Health Tips

By Bob Perry

There’s weigh too much to lose

Just like your rig, running a heavy load wears your body down and puts you at risk for health problems. This is an ongoing battle for the professional driver, and it is the nature of this rugged profession.

Time to scale back?

Losing weight doesn’t mean you have to live like a triathlete, but by making a few simple lifestyle changes, you might begin to feel like one. Eating better, drinking more water and getting some regular exercise can make all the difference. If you’re looking to shed a few pounds, or you just want to live a healthier lifestyle, here are some tips:

1. Get your legs moving

I recommend strongly that you fit in exercise times whenever you can even, if it is only in short doses, meaning that it’s all about the intensity in which you perform the exercise. When you get time to walk, warm up first with slow steps, then pick up your pace for 30 seconds and slow back down for 30 seconds. Repeat that pace for 10 minutes. In just a few days, you will notice that the pace will become easier.

2. Put water to work

Next, carry a gallon jug of water in each hand (start with the jugs half-full). As you walk, do slow and steady bicep curls, eventually working up to full jugs of water. You can burn 200 calories this way.

3. Eat smarter

Try to begin making better nutrition choices whenever possible. If you choose to have a turkey sandwich and water at lunch, you can save another 315 calories. These simple changes will allow you to lose 1.5 pounds in just one week.
     I coach drivers through these same challenges every day, and it always comes down to the basic issues that drivers constantly fight: time, energy and choices. Give my three tips a try–they work! Remember that results appear over time, not overnight.
You can do this!

Bob Perry
The Trucker Trainer
President
Roadside Medical Clinic