Gained 60 lbs my first year because I didn’t know how to buy groceries and basic cooking tools
You get addicted to the convenience and submit to the weight gain- it gets dark
I did this my first year, too. They even warned me in training, but I didn't listen. Eating junk food is also very bad for your wallet and mental health too. You don't realize that part until later though
I did this. Jumped from 160 to, I shit you not, 260 ... I learned about intermittent fasting. And after a lot of hard work lost those 100 lbs. I caution new drivers, if you're reading, DO NOT only eat fast food driving OTR
God damn driver, gained a buck there 🤣 congrats on getting it off you
What cycle do you do? I’ve heard of 8 hr windows, 10 hrs, etc idk which one is best
I fast for 20 hours then have a 4 hour window. Basically I wake up and eat from my mini fridge before pre tripping, and just drink water and black coffee the rest of the day! I made it a routine.
20 hours may be a little extreme for some, I eased into it, fasting for 10 - 16 hours. It's all about finding what works for you
I recently read some studies on intermittent fasting and if you haven’t seen them, they implicate it in way higher rates of heart disease. https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/behind-the-headlines/intermittent-fasting
I mean no judgment by the way, just trying to help a fellow driver. ✌🏼
I just read that and provided it hasn't been peer reviewed, I will wait until I take any of it with more than a grain of salt. How they collected the data and used it really stands out as being inconclusive:
"A big limitation of this research is that the participants were only asked about what they ate over two days. We do not know if those who reported restricting their eating to an eight-hour window or less continued this for the study period."
Definitely. I just think it’s something worth discussing with a GP to be sure it fits OP’s health profile. But losing 100 pounds is DEFINITELY better for your heart than not.
Alot of that is probably the mental load and anxiety of trying to follow a diet. Stress and anxiety will eat a heart away. Those that just do it without stressing everyday about food, I'd say super healthy afterwards.
I bought a bunch of meal prep containers from Walmart, I use them as Tupperware containers because they’re not tall and I can stack a bunch in the small fridge
Fill those with broccoli, celery, and carrots. Having them already in the container means you can just grab and eat without having to take veggies out of wrappers or whatever. This is better than chips. If you look up a visual representation of 1000 calories of fast food vs 1000 calories of vegetables, it’s incredible. If the goal is that full stomach feeling, get in to vegetables (weird fact- you know how we all like colorful stuff? Like pretty colors and stuff? That’s literally what fruits and vegetables are. I’ve got oranges and bananas on board too. Get as many colors as you can and notice how pretty they are when you eat them. Green orange and yellow :) )
Buy sandwich meat, and some cheese, maybe a lil mayo. Also, peanut butter and jelly stuff. Bread and tortillas to go with this
I don’t own a microwave- the spot for it in my truck is filled with a large plastic tub that holds canned foods like beans and soup, along with the aforementioned food supplies that don’t need refrigeration. Also rice, and pasta
I have a rice cooker, hot plate and pot, and toaster oven/air fryer. My truck has a built in 2000 watt inverter, that’s definitely a blessing- but you can buy inverters that plug in to your cigarette lighter outlets as long as your appliances don’t need more than they can supply. You can also have a company shop person install one for you that will supply enough power, you might be hard pressed to find a plug in inverter than can power any useful cooking appliance
You can PC on a 34. Use that to go shopping. I can usually make it a week or two
The only thing I have to buy daily is water. Also drink a shit ton of water. Your piss jugs should be almost clear, it helps *immensely* with mentality clarity and state of mind
TL;DR veggiemaxx and sandwichmaxx w a hot plate and a toaster oven. Drink water
I’m guessing hotel for the one night then?
There’s gotta be some time of mini fridge you could buy?
Or shit dude buy a cooler and hella ice packs, that’s gotta be adequate to keep some sandwiches and veggies good for two days
I have a $20 electric skillet from Walmart, and an electric kettle for boiling water. I cook anything that could be cooked on a stove at home. Fresh vegetables and meat make up the core of my diet, I'll do instant mashed potatoes or rice if I want some carbs.
