Does losing weight mean you earn more money?
 

This may be just a coincidence, but I have noticed as I have been losing weight there has been an increase in the number of companies which want to make use of my services.

Does losing weight mean you earn more money?

I believe so.

It could very well be a coincidence, I would hope so, but I've gotten a long awaited for promotion sicne I've been losing weight ...

I definitelyfeel people are more open to hire slim people vs. obese people. Presentation does make a difference in a number of situations. Also I think from loosing even a little weight, the confidence level gets boosted, so this also might have a positive impact.

I think it has to do with people's biases--unfortunate as it is, fatter people tend to be percieved as out-of-control or even as slovenly. But also, at least for me, as I've been losing weight my self-esteem and sense of control has skyrocketed. And I think people pick up on this in interviews. Or as it is in my profession, where you don't really have job interviews (I'm a classical musician), your confidence will radiate all through the performance, and people are likely to hire you again.

FWIW.

Emily

Some of it is confidance. When you are a weight you are comfortable with, you show more confidence in many areas.

Unfortunetly alot of it has nothing to do with confidence or anything other then bias. Many studies have shown obese people are less likely to be hired, recive fewer raises, and less respect within many companies. One news program I saw also tested other areas in which people had to react to obese people. It found that overweight people paid more for health club memberships, got worse deals on cars, bank loans, and were treated with less respect at resteraunts where at times they had poor service or bad seats. I know for a while a group was trying to get obesity descrimination in job areas illigal, I odn't know if that ever went anywhere. Alot of bosses view overweight employees as sloppy or having lack of motivation and self control, all of which are terrible stereotypes and most often not at all accurate.

I was unable to get affordable health insurance because of my weight. I tried everything I could think of to convince them. (I was self-employed so I had to get an individual policy.) I had been the picture of health for decades--got about 1 cold per year, that was it. I offered to have a full physical and have all my numbers done. Yet, I could not find one insurance company to take me up on it. All of them quoted me impossible prices (getting close to $500/month) based only on what the scale said, and my age, and nothing else. Never mind that I had exercised for years, weightlifting and aerobic, and so was FAR less obese at that weight than what their charts may have shown.

Rather than pay extortionate prices, I chose to go without insurance for many years. Now that I have moved to the UK, I will eventually be eligible to use the health system here, and this uninsured nightmare will finally end. I am thankful for my good health so far, and I try not to take it for granted.

Emily

... I was denied medical insurance at ANY price because of a broken wrist which had required an expensive operation to fix. Inspite of being otherwise healthy and at a healthy weight at that time.

I have heard of persons emigrating to Canada because they are unable to obtain medical insurance in the United States.

I think it all depends on the person who's hiring you and doing the job interview. There is discrimination and judgemental people everywhere. You can be skinny and not get hired just because the guy thinks you're ugly. :rolleyes:

just to add to this conversation, i do believe this is the case. since i started lc,(my office is aware, and they all support me) my boss, said to me two weeks ago, wow dawn i am really starting to tell you are losing<
now i am 5 10 , so i never looked my weight, because im so tall, but after she said that a few days went by, and i got a raise.
maybe my ability to do my job is improving because i am not sleeping at my desk.. hmmmm. i bet thats it.
dawn

I wish!

I do however believe that if you are looking for a job, despite all the anti-discrimination laws out there, if you are thinner and more presentable than you will probably get the job over a heavier person. I know that was the case with me when I was looking 2 yrs ago. Sucks.

uh-huh, what they said. Unfortunately, in this society fat=lazy. So untrue. So unfair. c'est la vie.

Where's the dividing line?
 

This is an interesting question. We call it "prejudice." And yet post after post after post on this board talks about how much more clear, less foggy, different energy, we have on a LC WOE than we did on the HC/overweight way. And we think employers haven't collectively noticed that?

Some, admittedly not all, but a substantial number of us, will admit to being "addicted" to our various foods. And we think our employers haven't noticed? I know I sure can spot a compulsive eater on the job. And I don't think they give the same value for the money as someone who's not in the fridge 5 or 6 times a day. We don't call it prejudice when employers don't allow drinking on the job, and plenty enough companies test for recreational drug use. Even the smokers are getting funny looks in my company now. But recreational eaters expect to get a free ride.

Yeah yeah yeah--it could be other reasons. Sure. But we all know we've seen it, in part because some of the time we've been there.

We have one office in my company where lots of people are fat. It's scary to watch their office parties. There's a collective group-think going on that I don't experience in other branches.

I don't know. And I don't interview, and I work on a "virtual" team with phone-only contact, so I don't have any clue what the rest of us weigh. Perhaps that's the solution. I only know that if I were hiring, I'd be probing within the limits of the law to see what might be riding along with the weight.