Tips for Truckers: How to Stay Fit While On the Road

The list of pros of being a trucker is long: you get paid to take in the beauty of our vast nation, there's no boring office environment, etc. One downside to being a professional truck driver, however, is the potential risk to your health, if you aren't making a conscious effort to take care of yourself. According to a 2014 survey done by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 69% of long-haul truckers are obese. In addition, a Gallup-Healthways analysis found that transport workers have the highest risk for chronic health problems of any other occupational group. We at SWTDT want our graduates to not only move on to long and happy careers, but also to have healthy lives. We feel that the latter is key in achieving the former. Below we have outlined some of the best nutrition and fitness tips that are relevant to the trucker lifestyle, but these can also be applied to anyone who travels for work. 

While this health advice was provided to us by an experienced certified personal trainer and weight management specialist, it is not intended to serve as medical advice. As always, consult with your doctor before starting any new diet or fitness routine. 

1. Make your truck your workout buddy. You don't need an entire gym full of equipment to get a great workout. You can easily get your heart rate up and work on toning your body with just body weight exercises, or using resistance bands. If you get creative, you'll find that there are many ways to put your truck to work for you; from looping resistance bands around the inner door handle to doing step-ups onto the side step. Throw in a mat and maybe even some adjustable-weight dumbbells, and you can easily create variety and challenge yourself with just a few, small pieces of equipment. You can also skip all of that equipment listed above and just invest in a TRX suspension training system, which can be attached to the door of your rig, or any other sturdy structure that is 7 to 9 feet high (even a tree). You can work every muscle in your body with this one exercise tool. Here's a great video of someone who has some great workouts with his truck as his workout buddy: https://www.thehealthytrucker.net/video-truck-driver-workouts/
   
2. Set a specific goal. Maybe it's lowering blood pressure, increasing energy levels, or simply having an easier time climbing into your truck. Whatever your reason is for exercising or eating healthy, if you don't set a goal for yourself, it's easy to let ambitions fall to the wayside. And telling yourself that you have a goal is not enough. It is important to write down specifically what you want to achieve, and make sure that it is something that is reasonable. When you set impossible goals for yourself, it is easy to become discouraged and to give up altogether. Then, you want to find ways to keep yourself motivated. Whatever it is that works for you, maybe a photograph or motivational quote, make sure to refer to it daily. 
3. Exercise when and where you can. Time can no longer be an excuse with this method. We do understand that a professional truck driver's schedule can be hectic. However, there are a few times where you're on the job, but just standing around waiting. These small windows of time, even though they aren't all grouped together into one block, are perfect opportunities to squeeze in parts of your workout. One example of so-called wasted time is when you're waiting to be loaded or unloaded. If you keep your workout simple and free of most equipment, this should be an easy solution to the time issue.
4. If you're not driving or eating, quit sitting around! Sitting all day can be harmful your back, and even worse on your health, if you let it be. A good portion of Americans sit for their jobs... and then they go home and sit on the couch. You can choose to go the other direction. If you are waiting on something and you have done your workout already (gold star!), it would be better to walk around the block, pace around your truck, or whatever works in the situation. 
5. Plan meals in advance. With this country so well mapped, it is hardly ever a surprise as to what restaurants you will come upon while on the road (and with menus available online, it's also easy to decide in advance what you're going to eat). Plus, many drivers who have dedicated routes have likely become pretty familiar with the best places to stop. When you make the decision ahead of time to order the healthier meal, it makes it easier to follow through on that decision in the moment. The smells of all the tempting-yet-dangerous food are easier to ignore. But let's take it one step further and talk about your cooler or mini fridge. We would encourage you to stop at a grocery store and to portion out healthy snacks for yourself. Make sure to fuel up on those snacks every few hours, and you'll notice that your energy levels go up. You'll also be less likely to grab the fastest, greasiest burger in sight when you're adequately nourished.
   
6. Drink more water. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight, in ounces, of water (soda and juices don't count) per day. More if you consume caffeinated drinks or if you're exercising/sweating excessively. Many times, people think they are hungry when they are actually dehydrated, and end up consuming more food than they should.  Keeping the body continuously hydrated also helps keep blood pressure stable and energy levels where they should be. 

What are the biggest challenges you face when trying to stay healthy on the road? Do you have any other ideas for professional truck drivers looking to live a healthier lifestyle?