When we saw this release from Headsets.com, titled “New Wireless Headset Helps Burn Calories as You Walk and Talk,” we couldn’t help but think of a story lifted off the pages of a supermarket tabloid. But when the product mentioned is from a company we’ve trusted for years, we were intrigued. Headsets.com, a seller of office telephone headsets for businesses, says the Sennheiser OfficeRunner Wireless Headset System could help you lose 50 pounds a year just by using it.
Of course, the product itself doesn’t have any magic to actually zap away pounds. Headsets.com is making a correlation between the OfficeRunner and research that shows “an average person who adds 1,500 steps a day can lose up to 500 calories a day, which translates into 1 pound a week or 50 pounds a year.” As a cordless device that lets you make and receive calls up to 400 feet away from your desk, the OfficeRunner lets you add physical activity to your workday as you talk on the phone by unchaining you from the desk.
The release also quotes a report that suggests physical inactivity is not only bad for health, but also for a company’s bottom line. The lack of exercise could lead to employee health problems such as diabetes, chronic back pain, and other degenerative diseases, which in turn could force companies to shoulder much of those expenses.
To highlight the issue further, Headsets.com is sponsoring a contest where winners will receive a Fitbit Ultra fitness tracker. Headsets.com says its CEO and customer service manager are users of the product, and has even posted a video of CEO Mike Faith using the OfficeRunner with the Fitbit Ultra on its contest site.
While suggesting a product like a headset could help you get into better shape might seem like a bit of a stretch, the release does bring up many serious issues that office workers should be concerned with. Whether it’s a cordless headset or taking a walk around the office during lunch, a lifestyle that includes some form of physical activity—even in a sedentary office environment—could yield health benefits in the long run.
OfficeRunner
[Via PR Newswire: Latest Fitness Craze: Lose Weight While Talking on the Phone]