Perspective

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) will kick off its annual Operation Safe Driver Week July 11, and it will continue through July 17. This year’s focus will be speeding violations, but law-enforcement personnel will also be on the lookout for any drivers who are engaging in risky driving behaviors — such as reckless or distracted driving. Those drivers will be looking at a warning or a citation. When I think of safe drivers, I see a direct connection to health. I believe that to be safe, you must be well. Hopefully, we are all working hard to be safe drivers every day of every week. Driver fatigue is one of the leading causes of accidents and traffic violations. When we are fatigued, it can affect us both mentally, by causing us to make poor decisions, and physically, by causing slow reactions. In the fitness world, fatigue typically is due to poor hydration (running our personal batteries to low before refilling) — and when we do refill, it’s generally with high-sugar drinks or power drinks, leaving us wanting more and with crashing blood levels. Poor food choices, such as high-calorie, sugar- and flour-laden snacks, don’t help either. Let’s review solutions. Upgrade the fuel you’re putting in your personal engine. Pick a healthy protein, such as chicken, tuna, eggs, turkey or other lean meats. Be sure to take a good multivitamin. Eat more fish, and snack on almonds, walnuts and oatmeal. Watch out for foods laden with partially hydrogenated oils and saturated fats, and cut fried foods. Also, don’t forget to work in that workout. Walking, stretching, push-ups, body-weight squats, mountain climbers and sit-ups are just a few of the things you can do to stay active. Use your rig as your personal gym — and don’t forget to join in our free driver fitness competitions to win big driver prizes. Following these simple steps in moderation, will help you not only be a safer and alert driver, but hopefully also a driver who is not stopped during Operation Safe Driver Week.

Knee injuries are no joke, and neither are those minor aches and pains that develop in our knees over time. The nature of a professional driver’s occupation includes getting in and out of a truck every day and squatting down to go under your trailer. To make matters worse, if you are carrying extra weight, these repetitive activities can create knee pain over time. If knee pain is occurring on a regular basis, it’s time to pay attention to the red warning light going off before things get worse. Below are some tips to try to strengthen and protect your knee joints. Strengthen your stabilizer muscles You’ve heard me talk about how stabilizer muscles perform a function much like stabilizer bars in trucking. The same principle applies in supporting and protecting your knees. We often hear about ACLs (anterior cruciate ligaments) and MCLs (medial collateral ligaments) being damaged or torn in the knee, but the knee joint actually depends on the surrounding muscles, like the quadriceps, for stability. Performing body-weight squats can be good to strengthen your quadriceps. Movement control When performing body-weight squats, proper form is important to keep your knee joints healthy and reduce the risk of injury. When practicing your squats, keep your body in proper exercise form, and make sure your knees move out over your toes during each squat. Also make sure there is no deviation in your hips and lower back, which can change stress points on the knee. Be sure not to drop (squat) down too quickly; you don’t want momentum to carry you back up instead of the positive movement of your body weight. Warm up We all know we should warm up before performing any exercises, but most people don’t. Even if you are not getting ready to work out, it’s always a good idea, once you exit your truck, to take a brisk five- to 10-minute walk to warm your body up. It’s good exercise for your knees — and your entire body. Lighten your load The last tip is to manage your personal weight, if necessary. Any extra weight can place unwelcome pressure and stress on your knees. Extra weight can also create back issues, which can indirectly cause you to change your posture and the way you walk, creating extra stress on your knees.

