How to stay healthy on the road as a truck driver
16.05.2022
Reading time: 5 minutes
Garmin Instinct® 2 – dezlTM is designed to make life on the road easier for professional truck drivers, and also to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle on longer hauls.
Making healthier choices can be a struggle for anyone, but those who work as truck drivers probably don't need to be told that their job comes with unique challenges. From long hours forced to sit in one position to limited places to eat, sticking to a healthy lifestyle can seem impossible. In reality, though, there are some simple ways to make your health and well-being a priority on those long drives. You can do it with tools like the Garmin Instinct 2 – dezl edition. With the Garmin Instinct 2, following a healthy lifestyle on the road as a truck driver is easier than ever!
Healthier food choices
Eating healthily while cruising the highways is hard, but it's easier to achieve than you might think. Instead of heading straight to the nearest fast-food outlet or reaching for a vacuum-packed junk-food snack, try choosing foods based on their nutritional value. Most truck stops carry packaged foods such as protein bars, almonds or dried fruit, and many also offer a selection of fruit, yoghurts or smoothies. Whatever your profession, it's always a good idea to eat a healthy breakfast to boost your energy levels. Also favour filling but nutrient-rich snacks. Replace fatty and generally unhealthy fast-food-style snacks with a healthy alternative. Although fattier foods may help you stay awake on a long journey, that's no reason to damage your health. If your truck has a fridge, you can stock up on healthy, high-protein foods from home to help keep you going through the day.
In a hurry to grab your food and go? The Instinct 2 – dezl edition features the Garmin PayTM contactless payment system through participating providers. The less time you spend in line, the more time you have to enjoy your breaks.
Drink more water
According to Harvard Health, ideal water intake should be individualised, but in general healthy people should aim to drink four to six glasses of water throughout the day. Honestly, this is easy to forget, especially if you're also drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks to stay alert behind the wheel. The Instinct 2 - dezl edition has built-in hydration tracking, so logging your water intake is as easy as tapping your wrist. Drinking enough water can help normalise blood pressure, stabilise your heartbeat, protect organs and tissues and aid digestion. There are many other benefits too, so tracking your hydration can be a crucial step in maintaining a healthier lifestyle on the road.
Prioritise workouts during your breaks.
According to the CDC, truck drivers are twice as likely to be obese compared with other workers, and three out of four truck drivers report not getting enough physical activity, which is 30 minutes a day, five days a week. The benefits of exercise are endless, but they include weight management, prevention of many health conditions and diseases, better sleep and more energy.
But we completely understand that it's hard to work out when your job requires sitting for long periods. Enter the truck driver workouts on the Instinct 2 – dezl edition, exercises specially designed to fit into standard breaks and the overall long-haul lifestyle. Even better? You can view detailed workout tutorials on your smartphone via the compatible dezlTM app.
Need more workout inspiration? Check out a series of bodyweight, dumbbell and endurance-focused workout sets created with the help of longtime owner-operator Kevin Rutherford. You can access these workouts, along with detailed instructional videos, right in the dezlTM app.
Track your sleep habits
The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours of sleep every night for healthy adults. The same applies to truck drivers. First of all, you'll want to find a quiet and safe place to park. It can also help to follow a daily routine that helps you unwind at the end of a long day. Try to be mindful that these are the steps you follow before going to bed. Comfort – get yourself comfortable. If you wake up easily at loud noises – use earplugs. Want to know how well you sleep and explore other sleep-related things? Check out the sleep tracking feature on your Instinct 2-dezl. There you'll find a detailed breakdown of your light, deep and REM sleep stages to help you identify what helps you sleep better and what doesn't.
Staying healthy on the road can be a challenge, but the good news is that there are plenty of resources to support you. To learn more about the Instinct 2 - dezl and how to make the most of your health and fitness routine on the go, check out the Live From Exit 24 podcast, created by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA). To buy the Garmin Instinct 2 - dezl edition, click here.
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