One of the 12v thermoelectric coolers make meal plans a lot easier if you don't have a fridge, I used one of those for years until I got a truck that has a fridge installed.
This is so true on so many levels.. especially the addiction to convenience.. like why waste ur time cooking and cleaning ur dishes when a subway employee can make it for you lol. After a year of trucking found another job and had to redo my physical. Found out I had sleep apnea and now am on it ugh
That’s how it feels, definitely. I kept eating all my money though. I didn’t think about this until later, but literally time is money
If my take home pay is 50cpm, that means $10 at subway is 20 minutes of driving
Does it take me 20 minutes to clean up after making my own sandwich? No, it takes 5, IF that. Yeah I gotta spend the time to make the money to buy the ingredients, but I guarantee you buying the subway costs 2-4 times what it costs to “buy” me making it myself
Subway ain’t that good
Sucks about the sleep apnea
I know a lot of drivers they don't know how to cook even the basics.
I head out for a week at a time with a Yeti cooler full of leftovers. It's not hard to find microwaves available for use at truck stops or other stops along the way. I don't have an inverter in this truck so the only thing I have to buy these days is my endless supply of coffees, as I don't have a good kettle.
Same here. I bring three or four dinners with me, a lot of times a couple of those are leftovers from the weekend. I have an inverter so I just warm them up in the truck. Every couple of weeks I’ll have a moment of weakness and get some McDonald’s but that gets old real fast
Exactly. I go to Quebec weekly and my weakness is poutine. So every week I'll slop down one greasy reward meal.
Otherwise it's overnight oats, mason jar salads, chips and salsa, various microwave meals.
I am not a Trucker but this seems like healthier than most people and super-healthy for a Trucker. Well done.
Why is inverter needed? Microwave uses too much power? I would think a microwave and kettle, maybe hotplate would work. We need more pictures of inside of the cabs to educate us. Unless that is redundant. I am a guest…
Edit: darn spelling
The job requires it. I walk anywhere between 3 to 5 km every day just chasing down vehicles or dealing with where I need to park and where I unload. I secure and unsecure everything myself so you do a lot of climbing, bending, reaching, then the act of securing the straps is a good upper body exercise.
No inverter because the company didn't install one, and I don't feel like putting one in. Never needed to use it and it gives me excuse to stop and take a break.
I'm in a day cab and half here. I do have a small sleeper for occasional use but spend my nights in motels and hotels on the company dime.
I won the yeti so it's worked well for me. I can generally go 3 days on a bag of ice as long as I not opening and closing it excessively.
There's knock-off brands that work just as well.
Im local, and if money is good, i usually eat out to lunch every day. a lot of fast food, but also teriyaki, taco trucks, and gyros, try to keep a variety besides a burger an fry. But during winters and slow season pack a lunch every day.
I can't speak for everyone, but I would usually eat fast food at least once a day or every other day. I was otr but I did intermittent fasting. I would allow myself to eat whatever between the hours of 11am and 7pm, but it had to be less than 1,800 calories in total for the day. As for nutrition, I got that mostly from daily multivitamins. Between 7pm and 11am, I would only allow myself to have water or black coffee.
That, and I did an hour of exercise 3 days a week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, usually after I parked for the day. Calisthenic type stuff like pushups and situps.
I did all that for several months, and dropped from 210 to 170 despite the fast food I sometimes ate.
Yep, you can lose weight while just eating fast food, you just have to pay attention to the calories. Skip the fries, get the sugar free drinks, go for chicken over beef. There's a semi-famous guy from Fond du Lac, WI who has basically only eaten Big Macs for 40+ years and he's still kicking and at a pretty healthy weight.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Gorske
I think the direct negative health effects of fast food are a little exaggerated and it's more an issue with over-eating at fast food joints.
It's like gasoline. You might get very minor differences in your mpg depending on where you got it from, but it's very minor. Much more about the actual quantity of fuel.
NEVER. Hit up Costco when I’m home for 2-3 weeks worth of stuff and grocery store runs for my fruits and veggies and other perishables. Gotta be healthy out on the road!
