How Weight Loss Can Positively Impact Your Career

By Moon Harper

Jan 04, 2024 04:32 AM EST

Weight Loss — (Photo : Unsplash/Towfiqu barbhuiya)

Although it's uncommon to talk about weight in the modern workplace, does being overweight hurt our chances of advancement in our careers?

Hidden Causes of Weight Gain

Our bodies change due to muscle loss and impact weight as we age. According to an obesity medicine specialist, Dr. Caroline Apovia, 1% of muscle mass is lost yearly, affecting strength and metabolism from middle age onward. She explains that smaller muscles use fewer calories, and if dietary habits don't adjust, more calories are consumed than needed, leading to excess storage as fat.

Chronic Stress

Persistent stress results in high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which helps the body replenish energy stores, which may indirectly contribute to weight gain by boosting appetite and storing unused energy as fat for some individuals. Dr. Apovian notes that stress often leads to compulsive behaviors, such as consuming "comfort" foods, typically high in sugar, unhealthy fats, extra calories, and salt.

Poor Sleep

If you consistently get six hours or fewer each night, it may influence hormones that control appetite, according to Dr. Apovian. Insufficient sleep is linked to increased levels of hunger-inducing hormones, reduced satiety hormones, and elevated cortisol levels.

Sex Hormone Changes

As individuals age, both men and women undergo decreases in specific sex hormones. For women, low estrogen levels are connected to sleep issues and higher body fat. In men, decreased testosterone levels are associated with a decline in muscle mass.

Positive Impact of Weight Loss in Careers

The Wall Street Journal discovered that a group of ambitious individuals from various professions identified a common factor that enhanced their success. They assert that undergoing a weight loss transformation improved their career prospects and observed a positive change in how colleagues, clients, and bosses treated them.

People Treat You Differently

"It's unfortunate, but people treat you differently," says Tynan Phelan, who leads U.S. operations at the White Ash Group.

Phelan shed 70 pounds through activities like walking his dog, jogging, indoor rowing, and weight training. While he anticipated a boost in self-esteem from the transformation, he was pleasantly surprised to discover that he became more approachable and popular at networking events. As a recruiter in the cannabis industry, Phelan shared that he used to be a reserved figure, but after losing weight, people approached him warmly. This positive change has even helped him secure executive-search contacts that might not have been possible before his transformation.

Perceptions of Aesthetics Changes The Way We Work

Melanie Borden, a director at a marketing agency, realized that her excess weight was tied to unhealthy habits affecting her career. Previously relying on caffeine and sugar during long work hours, she neglected exercise and prioritized her career with 100-hour workweeks. Her turning point came after a panic attack led her to the hospital. Borden adopted healthier habits, including jogging, using her Peloton, cutting out dairy and gluten, and setting earlier work boundaries. Shedding 40 pounds, she has excelled in her career, securing more accounts and expanding her team. While attributing mental sharpness to fitness, Borden believes her transformed appearance may contribute to her success. She notes, "I can't prove that people's perceptions of my aesthetic and how it's changed has spilled over into what I do, but I have no doubt."

It Does Change People's View of You

Weight impacts both men's and women's professional prospects. Data in France reveals that individuals with lower BMIs are wealthier. Jarden Brubaker began weight loss at 40, investing in a coaching program and exercise equipment. Losing 62 pounds while serving as a chief operating officer and raising seven children, Brubaker brought increased energy to work and started a leadership-coaching business. He believes his weight loss showcases his ability to manage multiple priorities, stating, "People who've watched the transition see the discipline. It does change people's view of you."