I love my job! I really do. Working with authors and books has been a dream of mine. However, that dream has not translated so well to my backside. Sitting all day has not been kind and I’ve gained a bit of weight. Okay, maybe more than a bit. I’m sure many of you have the same problem. With my busy schedule, exercising at the gym just became harder and harder until it seemed impossible to find the time without taking it away from something else. So, something had to give. I read about treadmill desks, but then had sticker shock. So I set out to figure out how to make my own desk for the treadmill that someone said they would give me. All in all it cost me $10, and has really helped me stay motivated and moving, without making my work suffer, nor giving up any of my free time. So here’s how to make one yourself, and here’s to healthier living and working!
Supplies:
-Smooth shelf board from Lowes or The Home Depot etc. (One of the ones you use on shelving units)
-4 eye loop hook screws
-4 large rubber bands, or a chain of rubber bands
-Treadmill
-Saw (optional)
1. Measure the arms of your treadmill from the outside edges and add four inches. If you have a saw at home, then cut the board to that length. If you don’t have a saw, when you buy the board, find an employee there and have them cut it. If your local store won’t do this and you don’t have access to a saw, don’t worry, you can still make this, but your board will just stick out further on the sides.
2. Center the board across the arms of the treadmill and mark the underside of the board where the rails hit on the outside.
3. Screw in two eye hooks on the outside of the line on each side.
4. Loop the rubber bands together using a pass through knot to make a chain long enough to stretch over and around the arms and through the loops. (Pull the rubber band through the other rubber band and back through itself, and repeat as necessary to be a long enough chain.) Make two of these.
5. Loop the rubber band through the back eye hook and do a pass through knot. Repeat on the other side.
6. Place the board on the treadmill and pull one side of the rubber band chain under then over the bar. Then pull straight back and loop around the front eye loop. Repeat on the other side.
And you’re done!
Now let’s get moving!
— xoxo Your Publicity Gal, Katie Clapsadl
About Author
You are too clever Katie! Way to make it happen in a majorly budget-friendly way. If I had a laptop I’d be debating doing this. :D
I work on my couch, Starbucks, kid events, and now the treadmill, so a laptop is a must for me. :)
I love this, Katie! Like you, reading and reviewing hasn’t been friendly to my backside either, and I’d rather read than go to the gym, lol. Luckily I can prop my e-reader or iPad on the dash, and I can dictate my reviews with a voice to text app that will save me time from sitting and typing :) I loved your DIY though.
Oh that’s great! I’ve never had much luck with voice to text apps. They don’t understand me. Maybe I have an accent after all. *g*
I LOVE that!!!! The sticker shock is what got me too. Now, I want one!!!!
I promise, it was super painless to make if you have a treadmill, I’d go for it. :)
I am totally going to try this!