SEATTLE— Out of work and overweight? Diet guru Jorge Cruise has news for you.

“People are only hiring people that are revved up, confident, and look their best,” Cruise said in an ad for his new book about belly fat.

He’s not the only one urging people to “shape up” to keep and find work. Eager to push their products, diet marketers are admonishing job-seekers that only the thin get hired.

It’s a loaded message for people like Lauren, who lost her interior design job in March.

"Stupid and annoying"

“It’s just a marketing ploy and it’s completely stupid and annoying,” to suggest that one must slim down to land a job.

At the same time, she added, “It makes me feel kind of bad.”

Lauren, who is 24 and lives in Seattle, said she’s suffered from eating disorders and insecurity about her appearance and being unemployed hasn’t helped.

She believes appearance is a factor in job interviews: “I think people generally like more attractive people subconsciously,” she said.

Studies show obese people, especially women, face discrimination on the job.

But do heavy people also have a harder time getting hired?

One nation, overweight

Paula Luker, who coordinates TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) groups for northwest Washington, believes being overweight is less of a hindrance than it has been in the past, now that “our population as a whole is a lot bigger.”

Idolina Reta, deputy director of the Washington State Human Rights Commission, said the agency rarely gets inquiries about weight discrimination, and has not seen an increase since the recession. (Discriminating against a person based on their weight is illegal only if the person’s weight is related to a disease or disability, Reta said.)

Embarrassment may keep people from complaining if they feel they’ve been discriminated against because of their size, Lauren said.

But Luker of TOPS said that especially among the young, the stigma of extra weight has diminished. It’s something she’s noticed running a cleaning company that sometimes serves sorority houses.

“I gotta tell ya, they’re getting bigger,” she said of the pledges.

Even among those who are extremely concerned about appearance, “It’s not size 0 to 4 anymore. It’s size ten to 12.”

That doesn’t mean people have stopped trying to lose weight or get in shape. Requests for financial assistance for membership at branches of the YMCA in the Seattle area jumped three percent since October 2008.

TOPS membership is up, too. The national nonprofit charges members $26 a year, a factor that has made it especially popular in the recession.

Weight loss after job loss

The economy has also taken a toll on the ranks of those looking to slim down. Commenters on Weight Watchers forums discuss ways to keep up their weight management habits even when they can no longer afford to pay for the program.

TOPS members who’ve lost their jobs often take a break from the group to focus on regaining their financial footing, Luker said.

 “If you’re having a rough spot, it’s kind of hard to concentrate on everything else,” she said.

Job-seekers shouldn’t abandon their efforts to control their weight, said Seattle life coach Denise Holz.

The two goals are complementary, she said; “The skills of living mindfully and with intention are the same for health and finding meaningful work.”

To help members acheive both, TOPS sponsors clothing swaps and workshops geared toward helping large people dress appropriately for work and job interviews.

Luker said the message is, “At the size you’re at, you’re can be successful at getting a job.”

Do you think being overweight can hurt your job prospects? Share your thoughts in the comments section.