Driver Lifestyles

Road Battle of the Bulge

By Jeff Jensen, Editor
Posted Jun 8th 2007 12:15PM

team-drivers.jpgThe diet of the professional OTR driver is typically filled with lots of coffee, truckstop meals, fast food, more coffee, snack items from a C-store or fuel stop, sugar-filled carbonated beverages (preferably Mountain Dew or similar drink with lots of caffeine and oh yeah, coffee.

Makes you want to belch just thinking about it, huh?
 
And, for the expediter whose time-sensitive freight keeps him/her on the run from pickup to delivery, a healthy meal might mean some brown lettuce salad from the truck stop salad bar or whatever's on the "lean" menu.
 
Spending most of your days (and nights) working hard on a tight schedule leaves little time to worry about eating balanced meals.
 
So, why the big fuss over "healthy" food?

Healthy eating increases energy, improves the way your body functions, strengthens your immune system and thwarts weight gain.

Healthful eating can prevent the risk of developing certain diseases such as cancer and heart disease. It is also helpful in treating diabetes and high blood pressure. Following a special diet can reduce symptoms, and may help you better manage an illness or condition.  In short, you'll feel better.
 
It's especially difficult for the professional driver to find healthy choices on the road, but it is possible.
 
A professional driver's  restaurant and meal choices are more often than not dictated by his/her truck size.  If you're an 18-wheel expediter, you might be limited to the truck stop restaurants or wherever you can park.  For the straight truck and cargo van operator, the choices are far greater.  But, wherever you choose to eat, do it with your health in mind.   

Now, when dispatch contacts you at 0630 with a run offer and you have to drive across town in morning rush hour traffic to make the pickup, you're probably not thinking about getting a healthy breakfast at that time. 

The following suggestions are for when you have the time to sit down and enjoy a meal before you start the workday. You need energy to do things.  Breakfast gives you that energy. 

A healthy breakfast should contain some protein and some fiber. Protein can come from meat and eggs.  Fiber can be found in whole cereals, grains or in fruits.

A good example of a healthy breakfast might be something simple like a hard boiled egg, an orange, and a bowl of whole grain cereal

with low-fat milk.  Stay away from the sugary cereals, syrups, pastries, and white breads because they are digested quickly and will leave you hungry and tired in a couple of hours. Protein and fibers will keep the hunger pangs away until lunch time. 

In the restaurant
So, if you're in the truck stop restaurant and the "Hungry Man" breakfast with a pound of bacon, 6 eggs and foot-high stack of pancakes is looking real good, think about how sleepy you'll be an hour later. 

Actually, the main concerns with restaurant meals are the portion sizes and making the right choice. There are several things drivers can do to guide them towards healthy restaurant eating.

The first key to eating healthy while at restaurants is to stay away from anything fried or with a mysterious special sauce and go with anything grilled, broiled or steamed. Second, appetizers offer smaller portions in comparison to full meals. Third, only eat half of what you order and take the rest with you in a doggy bag for a snack later on.

Most importantly though, just because the food is in front of you, does not mean you have to finish your plate - stop eating when you feel full.

Other restaurant dining tips
*Spread out calories.  Don't make a habit of eating your biggest meal just before you turn in for the night.  Aim for three meals a day, plus snacks. Your daily calorie intake should be spread out among your meals.
 
*Go for variety. Eating a burger and fries once or twice a week is not nearly as damaging as eating them every day. Try a deli-style sandwich or a hoagie.

*Eat smaller portions.

Follow the Basics
Try for three meals a day with snacks or six mini-meals. Stick as close to your normal schedule as possible. And try to eat most of your food as early as you can during the day.
 
Starving yourself during the day and ending it with a heavy or large meal at night adds pounds, interferes with digestion, and disrupts sleep.

One way to help you eat healthy, and save you money by eliminating at least a few restaurant meals, is to pack as much food as possible.  The truck refrigerator has been a standard item for quite some time now, and there's always the travel cooler for the cargo van.  Use them for more than just carrying a few cans of soda. 

Bring healthy snacks such as fresh fruit (apples, pears, bananas, etc.) or veggies like celery and carrots. 

A plastic bag or plastic container of lean meats like chicken turkey along with low-fat cheeses are a great, filling snack.  

There's a wide range of non-perishable food items that will help you on your healthy eating quest such as low-fat, whole-grain crackers, graham crackers, rice cakes, low-fat, low-salt pretzels and baked tortilla chips, to name a few.

And, how about dried fruits - raisins, apples, apricots, dates, figs, etc. and dry roasted nuts?  Don't forget high-fiber, low sugar, low-calorie choices granola and power/energy bars for a quick energy boost.

Always carry drinking water, preferably a gallon or more.  How many times have you been stuck in traffic and have found yourself with nothing to drink?  Probably not more than once.  Water is not only the source of life, but in a pinch, it can help kill hunger pangs for a short while.

Some healthy fast food tips
Just because you've begun to eat healthy doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the fast food restaurants that dot the landscape from sea to shining sea.  The burger places have been adding to their menus over the past few years and that means healthier choices for you.  Here are some alternatives you might consider at the more popular fast food joints.

Arby's
There are several salads and wraps on the menu, but your best bet is the Martha's Vineyard salad with grilled chicken, apples, dried cranberries, grape tomatoes and cheddar cheese, weighing in at 276 calories without dressing. Rather have the Santa Fe salad? Substitute grilled chicken for fried.

Burger King
Healthy options are sparse at Burger King, so we recommend the Tendergrill chicken sandwich (with honey mustard sauce instead of mayo), which weighs in at 450 calories. Put the chicken on the Tendergrill salad instead and you'll only rack up 300 calories. Your best bet? A simple side salad with light Italian dressing for a total of just 140 calories.

Kentucky Fried Chicken
KFC's famous fried chicken is by far one of the least healthy items on its menu. Instead, choose a Caesar or side salad (if you get the Caesar, ask for roasted chicken rather than crispy). Watch the dressings -- using the whole packet can more than double the calorie and fat content of your salad. Green beans and seasoned rice are the healthiest sides.

McDonald's
McDonald's has a number of salads, but keep in mind that bacon, fried chicken and cheese can make a salad just as fattening and artery-clogging as a burger (if not more!). Be sure to order grilled chicken rather than crispy and ask for a low-fat dressing. As always, side salads are a simple, healthy alternative. In the mood for a sandwich? The basic hamburger actually has fewer calories (260) than a Premium Grilled Chicken Classic (420).

Subway
 Subway is possibly the healthiest choice in the fast food world. On the menu are 10 sandwiches with six grams of fat or less, as well as wraps and salads for carb-conscious travelers.

Taco Bell
Everything on Taco Bell's menu is available "fresco style" -- which means they'll replace any sauce or cheese with the much healthier fiesta salsa (diced tomatoes, white onions and cilantro), adding just five calories and no fat.

Wendy's
A great combination to try at Wendy's is a side salad and a small chili -- two items off the dollar menu that are low in fat and high in fiber. Other good choices include the Mandarin chicken salad or the Caesar chicken salad, both under 200 calories without dressing.

Sources
www.health.com
www.ediets.com