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I myself have gained over 100 lbs since I started truck driving. I was never big on exercise as it was even before starting down this path in life.
It caught up to me fast though. Within the first year or so is when I gained most of the weight, then it just stayed on.
I didn’t see very many fit drivers out there so I didn’t see a reason to change that. But then after some health issues and the Doctor telling me i need to lose weight, that is when I thought to myself, How can I stay healthy as an OTR trucker?
It’s the little things
As I was setting in the sleeper watching tv, waiting to get loaded in the dock, I realised that I could use this time to my advantage.
I had a 2018 freightliner cascadia at the time and for my height and arm length, the top bunk was just the right distance that I could do pull ups from.
I even got a little froggy and tried to do sit ups while hanging upside down from the top bunk. That one didn’t work out so well. It doesn’t take much to slip off and being upside down, you will do some damage.
What about my 30 minute break?
I would use my 30 minute break to make me some more food for the road, or take a dump. Whichever was more prevalent at that current time.
Though I’ve talked to a lot of drivers that use their 30 minute to take a walk or a short hike. There is some beautiful sights to see out there, get out there and find them!
I’m sure I could have done the same, but when you gotta go, you gotta go. I could have also made all my food before starting my clock for the day, but I ate a lot and it just worked out for me to do it then.
Exercise Equipment for the truck
Here is some equipment that you can get started with today to set you on the path to staying healthy in the trucking industry:
Dumbbells
I did eventually pick me up some dumbbells for that I stored under the bottom bunk, that way in the event of an accident, they wouldn’t come smashing through my skull and killing me or anyone else.
Just make sure they are secure. But with dumbbells, you can do a number of upper body exercises.
- Bench Press
- Bicep Curl
- Weighted sit-up
- Tricep Extensions
- Lying Dumbbell Fly
That’s just to name a few. You can crank a few reps out here and there, or if you’re doing a live load or unload you can do a few sets.
Resistance Bands
These don’t take up much space at all, you can store them anywhere! I kept mine in the closet.
Resistance Bands are great for warm ups. If you don’t warm up, you risk injuring yourself.
You can use these laying down, standing, or sitting.
- Bicep Curls
- Tricep Extentions
- Jump Squats
- Donkey Kicks
There are different colors of bands. The color of a band can’t always tell you the resistance the band offers since these could vary by manufacurer.
Riding Bike
I’ve seen some drivers mount bikes on the back of the sleeper or on the grille guard.
Most rest area’s have space to ride, or you can cross the tree line and find a trail.
Want to try out that resturant you seen down the road from where you parked, ride your bike there and lock it up.
You could also have a stationary bike mounted the same way or even remove the passenger seat and store/use it there.
Soft Mat
If you’re new to trucking, you’ll soon learn that the truck stop parking lots can smell pretty rough in the summer heat.
You can use the mat so you don’t have to lay in the piss lot plus it might help block out the smell.
- Stretch/Yoga
- Pushups
- Sit-ups/Crunches
I’ve found that stretcing after a long rough day did help ease some of my lower back pain.
Conclusion
There are a lot of things you can do to lose weight while youre OTR or even local. I don’t want to see anyone pass early because of something that could have been prevented.
Motivation is the hardest factor. I was never motivated to exercise so I never did anything about it until I had too. Don’t let it get that far. Stay healthy and safe out there Driver!