Healthy Eating Tips for Truck Drivers

It is easy to neglect your health when you spend a considerable amount of time on the road. While paying strict attention to getting your shipment delivered on time is good for the job, neglecting your body can do more harm than good. Truck drivers need to pay attention to their health, as doing that offers immediate and long-term benefits.

Sleep is an integral part of our life and affects our day-to-day health. Exercise is another area that seems hard to incorporate while on the road, but not impossible. However, on top of all these is your diet. As a truck driver, you need to pay attention to the foods you eat while on the road. That means shifting to healthy eating habits. Read on to learn about healthy nutrition for truck drivers.

Why is a good diet important for truck drivers?

1. Improves your mental health

Often, we think of food as something that addresses hunger. However, it does much more than that. When we eat, the food is converted into energy that fuels the brain. That means that what you eat impacts your brain’s structure and function, ultimately influencing your mood.

There are many reasons to get into a bad headspace on the road. It could be because of traffic jams, unsafe drivers, or loneliness. But when you spend a significant amount of time being sad or angry, you can quickly become frustrated.

While you can’t control the traffic jams and other drivers on the road, you can control what you eat. Providing yourself with a healthy diet allows you to have a better mood.

2. Keeps you alert

Some foods are difficult for the body to process and digest. Eating such foods can make you feel tired and sleepy. While fries and burgers are delicious, they can make your driving difficult.

Meals full of proteins and carbohydrates tend to make a person feel sleepy. Also, eating large portions has been linked to tiredness. That’s because such foods increase blood sugar, reducing your energy level.

Small portions of healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains fuel your body without draining it of its energy.

3. Makes you feel better

Unhealthy eating is associated with bloating and sluggishness. But eating a diet full of healthy foods leaves you light and energized. Therefore, you can concentrate on the road and be more productive.

Healthy eating tips for truck drivers

Practice correct timing

Ideally, truck drivers should eat after every three hours to maintain their blood sugar levels. Doing that prevents fatigue, food cravings, energy crashes, and overeating.

However, to cover breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner, you need to plan your meals well. Pack these foods if going for short trips. For long-distance drivers, think of purchasing a small fridge or a cooler and a microwave or a mini slow cooker.

Bringing lots of food helps you to be prepared. Stock your fridge with vegetables, fruit, hummus, sandwich meat, berries, Greek yogurt, etc.

Stay hydrated

A lot of issues we have come from dehydration. By the time you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated.

Truck drivers should sip water all day long and not only when thirsty. But please remember to drink the best quality water.

Experts suggest drinking (in ounces) half your body weight (in pounds). The adequate intake for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The adequate intake for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. At a minimum, drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day.

Focus on portion control

It’s easy to be overweight when living the trucker lifestyle. It’s why portion control is essential for truck drivers. You don’t have to stop eating your favorite meals, but you have to create a balance.

Cut off fast foods and eat more protein and fat from healthy sources. That includes eggs, lean meats, peanut butter, beans, etc.

Pack fruits and healthy snacks instead of buying from truck stop stores

You can be easily tempted to eat sugary snacks sold at the truck stop stores if you have not carried healthy food. Chips, doughnuts, and sodas are readily available in highly trafficked store areas while healthier food options are less or not available. Therefore, plan your meals and carry healthy snacks.

Final thoughts

Delivering a load is important, but it’s not an excuse to neglect your health and fitness. We hope, the above tips should help you live a healthy life.

We, at Transam Carriers, encourage a healthy lifestyle. Within the company, we offer consultation, health, and dental insurance on top of other company perks. To make living healthy and as comfortable as possible, we also offer truck drivers modern equipment, flexible working hours, and a friendly work environment, including a comfortable rest area with a kitchen.

In case, you have questions about working benefits at Transam Carriers, please, call us (416) 907-8101 or send us a message using our LiveChat or email: hr@transamcarreirs.com.

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