Healthy Trucking

Treat me like a dog, why don't ya?

I have often seen someone driving his vehicle down a side road with the dog leash extended out the window and the dog happily running alongside the car. People obviously recognize the importance of getting regular exercise when it comes to their pets, so why don’t they apply the same principles to themselves?
     You’ve heard that you should never give your dog “people food.” Why? My guess is that people food isn’t generally healthy, not for people or dogs. People can control their dogs’ portions, feed them a well-balanced, complete nutritious dog food and take them for regular exercise.
     I take my dog with me everywhere I go. I also carry a bicycle, and almost every day I go for a ride and the dog runs alongside me. She knows just which side of the bike to run on so she’s not in traffic. They learn fast. For the first half-mile or so, I don’t even need to pedal. She wants to run so badly that she pulls me. Then she just decides to keep up and stay alongside me.
     I can tell that my dog loves it all by the way she jumps around so happily when I first pull the bike out of the trailer. The same feeling goes for me – I feel so much better afterward.
     I lost 180 pounds as a truck driver by getting healthy. I learned how to eat properly, managing everything from portion size to meal frequency to the right foods. Different foods work together to maximize the nutrition potential of those foods. That is precisely why it is called a “balanced diet!” The frequency of the times you eat plays a huge role in your metabolic rate. How well you chew your food impacts not only the digestive process, but your entire immune system.
     Then, of course, there is exercise, the best medicine of all.
     How did I lose those 180 pounds? I designed a workout that a driver can do from the seat of the truck, using no special equipment. I also use my “19th Wheel” to build, strengthen and tone my muscles, including those in the back.
     My book “Nineteen Wheels” explains how it works. For more information, check out my Web site: safetythruwellness.com.
     Jack Kelsh is a professional over-the-road driver and a certified sports nutritionist.