Each year, when the NFL free agency draft pick starts, with pro teams looking to pick up the best-of-the-best plays and put together a winning lineup, I can’t help but relate it to professional drivers. Why the comparison? You hear me say all the time that drivers are the true “road athletes.” There are some differences — the ideal NFL player profile features size, power and speed, while the ideal pro driver profile includes good health, a safe driving record and a record of maintaining compliancy with Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. There’s a lot of noise out there lately about the driver shortage and 90% turnover rates. To me, this creates a huge market for drivers who are seeking the best opportunities, good home time, good mileage pay, respect, top equipment and good communication. I know from my experience in the transportation business — working with drivers, helping them stay healthy on the road and, most importantly, helping them protect their livelihoods — that staying compliant with DOT guidelines to get their medical card is not always easy. Life on the road as a driver is challenging, and it takes a toll on one’s body and health. If you are in good health and have a good driving record, the truck- and bus-driving jobs are plentiful, and there are opportunities anywhere in the country you wish to live. All you have to do is be a safe driver, learn how to make good food choices and engage in moderate exercise, and take care of yourself. There’s no need to train like an NFL player or attend summer camp; you just need to make smart, healthy choices. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I traveled frequently to speak at orientation classes for motor carriers around the country. Depending on the size of the carrier, I would work with anywhere between 20 and 120 drivers. I would walk out of those sessions thinking about how many motor carriers there are in the U.S. The numbers are staggering. I found myself wondering, “Where are all these men and women coming from, and how is it possible to have 90% turnover?” It’s always amazed me that so much money is spent on recruiting and hiring drivers, and so very little is spent on retaining drivers. This means it’s up to you to take control of your personal health, make the right choices and put yourself in the best position to be a highly sought after “free agent draft pick.”

Ever used the excuse of not being near the gym to justify not exercising? Not that professional drivers often have the luxury stopping at a gym — and those who do have trouble finding one that’s conveniently located, and accessibility for trucks is limited. Let me suggest a circuit that can be done anywhere, and with no equipment at all. This workout will give you a pump in your heart and your muscles that will keep you feeling good even when you’re away from the gym. Once you can get back to a gym, you’ll be surprised how motivated you’ll be to lift iron again. There is value in keeping exercise to the basics sometimes. So many times, we get caught up in the latest and greatest training and/or workout equipment. Instead, spend some time mastering the simplest fitness moves. The following exercise circuit is dedicated to those moves. The push-up, air squat and sit-up are three exercises that, if done in succession, can give you an awesome total-body workout. Try out the following circuit to give your body what it needs when you’re away from your home gym: 10 push-ups. 10 mountain climbers. 10 sit-ups. 10 air squats. 10 jumping jacks. Rest one minute and repeat. Make sure you take the time to stretch afterwards. It’s also a good idea to incorporate some core exercises to improve your posture after long stints of sitting. The following plank routine will help support your circuit, core and posture. High plank. Low plank. Left side plank. Right side plank. Hold each position for one minute. Do this circuit a minimum of three times a week, but challenge yourself to do more rounds if you’re up to it. Once you can complete three rounds with ease, increase your reps. This circuit alone will get you through any extended stay away from your gym of choice. It’s easy for all of us to make excuses, so do the best you can and stay the course.

When it comes managing your heart rate, it’s kind of like the speed of your truck and managing fuel efficiency. Drivers and carriers are always trying to maximize fuel, and speed equals costs. Now that we’ve made the connection between your heart rate, truck speed and efficiency let’s talk about why your heart rate is important. Your heart performs many valuable functions, and circulates all the nutrient-rich blood and oxygen throughout the body. When your heart is not working properly, just about everything in your body is affected. Heart rate is key because the function of your circulatory system is directly related to your heart rate — the amount of blood pumped out with each beat (in other words, volume). Here’s an example: Maintaining a consistent, steady speed while driving produces better fuel economy and less wear and tear on your truck’s engine (not to mention the potential expense of a speeding ticket). Instead of speeding up to pass another vehicle to gain a few extra minutes, ask yourself: Is it really worth the extra fuel burned, not to mention the added anxiety and stress? Keeping a steady speed is best. Your heart rate serves a similar function. In fact, most of the time, the rhythm and pace of your heart is something you may not even think about. Unless something unusual is going on, you’re likely completely unaware of what your heart is doing. Heart rates can vary from person to person. Depending on one’s physical needs, “normal” can range from 60 to 90 beats per minute. Some experts believe that an ideal resting heart rate is closer to 50 to 70. Regardless of what is considered normal, it’s important to recognize that a healthy heart rate will vary depending on the situation. Professional drivers can sometimes experience higher readings due to the stress of driving. So, how do you monitor your heart rate? There are several wearable “fitness” watches that can provide you with that reading — then there is the old school way of checking the pulse at the side of your neck or the front of your wrist. Count the number of beats in 30 seconds; then double this number to get your heart rate. I’ve always been a huge believer in managing my heart rate. It just makes sense — there’s less wear and tear on your body while producing better outcomes More life “miles” equal more years.

