Dedicated/staying fit questions

By negative impact on your weight I'm assuming you mean you are gaining weight by eating "lots of protein, fresh veggies/fruit". If your protein sources are largely red meat and animal protein that might have some impact, but I certainly have a good steak now and then. For animal based proteins I rely more on fish and eggs.

When I got back into trucking a couple of years ago I was 35 lbs over weight. Truck stop fast food wasn't helping the matter. Then due to some health scares in the family (cancer and diabetes) I decided to get serious about my diet. I radically reduced my intake of refined sugar and started eating fresh vegetables and fruit after getting a 12v cooler in the truck. I also started eating plain yogurt for a probiotic boost.

What I found on this diet was that my desire to eat sugary products started to fall away, along with my weight. It was an effortless six month loss of 35 lbs, back down to the weight I was when I graduated college decades ago.

The BULK of what I eat now is fresh salads or fresh fruit. My salads aren't the plain Jane lettuce and tomato affairs that most folks feel a need to smother in high calorie (read "sugar loaded") salad dressings. Instead I've focused on herbs and vegetables that have a much higher vitamin and mineral content and powerful flavor that stand up and slap your tongue around: arugula, basil, bok choi, watercress, sugar snap peas, sweet peppers, dill, chives, etc. My salad dressing is a liberal amount of good olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then I'll sop up the leftover with a slice of bread.

Concentrate on eliminating as much sugar from your diet as possible. Most fast food or convenience foods have surprisingly (shockingly) high amounts of sugar. Refined sugar is an addictive and toxic substance that alters the ecology of bacteria in your gut, making you prone to obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease (to name just a few of the degenerative diseases associated with high sugar intake).

Walking is the cheapest and most accessible exercise. I try to walk as much as possible on my 30 minute or 10 hour breaks.

 

Originally being from Seattle I have a serious Jones for good coffee. I've taken to making instant Starbucks with my 12v water heater. Used to take cream and lots of sugar in my coffee, but that's been dialed back to either black or a little raw honey. Like I say, it's surprising how radically my sense of taste has changed. It used to be I could sit down and finish an entire quart of Breyer's, now I can't stand the stuff. Hershey's chocolate bars with almonds? A staple. Now I'm down to a small square of bittersweet chocolate (5 gms or less per serving) and now even that's too sweet. The cacao is an excellent source of antioxidants and also works to boost the probiotics in yoghurt. I've also started to add 100% cacao to my coffee, but boy did I ever need to dial that one back. Kept me up ALL day AND night.

 

First thing is that you have to eliminate ALL carbs inc sugar. And that is not easy but can be done over time. Eating too much protein can still make you gain weight so eating more fat, plus fresh fruits and veges to fill you up is a better option. It's a myth that animal fat is bad for you IMHO. For instance I eat plenty of variety of cheeses and best butter on the truck. I'm usually on what's called a ketogenic diet, look it up and do a google search. Even though you may not do much exercise, this diet will help you either lose weight or maintain the status quo. It's not so much a diet but a change in lifestyle.

Over time you will find you're eating less. I'm 61 yrs old and weigh 180. And just as important, I'm not on any medication. I used to be a fat kid and my metabolic rate is low, meaning I gain weight easily. What you eat is the most important component of living.
This ketogenic diet makes your liver very efficient and promotes burning of your fat store in the body. Eating carbs just creates too many problems. We eat waaaaay too much. Too much sugar is added to our foods.

Also another writer suggested you look at books written by an ex convict who took up the almost obsolete training of calisthenics. Which uses only your body weight in exercising. A great idea that I'm going to implement. Being stuck in a cell for hours on end doesn't exactly promote fitness but this guy managed it and added great strength to his physique......a book called Convict Conditioning is interesting reading. You don't need fancy equipment.
Losing weight is a huge challenge but can be done despite all the propaganda and mis information out there. Diets don't work. You have to make a huge change in your lifestyle.
Good luck.

 

when I would stop at truckstops or rest areas I would run to the bathroom and then around the area a few times, if it was safe, knock out a set of pushups, dips using the benches, situps. wasnt quite the best workout but helped and helped with alertness too. I saw a trucker at the Petro outside of spokane once that had a fold up weight bench that he carried on his truck and some dumbells....thought if I ever drive solo, I may try that...

 

I find throwing iron is good exercise.

 

yeh, sometimes it'd b 5 minutes, sometimes 15-25. just depended on what the schedule allowed. I was driving team with my wife and when she was taking her 30 I would use that opportunity to get in a good workout and go back to sleep. think thats one of my biggest incentives for doing flatbed, at least I'd get some physical exertion...but I could see it working for solo OTR; drive nine hours, shut down for the day, go for a run and get a good workout, and still have plenty of time to relax, wash cloths, and sleep...I may eat my words once I get back out there....

 

I pack a cooler full of nothing but RAW fruits & veggies. drink only water while on the road. make time to workout while at home.