Has your job played a part in your weight gain?

jennifer_417

There were a few things about my job that, at first, made my weight loss effort really hard. First, there is always (and I mean ALWAYS) all kinds of junk food around. Cake, cookies, chips, ice cream, you name it. Second, I work overnight, so it's always tempting to eat out of tiredness and boredom. Eventually, I started bringing my own food, so that solved most of those problems. I'm still occasionally tempted by junk, but it's not nearly as much of a problem as it used to be.

fit_ania

probably
sitting on my bum all day doesn't help
I try to walk, go see ppl instead of emailingor phoning them, but still - most of the time I'm sat down
not fun

19Lindsay76

Yes! But due to stress, not lack of movement.

Same here. I do have a desk job yes, but I also make sure I move and I workout at home. Is stress for me as well, I really don't like my job and the people I work with don't help, so I have a tendency to come home and bury all the negativity with food. This is a very hard habit to break, but with help from my friends here and in everyday life...that will change!!

fitbum19

I was always told that if I got a desk job that I would get fat, lol. Well, I have had a desk job for 3 years and during that time, I have LOST weight. Not gained. When I was running around constantly as an insurance agent driving all over town, I gained 30 pounds. The reason for that being that I would stop for that convenience food, etc. I was in my car all day, so I had limited options to bring for snacks and whatnot. At my desk, I may be sitting, but I am distracted enough not to be snacking when I am not really hungry. Its a better deal for me.

but it really boils down to self-control and scheduling your meals. :-)

sconns21

I did a temporary job for 3-4 months where I had to travel down to Cornwall/up to Scotland every 2nd week and stay in holiday parks. I worked ridiculous hours, I would usually get the early flight down on Monday (5ish) then come back on the 9 o clock flight on the Friday. I would also work from 08:00 in the morning until 10:30 at night some days with an hour break for tea. I would have to eat on park a lot which was pub food and I was so stressed that I had dessert every night (I'm a terrible comfort eater). I could only run when I was away which I hate and only when I had time. If I was at home I would be out climbing, cycling, surfing etc.

I put on a stone and have never shifted it since. I can maintain well but never seem to lose the weight I gained. I am in a vicious cycle of strictly restricting and losing between 4 and 5 pounds then bingeing and putting it all back on again. I think being a stone heavier makes me unhappy so I withdraw from my friends and sit in the house and eat instead which starts the cycle again.

ctinawilson

I would definitely say it has an influence yes. But I probably have a different angle on the whole subject.

I used to be a hotel supervisor in a big, busy hotel, on my feet 12 hours a day, sometimes lifting, sometimes running (!), often out of breath, what you would call highly active on the MFP 'scale of activity'. Saying that, I ate badly. I had no clue what I was eating and no time to think about it. The combination didn't result in weight gain, as I literally must've been slowly but steadily burning all day, but i was always tired, drained and under-nourished.

Now i have an office job. I sit. I sit some more. But I've learnt how to be wise. It's simple really, if you eat your TDEE, and no higher, you won't gain weight, eat at a deficit, you will. So I adjusted my TDEE (to be honest, what I actually did was start to pay attention, which in turn led me to working out my TDEE and living by it!).

Now I am losing weight, I am nourished and healthy and it's all based on planning! I walk for upto 45 minutes at lunch time, I don't snack unless it's fruit/veg or within my macros, I always have a bottle of water in front of me (amazing how you can form a habit of drinking water!). Best of all, I plan - while I'm at my desk (not an option in some jobs so i see it as a great bonus) - group exercise / yoga / gym sessions for my free time. I also plan my meals. If i'm bored, rather than snack, I look at the posts on MFP, and it keeps me inspired!

I guess what I'm saying, is that what office / desk / computer related work has given me, is the chance to be organised about my lifestyle, so i can confidently say that it has HELPED me increase my fitness and weight loss.

Another few little things i do;
Shoulder rolls
Constantly move my legs
Always take the stairs
Get up to answer the buzzer before anyone else!
Sit at the furthest point of the office to the printer / water cooler and frequently visit them
Go out for 5 minutes leg stretches (if smokers can go out, so can I!)
Walk home on a nice day / get off the bus 4 stops early (started as 1 stop, and I just got a bit addicted to the lovely morning walk!)
Always offer to take the post
Stand up and walk around while on conference calls
Suggest catch ups / meetings are out of the office (ten minute walk away)

ctinawilson

I was always told that if I got a desk job that I would get fat, lol. Well, I have had a desk job for 3 years and during that time, I have LOST weight. Not gained. When I was running around constantly as an insurance agent driving all over town, I gained 30 pounds. The reason for that being that I would stop for that convenience food, etc. I was in my car all day, so I had limited options to bring for snacks and whatnot. At my desk, I may be sitting, but I am distracted enough not to be snacking when I am not really hungry. Its a better deal for me.

but it really boils down to self-control and scheduling your meals. :-)

I'm so glad you've found this too! Office work gives you the luxury of planning!

bassett8807

Oh yes it has! I am a security officer and work 12 hour shifts. Meaning I sit on my butt for 12 hours straight 3-4 times a week!

Nicole65

Yes! But due to stress, not lack of movement.

^^^ YES! Exactly this!

My former employer was a devil incarnate, working for her was hell :devil: hence stress eating = 35 pound weight gain.

Once I quit and opened up my own business, new stresses emerged at first, but after the first year I started losing all the weight. Now over 2 years later 23 pounds gone, 7 to go

This it for me as well! I eat fairly well during the day while I'm at work, but the minute I get some I want to stress eat because I hate my job and don't want to go back to work the next day.

Silvervixen79

Absolutely. I was about 10 stone and had a really cute hourglass shape until I took a desk job and as I've moved up the career ladder I am stuck at my desk for longer and longer stretches, I now work 10-11 hours a day at my desk and no longer have the time or energy for any exercise during the week (I run on the weekends).. but am now 14.5 stone and so unhappy. I am seriously considering packing it all in and stepping down from my job, reduce my hours and focus on my health.

bwnorton

Absolutely! Recent medical studies show that sitting all day will kill you!

When I went from field sales Manager to an in-house desk job, I noticed I would gain weight quickly. In my operations job - where there's tons of stress AND lots of sitting - I lost control of my weight completely! Now, I walk 10,000 steps a day, commute by bike whenever possible, log every calorie and make sure I don't sit for more than 90 minutes in a row.

I asked for a standing desk for my office too. Site services had never heard of it. I even sent an article by e-mail to them showing the idea!.