YouTuber tried standing all day for a week until this happened on Day 5: ‘I constantly ate…’
YouTuber Lucas Ball took on the challenge of not sitting for a week to test the benefits of standing, but the experiment took an unexpected toll.
Lucas Ball, a YouTuber better known as Pigmie, decided to push the boundaries of wellness advice by committing to a bold experiment: no sitting for an entire week. Motivated by health experts’ recommendations to reduce sedentary time by standing for two to four hours a day, Ball went all in, staying upright 16 hours a day, every day.
The rules were strict. Ball allowed himself to lie down only during his eight hours of nightly sleep. The rest of the time, he stayed on his feet squatting in the bathroom, avoiding contact with the car seat while driving, and even standing while watching TV or eating dinner.
To support his work-from-home setup, he bought a bamboo standing desk. The investment paid off, especially during work hours. “I didn’t have time to ‘take a breather and then get distracted,’” he said, noting a boost in productivity.
But as the week progressed, the physical strain set in. By Day 3, his body began to protest. “It really hit me in the lower legs and feet. I felt very sore and tired, and I felt like my posture while standing was starting to slack,” Ball admitted.
In an attempt to cope, he found himself snacking more often. “Maybe I was hungry from burning extra calories... I constantly ate throughout the entire day,” he added.
Though he initially embraced the challenge, by Day 5, he had to call it quits. His legs ached, his sleep was disrupted, and he noticed changes in posture — “It looks like I’m starting to really form this slouched-over position, especially in the upper back,” he observed, while noting a slight improvement in the curve of his lower spine.
Despite the discomfort, Ball did report some upsides. His digestion improved, and he estimated a 30% increase in work productivity. Still, he gained a pound, likely from all the extra snacking, and his knees and hips were sore.
Take a look at the video:
Reflecting on the experience, he shared his plan going forward: “What I think I’m gonna do from here on out is stand up, maybe like first thing when I go to work at the computer for a few hours. When I start to get fatigued, we’ll bring that desk out,” he said, before finally sitting down for the first time in five days.
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