We recently spoke with trucker health and fitness coach Mark Manera about his business, The Trucking Fitness Company, which helps truckers become more physically active. Mark and the co-owners of his company have launched an app and created an online health and fitness coaching system designed specifically for truckers. All of the exercises in the program can be done with a resistance band and your bodyweight, so that you can work out anytime and anywhere.
In our conversation with Mark, he also shared some great tips for truckers on how to eat healthy on the road, which we share here.
1. Eat Smaller Portions
“A lot of the truckers I work with have gotten discouraged because they don’t have a lot of options when they’re driving,” Mark said. “A great place to start is with portion control. That means getting a small instead of a large or supersize. You can start with making small changes like that.”
2. Minimize Sugar Intake
“When we were testing our app, we had one driver who was drinking 20 cans of soda every day,” said Mark. “Just cutting that down or shifting to a diet drink can be life-changing.”
“When we were testing our app, we had one driver who was drinking 20 cans of soda every day,” said Mark. “Just cutting that down or shifting to a diet drink can be life-changing.”
Mark says to focus on drinking a sugar-free drink or water to reduce the sugar in your diet, or to drink coffee and tea black or with just a little bit of sugar instead of adding a lot of sugar and creamer.
3. Avoid Fried Food, Keep It Healthy at Fast
Food Restaurants and Truck Stops
“You can go for things like grilled chicken sandwiches instead or even opt for a hamburger without bacon if you want to start small,” Mark advised. “Something that we do offer through our coaching program is a restaurant guide — so if your only option is McDonald’s, you can find out what the healthiest options are.”
If you’re eating at a truck stop, Mark encourages you to choose salads, egg sandwiches, veggie packs, ham sandwiches and whole grain wraps.
4. Keep Healthy Food Staples on Your Truck
Mark recommends keeping foods that don’t need to be refrigerated in your truck. These will come in handy if you’re in a pinch and need to eat something quickly.
“There are a lot of fruits and some vegetables that don’t need to be refrigerated,” advised Mark. “These include apples, bananas and tangerines, which are great snacks.”
“There are a lot of fruits and some vegetables that don’t need to be refrigerated,” advised Mark. “These include apples, bananas and tangerines, which are great snacks.”
Vegetables that don’t require refrigeration include peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers, which also make good snacks.
5. Be Prepared for Snack Attacks
When boredom eating strikes, it’s all about having healthier options on hand. Mark recommends reaching for snacks (and food in general) with simple ingredients — the fewer ingredients, the better.
“A box of mixed nuts is a good snack, though you do have to pay attention to portion size,” Mark said. “Protein bars are good, too, but make sure you choose ones that are not super high in sugar and that have at least 15 to 20 grams of protein.”
For more of our conversation with Mark, read Mark Manera of The Trucking Fitness Company: Helping Truckers Get Fit, Healthy on the Road. To download Trucker Tools’ free driver app, visit https://www.truckertools.com/carriers/.
