Four years ago, I accepted a remote, work-from-home job. Sitting for work all day was a drastic change for me, seeing that I previously worked as a teacher and dance coach.
Every day, I would spend eight or more hours on my feet, running from one end of the school to the other. Getting in the suggested 10,000 steps a day was a piece of cake.
My working at home gig now has me sitting in my desk chair in front of a computer all day, five days a week. If only I could count the number of keystrokes I make as steps, I’d surpass 10,000 steps in the first two hours of work!
I have struggled to get those steps in. Then I found the Cubii Pro under-desk elliptical. This compact, seated, mini elliptical let me work out without sacrificing time. I added more strides to my day, burned calories, and boosted my energy, all while sitting at my desk and working.
The Cubii Pro arrived on my doorstep with the necessary assembly pieces (screws and a screwdriver), a set of wheel stoppers, a quick start guide, and a thank you note that included the CEO’s contact. Although missing the mini elliptical’s owner’s manual, I quickly located it with a simple Google search.
I have to admit that I was quite excited to try this under-desk elliptical out when it arrived. I may or may not have parked myself in my desk chair and peddled away while watching a 90-minute children’s movie. Okay, I did. In those 90 minutes, I was able to raise my heart rate to a consistent 130 for cardio but was also able to lower it to 100 for fat burning, according to my Cubii app.
Believe it or not, I did work up a sweat and could feel my legs working. In case you’re wondering, in 90 minutes, I tried all of the levels and speeds and got in 8,500 strides while burning 500 calories (according to my FitBit and Apple HealthKit). The Bluetooth connectivity is great for this mini elliptical trainer!
The Cubii Pro’s quiet design let me pedal smoothly with no noise disruptions when participating in online meetings. I liked that its compact design (23 in x 17.5 in x 10 in) easily fit under my desk. I found myself choosing not to pedal the elliptical while in some meetings as my body did move a bit (especially when I was pedaling faster to stay in my “cardio zone”). Whether or not others on my video call noticed me pedaling, I’d never know, but I was distracted by the consistent movement.
One thing I found frustrating with this mini elliptical was the synching of the strides with my FitBit. Synching wasn’t a problem; it went off without a hitch. What I didn’t like was that, when the Cubii app synced with my FitBit, the FitBit app deleted the tracked steps (this happened more than once). This didn’t happen every time, so I’ve been a bit confused. I’m not sure if this was a glitch since I have a very old FitBit or something that will continue to happen. Since I am someone who likes to reach a goal, losing strides is frustrating.
I would say that the Cubii exercise mat is a necessity. When I used the Cubii without the mat, I needed to place it so that there was a solid surface behind it. When I tried using it under my desk but not touching the wall, it slowly inched forward. With the mat, I had no problems at all with the machine moving. Therefore, my advice is this: if you don’t receive the mat in your box, request it!
With a 30-day return policy and a one-year warranty, I think you’ll find the Cubii an excellent investment. This investment may also help you surpass those recommended 10,000 steps, all while working!
