Tips to Improve Your Health on the Road

Exercising on a regular basis is an important activity any truck driver should try to consciously remember. Participation in daily exercise will keep any driver in healthy condition in order to prevent the negative effects of being in a sedentary position for extended periods of time. While this can technically apply to all drivers, regional, and over-the-road drivers should pay close attention to this advice. These job titles require that the driver – or team of drivers – must sleep in the tractor while in transit to fulfill their objective. Serious consideration of the following tips will prove extremely beneficial in your attempts to stay happy and healthy through your long-haul journeys.

Remember to Put Your Health First

Trucking can cause a driver to quickly spiral into an unhealthy lifestyle – it’s in the darker nature of the job. Drivers often rely on junky quick bites and large amounts of caffeine to stay satisfied and awake. Staying healthy and avoiding these bad habits are vital for your general well being both physically and mentally, as it can improve the success of your career. The following exercise and lifestyle tips will teach you how to healthily prevent burnout, keep up energy, and maintain good physical condition.

Simple Exercises To Do on the Road

Here are some simple exercises for truckers to perform during breaks or downtime while on the road.

Bike During Your Break

There are now wonderful pieces of exercise equipment on the market today and one of the most intuitive designs is the folding bicycle. Truckers can easily store this sleek fold up bike in the cabin to free up space and avoid taking up the room of a normal sized bicycle. Drivers can take the bike out for a spin while they’re parked at stops to get in a great cardio exercise.

Take a Jog

The age-old tactic of running as a means to stay in shape is as popular as ever – and truckers should keep this in mind. Running, walking, and jogging are great exercise activities to include while you’re stopped at a rest stop. Running shoes are inexpensive and all you have to do is tie them on tight and take a few laps in a safe area without any traffic. Running is a great trucker exercise to keep the body well conditioned.

Weights

It may seem strange at first but weights should never be ruled out of a truck drivers exercise routine. First, find a safe place to store these weights so they won’t slide around as you drive. The last thing you want is to have them roll under your feet and hit the gas and break peddles. When you’ve found a place to store your workout equipment start planning out your exercise. All you’ll need is a 15 to 20 minute routine with some lightweight dumbbells for a full body workout.

Aerobics

In addition to your weight training, if you choose to do so, aerobic exercises are another great exercise for truck drivers – and the best part is that it’s totally free! No equipment is required to perform full body stretches, yoga, or even Pilates. Find a nice patch of grass and improve your cardiovascular health and shed unwanted calories.

Additional Lifestyle Tips for Truck Drivers

Finding the time to exercise during your travels may seem ridiculous at first due to the demanding crunch on time. Soon, a driver will find some instances here and there to squeeze in some activity. Luckily, there are additional healthy habits to uphold to make you the healthiest driver on the road even when you’re not exercising. The examples below are some trucker lifestyle tips to follow to improve overall health.

• Routinely go to doctors’ appointments.
• Maintain a consistent sleeping pattern.
• Keep your mind busy to avoid distraction.
• Keep in touch with family often.
• Eat healthy and don’t settle for poor nutritional foods.
• Snack on healthy foods in-between meals, such as fruit or nuts.
• Don’t over do it on caffeine so you won’t feel the crash a few hours later.
• Settle for water over soda and other sugary drinks.

Truck Driver Opportunities Near You

Experience the true reward of a truck-driving career with National Retail Systems, Inc. We’re here to revolutionize the 3PL industry with our progressive lean logistics model and provide our drivers with a job experience that exceeds the average. Drivers within every National Retail Systems, Inc. branch can experience a fresh new approach to their jobs such as more time at home, new trucks, and better pay.

If interested in joining our dedicated fleet of drivers, please view our postings for all of the truck driver jobs with National Retail Systems, Inc. available at select locations throughout the nation. Feel free to contact us with any additional questions or concerns.

The Ultimate 3PL

National Retail Systems, Inc. (NRS) includes Keystone Freight Corp. & National Retail Transportation, Inc. (NRT). NRS is an asset based 3PL that has been providing logistics services for the World’s leading retail companies for 60+ years. Our hub locations include: New York & New Jersey; Los Angeles, CA; Inland Empire, CA; Savannah, GA; Columbus, OH; Greensboro, NC; and Baltimore, MD.