Truck driving can be a sedentary job with limited access to healthy food options, which often leads to weight gain. Statistics show that truck drivers are well above the national average when it comes to obesity. Obesity is not only linked to a higher risk for disease and health conditions, such as stroke, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, but also drivers with higher body mass are at higher risk of being a part of an accident according to NRCME. However, maintaining a good diet while over the road (OTR) is becoming easier thanks to advances in technology and consumer changes. With a little preparation and planning, it is possible to have a good diet and keep hauling freight for years to come.
Understanding the Challenges
Many hours on the road behind the wheel, limited access to food, and stress do their silent job. Truck drivers often have jam-packed schedules with little time to think about their food choices. While truck stops and fast food joints are often full of food loaded with sugar, sodium, or to-go greasy food, it is important to identify lifestyle factors, such as diet and physical activity, that may contribute to the weight loss of a truck driver.
Planning is Key
Planning your meals and snacks ahead of time is the easiest way to have a good diet for truck drivers. This goes hand in hand with planning ahead. Health-minded truckers and travelers have at least one advantage when it comes to eating - PLANNING. If they don't plan their meals out, they will inevitably get something quick from the next rest stop or fast food place down the road. However, if you have a properly planned diet, and you've already made a commitment, that rest stop may be a great place to stock up on healthy snacks and meals, not scarf down a quick unhealthy meal.
To plan your diet, get out a pen and paper. Writing things down not only makes them easier to remember but also helps to clarify and prioritize your thoughts. Writing things down is like creating a contract with yourself. Write down your goals, current weight, projected weight, a timeline for progress, and anything else that will help you organize your thoughts and create a full-proof plan. Create a list of healthy foods you enjoy eating. From this list, you’ll be creating 3-6 meals and snacks between 200-600 calories each. This way, you can easily mix and match the foods listed in your diet. This will give you a general idea of how to develop a healthy schedule, which will hopefully create healthy habits that last a lifetime. There are no benefits to strict diet plans. Some people may find a limited selection of foods to be easier, but nothing beats a well-balanced and diverse diet with delicious, whole foods.
Making Smart Food Choices
Making your own meals, whether ahead of time or on the go, allows you to control the content and nutritional value of your food while also saving you some money in the long run. Thanks to today’s technology and appliances, you have options to store any temperature-controlled products or pre-made meals in portable coolers or refrigerators. And if that’s not enough, you can still eat out.
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When you have the occasional moment needing food and can’t find anything around, get the lightest grilled chicken sandwich possible, no fries, and diet soda. No one-time splurging.
The Importance of Breakfast
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. That’s for many good reasons! Breakfast essentially “breaks the fast” that your body had overnight while sleeping. It replenishes your supply of glucose to boost your energy and alertness in the short term while also helping with weight management and reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease in the long term. So don’t skip this important meal and make sure your breakfast is rich in protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. The options are endless!
Healthy Snack Options
To keep your hunger at bay by eating every few hours, you’re going to need snacks at the ready. Try to keep away from the bags of chips or candy bars. Of course, you don’t have to give those kinds of foods up completely; just reduce your intake of them. Pack a jar of peanut butter, some pre-cut celery and apple for a delicious, filling snack on the go. Keep some mixed nuts around the cab to stop those chip cravings.
Staying Hydrated
Your body is made up of 60 percent water and you need to help maintain that balance! Water comes with no extra calories while keeping you hydrated and full of energy. And often, it’s common to confuse thirst with hunger. Consciously taking in more water is beneficial by helping you eat less food and feel more full. For truck drivers, there are 2 challenges with water intake. They travel across different climate zones and their bodies have difficulty adjusting (as in warmer climates there is more water is needed for temperature regulation. The second challenge is being on the road for extended periods of time and trying to avoid creating the need for an extra stop. Here we can only hope for a better-developed chain of truck stops, and roadside services as a whole.
