Fitness & Nutrition for Truckers

I hired a young woman who modeled her way through college but couldn't find work once she graduated and completed her other studies. She is a certified trainer, nutritionist, and master of the Kama Sutra. She travels with me, keeps me mentally and physically fit and properly fed and makes for pretty good company, too. She costs about $150k year to keep happy but she doesn't eat much and can chain up inside of 15 minutes. I highly recommend this to any trucker with the means.

 

I dont like chiming in on the all the fitness and nutrition stuff because the info is already there and really basic. But one of the biggest things you can do for your health is actually mental health. If your not mentally healthy, your body is not healthy. Best thing you can do for yourself is learn how to become mentally healthy, the rest will follow.

 

@ Ghost Driver:

Great info in your post and you had me pecked for never doing yoga before. I am about as flexible as a 2x4 and try my best with my stretches to get better. I am a guy that could never sit cross legged as a kid either. Glad you brought up sugar. I know my sweet tooth gets me all the time, but looking at food you can see most items are loaded with sugar. Even stuff you think and made to believe is healthy is often times just full of sugar. It really takes time to find the lower sugar items out there. Eating healthy does take an effort and it is not always cheap either, but the health benefit goes a long way.

@ Chris M:

You really brought up one of the most important parts to being healthy. Trucking got to be one of the most stressfull jobs out there. There is always something to worry, stress or be mad about. That is the part one has to be able to let go and I know that is easier said than done. There are days the stress gets to me and my neck muscles are so tight that it will makes me wonder when my head will just blow the top off. I have to step away and do something different to get out of that mind set and I will start feeling better. Exercise is great for that even it is the last thing I want to do most of the times. I can zone out and I start to relax and feel better.


Looks like there is some good advise out there now we have to just come up with a way od encouraging each other and doing the right thing. Maybe there is a "Jerry Craig" out there that can keep us all going. He will have a little kiosk at the Petro or TA and is just full of good advise.

 

I actually think that's a field that major fitness industries are really missing - get a trailer like they use for the trucker's chapels and have fitness classes that are specifically for drivers - then they can sell books and videos with workout schedules filmed inside actual trucks. I think they'd make a fortune.

 

Great strides in driver health could be obtained if truckstops (with full restaurants) would simply provide REASONABLE portions of reasonable foods and provide a few healthy protein choices on the buffet. If a driver must or wants to consume 1,300 calories at lunch, he can eat the buffet. these chicken fried steaks that weigh a pound along side another 10 ounces of mashed potatoes is what's making us fat. Too many don't have the discipline to leave some of the food on the plate. And why should they? They paid $10.95 for the meal, they're going to get their money's worth, even if it kills them.

 

That is the reason I have given up on the buffets. If I pay $9.95 I want to eat at least $20.00 worth of food and we all now how that feels and ends.

 

Staying mentally healthy is easier said then done but once someone fiqures out what it takes it is easy to do. For some people a simple prescription will do the trick, but most importantly is doing something that makes you happy. Making time for yourself is something we do not get as much as others do so making sure you do this will give you something to work for besides bills. Also learning how to cope with things that happen along the road. I have seen it a lot, someone will have some form of trouble with lights, air or something that you chase, and it always fails when you need it the most, but if you learn how to keep a cool head and attack the issues with a level head instead of screw IT attitude your already ahead of the game. Problems are like fights, it takes two. If you think you not part of the group that needs help mentally, then you should probably swallow your pride and see a doctor and see what things can be done to help improve your health mentally, be it naturally or perscriptions. I will say this, i see a doctor every 3 months, take a perscription and live a great life. But before then, i was very short fused , always negative and nothing nice to say and I weighed 265 then. Now i am still me but better, i deal with people better, take advantages the day gives me and do it with a smile, not to mention i am far healthier than i have ever been. As of today I weigh in at 183, i dont eat out of stress, no drinking to put a smile on my face and am once again me. I still eat icecream for dinner and bag of chips here and there, put a little sugar in my coffee with that #### maple bar in the other hand! My point is this, exercise and food is a great start but just like the people on the show biggest loser, the real battle is the mental battle.

Also for the record perscriptions tend to be a touchy subject on this forum, generally speaking, so keep the bashing to a different thread. Keep in mind your doctor, if you inform them, probably already knows whats allowed and not allowed far as regulations go and will work with that also to keep you in a job.

 

As Chris said, mental health is pretty much a "what works for you" kind of deal. For me it comes down to a few basic things:

1) Perspective. First and foremost, I don't look at everything bad that happens to me as a personal affront. When I start to feel frustrated over a situation, I try to find the funny side to it. It takes practise but once you start doing it regularly, it's hard to stop. It's also really hard to be stressed out, frustrated, angry or panicked when you're laughing at something. So put a chuckle in your heart, it'll help you live longer.

2) Don't argue with emotion - argue with logic. Don't shout at people or even raise your voice unless it's necessary to be heard. When someone argues with you, point out the facts of the matter and review them with the person. It might turn out you're dead wrong - if that's the case, smile, apologize and move on. Nobody's perfect, not even you. If you happen to be right, present your case but don't beat a dead horse. If they're not willing to accept what you say, move on. If it's your dispatcher, just remember the golden rule - he can say anything, promise anything - it's not his ### on the line if you screw up or get caught doing something you shouldn't.

3) Know your route but be accepting of detours and heavy traffic. When it happens, you won't be upset, because you already left an hour early for your delivery - right? Speaking of which, try to plan your routes so you're hitting major city loops outside of rush hours or lunch hours.

4) Meditation. If you don't know how to meditate, try sitting up straight and count your breaths (in+out=one) from one to nine, start back at one after that. After awhile you'll notice your shoulders relax, your breathing smooths out...eventually when you open your eyes things will actually feel more in control and you'll feel a bit more at peace.

5) Have a conversation with fellow drivers, go to church when you can if you're a religious person. Nothing says peace of mind like following your faith. If you can't go to church, read a book, listen to a broadcast or watch a video. If you're an atheist, take some time to marvel at all the amazing beauty around you, created by random chance. Whatever it is, get in touch with that part of you that can still be amazed by a butterfly.

Later!