The Unexpected Career Benefit of Losing 12 Kilos
- 10 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Over the past two years, I lost 12 kilos and rediscovered a fitter, more energetic version of myself.
The most interesting part came afterwards.
People seemed far more interested in the weight loss than I anticipated!
At networking events, client conversations, and professional gatherings, people often wanted to know how I lost the weight before they asked about my professional practice.
At first, I found it amusing.
Then I became curious.
Because the biggest return had less to do with how I looked, and more with how I showed up in my life and work each day.
That curiosity eventually led me to explore two fascinating ideas:
Energy Return on Investment and Lisa Feldman Barrett's concept of the Body Budget.
Problem: We Track Money Better Than We Track Energy
Most professionals pay close attention to return on investment (ROI).
We track revenue. Expenses. Profit. Business growth.
Yet very few of us track the return generated by the energy we invest into meetings, projects, responsibilities, learning, networking, relationships, and career growth every day.
For years, I focused on productivity.
How to fit more into my calendar?
Looking back, I think I was asking the wrong question.
Then a different question emerged:
Why was improving my health improving my work?
Solution: Increasing your Energy ROI
Recently, I came across a concept from the energy sector called Energy Return on Investment (EROI).
In simple terms, it measures how much usable energy is generated compared to the energy required to produce it.
The higher the return, the more sustainable the system becomes.
Around the same time, I listened to neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett on Diary of a CEO: ‘No.1 Neuroscientist: you can change who you are in 30 days’.
One of the ideas she discusses is that the brain is constantly managing what she calls a "body budget" our available physical and mental resources.
That made me wonder:
What if professional performance depends on both?
The quality of our energy budget.
And the return generated from the energy we invest.
As my sleep improved, my nutrition changed, my movement increased, and my recovery became more intentional, something unexpected happened.
I became better at the work I was already doing.
My focus became sharper.
My decision-making became clearer.
I handled challenges with greater patience.
The weight loss was visible.
The performance improvement was far more valuable.
A Personal Energy ROI Audit
Instead of asking:
How can I become more productive?
Try asking:
💎 Which activities consistently give me more energy than they consume?
💎 If my current lifestyle was an investment portfolio, would I continue investing in it?
💎 Which habits keep benefiting me long after I do them?
This idea has become an increasingly interesting lens in my coaching conversations with professionals and leaders.
If this is an area you would like to explore for your career, wellness, leadership journey, or professional performance, feel to BOOK A FREE 30-MIN CALL
Warmly,
Dilek
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