Archive for the ‘Wellness’ Category

Truck Drivers Who Inspire Me

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

I found this article online this morning that inspired me to keep living even when I’m 90 years old.  Al Weidtz, a retired trucker, is riding his bike in the “Wheeling Heritage Trail Bicycle Tour” for the fourth straight year.  He rides his bike about a 100-miles a week, can you believe it?

His history is interesting enough.  He served in the 28th Airborne Tank Battalion in World War II and came home, married Rose and they operated a trucking company they named “Roaming Rosie”.  They traveled the country together as well as staying physically active.  They boated, did skin diving, and even archery.  They had a wonderful life together.  When Rosie passed away, he moved and made new friends.  Now he has taken up biking.

Al loves to bike with his children and grandchildren.  Last year, he, his daughter, and grandson, rode the Columbus Ohio Zoo ride along with 4,500 other people.  He fell, but only scraped his knee.  He got up and finished the race!

When truck driving, Al and Rosie Weidtz’ “Roaming Rosie” trucks were known as the “Knights of the Road” and traveled though out all of the United States.  Back in 1959, they travelled from the Ohio area to the New York City and back, making a whole $100 a trip.  Times have definitely changed.

People have such interesting stories and finding this article this morning has reminded me to live.  I may sit in a cab and see the scenery, but this reminds to get out of my cab once in awhile and enjoy what I see.  Maybe I’ll take up biking someday and since I’m not quite 90 yet, I could try 200 miles a week.  Nah, I’ll stick with 5 to start out.

http://www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/537089.html?nav=515

Fast Food Solutions For The Holidays

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

For a truck driver working holidays is very common. One thing that makes working on holidays incredibly hard is when you can’t find a place to eat. On holidays many places close and forget about the truck drivers that may be working.

If you’re a driver your only alternative may be to visit a fast food restaurant. Here are some places that serve slightly healthier menu items so you don’t have eat something dripping in grease like this chili burger.

Subway Restaurants
Probably the healthiest of all the fast-food chains, Subway offers a variety of sandwiches that are 6 grams of fat or less. Just ask the attendant and they will show you all the options. We suggest the turkey breast or Veggie sub loaded with crisp veggies and your favorite fat-free dressings and condiments.

Arby’s
With several salads and wraps on the menu, Arby’s offers a wide range of healthy alternatives to burger and fries. The healthiest? The chopped turkey club salad is loaded with roast ham, turkey, lettuce, chopped bacon, onion, tomato, and cheddar cheese and is only 233 calories without dressing.

Burger King
The famed Whopper Jr. burger is just 380 calories if ordered without cheese and mayo. But if you’ve ever ordered a Whopper Jr., you know how small they are! So to fill you up, also order their garden salad with chicken and a fat-free or reduced fat dressing.

Kentucky Fried Chicken
Yep! We just listed KFC. That’s because KFC now offers delicious grilled chicken! You can also order one of their healthy sides such as green beans, a side salad, corn on the cob, and rice. This can be way better for you than a box of Twinkies from the c-store.

McDonald’s
Like many of its fast-food counterparts, McDonald’s also offers a wide range of salads on its menu but steer clear of anything with fried chicken; instead, order your salads with grilled chicken. Other healthier options include the basic hamburger (just 250 calories) or the grilled Snack Wraps (just 260 calories).

Hope fully this list gives you some ideas for when you are out and about. We wish you happy holidays.

If you are currently looking for trucking jobs or trucking jobs with training , please visit the CREngland company website.

Foods That Will Help You Sleep

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

healthy eating for truck drivers banana

Trucking Jobs keep drivers on a busy schedule that can sometimes be unpredictable. That schedule can sometimes leave a driver wide awake during his or her rest time. This is a list of foods a truck drivers can eat that will help them get rest when they need it.

A little back ground first. Just about everyone knows that they if they eat a big meal that is loaded with fats they will most likely need a nap shortly after. That is because meals like that are filled with foods that rank high on the Glycemic Index. They are however, not recommended for individuals that are watching what they eat or for those with diabetes. Instead this list covers healthy foods that can induce sleep.

Eat these four healthy foods to induce sleep:

  1. Cherries fresh or dried.
    1. Cherries contain melatonin which helps the body regulate sleep.
  2. Small amount of warm milk.
    1. A small glass of milk is loaded with tryptophan. A small portion will help promote sleep.
  3. Whole wheat toast or English muffin.
    1. A small serving will speed up the body’s release of tryptophan and serotonin.
  4. Bananas
    1. Potassium and magnesium are natural muscle relaxants, and bananas are a good source of both.

This is a list of foods that should be available at truck stops or Walmart stores across the country. When you’re an over the road truck driver getting good rest is one of the keys to being a safe truck driver. When it is time to rest eating these foods before bed can help you get the sleep you need.

Truckers “Read This And Quit Smoking Cold Turkey!”

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

truck drivers can quit smokingWhen it comes to smoking, the habit that was easy to start quickly becomes a habit that even toughest guys and gals out there can’t kick. It is hard to quit for most people because of the oral and physical addiction. There are even smokers that don’t want to quit because they enjoy it. The sad truth for those people is that it might be too late by the time they feel the effects of smoking and decide to quit. So, if your reading this now you have already taken the first step, your thinking about quitting.

There are many pills, patches, and prayers that you can try. The one method that has worked for many is quitting smoking cold turkey.

1. Quit and Acknowledge:

You need to believe in yourself and also make a mental commitment. We all do better when we have something scheduled. For example, one guy knew he couldn’t make it through his 50th birthday party with out smoking. He made that his final night of smoking. So, pick a final day to smoke and end that day by throwing out the rest of your cigarettes. Even your emergency pack. By doing this you will have made up your mind that without a doubt you’re going to quit. You also need to acknowledge that even though you’ve thrown out your cigarettes your still addicted.

2. Plan ahead:
Now that you’ve thrown the cigarettes away, plan what your going to do in a few hours when your body needs a cigarette? Plan now, so you don’t have to fight the urges. Initially just substitute something for them. After you have made it through the first rush of urges, plan for what you’re going to do for the next one. A lot of people will replace every lighter and ashtray with chewing gum. For a truck driver, you might smoke when you drive, so if your going to replace cigarettes with gum, buy a lot of gum and put it all over your truck.

3. Let people know your trying to quit.
Your addicted so any temptation will be hard to ignore. Let people know. This will help them, help you. Now that friend who always had time to smoke with you will stop asking.

4. Change what you did before.
This is probably the single most important factor in quitting. If you used to start each morning with a coffee and a cigarette, you need to start tomorrow with orange Juice and a granola bar. The point is to switch it up. As with any other addiction that people suffer from, certain places and routines are also part of the addiction. Even smells. If you can ditch the morning coffee you will be less likely to think about the cigarette in the morning. Some people also find it easier to avoid certain social settings all together in order to quit. Remember, as you get further down the road the temptations will take place less frequently, so if your skipping poker night for a few weeks, down the road you’ll be able to go smoke free.

That’s the long and the short of it. If you falter just try again. If you can execute each of the 4 points above you’ll have a plan, an understanding of what you can do to fight the urges, and you will have a way to impact the addiction with alternatives. We wish you the best of luck, and just remember, you can do it!