Day 46 – Why hire fat people?

Fat people are lazy. Fat people dress poorly. Fat people are undisciplined. Fat people lack self control. Fat people….

The reality of life is that we all discriminate and prejudge people that we don’t even know on a daily basis. If you think not then consider what you think when you hear a man talk with a lisp, see a cop at a donut shop, Asians driving, Indian store owners… we all have our predisposed opinions. Certainly the same goes for how others judge fat people as well!

I am fat and even I am judgmental of fat people! Let a fat guy get in the buffet line before me and I’m concerned as to if there will be food left for me! I am prone to frowning at a fat person jamming a donut in their mouth and I shake my head when I hear a fat person panting after a flight of stairs- even as I pant alongside them!

This comes to mind today because this past week I interviewed for another position within my company.  There is a lot of competition for just a few positions and the applicants are- for the most part evenly qualified. As such those conducting the interview are looking for reasons to eliminate people from consideration. Some of those reasons may be clear and conscious but some perhaps are a bit more latent in nature.

As I interview my personality, communications skills, experience and things of that nature are clearly in play. How I physically present myself is also a piece of the overall puzzle as well. I am fat because I allowed myself to become so- there are no excuses.  So when I am compared to a fit person with equal credentials and standing within the company who is likely to be chosen? I think that even I as a fat person would side with the fit one.

I present these thoughts not as an excuse in advance if I don’t get the job. If I don’t get it the job it may be just as likely that I simply sucked at the interview and my credentials were poor compared to that of my competition. However it is also just as possible that the way I have allowed myself to “develop” physically could have had at least a small part in a negative decision as well.

In the end the poor physical condition of a fat person may well affect far more than their health and longevity. It may impact the way people judge you and your chances for advancement in your career path as well.

All of this to show that there is yet another reason to change the path upon which you walk. Choose the path that benefits your health, psyche and yes indeed perhaps your career as well. I felt far better physically going into this interview this week than I would have six weeks and twenty-six pounds ago. Despite this how much more would it have been in my favor if this interview was conducted six weeks from now when I was even more fit?

The skinny person is still battling to come out!