Potter says that walking at your desk is great for getting in your general daily movement and for your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). This is the energy you use up while you’re not eating, sleeping, or actively exercising or playing sports.

Teachers, nurses, and other jobs where you’re on your feet all day likely have sufficient levels of NEAT. But, if you’re spending most of your day at a desk, an under-desk treadmill is a great tool for helping to make up for the lack of NEAT in your life.

“I wholeheartedly believe in them if you have a typical 9-to-5 desk job,” says Perez. “I always tell my clients when you’re sitting down all day, you’re dead from the waist down.”

So how often should you use it? “If you have a way to track your steps, 7,500 steps is a great goal to aim for each day,” Potter says. “If you are mostly sedentary and you’re looking for a good place to start, I would start with 30 minutes per day on your walking pad and build up from there,” she adds.