Obesity and impact on career

go2anderson
go2anderson Posts: 21 Member
edited December 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I weigh 229 lbs and I'm 6'1". My BMI would be in the obese category. I have been overweight for several years, but only in the last 18 months or so have I moved into obesity. One thing I've noticed is that people look at me differently and treat me differently. I sense that weight loss is important to advance my career.

So, generally i have personally always been motivated to lose weight to feel better, be healthier, have more energy and so forth...but that fact is, I now realize that being obese can also severely impact career growth and long-term wealth.

its probably not entirely fair - I mean, no one should be discriminated because of weight. But life isn't fair. For me, part of my motivation is to do the best I can to support my family, and losing weight will help.

Has anyone else lost weight and had a noticeable career improvement? Or gained weight and had a noticeable career drop-off?

Replies

  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
    It makes sense. If you let yourself go, who knows what else will slip to the wayside. If you lose the weight you are showing motivation and self discipline which are excellent work traits and it will be noticed.
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
    It makes sense. If you let yourself go, who knows what else will slip to the wayside. If you lose the weight you are showing motivation and self discipline which are excellent work traits and it will be noticed.

    No, it doesn't make sense. I mean... it is what it is. Discrimination for whatever reason is a fact of life. But it is absolutely a false assumption to think that because one might be obese one lacks the motivation and self discipline necessary to succeed in other aspects of life.

    I am incredibly disciplined, dedicated, motivated, and hard working. I am also obese. Obesity is a multifactorial disease (condition, whatever you want to call it). Of course it's caused by eating more calories than we burn. However, the reasons we eat are so varied and different for each person, that stereotypes fail spectacularly. Most obese people are NOT lazy. Many are very disciplined in other aspects of their lives. And so on.
  • mygrl4meee
    mygrl4meee Posts: 943 Member
    I take care of the elderly and sometimes we need to squeeze our butts into tight places like the bathroom or assiting a client into a car that is in a garage. My heavies weight has been around 270 now 252 and I feel if I was any larger I would not fit into the smll places for my job. I have seen heavier caregivers but the worst was at a work meeting I seen a caregiver that was so big she had to pull on a chair while someone held the chair. I personally think if she needs that kind of help then she probably shouldn't be working for the elderly.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    It makes sense. If you let yourself go, who knows what else will slip to the wayside. If you lose the weight you are showing motivation and self discipline which are excellent work traits and it will be noticed.

    No, it doesn't make sense. I mean... it is what it is. Discrimination for whatever reason is a fact of life. But it is absolutely a false assumption to think that because one might be obese one lacks the motivation and self discipline necessary to succeed in other aspects of life.

    I am incredibly disciplined, dedicated, motivated, and hard working. I am also obese. Obesity is a multifactorial disease (condition, whatever you want to call it). Of course it's caused by eating more calories than we burn. However, the reasons we eat are so varied and different for each person, that stereotypes fail spectacularly. Most obese people are NOT lazy. Many are very disciplined in other aspects of their lives. And so on.

    I agree. There is a lot more to weight than nutrition and working out. Ask any hypothyroid patient, and we'd love to tell you all about it.

    I've always been an award winning employee, but I do happen to notice that all of the executives at work play sports. My employer encourages a healthy lifestyle and exercise, but I think they also look for a competitive aspect that comes from playing basketball, horse racing, golfing, softball, or whatever else they do.
  • elewellen
    elewellen Posts: 35 Member
    when I started in Nov 22 my boss treated me poorly, coworkers made comments, My weight then was 254 my weight now 188 and the way I am treated at work has improved at work, it is not fair but it is the real world
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
    It has to have an impact on how people perceive you. I worked with a man who is quite morbidly obese, and we were all laid off more than two years ago when our company was sold. He has yet to find a job. I am afraid that his weight has prevented him from landing a job so far.
  • hdsqrl
    hdsqrl Posts: 420 Member
    Yep, I've noticed this as well. I'm pursung my second Masters degree, and yet struggle to be recognized at work...not because my work is poor - those who I communicate with only via email sing my praises to the rooftops. But those who I deal with on an in-person basis tend to downplay my intelligence or abilities until they've gotten to know me well and know I'm a complete rockstar in every way.

    It's ridiculous, especially when I see women who are thinner get promotions and new responsibilites that I often have to help them with because they can't figure it out on their own.

    Ugh.
  • kimpossible471
    kimpossible471 Posts: 268 Member
    I haven't noticed an outward effect at work, but feel it does limit me personally. Working for a sporting goods company and not being comfortable in my own skin doesn't help. We're similar in size and goals - add me as a friend if you'd like - we can help motivate each other as well as compare notes on the career side.
  • mamasyd
    mamasyd Posts: 80 Member
    Let me just say that almost every area of life is impacted by weight. Discrimination is rampant against the overweight/obese/morbidly obese. The higher the scale goes the lower the regard is in society for that individual.

    No, this should not be the case. Sadly, it is. Having been morbidly obese for most of my adult life (at least obese through all of it) it was something that I truly did not realize until I began to lose weight. Prior to that, I had honestly convinced myself that I was simply a 'less worthy' person than most. However, I have experienced an amazing, and sometimes sad, change over the past three and a half years as I have gone from beyond morbidly obese (at 385 pounds) to a normal sized person. Whether I am grocery shopping and trying to find an item, making an appointment in person at an office building, using a laundromat, or walking along a sidewalk the difference has been glaringly obvious. For a country that cries 'tolerance' to all kinds of lifestyles and behaviors, let me assure you that there is at least one arena where it just doesn't happen.

    It started when I began to be seen - instead of being ignored - by salespeople. The two usual reactions to those who are large tend to be disdain or dismissal. The disdain and name calling I had learned to let 'roll off my back' publicly, only allowing the pain to rest in my heart in my private moments. Being ignored grew to be my 'normal' so I was actually shocked when people started to notice my presence and respond to me in stores. It was quite a different circumstance to me to walk down a sidewalk and have someone smile, say hello, and keep walking instead of looking away and whispering to their companion as I passed them. Suddenly I no longer had to wait and wait at a reception desk, but found staff eager to help me with whatever it was that I needed. And going clothes shopping has been the most overwhelming change. Salesclerks actually offer help and go to get smaller sizes for me to try. Since I know that there has not been a sudden 'boom' in customer service (and these are many of the same stores where I would be completely ignored if I were there attempting to buy a gift for someone else), the obvious answer is that I am now visible and no longer abhorrent.

    I am fairly certain that I have been passed over for promotion and/or missed out on being hired on numerous occasions. The simple truth is that an overweight person is a liability to an employer because of work place accommodations that may have to be made, public image of that person representing the company, and insurance/health care costs. My knowledge is not any different now than it was when I was almost 400 pounds, but I am sure it would be much easier to find a job at this size than it ever was before.

    The greatest impact, though, is in one's personal life. Mine has changed dramatically. Some of that change can be read about here:

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Celebration-of-True-Freedom/230655243670046

    Finding the freedom that comes with breaking out of the prison of my own body has been wonderful and well worth the effort!!
  • go2anderson
    go2anderson Posts: 21 Member
    ELEWELLEN: when I started in Nov 22 my boss treated me poorly, coworkers made comments, My weight then was 254 my weight now 188 and the way I am treated at work has improved at work, it is not fair but it is the real world

    === 8< ===

    yeah, that is more or less the way i see it too...
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