Sure, you may wonder what eating a balanced diet must do with trucker safety? A lot.
Truck drivers who do not take what they eat seriously enough, may suffer from other health afflictions that can cause potential safety problems while behind the wheel, from falling asleep at the wheel to the actual safety of the trucker themselves.
Look, while not getting into a bad accident is very important, ensuring truck drivers are healthy enough that such a danger doesn’t even present itself is quite important.
According to the most recent numbers, 7 in 10 truck drivers are obese. This means they likely struggle with things like heart or cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea or other health conditions that could impair their driving.
The fact is, driving a big rig is as fun and rewarding as any career. A great many make trucking their final career and there’s a reason for that. Still, it requires that the person behind the wheel, much like the person who sits at a desk for the entirety of their career.
It takes a lot of work to stay in shape and stay healthy when your job requires that you sit in a chair or big rig seat for prolonged periods of time.
But what’s a trucker to do today to ensure they stay healthy while remaining efficient and being the best they can always be, whether it be for themselves in their own business or for their employer in theirs?
Fortunately, it isn’t hard and it starts with both the trucker and those supplying the trucker with what they need to get them through the day.
Going Beyond the Donut
The major problem facing almost every trucker is easy access to healthy, inexpensive food. The key word there Is healthy. Inexpensive, yet also healthy food isn’t easy to come by, though some say larger games at play when Amazon decided to make a bid for Whole Foods.
Still, when a truck driver goes to a convenience store or gas station designed for passenger cars, they might often see fresh fruit or chopped fruit in a container. At truck stops? Giant candy bars if anything at all.
Still, truck drivers are getting creative in how they deal with the issue. There are ovens the size of tackle boxes that can be plugged into a cigarette lighter. Meals can be prepared ahead of time at home, then put on ice and cooked at whim on the portable oven, which can easily be stored in the cab either behind or on the seat next to you.
By using tools like these, you not only save yourself both time and money, but you are living a healthier life on the road.
Bring Back the Brown Bag
The other option is to bring the meal. Why not make something healthy at home? And while we understand it may not sound appealing, give a kale salad a chance!
The point is getting into the habit of getting what you need from the grocery store so that you can plan out your entire time out on the road. Spend some time at the store when you get home getting and prepping the ingredients.
While to some this may seem like a lot of tasks after you’ve been on the road, trust us. You don’t want to come off sitting your cab seat straight into sitting down on the couch.
Maybe your family is what you need to stay busy, maybe it’s grocery shopping to prep for your next road time. Whatever it is, you got this. Hit those online recipe books and get started!