8 Jobs That Make You Gain Weight
The sedentary environment makes weight gain a high probability, but some professions have a higher percentage of employees who put on extra pounds, mostly because of stress or long hours at a desk.
In a survey that included more than 3,600 full-time workers, CareerBuilder and Harris Interactive found that 55% of workers consider themselves overweight and 41% admit to gaining weight at their current jobs. Of those who gained weight, 59% gained more than 10 pounds and 30% of them gained over 20 pounds.
Below are eight jobs that are most likely to pack on the pounds.
1. Administrative Assistant Say they're overweight: 69%
2. Engineer
Say they're overweight: 56%
3. Teacher or instructor (K-12)
Say they're overweight: 51%
4. Nurse practitioner or physician's assistant
Say they're overweight: 51%
5. IT manager or network administrator
Say they're overweight: 51%
6. Attorney, judge, or legal professional
Say they're overweight: 48%
7. Machine operator, assembly, or production worker
Say they're overweight: 45%
8. Scientist (biological/physical/social)
Say they're overweight: 39%
Workers say the top factors contributing to their expanding waistlines are: sitting most of the day (56%); stress eating (35%); dining out regularly (26%); free office junk food (17%); skipped meals because of time constraints (17%); and workplace celebrations such as potlucks and birthdays (17%).
To stay fit and healthy while working, CareerBuilder suggests:
Take walks. Get off the bus or train at an earlier stop and walk the remaining distance. Take the stairs at work, go for a stroll on your lunch hour, walk over to someone's desk instead of sending an email - the key is to increase activity throughout the day.
Stay hydrated. Drinking water not only makes you feel full, it can also help cut down on calories from sugary drinks.
Pack a lunch. Packing your lunch is an easy way to choose a healthy option and control your portion sizes.
Try fruit or veggies. Keep some of your favorite healthy snacks in the break room refrigerator so you'll be less tempted to go to the vending machine.
Keep a food journal. It helps you keep track of calories and identify peak snacking times, so you can modify behavior.