The latest research, according to The Mayo Clinic shows that sitting may be more harmful to your health than smoking. Ouch. That’s not good news for professional drivers, right? Given the high percentage of drivers that smoke — and their job is sitting behind the wheel of a truck all day — this is a double hit on driver health. So, how can you protect themselves when you already have two strikes against you if you’re both a smoker and a driver? First of all, let me say that I’m pleased to see, after many years working in the field of driver health and fitness, more drivers are physically active than, say, just five years ago. I only wish I could say the same about a decrease in smokers. Protecting your health comes with dedication and discipline in committing to a routine. The routine can as be simple as walking, which doesn’t require special equipment (although I do highly recommend investing in a decent pair of walking shoes). Constant movement for just 10 to 15 minutes at a time will make a difference not only in controlling your blood pressure, but also help with depression and diabetes, and help strengthen your heart. Now, how to we conquer smoking? After spending many years in the health and fitness industry, I’ve seen and witnessed individuals who were smokers and, once they incorporated fitness into their lives, kicked the habit. And now, new research has confirmed that exercise can help smokers finally kick the habit. Experts at St. George’s University of London have examined the mechanism underlining exercise’s way of protecting the body against nicotine dependence and withdrawal. The study reveals that even moderate-intensity exercise markedly reduces the severity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms. To a professional driver, this may seem too tough a task to tackle, but the outcome is your reward — protecting your livelihood, your family and, most, importantly yourself. Thanks to all the drivers who have proven there IS time to exercise in the “day in the life” of a driver, there are many resources available to help you stay healthy on the road. Editor’s note: Materials from the University of St. George’s London were used for this column, but have been edited for style and length.

What is the best time of day for a workout? That’s a good question asked by many professional truck drivers. Personally, I’ve always preferred morning workouts, but as I’ve gotten older, I find that exercising later in the day actually provides the best outcome. Some experts recommend working out during the morning hours, while others say your body temperature is at its highest between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., making the afternoon the best time to maximize your workouts. Experience has taught me that the best time to exercise really depends on the individual. Often, your body rhythm has a lot to do with optimizing your workouts when it comes to choosing the best time of day for your workout. However, we all know that as a professional driver it usually comes down to fitting a workout into your day whenever you can find the time. Flexibility is key for drivers when scheduling workouts because most drivers’ schedules change daily — not to mention weather delays. So, whenever you have 15 minutes do something instead of nothing, it could be the only chance you have that day to exercise. A morning workout might jump-start your day, help kick in your metabolism and allow you to get your workout in before other issues come into play that could disrupt your plans to work out. Many people find it hard to fall asleep after a workout, so late afternoon or evening might not be the best option. It’s easy to find excuses for missing workouts. You’ve heard me say before if you do miss a workout, try not to miss more than two days — after that, skipping the workout starts to become a habit. You might struggle with feeling bored doing the same series of movements in your workout. Not only will you start to feel bored, but your body will also hit a plateau. To combat this, be sure to change up or adjust your exercise routine every 30 days. Here are some suggestions for “shaking things up”: Change up the sets and repetitions. Modify the length of the workout. Pick up the pace of your routines. Add in super sets. Combine cardio with weights and interval walking. By periodically making just one of these changes to your workout routine, you’ll increase your motivation and help eliminate the boredom factor.