Practical Tips for Weight Loss
Overall controlling, or losing weight is a complex of measures, but you can always start with the easy steps. After all, it is the simple and realistic things that bring results. Here are four easy steps for truck drivers to lose weight:
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Don’t Miss Opportunities to Exercise
As little there are, take advantage of breaks and waiting times. It can be as simple or complicated as you want! Do not continue sitting when you are waiting for loads! Use this opportunity to make a few steps and stretch. There are simple routines that can be done in the cabin. Little exercise breaks go a long way! Even with a little activity break you use up a few extra calories, increase blood circulation improve metabolism, and strengthen your muscles. Our bodies were not meant for sitting around - this is why our performance in every aspect goes down!
Focus on Eating Habits
We are what we eat. When thinking of losing weight somehow always salads come to mind. It is more about the strategy than salads! As you look closer - it is the eating habits that let us down! Trying to balance elements in your diet is the key. Look at realistic simple steps to changing your eating habits. Prepack some meals for the road, do not keep sugary snacks within the reach and get rid of the usual suspects: processed food. For some people noting down calorie intake helps to improve overall balance and set realistic goals. Controlling portion sizes and avoiding emotional eating is another great approach. Of course, for serious impact and if you have any health conditions, there are nutritionists, nutrition therapists, and dieticians that can guide you through.
Sugar Intake Control
This is one of the easiest and hardest-to-do parts of any weight control program. Easy - as we all know where it is: sugary drinks, such as pop, processed foods, and most snack bars. Sugar is highly addictive - that is why it is added to foods and drinks where it should not be for a simple reason - for you to buy it again. Sugar is singlehandedly responsible for a lot of damage to our bodies. Getting used to sugar makes it harder to limit its quantity, or, ideally, eliminate it. Luckily it is an acquired taste. By gradually reducing its content you will be on the right track to a healthier you!
Staying Hydrated
With water being such a big part of our body - we should keep in mind that maintaining a healthy water supply, necessary for all systems is very important. Water is responsible for adequate blood circulation ( that enriches our body systems with oxygen while removing waste) and metabolism and yet it is often overlooked by us.
Meal Prep Ideas
It really pays to prepare several meals in advance. Some of them can even be frozen and stored for long-term use. Meals like soup, stir fry, and grilled meat taste great when reheated and can be stored in the fridge for several days. It's also convenient to cook several meals at once when you fire up the grill. BPA-free plastic containers, glass jars, aluminum foil, and zipper baggies all work great for meal prepping.
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Here's an easy meal to make on the go or ahead of time and reheat: Buy a bag of 60-second cook-in-the-bag rice, a bag of mixed veggies, canned chicken, and some stir-fry sauce. Cook the rice and then add the rest of the items and cook together.
The Perfect Plate Method
Everyone’s diet should be different. But if you’re looking to lose weight, it’s best to eat between 1,500 and 1,800 calories per day depending on the satiety of the foods, your own body weight, and the amount of activity you’ll be doing that particular day. We recommend using the perfect plate method to make portioning easy. This means half of your plate will include non-starchy vegetables, one-fourth will be carbohydrates, and one-fourth protein. The method is beneficial in numerous ways, but primarily because it fills your plate up with vegetables. If you're especially hungry, you can simply increase the portion size for all three.
Food Choices
Here are healthy food options to incorporate into your diet:
- Low-Glycemic Carbohydrates: Sweet potatoes, dry beans, peas, lentils, quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, corn, squash.
- Fiber-Rich Sides: Peas, beans, lentils, other legumes, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds.
- Grilled, Baked, or Pan-Seared Proteins: Skinless chicken breast, skinless turkey, fish, seafood, grass-fed beef, wild game, eggs, legumes, low-fat Greek yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, reduced-fat cheese, low-fat milk, plant milk, nuts, seeds, tofu, seitan.
- Healthy Fats: Olive oil, canola oil, coconut oil, other plant-oils, fish oil, nut butter, nuts, seeds, avocados, olives.
