Say What?

Can you maintain a healthy lifestyle on the road?

Colleen Marsh, 47, Merrill, WI    
Professional driving experience: 1 year
“I lost 100 pounds by joining Weight Watchers. If Weight Watchers was easier to handle driving over the road, I’d still be on it. Truckers can maintain a healthy lifestyle, but you have to work at it. For one thing, you have to stop eating fried foods.”

Gary Fairchild, 51, Chesterfield, IN    
Professional driving experience: 35 years  
“I stop at Wal-Mart and buy fruit and healthy stuff like that to take with me. One thing that needs to change about this industry is the food at truck stops. You can’t get a good meal anymore. It’s fast food, and that’s just not good for you.”

Christiana Whitten, 23, Albany, NY
Professional driving experience: 3 years     
“We stop at Wal-Mart, and instead of getting a bag of potato chips, I try to buy something that’s healthier and manage the portions of food. With the new DOT health regulations coming out, more and more drivers are starting to pay more attention to their diet and health.”

Larry Fournice, 37, Albany, NY
Professional driving experience: 11 years  
“We do our own cooking instead of eating at the truck stops. We have a dog with us, so I get out of the truck and walk around as much as I can. I make a habit of parking at the back of the truck stop so I can get in a good walk. There’s been a lot of news lately that the trucking business is high risk for stroke and heart attacks, so every time I go to bed I think about it.”

Cindy Stowe, 60, Dallas, TX
Professional driving experience: 17 years  
“I happen to be one of the 10 women participating in the Women in Trucking and Roadside Medical Clinics’ weight-loss challenge. I’ve changed my eating habits. I also do a lot of walking. I’ve lost 22 pounds so far.”