth, instead of actually trying to get somewhere, but that's less fun.

 

[floriflee]

I'll take the stairs whenever I can AND I'll take the manual walkway over the moving walkways at the airports. The hubby likes to laugh at me for it and we usually end up having some sort of contest to see who can beat whom when he's riding the escalator/moving walkway. He usually wins, but he has a bit of an unfair advantage (although I can give him a run for his money).

We live on the third floor of our apartment complex (no elevator so you have to walk) and it's 32 steps to the top. I usually walk the half-mile to the train station with the hubby in the morning and will usually go meet him at the train station in the evenings too. Sometimes I'll walk at lunch to run local errands (CVS, grocery, library, whatever). At the very least I'll get in 32 steps up the stairs, but usually it's at least 64 steps. This is in addition to the yoga, circuit training, and running (do each on alternating days) I do five days a week.

Now the butt is a problem area for most women, myself included (stupid genes!) so I've started trying to work my butt more every time I ascend up some stairs. To do this, press down on your heel of your elevated foot as you push yourself up to the next step. You'll feel your quads, hamstrings, and butt working as you do this--similar to doing the leg press at the gym. I only started doing this about a month ago, but I feel like my butt is improving. Time will tell.

 

[taytho]

I think the "ripple effect" is what they're hoping to get rid of.

well played.... touche

 

[asphalt-proof]

Being overweight for the first time in my life (It's not my fault that donuts are good!), I've considered this in my new office building as well. However, I work on the 10th floor and it's hard enough to walk DOWN to the 1st floor, nevermind walking UP!

But if the good Doctor is going to do it, then I should endeavor to do it as well. Computer nerds should stick together, even if you are a Solaris Snob.

So, from this day forth, unless I'm late for a meeting, I will take the stairs... all 20 flights of them.

Current weight: 295LBS (that's 134KG) on May 5th, 2006.

When I was in college my lab was on the 12th floor. I was in pretty good shape but i had a hard time doing that twice a day every day. So i would take the elevator to the 6th floor and go from there. As I got stronger I used the elevator less and less. Stick to it!! Loosing those extra pounds (kilograms) will do more for your health than anything else. Keep us posted on your progress. Knowing you hae to tell us will also be a motivator. GOod Luck and we support you.

 

[emw]

Time will tell.

Perhaps so will hubby...

Seriously, though, this is great advice - add a little something to mix up the boredom of just walking stairs and get added benefit. It's also nice that you walk so much for errands, etc. Too many of us hop in the car for short trips.

I've seen some sort of "cycle while you sit" thing in airplane on-board catalogs, and I wonder if those would be nice to have at the desk at work to keep the blood circulating.

Edit:

Of course, everyone would wonder why you're sweating all the time.

 

[floyde]

I always use the stairs at work but, as it turns out, you need to give up beer as well in order to get rid of those love handles

It's weird because I never excercise and I'm pretty sure that I would die if I were to try playing some sport (even golf), but I have no problem climbing 10 floors worth of stairs

 

[nbs2]

Perhaps you could have an accomplice, e.g., somebody at the reception desk. You could call them from your cell phone when you arrive on your floor and they'd open the stairway door for you.

Hmm....that's an idea. The knocking on the door thing would never work (since the only floor where we have people near the doors is the 4th, but I'm the guy by the door) and having someone open it in the morning wouldn't work since I'm on e fo the first people in (at 8:45....working for a non profit is so much fun), but calling people on my phone would.

I'll have to remember to carry my phone during the work day, but that shouldn't be too hard...Woo hoo! I'm gonna be summer sexy in no time!

 

[floriflee]

I've seen some sort of "cycle while you sit" thing in airplane on-board catalogs, and I wonder if those would be nice to have at the desk at work to keep the blood circulating.

Of course, everyone would wonder why you're sweating all the time.

I totally want one of those!! They have one at Brookstone that's like $100. Unfortunately, everytime I've gone to a Brookstone store they've never had one in stock so I can test it out. I don't care about the sweating at the desk thing since it's just me around here until the hubby gets home. Although, I suppose the people I talk with on the phone might think I'm coming on to them with that "breathy" talk.

Edit: The bike

 

[Doctor Q]

It sounds like there a few of us who regularly take stairs.

I have yet to see another human in the stairwell so far, except those crossing from the parking lot to the elevator (up or down 1/2-flight). And I know there are lots of people in the building because I see them when we have city-mandated fire drills, when everybody has to go down the stairs.

 

[Applespider]

In one of my old offices, we had 12 floors and I worked on floor 11. We didn't often climb up the whole way - but the dining room was on floor 5 so we usually went up and down the stairs to get to that.

When did we really notice the benefit? On fire evacuation drills where once they'd got 1500 people out of the building, we all had to go back and and most of them wanted in an elevator. Alarmingly, on those occasions those of us who climbed up the 11 floors usually beat those who waited for a lift.

