My job is making me fat

Posts: 522
2/20/13 9:58 A

I think the topic should be 'I'm unhappy with my job, and it's triggering my emotional eating'. Trust me, I hear you. I have a very stressful job, and I'm mostly unhappy with it. I gained 20 pounds this last year. Now, I've lost 12 of it again....but I get it. Instead of shoving our heads into a pillow and screaming (or going for a walk) we stuff our faces with food.

If only I could find a job that still pays me 70k a year and all I have to do is snuggle warm puppies all day....

current weight: 180.0

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170

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2/19/13 10:06 P

I promise I totally get what you are saying and it took me four years at an extremely high stress job (often 12 hour days, maybe 15 mins for lunch if I'm lucky, and being screamed at in front of colleagues which luckily is over with now) to realize that I had to do something other than eat to relax or feel better or find a way to unwind. Try a bubble bath or a massage. I recent,y got a membership at a massage place for the first time ever in my life in hopes they can help me with my migraines. It feels so great and is something that you can indulge in without indulging in food...that is the key. Your body's craving relaxation and rest and we in our human minds think that must translate to "my body needs a chocolate bar". Not true. Find it other things you can indulge in after a rough day that will be good for your body and mind and spirit.

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2/19/13 9:57 P

I completely understand how you feel. I worked at a call center for almost three years and in that time I hit my highest weight. It was a sit down job, and we had potlucks, and team meetings, and we were rewarded with candy, pizza, and cake. Though I do have to say, it wasn't the JOB that made me fat. It was the CHOICES I made while I was at work.

On top of that, I hated my job, and I used food to cope. Blaming the job removes the responsibility of the choices I made while on the job and in turn, it made it more difficult to take responsibility for my actions. I finally had to understand that it wasn't my job. It was my choices. I hope that you find a better way to cope with your job.

current weight: 242.6

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2/19/13 9:32 P

I'm guessing when you say chemist....you're probably refer to the UK version of a pharmacy? The american version is ridiculous...people want their prescriptions in 15 minutes or less and my store does 500+ daily. We don't sit, we're not ALLOWED to sit while working! I stand for 8 hours a day, I get 1 30 minute break for lunch, that's it!

I now have my eating under control for the moment...unfortunately we just lost 100 hours for scheduling and that's going to make things really difficult....I'm hoping to keep up this momentum!

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3/7/12 12:20 P

At the chemist I go to there can be 30-40 people waiting in peak traffic time- I never seen anyone abusing the workers.. People are told to save time to drop off their medication receipes in good time and let them get filled thus come back later- there are several workers whom's only job is to fill these dropped off receipes or ask their doctor or hospital appointments to fax the medications while at the doctors and are ready when people come to pick them up..

How people can overeat while sitting in it hard is beyond me- I am struggling to make ends meet and there is definitely no money to buy chocolate and pizza or crap no matter what my mood is lol..

Edited by: REDSHOES2011 at: 3/7/2012 (12:49)

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Posts: 8
3/7/12 8:09 A

Ahh I hope you manage to sort it.
You should try and eat a nice hearty dinner before/after or have one pre made and ready to reheat, not ideal, but at least if you're full of the meal you are supposed to be having within your calories you'll want less chocolate after or none at all.
I worked at domino's pizza while I was studying. A combination of a really busy shift, under staffing, incompetent coworkers and free pizza did not end well :p
Hope it works out for you :)

Posts: 6,644
3/6/12 8:10 A

We are SO good at hiding truths from ourselves; not sure why, but it's almost always that way.

Point is, you have figured it. out. Now you can begin to deal with it..

Emotional eating never 'goes away.' Like any other addiction, it needs life-long attention. (I know; I deal with it every bay, have done since I recognized what it was--back when no one identified it as emotional eating.)

BREATHING deeply is a great way to deal with moments of stress, I've found. Some people like chewing gum, though I've never gotten much help from it.

Good success to you.

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3/5/12 11:20 P

I did bring grapes today so that helped but I can't believe it has taken me this long to figure out my job causes me to emotionally eat. I know I'm an emotional eater, I always have been, but at one point about 2 years ago I had it under control. I stand for 8 hours at work and run around like a chicken with my head cut off every time I'm there, it's just been worse the past few weeks.

Edited by: USFGIRL11 at: 3/5/2012 (23:21)

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3/5/12 8:02 P

I think you are on the right track- you recognized WHY you are eating- which is the most important step.
Bring some fruit to work- go to the farmers market- that 1.00 candy bar is the same as a pint of blueberries, or 4 oranges, or a few banana's, a thing of grapes!
Try bringing a protien shake to work if thats possible. or a chocolate yogurt!
Good luck!

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3/5/12 7:56 P

Life is stressful, and that's just the way it is. You need to figure out how to deal with stress because it's always going to be there. You're going to have busy days. You're going to have people who create problems for you. You may create some problems for yourself. You need to find ways to deal with stress that aren't self-destructive.

I believe Spark has places/articles to help you deal with stress. Look into them and work at it. It's not your job that's making you eat the wrong stuff.

Edited by: NAYPOOIE at: 3/5/2012 (19:57)

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3/5/12 7:48 P

USFGirl-I hear you, I worked at a place that was absolutely 0 stress but also 0 challenge, 0 future successfully lost over 60lbs. 11 months ago I started my current that is challenging, deadline driven, and oh the STRESS! Gained 30lbs over the last 11 months because of comfort eating because I'm so stressed, sweets-chocolate-"treats" because I work so much, "sure, let's go out to lunch". Plus I sit all day and am mentally exhausted when I come home so the thought of the gym is not happening. So much of it is attitude and holding myself accountable so March 1 was my day to start doing things differently. 5 days in I'm feeling better, eating better, making and taking time for myself, and asking for help. Stress is a killer mind, body, spirit. Good luck

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3/5/12 6:49 P

Your best bet is to get to the root of the emotional eating, because that and not your job itself is what's making you fat.

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3/5/12 6:34 P

I just realized that my job is the reason I gained an extra 20lbs on top of the 15lbs I had already gained. I work in a 24 hour retail pharmacy and for the past week someone has called out everyday. So not only are we short a technician but our customers could care less if we are short people or not. So therefore I have to work twice or three times as hard and it stresses me out. When I came to work today everything was cool, the instant we got really busy and I felt overwhelmed, I got hungry. And not just hungry but I wanted something sweet like chocolate. And then I realized every time I feel overwhelmed I run for chocolate or sweets. Unfortunately right now changing jobs is not an option because I can't find a job that gives me the same pay and I'm already struggling to make ends meet. I'm just so tired of my job making me fat!