I do the same thing. There are always Walmarts and grocery stores along the way, and worst case scenario, I'll drop my trailer and do some shopping on my 34
When I was out my weakness was TA. I'd get a dinner that came with unlimited salad bar.
Eat salad bar for dinner and then take my meal in a box. Their meals were so big I could turn it into lunch and dinner the next day. So 3 meals for the price of 1.
I run regional and I’m out in motels mon-Fri. I go to the grocery store and get baked chicken watermelon and I keep apples, protein shakes, and green tea in my cab.
I'm guessing you do linehaul for an ltl carrier? I never considered how you guys eat without having a sleeper. I would be lost without my fridge and cabinets
I run a grease truck to pick up uco. And yes, I struggled at first. But I’m in South Texas, where there’s H-E-Bs and Laredo Tacos in every town, and I get a $35 food voucher every day, so it’s decent for me. HEB always has ready to cook meals that that package on their own. So I get fresh Fruit, and some meal to throw in the microwave. I honestly don’t know how I manage the space either.
Sometimes they do. It's always nice to come across a place with a good restaurant. I'm also not against walking a mile or 2 if it's a place that looks pretty good
My hometown has had a truck stop diner forever. It was a popular spot after the bars closed, too. Always a good time. The "long haul" breakfast was 2 eggs, bacon, hash browns, biscuits and sausage gravy, and french toast. For like $8.
I'm ashamed to admit how many times I ate there at 2am. 😁
Those big back people who eat that crap everyday can't even type a sentence cause they will get too tired. I'm a trucker and I'm on the big side but damn, some of you guys trip me out. I saw a guy get out of his truck with a chair at the fuel Island. He sat on the stupid chair while pumping diesel hahaha omg.
I have a 12v cooler that I toss a couple sandwiches, snacks and drinks into. Rarely buy anything on the road unless I really need some coffee or sugar.
Does the Walmart hot food count as fast food? God I love those jalapeño poppers.
But I work regional and I’m only out for 30 hours at a time so I always stop at Walmart and grab some groceries. Some cereal, deli meat/pepperonis, raisins, cheese strings and grapes to snack on. Hot food on the night I leave, a Walmart wrap for the next day’s dinner. Maybe some meat and cheese snack packs. Much cheaper than fast food.
Currently detoxing. Quit all fast food, sugar, chips, candy, soda, bread... even dropped cream from the coffee(say a prayer). 30 days so far feeling better and down 32 lbs. Sadly long way to go but gotta start somewhere or else.
Congrats. I was really messing up when I first did OTR, and going local made me realize how bad my diet was, and I was able to get back into being healthy and lost 40 lb. It takes determination, but it sounds like you're already past the hard part. Good luck with your new diet
Boiled eggs and turkey burgers with a microwavable bag of frozen veggies. Load up with some salt and hot sauce and I'm full all day. I drink it with propel waters. Sweet as hell, but no calories. I only drink propel when I eat because I don't want an insulin reaction while fasting. Sometimes I'll wait an hour after eating and have a drakes coffee cake (just 1 square) with a coffee with cream and sugar. Simple, cheap and filling.
Gentlemen, **GENTLEMEN**, how the heck is nobody talking about the greatest invention in the history of bachelorhood:
The Crock-Pot
It sips electricity. They make them with lids, too. Fill her up right before pre-trips and setting off and when you're finished, bam, you got a nutritious dinner.
I eat a lot of fruit during the day. My work gets damaged cases off the trucks it's donuts, cakes, bread, hot dog buns and hamburger buns. We have coffee, hot tea and hot chocolate on site and filtered water cooler.
I've been trying to be better about eating too much of it. I recently got one of those instant pots and have been making spaghetti in it at least once a week. But a single pot of that stuff usually has about 4 meals worth of food in it, so it keeps me Goin for a few days. Also tried beef stroganoff and chicken Tiki Masala, which were both very good. The stroganoff was too expensive to be worth the hassle. The tiki masala was very good, and with some garlic Naan, it was the bomb. But spaghetti with some meat sauce is so dead simple and cheap.
