Career and fitness?

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dbkyser
dbkyser Posts: 612 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone changed careers, or taken a less paying job for the sake of fitness?
I may have a chance to get back into the finance business but it is 12+ hours a day mostly behind a desk. I am not sure its worth the extra money for what it will do to my fitness.
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  • GoodLittleEater
    GoodLittleEater Posts: 53 Member
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    I highly value my quality of life over any career. That includes making sure I have time to workout! Somehow I am managing it most of the time, even though I am a full-time student with a few side jobs. Money is temporary, but how you feel about yourself is what really sticks with you!
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
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    I'm not sure if you're talking about a competitive Wall Street type of financial services job, but I have found the expectation is that you put in the hours and still work out. The further you get from Wall Street, both physically and philosophically, the less this applies. This is based on my observations in a Fortune 500 financial services company. You should also consider what the potential stress levels will do to your health, if 12 hour days (and weekends?) are the base expectation.
  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
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    Sounds like you answered your own question. 12 hours a day is crazy talk--I don't think it's sustainable. Your health should always be your top priority--you lose it and you will regret it.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    dbkyser wrote: »
    Most of my life I put my family and career first. Fitness was always put to the back of the line. I am seriously thinking about making the priority family and fitness, as long as I can still provide and have a life.

    I always tell people...if you don't take care of you and your health who will take care of the family when you can't...

    Make your health a priority so you can prioritize family over work.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
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    I'm purposefully thinking about a job with less hours and a closer commute so that I can expand on my fitness in the future. Right now I'm at 10-11 hours a day of work plus 45 minutes driving each way. My work has natural ends though, I am a nanny and kids grow up so I will just wait it out until I can make a change.
  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
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    I did not switch careers but how many hours I worked specifically for my health and family. Extra hours at work and commuting meant a tired mommy who feed the kids frozen pizza and was too beat to play. Fewer hours means I actually save money on food because I have time to cook from scratch, and I can get in my workouts and save my mental and physical health.

    My health is way more important than my job! I refuse to let type 2 diabetes and heart attacks just move on in in my 40s as seems genetically programmed into my fathers side of the family. They(health issues on that scale) will have to fight to get to me!
  • megginanderson
    megginanderson Posts: 276 Member
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    dbkyser wrote: »
    Has anyone changed careers, or taken a less paying job for the sake of fitness?
    I may have a chance to get back into the finance business but it is 12+ hours a day mostly behind a desk. I am not sure its worth the extra money for what it will do to my fitness.

    I actually stepped down as the president of my brick and mortar AV business to stay home with the kids and pursue a career as a health and fitness coach because i love it so much and helping others! That was 3 years ago, havent looked back since and I have replaced my income AND i work less hours! yay me:)

    I think you know in your gut what is best for you and really need to search your personal goals and priorities and aks yourself, is this going to get you closer to your goal and does this meet with your number one priority in life whatever that may be - family, faith, career etc. you know?
  • megginanderson
    megginanderson Posts: 276 Member
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    mulecanter wrote: »
    Sounds like you answered your own question. 12 hours a day is crazy talk--I don't think it's sustainable. Your health should always be your top priority--you lose it and you will regret it.

    ya, burnout is eminent
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    I switched jobs where an unintended bonus was that it was easier to fit in my workouts. I definitely would NOT go back.
  • dbkyser
    dbkyser Posts: 612 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the comments, I really have been doing a lot of thinking. It was this kind of career that was my excuse for all my weight gain. I have changed my life, but adding tons of hours will make it more difficult to stay on my healthy lifestyle.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    I was doing 12-14 hours a day, 6-7 days a week 2 years ago. The hourly rate was low and the high overtime was available. I was not trying to be fit at the time. Since then, I've become a mostly 40-hour guy with much lower income. But now that I'm trying to become fit I've learned that I can control my feeding needs with the food resources at work, which have improved in the course of my fitness journey. I'd rather have the chance to struggle to achieve fitness while earning enough to support my family.
  • 2011rocket3touring
    2011rocket3touring Posts: 1,346 Member
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    dbkyser wrote: »
    Has anyone changed careers, or taken a less paying job for the sake of fitness?
    I may have a chance to get back into the finance business but it is 12+ hours a day mostly behind a desk. I am not sure its worth the extra money for what it will do to my fitness.

    If it pays well and you like; try getting a treadmill desk. Some of them are convertible to a standard sit down desk.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Not for fitness, but I did change career paths when my first boy was born. I'm still in fiance, but I left the CPA firm I had been with for a number of years to work in finance for a state agency. I was paid more at the CPA firm and the sky was the limit in terms of future potential...I get paid less here and the ceiling is lower...but I work pretty much 8-5 whereas I was working 10-12 hour days 6 days per week with the CPA firm...I didn't want to miss my kiddo growing up, so I made the switch for my family.
  • JodieP13
    JodieP13 Posts: 94 Member
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    I have a standing desk and I am constantly moving at it. Slow butt kickers, knee lifts, etc... It really helps. Even in a 12 hour day, there is always 5-10 minutes available for a walk to keep up the activity level. For my daily workout, I just get up at 4:45am to get it in. It's hard to skip a workout when you're hardly conscious. :smiley:
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
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    I've figured out that I don't need to change jobs/careers because of putting more of a focus on fitness. Coping skills are much better.

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