Maintaining a Healthy Diet On The Road

Any fitness guru will tell you that maintaining a healthy diet takes a lot of time, effort, and planning. Which is why, when you add attempting to accomplish this on the road to the mix, it makes the task near impossible.

However, pay attention to the word ‘near’, as believe it or not these days, eating healthy and maintaining a healthy diet on the road is not only affordable but also, doable.

With the countless fast food options available to all drivers on the road, it’s very easy to be allured by its simplicity. But, the healthy eating trend sweeping the world has more and more opportunities for you to say ‘no’ to junk food, and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Still, staying healthy is easier said than done, as you will be challenged. To help you stay healthy, here are some tips and tricks for you to follow while on the road.

Start the Day off Right

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day – and yet it’s the one that is most commonly skipped. Whether you find it difficult to eat in the morning, or simply don’t have the time, skipping breakfast is the first step in the slippery slope of unhealthy eating.

Snacking on junk food and candy bars when you feel hungry, rather than starting the day off right with a balanced meal is a huge mistake. Breakfast is crucial to getting your body’s metabolism going, and something as small as a slice of bread with peanut butter, or Greek yogurt and fruit is enough.

Even more, just by eating breakfast you won’t have to make an extra stop to get food or coffee. Drivers that skip breakfast entirely, and wait until lunch to have their first proper meal, will most likely be living off of coffee to remain alert. This means that not only will your metabolism be slower, but also when you do finally eat, your body will store the calories rather than burn them.

Therefore, starting off the day with a good breakfast and strategically eating smaller meals more often guarantees your metabolism is continuously working, and you’re alert at the wheel at all times.

Be Prepared

Don’t find yourself on a deserted interstate with no food options to choose from. Once you know where you’re going, take the time to research healthy food options along the route before you set off. Doing so will save you from chowing down on the first fast food place you come across.

Try planning a healthy meal by finding grocery stores or farmers markets along the way. You’ll be able to pick up fresh and healthy produce such as deli meat, vegetables, hummus, bread – and other healthy food, that will make it easier for you to build a healthy meal.

Even more, once you’ve determined where you will stop, you can add these stops into your route, to ensure you remain on track with the schedule.

Stock Up On Snacks

All truck drivers know that truck shops have two main things to offer; easy parking, and supersized candy bars. Of course, healthy food is also available, but those options don’t take the front seat in these types of places – it’s the garbage food that steals the spotlight.

We all like to snack, but eating these types of snacks day in day out can have a serious toll on our health. Issues such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, sleep apnea, to name but a few, are constantly plaguing truck drivers – and it’s all due to being inactive and unhealthy food choices.

Of course, having the occasional candy bar here and there won’t have a detrimental effect on your health. So, don’t completely cut yourself off, just eat in moderation. The next time you find yourself in a truck stop, check out the healthier section. And, if you’re worried that those types of snacks won’t hold well, then don’t. These days, you have many snack options at your disposal that can be kept in your truck. Food such as fruits, nuts, granola bars, trail mix, and seeds travel well, so take advantage of it.

So, whether you’re snacking as you’re peckish or simply bored, putting in the effort to stock up on healthier snack options will save you from having to make too many stops on the road, money, and eating unhealthy options.

Stay Hydrated

Did you know, many of the unhealthy cravings and hunger pangs we experience daily can be satisfied by drinking a glass of water? The benefits of water are many, it helps regulate bodily functions, satisfies food cravings, energizes muscles, flushes your body of toxins, and more.

The human body needs plenty of water to function, so skip the sugary high-caloric soda, and ensure you’re drinking at least eight glasses of water a day.

Keep a big bottle of water with you in the truck, and eat more fruits and vegetables with high water content. For those non-water lovers, choose beverages that meet your individual needs such as juice, milk, coffee, tea, flavored water, and so on. Water is essential to our health so don’t substitute it with too many sugary drinks, as it will make all the difference to your blood sugar levels.

Conclusion

We all know that being on the road for long periods of time is extremely unhealthy. Finding yourself in different places every day throws a spanner in the works when it comes to keeping a healthy routine.

However, putting in the extra effort to stick to healthy habits and food options, will be worth the payoff. Just try out some of these strategies, you’ll find yourself in the best of health.