http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/blog.php?u=45736 Join the largest trucking community online. Get advice, find out how to become a trucker, and which trucking companies to work for. Discuss trucking issues and news, and find solutions to your problems. en Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:44:30 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/images/truckers/misc/rss.jpg http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/blog.php?u=45736 http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1910 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:24:27 GMT “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” – *Albert Einstein* And thus, starts the typical cycle in... “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein

And thus, starts the typical cycle in America(and Canada too). I got myself into this mess, and I can get myself out. No, I don’t need anyone to show me a better way. I already know it. I just need the right circumstances to implement it. I just need something good to happen to me, so that I can change my ways. I just need this first. I just need that first.



Most don’t want to admit they need help. And most will procrastinate on changing their ways, because it’s familiar to them. Payments are familiar. Going out to eat is familiar. Fueling up and using the VISA to pay is familiar. Paying on a student loan 15 years after college is familiar. Paying on a mortgage for 25 years is familiar.

It takes a true change in ones’ mindset for them to realize there’s a better way, and that they should be doing it. It takes a test of ones’ will, and pride, to do more than just see the better way, but to implement it.

Most will never get to this stage in life. And thus, mediocrity continues on for them.

Is mediocrity going to continue on for you too, driver? ]]> TheHealthyDriver http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1910 http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1905 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:23:15 GMT As of my typing this, I’ve been at home for nearly 2 weeks. Nothing really going out from where I am. But, I can afford it, since I’ve done well... As of my typing this, I’ve been at home for nearly 2 weeks. Nothing really going out from where I am. But, I can afford it, since I’ve done well with my budgeting. However, I’ve forgotten something quite important while at home. Hydration.

When I’m on the road, I’m always refilling my water bottle. It’s a habit. But, when I’m home, I don’t have the same habit ingrained in me. So, here I am, almost 2 weeks in to being at home, and JUST NOW, I’m realizing why my stomach is tightening up and hurting.

I’m not sick. It’s not from muscle overuse. I just haven’t been drinking any water. Lots of coffee. Some Diet 7. But, no water. Once it dawned

on me, I went and grabbed my water bottle and filled it up. 2/3 of the bottle later, and I’m feeling MUCH better, thank you.

So, what I’m trying to say, is remember to try and do the things that keep us healthy on the road, when at home too.

You don’t want to be forgetful like me, do you driver? ]]> TheHealthyDriver http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1905 http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1898 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:22:20 GMT This post is for those who have quite a few pounds to lose. Maybe it’s 50lbs. It could be 75lbs. Hell, you may have 100lbs or more to lose, before... This post is for those who have quite a few pounds to lose. Maybe it’s 50lbs. It could be 75lbs. Hell, you may have 100lbs or more to lose, before you’re looking and feeling healthy again. So, with such a high number, are you feeling discouraged? Are you thinking that it’s too much to lose, and that it will take too long? Well, let’s break it down with real life numbers.

As of the date of this post, it is August 16, 2010(although I admit, I typed this out over a week ago). With it being August 16, that would mean there are just over 18 weeks until that dreaded Christmas dinner. Now, 18 weeks may not seem like a long time, HOWEVER, if you were to start on a decent diet and exercise system, and lost a very realistic 1 pound per week, that would translate into your being 18 pounds lighter. Not a bad start, really. And what if you decided to be a little more diligent in your training and eating, and lost 2 pounds a week? 36 pounds gone before the holidays. Now, if you’re a much bigger person, with more to lose, you could potentially see a 3 pound per week loss. 54 pounds gone before turkey time. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

And what of trying to do what you can before summer? There are just over 41 weeks until June, 2011. Plug in those numbers again. 1 pound a week loss is 41 pounds lost by next summer. 2 pounds a week is 82 pounds. 3 pounds a week is 123 pounds. So, even the truly large truck driver can do something about his body image and composition before next summer. All it takes is to realize that it’s all in small steps. Lots of small steps add up to a long journey.

An old saying that I’ve come across from time to time goes like this: How do you eat an elephant? – One bite at a time.

So, Driver, are you ready to take that first bite? ]]> TheHealthyDriver http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1898 http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1883 Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:31:01 GMT You’ve been looking at yourself, and noticing that expanding waistline. It’s not what you used to have. It’s not want you want to have. So, what... You’ve been looking at yourself, and noticing that expanding waistline. It’s not what you used to have. It’s not want you want to have. So, what are you going to do about it?

First off, analyze your liquid intake. If you drink pop, stop. Quit cold turkey. Switch to water. Or, if you’re like myself and can’t handle the taste of water, make better decisions than what you have been.

When I made the switch from pop to something healthier, I switched to diet iced tea. The cost was virtually the same, but the impact on my health, and on the visual I portrayed, was rather dramatic. Not dramatic as in “Wow, in 3 days I’ve lost 50lbs!”, however I did easily lose about 20 pounds in 2 to 3 months.

Nowadays, I still drink iced tea, however I use the Nestea crystals, and I use twice the amount of water that is called for one packet. I bring a Rubbermaid, 1 litre bottle with me, and two 3 gallon(11 liter) refillable bottles of water with a pump. Easier on my health, and easier on my budget too.

