Town of Rye Assessor "walks" while she works

PORT CHESTER, NY -- There are still a couple professions where one has to walk while they work - postal carrier, parking enforcement, some cops still walk a beat and then there are other jobs like dog walkers, for sure. And recent reports have identified that standing more may be beneficial.

By all accounts, Denise Knauer of Cortlandt Manor has a desk job. She is an assessor for the Town of Rye, which means she works with numbers at a computer which normally means sitting at a desk. But Denise walks while she works. No, she doesn’t walk around town assessing properties, she has a treadmill for a desk – that’s right, a treadmill.

I visited Denise in her office recently and asked her a few questions. Below is an abbreviated version of that interview.

JGT: What prompted you to get the treadmill desk?
DK: I knew that for optimum health, it is recommended to take 10,000 steps a day. I got a pedometer and found that on the weekend running around, doing chores, I could log in more than 10,000 steps without even thinking about it. Unfortunately, during weekdays I was lucky if I racked up 2,500 steps. I knew that was not good. I don’t recall exactly how I learned about a treadmill desk, but once I did, I was hooked on the concept. I couldn’t think of a better way to try and stay fit while getting work done. I knew I had to get moving!

JGT: What does 10,000+ steps equate to in miles and calories burned?
DK: The treadmill desk has a control panel that tells me how much time I have spent walking, the number of steps, calories burned, distance and speed. For example, one day, I logged in: 2 hours, 11,076 steps, 4.12 miles, speed of approximately 2.0 miles per hour, and burned 463 calories.

JGT: Do you exercise regularly? If so, what kind of exercise is your favorite?
DK: Unfortunately, I don’t exercise regularly and thus the reason for the “treaddesk.” I walk whenever possible and I spend a fair amount of time gardening and doing yard work. I also like to bicycle and sometimes rollerblade. In winter, my husband and I enjoy skiing. Every so often, I am able to fit in some yoga classes.

JGT: How long have you worked in Port Chester?
DK: I started my job on October 7, 2013—just about a year ago.

JGT: What do you like most about working in Port Chester?
DK: Everything. Mostly, I really enjoy the job itself and I have a great hardworking dedicated staff. Beyond that what isn’t to like about Port Chester and its surroundings? There are so many great things within walking distance--wonderful restaurants, great wine stores, bakeries, Costco, and the library for the audiobooks I listen to during my daily commute!

JGT: Do you have a favorite place(s) to eat in Port Chester?
DK: Absolutely! Bar Taco, Coal’s Pizza, DK: Tarry Lodge, Paleteria Fernandez popsicle/ice cream on Main Street. These eateries are only the tip of the iceberg though, because I have not been here that long and I have a whole list of recommendations I want to try.

JGT: What are you reading/listening to now? Do you have a favorite author or genre?
DK: Most of the audiobooks I listen to are motivational ones. Right now, I am in my Wayne Dyer phase. My recent favorites of his are Inspiration, Your Ultimate Calling and Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life (Living the Wisdom of the Tao). Interestingly, this week I am listening to his The Essence of Being in Balance (recorded broadcast of a PBS series) and in it he talks about aging. He says to tell yourself, “I am not going to allow an old person to move into this body.” He adds that if you have awareness as you go through the stages of your life that you are not going to allow this to happen and look at the kinds of things you can do to ensure that it doesn’t.

When you think about how stooped and hunched over we get from sitting all day, it is great to be on my feet and moving. I also read and believe that walking while working keeps you more alert and your blood circulates through your brain.

JGT: Do you have any advice for others who may want to walk while working?
DK: As the Nike commercial says, “Just do it!”