In the last edition of The Trucker, I talked about the importance of choosing an exercise you WILL do as opposed to one you SHOULD do. Now, as the new year begins, I’d like to support your efforts to keep those resolutions. Health journaling is a practice that keep you focused. You don’t have to write down every detail, just certain information that can help you achieve your goal. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, try writing down what you eat, along with the calories in those items, each day. This easy exercise will help you recognize just how many calories you consume in one day, and I think you will be surprised. Doing this can help in two ways. First, it familiarizes you with what your daily caloric intake looks like. Second, you’ll come to understand how to decipher a product’s ingredients label and know what calories also provide valuable nutrition. You’ll quickly realize how many drinks and foods are full of empty calories (meaning they provide absolutely no nutritional value). If you have a wearable fitness-tracking device, such as an Apple watch or a Fitbit that counts biometrics and workouts, it can help your journaling easier (and I know that it can be difficult to stay consistent with journaling if multiple variables are tracked). I recommend starting by tracking only one or two areas that are critical to helping you develop a picture of what your habits they are consumed calories and exercise. Here are a few tips to help you as you begin to journal your health. Your body is the most reliable and cost-effective “lab.” Journaling can be a great way to learn about your habits and tendencies. You can also keep track of energy levels throughout the day, and how you felt before and after workouts. It’s important to take accountability for your health. Consistency is key, and it’s very useful when health journaling. While simply recording personal health and fitness details each day can be helpful, specifically tracking variables related to your goals can be a great accountability tool. Be flexible, even while trying to set a structured routine. Health journaling should be a long-term practice. As it becomes easier to recall and record your health and fitness routines, you will find that you may start to recognize how one day may affect your progress for the week. Now is the time to get started. Invest in a journal, and possibly a wearable device to help start your health journey. If you don’t want to spend extra cash on a journal, any notebook and pen will do. Remember, your health is a journey, and you can’t go to Step 2 without taking Step 1. Check out the Fit To Pass App for more support, or reach out to me directly.

It’s that time of year again when we start thinking about — you guessed it — your New Year’s resolutions. Soon your email inbox will be filled with all kinds of solutions from people and companies that believe they know what’s best for you: Eat this, don’t eat that, exercise, exercise and more exercise. This time of year, the most frequent questions I get — either via email, during radio interviews or at family gatherings (which will not be happening this year) — are: Which program is best? Low fat or high fat, or low carbs? Plant-based or vegan? Low-impact cardio or high-impact cardio? In the end, these are all lifestyle-changing approaches, and to stop the crazy roller roaster ride, you need to first examine your own personal lifestyle and your willingness to commit to a new lifestyle approach to manage your health and well-being. First, I suggest you re-examine previous programs you have attempted. What were your likes and dislikes? Why do you think they failed to produce the results you wanted? We are all different, but most any structure programs can work. It’s a question of one’s ability to embrace and maintain the new lifestyle. In the life of a professional driver, your options are limited — which maybe a good thing. Sometimes, when we have unlimited options, we tend to jump around from one workout routine to another if we don’t see instant results. Drivers have limitations living on the road, but make no mistake, successful diet and exercise programs are always 75% nutrition and 25% workout. For drivers, it’s about preparation and prevention. Invest in tools needed to make sure you have good nutritional sources to reach for, such as a fridge, a microwave, a blender and a portable lunchbox stove (that’s the preparation). Next, make sure you have healthy, nutritious foods available to help keep you from making bad choices (that’s the prevention). Now, about that workout. Keep this in mind: It’s not about the exercise you SHOULD do; it’s about the one you WILL do. This where your creativity comes into play. Find an exercise you enjoy and will maintain on the road — walking, running, bicycling (some drivers invest in bike racks), exercise bands, using 1-gallon water jugs for weight-resistance training and so forth. For driver-friendly workout routines, download the Fit to Pass App or email me at [email protected].

There are no bad apples. In fact, you’re going to want this bad boy in your corner in the fight against heart disease. Apples offer vitamins and minerals that are vital to a healthy vascular system. Apple is a rich source of nutrients and a powerful antioxidant. As I always say, “An apple a day keeps the coroner away.” Did you know that eating 100 grams of apple (that’s a little more than half of a medium-size apple) can give an antioxidant effect equal to about 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C? Apple contains a large amount of minerals and vitamins that can strengthen the blood. Of course, apples also have sugar. That’s why I always recommend combining with a serving of apple with almonds, walnuts or peanuts. The nuts are a source of protein and will help the body’s absorption of sugar. For a great on-the-road snack, pre-slice your apples and dip them in peanut butter or almond butter. It’s a great treat, and it will help control your blood-sugar levels while curbing those hunger pangs. Additional benefits of eating apples every day include support in reducing skin diseases and lowering cholesterol levels. Also, the malic acid in apples can help prevent disturbances of the liver and digestive system. The skin of an apple can help remove toxic substances from your system Have you ever tried apple cider vinegar? I’ll bet you’ve heard your grandmother talk about it as “must” in home health care and prevention. When used as beverage, apple cider vinegar can help prevent the formation of kidney stones. Don’t forget the bananas Bananas can be good for your brain, and they supply the potassium needed to maintain healthy activity. So, the next time you reach for a snack, think of bananas. The same principle applies to bananas as with apples — dip bananas in peanut or almond butter, or eat them with a handful of nuts. Here is some nutritional information for a serving of banana: Potassium: 400 milligrams (10% of daily recommended value); Dietary Fiber: 4 grams (16% of daily recommended value); Sugar: 14.8 grams; Protein: 1 gram (2% of daily recommended value); Vitamin C: 16% of daily recommended value; and Vitamin B6: 20% of daily recommended value. Eating apples and bananas every day is not a total cure or prevention for diseases, but it can support your odds.