Give it a try. If you don’t like it after a month, you can always go back to pouring the flavoured sugar known as soda pop down your gullet. However, what if you find you like it? Hmmmm? ]]> TheHealthyDriver http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1883 http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1879 Fri, 13 Aug 2010 02:43:14 GMT I’ve discussed budgeting a few times before. I’ve said that budgeting is one of the most important things a person can use to get themselves out of... I’ve discussed budgeting a few times before. I’ve said that budgeting is one of the most important things a person can use to get themselves out of debt. However, there is a category that should be on EVERY driver’s budget. Blow Money.

Following a budget can be quite stressful. Especially if this is something new to you. So, you’ve looked at your expenses, and looked at your income, and decided you will allocate every dollar NOT going to expenses, into getting rid of your debt. No wiggle room. No fun. Well, I’ll tell you right now, that means there is no way you’ll succeed.

You WILL end up wanting to spend a little money, here and there, on little things. It may be a chocolate bar(since you’ve done so well on your exercising, you deserve one treat, right?). It may be a CD that you were thinking of getting, and you found on sale. It could be anything. So, you see this item, and you decide to grab it on impulse. You’ve paid for it, and now are back in your truck. THIS is where the guilt will set in. You bought something, and it wasn’t in your budget, and now you feel like crap about it. Many people will start to feel like their attempt at a budget is a failure, and throw the budget right out the window. “I tried, and it didn’t work, so why try anymore?” However, what if you had a Blow Money category in your budget, for things just like this?

So, let’s go over the scenario again, but with a Blow Money category added.

Now, you see a CD that you’ve wanted for some time, and see it on sale. You think, “Can I really afford it?”. Then, you look into the Blow Money envelope, and see you have the cash for it. You grab the CD, go and pay for it, and back to your truck you go. Now, how do you feel? Well, no reason to feel guilty about a non-budgeted purchase, since it was budgeted for. Since there’s no guilt, no reason to blame the budget, and no reason to stop using the budget, right?

This little category, in my opinion, is what can make or break a budget. Can you imagine if you and your wife(or husband, for our female drivers) are trying to use a budget, and don’t have this category? How long do you think it will be until one of you makes an impulse purchase? How long after that, until you two are arguing about it? And how long after that until you two either throw away the budget, or throw away the marriage? This one category has the power to thwart ALL of these things. That’s pretty powerful, and mighty important, right?

So, Driver, do you think you could handle a little Blow Money in your life? ]]> TheHealthyDriver http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1879 http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1860 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:22:10 GMT Driving all day long sure can make one’s body start to seize up. The uncomfortability factor starts to ratchet up after a few hours of straight... Driving all day long sure can make one’s body start to seize up. The uncomfortability factor starts to ratchet up after a few hours of straight driving, and keeps on increasing as the day goes on. So, what can you do about it?

Quite simply, take your load check/tire check time to do more than just check your load and tires. Walk around the truck and trailer briskly, 2 or 3 times, to get the blood moving a little faster throughout the body. Then, do a little bit of stretching. Stretch your lower back and hamstrings, for sure. If you’re sore in your neck too, stretch it. Whatever is sore, stretch it out a bit.

Every day, take the extra 5-10 minutes during your load checks/tire checks time to warm up and stretch out, and your body will thank you for years to come.

Of course, I am assuming that you ARE doing your load checks/tire checks, as required by federal law.

Do you think you can afford a couple of minutes in order to alleviate some tension, Driver?

Do you think you can afford not to? ]]> TheHealthyDriver http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1860 http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1844 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 05:35:10 GMT I’m not sure how it happened, but it would seem that the wages for drivers has gone down over the past few years. So, quite a few drivers are having... I’m not sure how it happened, but it would seem that the wages for drivers has gone down over the past few years. So, quite a few drivers are having problems making ends meet on their wages. Now, if you don’t care for driving anymore, then you may as well find something else to do, as you’ll probably have more success in another area, if you like it more. However, what if you still love driving for a living, but need more cash?

Although it’s not an easy endeavour, it is always possible to start a second income stream. Do you have a great eye for antiques? When on your days off, see what you can find at bargain prices, and sell for a nice profit. Do you have a penchant for sports cards and memorabilia? Then get active into that arena whenever you can. Have you found yourself a goldmine of items at a cheap price that can be an easy resale? Start an E-Bay business. Do you have a past time you’re crazy about, and have a lot of knowledge in? Build a website, work on the material, and in time, offer products, advice, or even make it a pay for use website.

There are no shortages as far as what someone can do to try and make more money. And as a truck driver, you know you’ll always have some downtime, between being late at a shippers, or taking your reset, or what have you. So, if you don’t mind putting in a little time and brain power, do you think you could supplement your driving wages by another $500-$1000 a month? If you could, wouldn’t that just take the stress off of having to make a certain number of miles each week? If you could grow your side business into something larger, do you think you would enjoy being at home with your family?

I know that that’s my plan. ]]> TheHealthyDriver http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/entry.php?b=1844