How does your career help or not help your weight loss?

Jpinpoint

I'm a Director of Projects for a huge Utility in North America. I've worked in the power industry for 10 yrs, prior it was gas utility and phone utility. I changed industries to a demand and not luxury.

I work 50-70 hours a week. I travel 3 weeks a month.

Since moving or taking a bigger step in my weight loss and fitness I've made my gym time a priority and I do meal prep. If I have a client meeting I make very critical food choices to make sure I feel good about my choices.

My work is HIGH stress. I get excited to get I to the gym every day and hit cardiovascular or weights hard to work out some of my stress.

My work makes me feel supported in my weight loss goals.

How does your work/weight loss clash or benefit for you?

neithomp

I work 10hr shifts in a small trailer that I have to sit in that whole time. No stress job..I try and pace to get some exercise and steps on my Garmin...if I pace A LOT I can get maybe 3000 steps a day, but that makes me more motivated to go to the gym.

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enterdanger

free gym access here too, but we have a cafeteria that seems to delight in baked goods. It also seems to be someone's birthday like every day. I try to stay strong, but have been known to have weak moments. lol.

I also sit on my *kitten* all day when not at the gym so that's not great.

Dekayla13

I'm a cook. The long days are great for calorie burns. I don't eat at work because I work in a seafood restaurant but I'm allergic to it and we rarely get breaks. (Developed the allergy there, from over exposure, perk of the job...) The down side is that after three 14+ hour a day, no eating shifts, I'm worn out and lazy and want to sit around and eat everything on my day off.

Mentali

I'm a computer programmer with a team that's all over the world - which means I can't have walking meetings, spend long times away from my computer, etc. Our old office had a gym and winding walking paths but this one doesn't.

So....it doesn't help me at all. But at least my schedule is regular so it's easy to fall into a routine.

inertiastrength

I sit on my behind at a desk all day and only get up to go to a photocopier etc. It definitely doesn't help but I'm usually so busy that I don't have time to get bored and snack, the odd time even missing meals and the day flies, so in that sense it's good.

jbuzzed

I'm a fitness instructor so it hasn't helped at all

GypsyHeartRN

I am an ER nurse and I walk about 11,000 steps on average a shift but there are donuts in the break room all the time so kind of ruins the exercise.

Jpinpoint

neithomp wrote: »

I work 10hr shifts in a small trailer that I have to sit in that whole time. No stress job..I try and pace to get some exercise and steps on my Garmin...if I pace A LOT I can get maybe 3000 steps a day, but that makes me more motivated to go to the gym.

My normal job is in a construction trailer. I make it an effort, like you, to get extra steps in. I used to smoke so I would use it as an excuse to go outside and walk my job site. Now I go outside and walk until I don't want to anymore. Sometimes though, I forget to get up and go walk. It's easy to slide into work mode and ignore the need to stretch your legs.

Jpinpoint

fascha wrote: »

I sit on my behind at a desk all day and only get up to go to a photocopier etc. It definitely doesn't help but I'm usually so busy that I don't have time to get bored and snack, the odd time even missing meals and the day flies, so in that sense it's good.

I worked in an office for about a year and I noticed the ladies would get together and go walk the industrial park on their lunches.
I often found myself like you, so busy that it would keep me from snacking and sometimes I'd forget to eat at all.

It's great to find a balance.

Jpinpoint

jbuzzed wrote: »

I'm a fitness instructor so it hasn't helped at all

Well...lol that's great.

Jpinpoint

GypsyHeartRN wrote: »

I am an ER nurse and I walk about 11,000 steps on average a shift but there are donuts in the break room all the time so kind of ruins the exercise.

Donuts. So evil.

Thank you for being an ER Nurse. Your work helps so many and I appreciate it. I could never be a nurse of any kind so I can deeply appreciate a nurse, especially an ER Nurse, I can't imagine it's very glamorous.

jennifer_417

I work overnights at the front desk of a hotel. In some ways it helps, in some ways it doesn't. I have almost complete control over when I eat and how much I move around, which is nice. But during the downtimes, which are frequent, it's super tempting to snack, and I'm also tempted to snack to stay awake. Also, there are some tasty foods just sitting around (I prepare breakfast, too).

