Truck Drivers Living Healthy

A career in trucking is fun and rewarding. With the ability to drive across the nation and see the many wonders it has to offer, truck driving truly does provide many opportunities. However, with all the benefits of trucking come certain complications. One of the of the most prominent complications being health.

According to a study in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association eighty-six percent of the estimated 3.2 million truck drivers in the United States are overweight or obese. These numbers are staggering and cause for concern among the trucking industry. "Obesity is a terrible problem in the trucking industry," said Brett Blowers, director of marketing and development for the Healthy Trucking Association of America.

The sedentary lifestyle of truck drivers, spurred by unhealthy eating habits is causing problem after problem for many truckers out there. For Bill Johnson, a 25 year veteran of truck driving, the constant supply of unhealthy foods at truck stops was a big concern. "Everything's fried, fried, fried - chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, chili, burritos, corn dogs," Johnson said. After hitting a peak of 226 pounds, Johnson decided something had to change.

As more and more truckers are noticing their weight, and the health problems that come with it, they and their companies are looking for options. Some trucking companies are building gyms for their drivers, signing up for weight and nutrition programs, and even hiring nutrition specialists to consult their drivers. Snap Fitness, an international chain of 24-hour gyms, has even announced its decision to open facilities at truck stops.

This new development will be a great benefit to truckers, as they have little opportunity to exercise regularly. "The only exercise I ever got was walking into the truck stop restaurant, eating a bit and going back to the truck." Bill Johnson said. Despite this limitation, however, Johnson has been able to become creative with his weight loss and transform his truck into a personal gym. Johnson now does sit-ups inside his trailer and pull-ups below it, he packs a cooler with 60 pounds of ice and lifts it over his head 10 to 15 times, and takes power walks around the truck stop he is at.

Some other ideas truck drivers have for staying healthy on the road include; running laps around your truck (32 laps around a rig is a mile), carrying a bicycle on your truck and getting out on a ride whenever you can, and carrying a small fridge stocked with healthy foods while on the road.

Staying healthy on the road is not impossible, although it does take some work. It is easier to simply pick up greasy food and go to sleep after a long day of driving, but you have to think of long term consequences. An unhealthy lifestyle is just that- unhealthy. Numerous problems such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and sleep apnea have all been linked with obesity. Starting a healthy routine will be a big change. One truck driver, Kevin Melton, has had to completely rethink some of his beliefs. "You hear Snickers are healthy because of the nuts, that they give you energy," he said. "But when you read the label you realize they're surrounded by caramel."

To support truck drivers in their pursuit of health, there are numerous programs and blogs where truckers can go and encourage each other. Despite the difficulties, making the change to live healthy is definitely worth it. Don't let your truck driving job ruin your health, make the commitment to start living healthy. You can do it.

To see some websites and blogs dedicated to helping truckers maintain their health visit http://www.healthytruckerlifestyle.com/default.asp, http://www.healthytruckerlifestyle.com/default.asp and http://truckingsolutionsgroup.org.