AFT or no AFT, there is the matter of personal pride. Fat, unfit people in uniform are an embarrassment to their colleagues. Whilst I was job searching, a number of recruiters stressed how important first impressions are - good suit, shirt and tie good haircut, looking trim (and I roll out at 215 lbs), a trip to the sun-bed , nasal hairs trimmed, etc. Some of you might scoff this advice, but if you are going for a high profile/ high paying appointment, image matters as much as your CV., especially at the interview stage.
It might be me, but if I've been doing a bit of exercise, able to see my toes again and my cheekbones return, I feel a lot more positive, sleep better and have more energy both for work and my family. Now that can't be bad?