DoneWorking

No effect... I'm retired! :-)

endlessloser

I struggle to fit it in but am working on it. I work for myself... technically at home so "kind of" no excuse, except that I'm always running around doing something (errands etc) - so not always behind my desk. Those days it's easier to get my steps. Also I take my daughter to school (college) in a city 45 min away (no licence/no other way for her to get there - we live in too small of a town, no one else goes on the same schedule even remotely).

I get to go sit at starbucks for the few hours she's there and focus. (No, I don't indulge - I stick with tea which has free refills lol). However - I have started going to an indoor track nearby us right after so that we get at least a 5k walk in 3 times a week.

Then I strive 5 days a week to get another 30-60 minutes in the evenings of toning (abs, brazil butt lift, sometimes combat 30). I allow 1 full day off (I'm usually still running around that day anyway, i.e., shopping etc).

The issue is really going to be when she's done school in 5 weeks, I have to be sure NOT to get back into my rut - working from home, behind my desk, and only getting up when I'm getting a drink, food or washroom break. That kills my step count to a crawl. Hard to make that break during the day when it's "work time" - because if I worked for someone else, I couldn't just up and leave for a workout. On the other hand, I could use my lunch time if I worked elsewhere - so it is definitely motivating myself and finding that balance.

On a good note, for the past 3 weeks, it's starting to fall into a regular routine and I'm finally getting results again. Oh - I also am planning on signing up for a "Run Disney" for 2017, so it's a helpful motivating factor (even though I was never a runner lol) - but to know I have to reach a goal, it's keeping me going even with a desk job.

nojuicejustjin

I'm a photographer. It helps since I'm running around all day lol

bmcohen2780

I work in sign/light service so I'm moving a lot during the day but travel job to job all over lower New England. I used to eat a lot of fast food but I bring lunch now. I also work tiring, long days from 7-5 so I'm usually too tired to exercise when I get home.

debmom2boyz

I have been able.to resist treats at work. I do have to get better at bringing a lunch. School lunches are kind of gross.

I am going to start walking the track (during recess) and I am going to work on eliminating the elevator.

ParadiseLost91

I'm a student, which means I'm sitting on my bum at lectures the whole day, and sitting on my bum to study when I get home.
So my "work" is not really helping me. I do try to stand up during our short 5-minute breaks, and go for walks during lunch time.

I do find it difficult to fit gym time in, because my studies are very hard, and going to the gym is taking time away from my studies. As a student you never have time off, there's always something you need to read or an exam to prepare for.

So gym-time is mostly on weekends, where I can work out in the morning and then go home and study.

Things are looking up though, since I will soon start my clinical rotations (I'm in vet school). This means being on my feet the whole day at our hospitals, and walking around.
The large animal rotation should prove especially beneficial, when we are "wrestling" young calves to get a blood sample or doing rectal exploration on a horse (which is HARD work I tell you, much more than it looks like!)

So I'm looking forward to being more active soon, once we start our clinical rotations

Jpinpoint

You all are awesome. Thank you for so many comments. It's nice to read how so many of us are in the same boat. Keep up the good work!!!!!

kledmons

I'm a travel PICU RN and work 50 hours a week. My living location changes every couple months and I work nights on top of that. I normally have a location to afford me a gym or a place to walk outside. I've always been a walker... And my last living location was not in the best area and I found myself not going out for walks or anywhere and I put on about 20 pounds over the winter. The winter got the best of me. So... I'm moving. I purposefully chose my next living location to give me more of a chance to get out and walk. I'm excited and can't wait... 6 days and counting.

allaboutthecake

Retired so not an issue...however, will share past career:

Worked in a highly-visible front office where we weren't allowed to snack at the desk. (If we did sneak, had to be highly discreet....so it was best to just not at all.) Potty breaks anytime but official breaks just too busy and when it was official break, spent time walking outside to get some fresh air & empty the brain of the constant onslaught of people. Same with lunch, just kept a very quiet lunch to recharge for the afternoon.

I noticed no employees who had ever worked in that office were overweight or even fluffy. I wouldn't say "beautiful people" but I do think the employer wanted someone with professional "look" in those chairs. And I never even thought about *that* part of it until this post...gives some perspective.