It’s that time of the year again when drivers must winterize their rig as they prepare for inclement weather and conditions ranging from icy roads to freezing temperatures. One thing we have all learned since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic is that anything is possible, and it’s important to be prepared for the unexpected. While you’re readying your rig for winter conditions, it’s also a good idea to prep the inside of your cab with emergency provisions in case you’re delayed for an extended period of time, or even stranded. Road closures due to bad weather, severe accidents causing massive delays … are you prepared to sit on or beside the highway for hours, or perhaps even? We’ve all seen it, and many of you may have experienced it, so you know firsthand it’s a reality. It happened in Fremont County, Idaho, in 2019: About a dozen semi-truck drivers were stranded on U.S. Highway 20 when a severe snowstorm resulted in impassable roads. Many of the drivers had not had anything to eat for more than 24 hours, until Fremont County Sheriff’s Office volunteers brought some much-needed supplies the following day. Do not let this happen to you. Having a survival box stashed away in your truck can help you to be prepared for an instance such as this. Here are some items every driver should have in their cab as winter approaches: Paper plates and plastic utensils; Ready-to-eat tuna, salmon and chicken in pouches; Trail mix; Protein bars; Matches/lighter; Batteries; A power-pack phone charger; Emergen-C immunity-boosting packs; and Water, water and more water.

Drivers, the dreaded cold-and-flu season is upon us —that time of year when you need to protect your personal engine from freezing up, locking up and shutting you down. Your job is tough enough without having to drive while feeling sick and tired. It’s all about prevention. Just as you have to get your rig winter-ready, you have to get your body ready. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. Getting a flu vaccine during 2020-21 will be more important than ever. The CDC estimates that last season, less than half of Americans got a flu vaccine and at least 410,000 people were hospitalized because of the flu. Increased vaccination coverage would reduce that burden. Many trucking fleets organize flu clinics at their terminals. If you’re not sure where to go, visit www.flu.gov to find a nearby location. Regardless of whether you get a flu shot, you must be proactive and be aware of your surroundings. It’s like the No. 1 rule in boxing: Protect yourself at all times. Truck drivers are at a high risk for the flu because of the environment in which they work. The constant contact with fellow drivers when going in and out of terminals and travel centers heightens your risk. The life of a driver means using multiple public restrooms, standing in fuel lines as others cough and sneeze around you, and using different showers on a daily basis. The secret to keeping the flu at bay is ramping up your immune system and keeping it running strong to help fight off germs and viruses. Here are a few proactive tips to help protect yourself: Take a good multivitamin. It may improve your overall well-being. Vitamins are essential for professional truck drivers because of it can be difficult to find proper nutrition from foods on the road. When taking any form of vitamins, it’s a good idea to consume them right after you eat. Take vitamin C and zinc supplements. These will support your immune system and may reduce the severity of a cold. Use garlic. It’s a natural antibiotic, and one of the best ways to support your immune system. Make healthy food choices. Don’t go long periods without eating. Your system will become weak and your immune system will lower its protection. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds multiple times a day, and wear gloves when you can. Carry — and use — hand sanitizer and/or sanitizing wipes. Wipe down your truck’s steering wheel and door handles daily. Get plenty of exercise.