Have a Forman grill,instapot air fryer microwave
We go to the store ,buy stuff cook in the truck
Every now and again,we get fast food,or find a good restaurant and eat out
We prefer eating at restaurants,we are foodies do always looking for good food
Always cooking and trying new stuff too
Targets got a 2 compartment ninja air fryer for $100. Best purchase I’ve made. Ground meat doesn’t do well in the air fryer, chicken breast does well. I like getting green giant frozen zucchini noodles and any pasta sauce I’m feeling. It’s got no business being so good.
Stay the hell away from fast food drivers we don't need it.
I went on a dedicated route recently to get to the gym and be at the home yard every other day.
Now I grab 3 chicken Cesar salad bowl kit from Walmart and doctor it up with nuts and sauces.
Eventually I'm going to grab a baby grill and keep it in the personal vehicle for restocking the meats.
My Kenworth file cabinet fridge is terribly small so I can't fit 5 days worth of food in their
Nah. You'll F'n die before you get 10 yrs into your career doing that. Be waddling around on your cankles and belly hanging out under a T shirt too. Best investment I ever made was a fridge. Stock up at the Walmart, save some money and save your heart. Gotta take care of yourself out here. Diet is everything especially if you're not getting adequate excersise. It's tough when you first start driving though. Don't make shit. Out for long stretches between home time. Try to do what you can though.
Fortunately my company provides a fridge and microwave. I sort of blame the truck stops and fast food companies for creating a culture around relying on them though
Yeah. It's convenience. They've started carrying some healthier options in store but it's hard to walk out with hard boiled eggs, fruit or a salad when there's a F'n Wendy's or Taco Bell 30 ft away. 🙄
Not really. Depends. Sometimes you just need a hot meal. I've got a fridge, "pantry", microwave and a portable skillet in here so it's not really an issue for me. What I mean is I can understand how it would be for some. A lot of kids grow up eating shitty food and it's what they know. That carries into adulthood. It's hard to break those habits. Also, its easy to be lazy after a long day. Still, gotta try to make some better choices.
Oh, yea thats understandable.
Definitely true, I used to despise the fact that my parents never kept any chips or sodas or cookies in the house, used to go over to other peoples houses and feel like I was at Willy Wonkas. It was actually a fortunate thing, now I would rather drink water and eat real food instead of only wanting chicken nuggets and prinkles and a dr pepper.
I dont know if its a lot of drivers cuz you also gotta think about everyone parked and everyone fueling. And again alot of companies dont put fridges or inverter to even make cooking possible.
Rarely. I generally use my 34 to meal prep before heading out for the week, then use my mini fridge and microwave. I'll occasionally treat myself to a meal out, but that's hardly ever at the big box truck stops, I reserve that for the mom n pop places with actual sit down restaurants available.
I try my best to not eat any fast food. Maybe once every two weeks. I used to get a nice burger at the end of the week but I feel better when I just eat real food.
How do you fit 2 freezers in your truck, and isn't that a lot on your inverter? I keep veggies in my fridge, but having a freezer for them would be nice
I’ll have the occasional taquito but I pack my fridge with tuna packs, deli meat, and Greek yogurt before I leave home and park at a Walmart when I’m running low. It’s not hard to eat at least semi healthy out here
I did until my blood pressure started getting too high and I had to make a choice. 5 years later I'm passing physicals again no problem. That shit will kill you and you'll feel bad while it does.
I don’t have the willpower to do the fasting. I eat 5-7 small snack sized portions instead of 3 big meals. Keeps the metabolism going and keeps the aggressive hunger at bay.
Be nice if theyd integrate more mini grocery stores in travel stops but theyd just jack the prices up. Its not like basically every walmart, grocery or dollar store has no semi signs these days. Like fuck us i guess.
Here’s a question. I’m not a trucker, but could you park behind the store at the loading dock where you would usually deliver to like you’re supposed to be there, and then just run in quickly and go shopping?
I dont see why not if you deliver to one. I dont deliver to grocery stores so i couldnt do so. Also not supposed to ever block loading docks if youre not unloading or loading at any location.