JulesAtkinson1

I'm a nurse but I don't work in a conventional nursing role; I have a desk job (Medicare reimbursement) so it's difficult for me to get 10,000 steps in. I work in an office with 2 unhealthy coworkers who don't exactly sabotage my healthy eating attempts, but aren't exactly supportive either. They continually stock our office with candy and high-calorie snacks and eat it all day long in front me. It's not their fight, I know; but it doesn't help me on those crave days.
My supervisor is the exact opposite of what I feel someone in the health industry should be when it comes to supporting a healthier lifestyle for her employees. For instance, she saw me wearing my fitbit and asked me what it was. When I explained, she commented, "well, just as long as you know I'm watching you and you're not going to get up and walk around just to walk around." Uhm, what? I stand up every hour and take a 2 minute walk around the building. I eat lunch at my desk while working and don't take a morning or evening break, but I can't spend 16 minutes a day trying to prevent stroke? I'm not allowed a refrigerator or microwave in my office because of some stupid idea that this makes me a less productive person. She, however, has one in her office, but wouldn't allow me to use it, although it stays empty. She saw me bringing a large cooler to work (because I cannot have a fridge for fruits and veggies) and rolled her eyes, saying, "You know, we have refrigerator in the break room." I explained that every time I put my food in it, it disappeared before my lunch break. According to her, I wasn't marking it clearly enough. Because permanent marker in black with my name is hard to see on a bright yellow lunchbox. I really think she's somehow intimidated by those of us who wish to be healthier, because she is seriously unhealthy and overweight herself.
This is the typical attitude of management where I work. I don't know how on earth anyone ever gets healthy around here. We have a therapy gym on campus; I asked if I could use it after hours on my own time. Nope. Tried changing clothes after clocking out and walking around campus outside before heading home. Apparently that is some type of liability even though I'm clearly off the clock. The snack machines at work hold nothing but unhealthy food and we aren't allowed to leave for lunch because it's a health facility and the vending machines satisfy the labor board's requirement of making food available.

JeromeBarry1

I get free junk food and candy, sit in a chair and drive a mouse when things are good. When things are bad, as now, I get free junk food and candy, sit in a chair.

allaboutthecake

JulesAtkinson1 wrote: »

Tried changing clothes after clocking out and walking around campus outside before heading home. Apparently that is some type of liability even though I'm clearly off the clock.

I had that issue, too, at the old job. Tho not cuz of liability. Tried changing into any type of clothes at all for after work....whether shorts for 100+deg weather, jeans, nice new sweats to keep warm for ride home in winter 5deg weather, you name it....was told ONLY business attire. The management even accused me of violating this rule when I was on the sidewalk going that run along the public street on my day off (going into a store that day.)

I resorted to putting on my shorts/sweatpants/jeans under my long skirts at the end of the day (rolling up if long) and then discreetly pulling off the skirt in the car. lol. Sad what one has to come to in order to hang on to a job that is that controlling.

Thank goodness those days are long over with!

synchkat

I'm a stay at home mom, aka lady of leisure. If you can consider that my.job then I do as many errands as I can walking. I can walk to all the stores I need to go to, I walk my son to and from school 4 round trips a day and in my leisure time most of my "hobbies" are active. I have to be active. Even when I worked I'd walk on lunch breaks and would always be the one volunteering to go to the supply room or get coffees or lunches. I have trouble sitting still

kris10cass

Kindergarten teacher... so I am on my feet all day-- which is good! So the teacher's lounge is my fall back. Someone bakes something nearly everyday... or there is a birthday, special luncheon, etc. Us teachers always bring left over things from home we don't want and it goes in the lounge... so basically if I just avoided that room I'd be fine.. but have no social life at work

robsmy5606rm569

Ups driver I get tons of steps all day 20000 a day usually

Justintyme328

I'll be digging holes and installing sprinkler systems starting tomorrow. Here's to a tan, jacked arms and no back pain!!! I don't have a Fitbit so I have no idea how many calories I'll be burning.

coalz

I'm currently not working so you'd think I'd be in the best shape of my life with all that free time to exercise, grocery shop,and prepare healthy meals but it's been quite the opposite. Motivation isn't easy for me and with no structure things just keep getting put off. I'm in a rut of staying up late partying, sleeping in late & Netflix binging all day. Ugh!! But that's why I joined MFP. It seems to be helping. Anyone who wants to friend me & offer ANY support or advice on how to break alway from this spiraling dragon tail or share your success stories, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks so much.