Sample Meal Plan
So long as you choose a reasonably sized piece of grilled or baked meat, fruits and vegetables, and healthy grains, you can easily create a delicious and nutritious weight loss meal plan. This diet is the same as other quality diets; lots of boiled eggs, avocados, leafy vegetables, and grilled meats.
Breakfast (300-400 calories)
- 1 boiled egg
- 1 avocado
- 1 cup of berries
Lunch (300-400 calories)
- McDonald's Grilled Chicken Salad
- 1 Apple
Dinner (400-600 calories)
- Healthy Choice Power Bowl Korean Inspired Beef
- 1 avocado
Snack (400 calories)
- 1/2 cup mixed nuts
Eating on the Road
Truckers and travelers are typically on or near an interstate for the majority of their trip. They're also limited by the size of their vehicle, which means it's not always convenient to get whole foods or go to a healthy restaurant. A good weight loss plan on the road requires eating foods that are available at truck stops and fast food shops. Fortunately, the demand for healthy food is increasing, and many chains are now offering healthy choices.
Truck Stops
Truck stops regularly serve healthy options like salad, fruit, and sandwiches. These prepackaged meals are typically stocked during the morning, so get there early if you want to stock up with the freshest ingredients.
Fast Food
Lots of fast-food chains offer salads, and many of them are actually quite delicious. For instance, Subway, Chipotle, TacoBell, Captain D's, and even McDonald's all have a great menu with several healthy selections. Just stay away from fried food and starchy bread.
Healthy Choice Power Bowls
Power Bowls are a great addition to anyone's diet. They're super convenient, delicious, and low in calories. There's also several to choose from, which means they can be used for multiple meals throughout the week.
Additional Strategies
Intermittent Fasting
If you're not hungry, don't eat. That's the first rule of intermittent fasting. Of course, it's customary to schedule a couple of days or time slots throughout the week, but there is no reason to eat if you're not hungry. Intermittent fasting takes advantage of your body's natural ability to store and use energy when needed. When you go several hours without eating, your body begins to use stored fat cells for energy; thus loss ensues. To implement fasting into your diet, choose 2-3 days in the week to go without eating for 12-18 hours (including sleep). If you find you're getting hungry during the fast, try eating a snack with only protein or fat. This will help hold you over but won't kick your body out of ketosis.
Exercise on the Road
It's important to incorporate some physical activity for at least a couple of hours throughout the week, but working out doesn't have to include going to the gym. Fortunately, here are a variety of bodyweight exercises that can be done almost anywhere. Squats, push-ups, burpees, lunges, jumping jacks, and dips can all be done in a hotel room, parking lot, or local park. Focus on keeping the workout as intense as possible for 30 minutes at a time, resting for 30 seconds to a minute between sets. The American Heart Association suggests 150 minutes of exercise a week, split into shorter sessions.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Minimise Refined Carbohydrates
Refined carbohydrates from foods like breads, biscuits, pastries, and pasta can cause unwanted insulin spikes, which can make you tired and sluggish behind the wheel. When you’re on the road, try to avoid these types of foods, and instead opt to get your carbs from veggies, legumes and whole grains instead. Make sure to team these with some lean protein and a little healthy fat, and you’ll be fuller for longer and alert on the road.
Maximize Your Fruit and Veggies
We all know the food pyramid and know we can always eat more vegetables. In reality, it can be hard to put that into motion, especially when you’re on the road and your choices are limited. Fruits and veggies give us fibre, carbs, micro and macro nutrients to keep us going long-term. This is where canned or frozen veggies come in handy - they are often just as nutritious as fresh but are able to travel with you.
The Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle
One of the reasons you’ll be feeling so much better is that you’ll be in better health. A good diet for truck drivers is one of the most important factors for a healthy lifestyle, as I’m sure you’ve heard of the popular phrase “80 percent diet, 20 percent exercise”. Eating healthy increases blood flow to the brain, meaning your cognitive skills stay sharp, something every driver needs. Losing weight is about more than looks. It improves your health and reduces risks like diabetes and high blood pressure.