 

[emw]

I have yet to see another human in the stairwell so far

Seems like perhaps you could try and persuade some of your coworkers to join you in the stairwell for some exercise; it's even better when you have some company, and people start getting into it and encouraging each other to keep it up. It's hard to take the elevator when you've got other people goading you to take the stairs.

 

[~Shard~]

Seems like perhaps you could try and persuade some of your coworkers to join you in the stairwell for some exercise; it's even better when you have some company, and people start getting into it and encouraging each other to keep it up. It's hard to take the elevator when you've got other people goading you to take the stairs.

Myself and a coworker do this over lunch sometimes for a workout. We'll do sprints to the top floor (13 floors) by sprinting up two flights, then down one, up two, down one, etc. until we hit the top - hell of a work out.

For a less intensive workout though, I walk every chance I get. When I’m going shopping or whatever, I’ll make a point to park as far away in the parking lot from the place as possible – that way, I can get a nice walk out of it, and no door dings! I’ve never understood people who circle around, trying to find the closest possible spot to the front door of a store. I have two legs and they work just fine, so I’m going to use them. Heaven forbid I get some exercise and do my heart some good! The laziness of some people never ceases to amaze me.

 

[floriflee]

Myself and a coworker do this over lunch sometimes for a workout. We'll do sprints to the top floor (13 floors) by sprinting up two flights, then down one, up two, down one, etc. until we hit the top - hell of a work out.

My co-worker and I did something similar to that when I was working in Virginia. We worked on the 3rd floor of a 6-floor building (10 floors if you count parking garage levels and the stairs to the roof access. We would work our way all the way to the top and then all the way down to the very bottom. I'd alternate between single and double steps, walking and running. Being as how the stairwells were not air-conditioned I usually ended up sweating up a storm by the end when doing them in D.C.'s mid-summer humid heat. Blech....

 

[jsw]

I’ve never understood people who circle around, trying to find the closest possible spot to the front door of a store. I have two legs and they work just fine, so I’m going to use them. Heaven forbid I get some exercise and do my heart some good! The laziness of some people never ceases to amaze me.

Let me guess: you don't often have small children in the car?

Anyway, I always take the elevator. Why? Because it's more advanced. If you start taking the stairs, then the next thing you know, you'll be riding a bike instead of driving. Then you'll walk. Then instead of the microwave it'll be the oven. Then a grill. Then a fire pit. Before you know it, you'll be living in a cave and fearing being eaten by bears.

Thank you, but no. I enjoy technology.

Luddites, all of you.

 

[nbs2]

For a less intensive workout though, I walk every chance I get. When I’m going shopping or whatever, I’ll make a point to park as far away in the parking lot from the place as possible – that way, I can get a nice walk out of it, and no door dings! I’ve never understood people who circle around, trying to find the closest possible spot to the front door of a store. I have two legs and they work just fine, so I’m going to use them. Heaven forbid I get some exercise and do my heart some good! The laziness of some people never ceases to amaze me.

I admit that sometimes I feel lazy and park close, but usually I'll do that only if I am nervous about the weather (i.e. it is probably going start to t-storm while I'm gone). The best part about parking at the end of the lot is that it is usually closer to the main road, so you get out of the lot without dealing with pedestrians and you save .00001 gallons of gas .

 

[Leareth]

My University Campus is built on top and on side of a mountain its 1058 steps from the bus loop on one side of the campus to the other side of the campus going in a straight line.
stairs stairs everywhere... there are only three places on campus where a wheelchair can enter it so it really sucks for some people.
the whole campus is 11 levels and inside is a maze...

Plus my apt. is on the third floor and there are no elevators...

 

[2nyRiggz]

It sounds like there a few of us who regularly take stairs.

I have yet to see another human in the stairwell so far, except those crossing from the parking lot to the elevator (up or down 1/2-flight). And I know there are lots of people in the building because I see them when we have city-mandated fire drills, when everybody has to go down the stairs.

You need to see the hospital on 100th street in Manhattan....the elevators take so long the damn stairs are heaven sent....

Projects!!


Bless

 

[nbs2]

My University Campus is built on top and on side of a mountain its 1058 steps from the bus loop on one side of the campus to the other side of the campus going in a straight line.
stairs stairs everywhere... there are only three places on campus where a wheelchair can enter it so it really sucks for some people.

Sounds like BYU on steroids. I thought we had it bad with the South and West sides of campus serving as blockades...

 

[~Shard~]

Let me guess: you don't often have small children in the car?

Nope, that would be a completely different situation! I was just referring to the people who are lazy and don't have an excuse like that.

The best part about parking at the end of the lot is that it is usually closer to the main road, so you get out of the lot without dealing with pedestrians and you save .00001 gallons of gas .

Yep, that's an added bonus as well!

Yeah, if I'm in a rush or something and there's a spot near the front I'll take it, but otherwise I'll opt for the exercise.