Life after Lap Band: When a New Career is in Order
Don’t take this the wrong way. In most cases, it is not a good idea to run out and quit your job after you have Lap Band surgery. However, there is something to be said about a lifestyle overhaul, and if there was ever a good time for making drastic changes then the months surrounding your bariatric surgery is it.
Getting a Lap Band changes your life. Even your day to day routine driving back and forth around Sarasota, Bradenton and St. Petersburg will change after your surgery. You may find yourself avoiding a certain route home so you aren’t tempted by your favorite drive thru, or you may stop at the park a few days a week to go for a quick, quiet walk before heading home to start dinner.
While the changes in your life are for the better, they can be stressful. This is especially true when you are confronted daily with things that didn’t change, though you wish maybe they would have.
Obesity in the Office
The rise of office work coincides with the growth rate of obesity in the United States. Granted, there are a lot of other factors that have also developed during the past 50 years, but it is impossible to rule out the increased sedentariness of desk work as a component for the high rates of obesity. Add stressful deadlines, tight budgets and office lounges that are teeming with donuts and you have a recipe for weight loss disaster lurking in your workplace.
Some people have a really hard time managing old office stressors after weight loss surgery. By wiping their plate clean—so to speak—a lot of Lap Band patients are able to rededicate themselves to a healthier way of life without being held back by any old constraints.
Some people are better fit for a drastic career change than are others. There are a lot of stories about dedicated weight loss enthusiasts that after losing so much weight become personal trainers, offering the lessons they learned to others who are struggling with weight loss. You may even have a personal trainer who was once overweight and made a career change for the better.
You don’t need to become a personal trainer to stick to your workout goals, but it may be worth asking yourself if your old job is holding you back from making the changes you need for a healthier lifestyle.
For some people, simply switching offices to a new company in the same line of work is enough to make a big change. For others, getting away from a desk job with candy drawers in every cubical is vital. There are plenty of careers that incorporate more standing and moving and less typing and sitting. If you are willing to go back to school or have a degree in something versatile, then consider the benefits of a career in teaching, retail or nursing so that you burn more calories at work every day.
Remember, changing your career isn’t mandatory after weight loss surgery. It is simply something worth thinking about if you feel that your job may be holding back your weight loss progress.