Warning about taking care of yourself while driving...

When I drove(regional-local) I stopped at fast food because I never had enough time. My wife asked me what I was doing for lunch and I told her, "I am eating at fast food", she did not like that. What she did was go to the grocery store and she bought me carrots, and various other easy to eat raw vegetables and put them in a sandwich bag. I ate those instead of eating chips and that helped me stay away from fast food and junk food. I know driving can be un-heathy but we as drivers can try to eat better and even get out and walk around the truck a few times if we can't get out and stretch our legs some.

 

As someone nearing 70, I have lost many friends who were truckers. I know there is some debate on things like smoking (I won't touch this hot button topic with a mile-long pole) and what "normal" lab levels are. There are many health-related issues a person should be mindful of as they leave their 30s and enter their 40s and beyond. Every extra pound you carry increases your chances of having trouble with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes can ravage your heart, extremities, and eyes. Eating fast food all the time can cause problems with things like coronary artery disease and weight gain. I don't remember if I shared this in TTR or somewhere else. A good friend from high school recently passed away after a heart attack. He did make it to the ER, but died a few minutes after he got there. Developing good health habits while in your early years, <35, can lead to many good years >50.

I did not take care of myself in those early years. When I finally retired, I was almost 75 pounds overweight. I am paying a horrid cost for those years today.

Although I know we have ladies, I am going to end my comment this way. Gentlemen, what good is your CDL if you medically can't drive? What good are you to your loved ones 6 feet under?

I recommend that everybody get a good exam with lab work. Lose that spare tire around your gut. If you are diabetic, get those blood sugars under control before they blind you.

Listen, there is nothing wrong with eating a chicken-fried steak for breakfast. Or a hamburger. Everything in moderation. AND GET PLENTY OF EXERCISE!!!

 

Yes there great you really would be surprised how quickly you can build up your step count

 

unless As a driver you are doing flatbed or heavy haul or food deliveries it’s very hard for the reefer and dry van drivers to get any physical Activity, I totally Agree loosing that spare tyre and changing eating habits are very important for a long life.

 

There is an old saying I have heard all of my adult life. "Can't, couldn't do anything." Changing lifestyle and eating habits is far from easy. The problem is that if you want to do something bad enough, you will do it. When it comes to health, I am reminded of a thread I started some months ago. Understand, I 100% hope the FMCSA does not, at some future point, adopt these new BP standards. If they do a huge amount of drivers are going to lose their medicals. To avoid an argument, I am NOT saying they will. I'm saying I hope they don't. Back in the 1990s, when they dropped that top BP number from 160 to 140, a lot of drivers started on BP meds with 1-year physicals. I am just going to say I hope I am wrong, but I will actively warn everybody to get ahead of this. If the FMCSA adopts these new standards, they won't give much advanced notice other than their notice of intent on the Federal Register.

 

Moriarty NM the home of Wolfmans CB shop.

 

I try to take health a little more seriously now that I am solidly into middle age territory at nearly 45. All fun and games when you’re a young man…you can do all the wrong things and it won’t really tell on you that much. I can feel it catching up to me though. I don’t care if I ever squat 4 plates again but I sure do go out of my way to go for walks and jogs a lot now. Doesn’t have to be every day…some days it just ain’t in the cards because of the weather or it was just a late one. Several times a week though I can find or make the time to go pound out a couple miles in the area around the truck stop. There’s always time if you make time, and conversely there’s always an excuse if you’re looking for one.