When I started working as a grocery checker, I was 135 pounds. Eleven years later I’m now 192 lbs! I flirt with 200 pounds on a monthly basis and even though I try to restrain myself from eating, it’s just too hard to do so when you’re working in the grocery store.
Aisles: Almost every aisle you walk down, there’s food on the shelves. Yeah, try walking down the soap aisle to avoid the food but you’ll only find yourself wandering back to junk food aisle. Chips, candy, instant noodles, etc, there’s no way you can resist it. You can’t help but want to try to snack any of those things during your break.
Deli: Chicken tenders, macaroni and cheese, jojos, sandwiches and the china deli? Deadly combinations but if you forget to pack you’re lunch and you only have a 30 minute lunch? I’ll bet my entire week paycheck that you’ll be over at the deli ordering something hot and quick to eat in the short amount of time you have.
Produce: Yeah I tried the fruits only diet, thinking that its an alternative way to avoid eating the greasy stuff but you know what? I actually gained weight that way as well. With all that sugar and trying to get full off of fruit is a tough task. I tried the salad only route as well but only one can do it so long but if you have the will to do it then more power to you.
Bakery: This is the silent killer, have you ever smelled fresh baked bread? Even if you’re not hungry the aroma itself will make you feel as if you are. Not even customers can resist the urge so what makes anyone think a grocery clerk who has been working all day wouldn’t either? Jalapeno cheese bread, muffins, cookies, and donuts! Let’s start counting those carbs! Hey, eating it only one day a week is OK right? Yeah, you keep telling yourself that…
Impulse Buys: There’s a reason why there’s chocolate bars, gum, small bags of chips, beef jerky by the checkstand right? So customers can “conveniently” remember that they actually need these things! Now imagine you’re a checker, you’re constantly looking at snacks and you’re telling yourself 3 things, “I don’t have to go far, I can eat it in the checkstand and it’s on sale,” they’re always on sale! You find yourself suckered into buying 5 because its “Buy 3 get 2 free” and you end up eating all of it in the checkstand by the time your shift is over.
Have you ever gained weight because of your profession?
