You’ve heard it your whole life. Get up, move around, exercise, eat right. Right. Those can be difficult if you are a long-haul truck driver.
Your job consists of hours and hours behind a wheel performing a stressful task while maintaining a sedentary lifestyle. Sleep can be hard to come by on a routine basis, which can have a variety of health effects. The work can be monotonous. While you are driving, you are constantly jostled in your cab, which can cause back and overall body pain. To compensate, many truckers ingest a lot of caffeine and junk food to get energy and relieve boredom.
Back in 2011, the Canadian government invested heavily in a study by the University of Moncton to figure out why truck drivers live a decade less than the average Canadian. At Fleet Oil & Truck Supply, we care about the health of our truckers, and wanted to remind you of a few things that can make your life on the road better.
Don’t Use That 4-Letter Word
The word is ‘diet.’ It can strike frustration into the strongest of truckers. Instead, don’t concentrate on dieting to achieve weight loss. Concentrate on making choices that focus on your health. If you focus on ways to improve your health and strength, the weight may come off as a pleasant side effect.
Rethink 3 Square Meals a Day
Most of us were raised that you had Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. But really, that’s not the best for your blood sugar or energy levels. The best course of action to maintain good energy and focus is to eat smaller meals and more of them throughout the day. “Yeah, but how can I do that when I’m on the road 8 hours today?” Understood, but some planning and a little creativity can make all the difference.
Be sure and eat breakfast every day to get your mind and body fueled up.
Toss the chips and chocolate and replace them with fruit, nuts and seeds
Have a small refrigerator and microwave in your cab so you can take home-cooked meals on the road
Really study the restaurant’s salad options: choices are getting better all the time
Replace heavy fatty foods with lighter fare
Toss the soda and grab the water bottle instead
Avoid having your last meal right before bed, and definitely leave out the caffeine
Walk it Off, Sleep it Off, Stay Connected
Be sure and take your walking shoes to get some steps in at truck stops and motels
Bring a ‘white noise’ machine to plug in to reduce the noise that can keep you awake
Stay connected with your loved ones, who can help you reduce stress while on the road
Sit up straight in your cab: good posture can make your body feel better
Stretch it out: take every opportunity to stretch to relieve back pain
Weight it out: you can grab a couple of dumbbells to use for some weight training
At Fleet Oil & Truck Supply, we know your job can be tough. We are here for you when you need supplies to keep you up and running, so contact us if we can be of service to you!