Let’s face it, Michigan is a chubby little mitten.

Our residents rank fifth in obesity and, according to a study by Trust for America’s Health, 31 percent of Michigan adults were obese in 2011, a number projected to climb to nearly 60 percent by 2030.

Now staff at Traverse City-based McLain Cycle & Fitness is hoping it’s stumbled onto both a hot 2013 Christmas gift and an answer for those seeking to lose weight: a walk-while-you-work “treadmill desk.”

The TR1200-DT5 Treadmill Desk first went on display at the Traverse City Chamber’s Business Expo last month, and the results were beyond expectations.

“We took one to the Expo, it was very popular and it sold right off the floor,” says Bob McLain, owner of McLain Cycle and Fitness. “We’ve ordered more and now have them available.”

Soon after the buyer took delivery, another employee at the same company purchased one from McLain.

The simple unit features a spacious desk atop a durable treadmill. The desk measures roughly 4 feet by 3 feet and manually adjusts to fit anyone from 4-foot-10 to 6-foot-8. Digital readouts allow users to keep track of the number of steps taken, calories burned, time spent walking, distance traveled and the speed of the treadmill belt. It retails for $1,499.

“I could see one or two in a doctor’s office or in a lawyer’s office where workers could take turns using it,” McLain says.

As computers have helped workers become more productive, they’ve become more sedentary at the same time. According to the Mayo Clinic, occupational related daily activity now burns 23,000 fewer calories annually than in 1960. That’s the equivalent of 6.5 pounds of weight gain per year, just from moving less while at work.

The treadmill desks are produced by Lifespan, a Salt Lake City, Utah firm that manufactures and sells an array of fitness products for homes, work places and gyms. In addition to the treadmill desk, for those who want to remain seated while they work, the company offers a bicycle desk combo.