Desk job for many years

lkn42

I turned 50 years old this year. I've had a clerical desk job for the past 18 years. During those 18 years I've steadily gained 4 or 5 pounds each and every year.
As a secretary in a school system, my last day of work before summer vacation is tomorrow. I normally use the summer to do a big cleaning of every room in my house, have a bunch of backyard gatherings with friends and family, do a lot of reading and writing and watch a lot of tv. I decided to pick up part-time work over this summer to make a little extra money for a big trip that we have planned several months from now and I decided....why not get a more physical job. Well it took only a couple days for me to land a job at a big supercenter chain store in our area stocking the shelves. 8 hours per day/3 days per week.
When I spoke with the manager kept asking me, "You know this is a physical job right?", "You know you'll be on your feet for the entire 8 hours right?", "You're going to be lifting up to 25 pounds over and over again, do you think you can you do that?". After speaking with her, I'm now nervous.
At first I was thinking I'd certainly be sore and tired when I get home from work for the first week or two, but my body would begin to adjust. Now she's gotten into my head and I'm wondering if I'm too old and out of shape for a job like this. Now I'm wondering if I should decline the job and look for something different. I'm feeling old and out of shape and down.

sijomial

It might be a struggle at first because you are out of shape but it's not because of your age.
Don't think yourself old!
I regularly see octogenarians completing long distance cycling events.

Take the job, push yourself.

PS - I retired four years ago and am currently doing more exercise than ever before plus an active part time job. Bodies are resilient and adaptable.

PPS - If the Manager offered you the job then she must believe there's a good chance you will take it and do it.

Cherimoose

Try it out - you can always quit after few weeks if it's too much. Just wear comfy shoes, and keep your abs braced tight whenever lifting or carrying stuff, to prevent back injuries.
Keep us updated

lkn42

sijomial wrote: »

It might be a struggle at first because you are out of shape but it's not because of your age.
Don't think yourself old!
I regularly see octogenarians completing long distance cycling events.

Take the job, push yourself.

PS - I retired four years ago and am currently doing more exercise than ever before plus an active part time job. Bodies are resilient and adaptable.

PPS - If the Manager offered you the job then she must believe there's a good chance you will take it and do it.

Thanks! I think I have a tendency to self doubt. It's something I need to stop immediately.

glassyo

Yeah, wait. WAS it the manager who offered you the job because she sounds delightful.

And you're definitely not old at 50 and, no, she wouldn't have offered it to you if she didn't think you could do it.

Also, kudos to you for going for something more physical!

lkn42

Haha. Yes she sounds like a delight doesn’t she? No, it was a different manager who hired me but this lady will be my daily section supervisor. I’m going to give it a try. I won’t let her get me down.

Onedaywriter

You got this- 50 in 2021 is young! I’m 60 and hate when people assume I’m too old for anything! Your original thinking was correct - you might be stiff and sore for a while but you’re body will adapt.
Congrats on the new job and good luck!

Djproulx

I became very sedentary as an adult due to long work hours and lots of business travel. That led to significant weight gain of about 45lbs. I finally broke that cycle at age 54 after many failed attempts through a combination of diet and exercise.

Now at age 63, after ten years of being very active, my Garmin device looks at my stats as follows: "Your Fitness Age is that of an excellent 20 year old".

It takes small steps and consistent effort over time, but the rewards are absolutely worth it. Best of luck.

lkn42

You all are quite kind. Thanks so much for lifting my spirits.

bebeisfit

I used to do stock part time at age 50
. It was only a 4 hour shift. Wine day was tough. But most other times it was ok. Let's hope you're not doing all heavy stuff.

Bring a change of clothes,, snacks, water bottle and a few advil. Hydrate. Put your feet in an ice bath when you get home and rest.

Good luck. Have fun.

Hollis100

Hi there, I'm an older female whose office job collapsed during the pandemic. I took a job stocking shelves in the meantime and just sent you a message -- hope some of my experience is helpful. Best of luck.

lkn42

Thanks!

Theoldguy1

Could you get them to schedule you 4 hours a day for 5 day maybe working a register part of the time , or find another store that will?

If you really gained 4-5 pounds a year for 18 years you are likely close to 100 pounds overweight. The excess weight, years of inactivity and 8 hours of activitve work with no ramp up period is a recipe for injury.

Personally can't understand people saying go for it when normally people would be telling someone as you describe yourself to ease into an exercise routine. Few people on these forums would say it's okay for an obese sedentary individual to start walking an hour a day, yet what is being described is much more intense.

Agree with others though, age isn't the issue, weight and history of inactivity is.

Best of luck.

lkn42

Theoldguy1 wrote: »

Could you get them to schedule you 4 hours a day for 5 day maybe working a register part of the time , or find another store that will?

If you really gained 4-5 pounds a year for 18 years you are likely close to 100 pounds overweight. The excess weight, years of inactivity and 8 hours of activitve work with no ramp up period is a recipe for injury.

Personally can't understand people saying go for it when normally people would be telling someone as you describe yourself to ease into an exercise routine. Few people on these forums would say it's okay for an obese sedentary individual to start walking an hour a day, yet what is being described is much more intense.

Agree with others though, age isn't the issue, weight and history of inactivity is.

Best of luck.

Thank you for your insight. You seem like a thoughtful person. I am 5’3” and in my younger years I stayed at around 100 pounds without even trying. Being at the very low end of normal weight, I actually felt TOO thin and would try unsuccessfully to gain weight. With the sedentary job for 18 years I ended up at about 190 pounds (possibly more, I stopped weighing myself). With the help of MFP I’m now down to 175 pounds and counting.
I’ve had my first week at the job and it was more intense than I imagined. Roughly 15000 steps per shift. Lots of lifting, bending, pulling, pushing. I focus on proper lifting technique and I bought good quality walking shoes (Saucony), but halfway through the shift my feet are killing. My back hurts a bit too but not as much as my feet. Coworkers tell me that they felt the same in the beginning and it took a few weeks to get accustomed to it. I actually enjoy the work, just not the sore feet. I’m hanging in there.

nossmf

dancingonstarz wrote: »

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This, my wife swears by them.

Leecland

During college, I had a desk job for three years, and during that time, I was trying to stay as active as possible. Also, I was trying to not eat from the vending machines, drink lots of water, and skip the elevator. So, yeah, I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling to keep fit while doing a desk job. But, don't worry too much! You can still change your lifestyle for the better! First, talk to your nutritionist! Second, try looking for a different kind of job! Cheek these job tips! I'm sure you can do it!