Healthy Living as a Truck Driver

Living a healthy lifestyle can be difficult in the trucking profession. With the abundance of food available at truckstops and the limited amount of exercise that some trucking jobs entail, gaining weight can become a way of life. As we age, the increased weight leads to a strain on our hearts, which in turn can cause heart disease, heart attacks, and possible premature death.

Just in the past week, a trucker died from a heart attack while at the wheel of his rig. Thankfully, others were able to stop the vehicle before it could harm anyone. This situation and the deaths of many other drivers could be avoided with better eating and exercise. In this article, we will discuss the exercise part of a healthy trucking lifestyle.

Although many trucking jobs would not be classified as strenuous, drivers can increase their exercise regiment if they so choose. Pushups, sit-ups, and squats can be done inside the comfort and privacy of the sleeper. Walking and jogging can be done around the perimeter of the truck, and some mirrors of newer trucks such as the Kenworth T700 are strong enough to do a pull-up on. Be careful with this if the truck is not your own.

However, you do not have to do push-ups, sit-ups, or squats to get exercise. Adjusting your driving style can also increase your calorie usage. By using the clutch instead of floating the gears and turning off the cruise control, you will exercise both legs simultaneously.

Lastly, if you are in the market for a new trucking job and health is one of your priorities, pick a company where some manual labor is part of the job. Typically, flatbed, heavy haul, and some LTL trucking jobs give you the opportunity to move cargo, chains, or other objects and get exercise while you are working.

Always stretch before you exercise, and begin your routine slowly. Don't try to do fifty push-ups in a day or use the clutch all day if you have never done it before. Remember, exercise is a way of life. If you overdo it some days and don't exercise at all other days, you will discourage yourself and stop altogether. Make exercising a part of your job, and live a healthier lifestyle, one that will lead to a longer, fuller life.