Driver Lifestyles

Eating in The Driver's Seat

More than 60 percent of adult Americans (about 127 million) are categorized as being overweight or obese, according to the most recent Centers for Disease Control studies.  Each year, obesity causes at least 300,000 deaths in the United States and costs approximately $100 billion in health care.

Studies show that approximately 73 percent of commercial motor vehicle drivers are overweight and more than 50 percent are obese. 

The costs associated with obesity-related health issues in sick days and out-of-pocket expenses can add up to thousands of dollars per year for an professional driver and even rob you of the ability to make a living in trucking.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration plans to create a National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners to make passing the Department of Transportation-required physical a more rigorous process.

Obesity-related diseases will be more carefully scrutinized, and there will be more emphasis on driver health and fitness.

Drivers who have skated under the more lax requirements will find themselves scrambling to address their health issues.

What's to be done?
It should come as no surprise that the health professionals' mantra of 'diet and exercise' is still the best way to lose weight and to keep it from returning.

Let's look at the more enjoyable of the two:

Healthy eating increases energy, improves the way your body functions, strengthens your immune system and thwarts weight gain.

Healthful eating can prevent the risk of developing certain diseases such as cancer and heart disease. It is also helpful in treating diabetes and high blood pressure. Following a special diet can reduce symptoms, and may help you better manage an illness or condition.  In short, you'll feel better.

For the expediter whose time-sensitive freight keeps him/her on the run from pickup to delivery, taking time for a healthy meal might be impractical.  Spending most of your days (and nights) working hard on a tight schedule leaves little time to worry about eating balanced meals.

It's especially difficult for the professional driver to find healthy choices on the road, but it is possible.

Let's start at the beginning, and that means breakfast. You need energy to do things.  Breakfast gives you that energy. 

A healthy breakfast should contain some protein and some fiber. Protein can come from meat and eggs.  Fiber can be found in whole cereals, grains or in fruits.

A good example of a healthy breakfast might be something simple like a hard boiled egg, an orange, and a bowl of whole grain cereal with low-fat milk. 

Stay away from the sugary cereals, syrups, pastries, and white breads because they are digested quickly and will leave you hungry and tired in a couple of hours.  Protein and fibers will keep the hunger pangs away until lunch time. 

In the restaurant
The main concerns with restaurant meals are the portion sizes and making the right choice.  There are several things drivers can do to guide them towards healthy restaurant eating.

The first key to eating healthy while at restaurants is to stay away from anything fried or with a mysterious "special sauce" and go with anything grilled, broiled or steamed.  Second, appetizers offer smaller portions in comparison to full meals.

Third, only eat half of what you order and take the rest with you in a doggy bag for a snack later on.

Most importantly though, just because the food is in front of you, does not mean you have to finish your plate - stop eating when you feel full.

Exercising restraint in the amount of food you consume hasn't been made easier by food marketers.  Food portion sizes have increased, as have the actual size of dinner plates, bowls, cups and coffee mugs.

Something as simple as choosing a smaller plate or dish can make a big difference.

Spread out calories.  Waiting all day to eat an enormous meal results in over eating so don't make a habit of eating your biggest meal just before you turn in for the night.  Aim for three meals a day, plus snacks.  Your daily calorie intake should be spread out among your meals.
 
Go for variety.  Eating a burger and fries once or twice a week is not nearly as damaging as eating them every day.  Try a deli-style sandwich or a hoagie.

Again, eat smaller portions.

Follow the basics
Try for three meals a day with snacks or six mini-meals.  Stick as close to your normal schedule as possible.  And try to eat most of your food as early as you can during the day.

In the truck
One way to help you eat healthy, and save you money by eliminating at least a few restaurant meals, is to pack as much food as possible.  The truck refrigerator has been a standard item for quite some time now, and there's always the travel cooler for the cargo van.  Use them for more than just carrying a few cans of soda. 

Bring healthy snacks such as fresh fruit (apples, pears, bananas, etc.) or veggies like celery and carrots and low-fat, low-calorie snacks.  A plastic bag or plastic container of lean meats like chicken or turkey along with low-fat cheeses are a great, filling snack.  

There's a wide range of non-perishable food items that will help you on your healthy eating quest such as low-fat, whole-grain crackers, graham crackers, rice cakes, low-fat, low-salt pretzels and baked tortilla chips, to name a few.

And, how about dried fruits - raisins, apples, apricots, dates, figs, etc. and dry roasted nuts?  Don't forget high-fiber, low sugar, low-calorie choices granola and power/energy bars for a quick energy boost.

Always carry drinking water, preferably a gallon or more.  How many times have you been stuck in traffic and have found yourself with nothing to drink?  Probably not more than once.  Water is not only the source of life, but in a pinch, it can help kill hunger pangs for a short while.

Exercise
Professional drivers have fewer choices when it comes to exercise.  The key to success is to make it a regularly planned part of your day.  Walking is the most convenient and easiest way to begin a fitness program.  If you can work just five minutes of exercise into your day, you'll see results in your energy level, which helps in motivation.

A Schneider National health counselor has calculated 32 trips around a tractor-trailer equals one mile but you don't have limit yourself to the truck stop parking lot.  With the wider parking opportunities afforded the expedited straight truck or cargo van, you can visit malls, state parks, the beach or a number of more scenic areas than just the Flying J.

Cycling has long been a popular exercise and hobby for drivers. A bike will fit into any size truck and you get to see more of the countryside, too. 

Keep some free weights in the truck and use them.  Try jogging in place, jumping jacks or lean against the truck and do push-ups.  Hold in your abdominals tightly when doing these exercises, so that you are always working them.

You can do it!
Losing weight and increasing overall fitness doesn’t have to be an impossible dream. Start with realistic goals, load up on good nutritional information and take the first steps toward a gradual fitness program. Your health depends on it, and soon, so will your livelihood.

Sources
www.health.com
www.ediets.com