A Polite Request...(copied from general discussion)

Welcome to the Forum Allison! I'm new here myself but I've got a feeling you're gonna get some good help!

 

I hope this is the first of many responses.

 

Hey Allison... Good subject.

For me I eat as healthy on the road as off. I start with a pretty good breakfast, usually cereal, cheerio's, wheaties, and such. I also often have a yogurt with granola bits.... yummy. I snack on fruits through out the day, grapes, bananna's, plums, all sorts.
I drink water and I usually have an ensure every other day.

Eating healthy isn't that hard on the road. Getting exercise was, but now that I am flatbedding I am getting more. However, the cold temps hinder exercise more, not really going on as many walks in sub zero temps, however, I do have my own little cab yoga routine LOL

I am still new to trucking but so far I feel I am still living as healthy as I did before. I have never been a big fast food eater, I cook a lot on my truck, pretty much like I do at home.

However, I think there are a lot of truckers who do not eat healthy on the road and would benefit from your work.

Good Luck and keep us updated, let us know where we can read your work, many of us like to read out here and would enjoy reading about your findings...

 

1. Please recall a typical day on the road, and describe what you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I usually skip breakfeast and for lunch I may eat a sandwhich with some fruit. Dinner maybe the same or sometimes I may skip that too.
2. Are you familiar with the current USDA food pyramid? If so, do you feel you meet it's requirements on a daily basis while on the road? If not, in what food groups are you lacking the most?
No. Im probably lacking alot.
3. Are nutrient-rich foods (whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean protein) readily available to you while on the road? If no, what types of food would you like to have available to you?
Dont know about whole grain but fruit I usually get from Walmart or whatever store I can get the truck into or people on the side of the road selling fruit. And I dont eat lean prducts.
4. Do you exercise? How often? How?
Yes I exercise. I would say evey other day. If its during the day ill walk around the stop stop other than that I play my wII for exercise.
5. Do you take a nutritional supplement (vitamins, shakes, etc.) while on the road?
Nope.
6. Do you feel you would benefit from having a nutrition class specifically for drivers provided by your employer?
Maybe it couldnt hurt.
7. Do you currently have any medical issues? (Please note, detail is not required and if you would prefer to leave this blank, you may...however I feel that the lack of availability of nutritious food effects the health of many drivers and would like to have some data to support that theory)
Yes im a diabetic, i have asthma( sorry about the misspelling) and bronkitis.
8. What do you consider to be healthful eating?
I guess foods with less fat.
9. What type of establishment do you typically eat at while on the road (fast food, cafe, diner, buffet, casual restaurant)?
Usually only ihop maybe an occasional truck stop.
10. What do you typically drink while on the road?
Pop and juiice. I know i should drink water but I dont like it. I chew on ice though!!!

 

1. What I eat varies widely. For breakfast, this morning I had a banana and yogurt. Sometimes I eat a restaurant meal, usually an omelet. When I'm in a hurry, I snack out of a box of Cheerios while driving. For meals, I eat prepared dinners a lot ( such as frozen dinners or microwave meals). Canned soup. Sandwiches and wraps are also a common part of my diet. I usually eat some fruit with it. Snacks are cheese, granola bars, nuts, raw veggies with dip, maybe some crackers. If I'm at a fast food joint, I get a sandwich and fruit if they have it, if they don't just the sandwich. At a sit down restaurant, grilled meat, either chicken or fish, and veggies. If I don't like the veggies they offer, baked potato with a little butter.

2. Yes and no. I'd say whole grains and veggies.

3. Somewhat. I'm not sure I'd say readily. And the selection is very limited. I'd like to see more variety in fruits and vegetables offers, and more seafood.

4.Oh, yes! I'm a very active person and I go stir crazy sitting in the truck. I jog and lift weights in the morning except when I'm very busy. When I have time later in the day, I'll walk or ride my bike. Sometimes I just do some light aerobics and stretching in the truck if the weather is very bad.

5.Yes, a multivitamin, a calcium supplement, a fish oil supplement, and a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement.

6.No, I've studied nutrition pretty extensively already.

7.Nope (knock on wood)

8.Wide variety and as close to it's natural state as it can be. (Example, an apple is better than applesauce, applesauce is better then apple pie, etc.)

9.All of the above, plus the truck cabinet and cooler.

10.I have a bottle of OJ first thing in the morning, then it's water the rest of the day. I do occasionally buy a pint of milk, but that's not common.

 

here are my answers, please note i live and work in italy

1. Please recall a typical day on the road, and describe what you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I have found out in years on the truck that if i eat 5 times a day like i would do at home i do get fat, mostly because i don't have the possibility to eat quality food, so basically i only eat a few snakes during the day consisting in fruits and maybe some whey protein than i eat at night a huge meal consisting in meat vegetables and carbohydrates.

2. Are you familiar with the current USDA food pyramid? If so, do you feel you meet it's requirements on a daily basis while on the road? If not, in what food groups are you lacking the most?
i am familiar with the food pyramid, i should be allright

3. Are nutrient-rich foods (whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean protein) readily available to you while on the road? If no, what types of food would you like to have available to you?
i cook it at home and try to bring at least 4 meals with me and all i need, food on the road is expensive,before it was possible to eat at the restaurant everiday,now once a week maybe twice if i meet some friends on the road

4. Do you exercise? How often? How?
saturday and sunday i powerlift,i haven't seen much improvement in all this years, but doing a sport and our lifestyle don't go hand in hand

5. Do you take a nutritional supplement (vitamins, shakes, etc.) while on the road?
fish oil,green tea,vitamins,whey
6. Do you feel you would benefit from having a nutrition class specifically for drivers provided by your employer?
average driver in europe is fat and eats everithing unhealty they can get their hands on, most drivers here would laugh at such an idea

7. Do you currently have any medical issues? (Please note, detail is not required and if you would prefer to leave this blank, you may...however I feel that the lack of availability of nutritious food effects the health of many drivers and would like to have some data to support that theory)
no

8. What do you consider to be healthful eating?
i think i am doing fine,since i eat this way i am below 200lbs, before i was around 240

9. What type of establishment do you typically eat at while on the road (fast food, cafe, diner, buffet, casual restaurant)?
once or twice a week at whatever truck stop i find a parking place

10. What do you typically drink while on the road?
water and fruit juice



Once again, I thank you for your help! If you are interested in reading the article after it's published, please PM me with your email address and I would be glad to forward you a copy.

-Allison[/QUOTE]