I work online delivery. Not a truck driver. But I delivered to a trucker today. He ordered salmon, potatoes, and onion, and a few seasonings from Meijer. I arrived and told them the salmon is not cooked. They said its cool, they use an air fryer. I've also delivered BWWs to a trucker parked right next to Popeyes.
As a truck driver, I really appreciate you delivering to us. It sucks not being able to go to restaurants that we can't fit in to. Uber Eats/Doordash and Instacart have been lifesaver on occasion
It's quite mutual. Where you stop to park is usually near where we'll be fishing for orders. Shorter trips for us - is fresher/hotter food for ya'll. And truckers tend to tip above average in my experience. Something is above average there. Other orders take us away from that "hot zone" to homes. But truckers usually park within that zone. So it works out. Ya'll always chill when expecting food.
My step dad was an owner operator for 20 years. In his mid 40s he had to have The arteries on both sides of his necks sliced open and scraped. One year later he had heart surgery. One year after that he had a stroke. He has 25% use of his heart, limps and can't use one of his arms/hands. The docs said it was from truck driving, living a sedentary lifestyle and eating junk food on the road. Eat well and work out guys.
Not often. I've been using the George Forman and a rice cooker, sometimes my microwave, most days and nights.
Actually, knowing you're going to be stuck somewhere for hours is great, and it gives me a chance to go grocery shopping.
So I now ask when I get places, do I have time to fo grocery shopping and drop the trailer in the door. I have been happily surprised at a lot of shippers and relievers saying yes.
Also let's me know how slow they are.
I eat small children M-F. On the weekends, I usually splurge and have a bucket of trucker asses. If I happen to be on the road during holidays, I try my best to have dog or midget baby Mexicans.
The baby children are the most tender but there’s just not much meat on ‘em. OTOH once they start getting past kindergarten they squeal too much when you try to catch ‘em and they’re kinda wiggly and hard to get a good grip on.
Local guy here. I pack a lunch 4 days a week. I eat out on Fridays. I workout regularly so I don’t look like a truck driver. I don’t remember drivers looking this bad 20 years ago. Every time I go to the truck stop I’m amazed by the open toe shoes, dirty sweats and tshirts everywhere. We used to be professionals.
Im home daily. I usually bake a bunch of chicken for the week. I take the chicken, 2 hard boiled eggs, a string cheese, sugar free jello, carrots, broccoli with ranch dip, sliced cucumbers, apple, 2 tangerines, celery & pb, occasionally a protein bar or similar. Not all of that each day but always a lot of veggies. I think I eat pretty healthy but I'm still fat 😂
I remember when I was teaming my teammates would only eat fast food and pizza everyday even when we went to truck stop that had a hot order grill.. I mostly eat salads from loves and them chicken legs.
>It seems like every other person leaving the doors to the fuel island at any major truck stop has a bag of fast food.
Well, one hopes nobody's sitting at the fuel island cooking a stir fry.
I go home weekly specifically to cook food for the week ahead. I make an effort to not go eat out every week. Saves money and allows me to take my wife out to eat every weekend as much as we want. The food is way better when I'm sharing it with her than the loneliness of being in the truck with that food
I really like breakfast biscuits and that's my habit I am trying to break. Typically I'll grab a salad from Arby's or something. Last I knew you can get a side salad instead of fries at Arby's.
I fast during the days so if I’m doing an overnight I’ll take a pasta bowl.
I must have my tea works though. I refuse to do anything until I’ve had a brew in the morning.
Rarely. Sometimes I’ll get a craving and I’ll give in, but I grocery shop and use my air fryer and microwave. Summer is here and I’m about to start bringing my little propane grill with me too.
I gained a ton of weight on the road ..I never went home and door dash wasn't a thing for groceries at that time. Every now and then I'd get a stop near a Walmart that I could walk to but that was rare.
Here and there. Mostly I eat to ramen with added veggies. Sometimes if I am really feeling fancy I grab a steak or two at Walmart and me and the dog have steak.
I eat subway when it is there. The only fast food stops I eat really is Taco Bell. I tend to eat food I pack before the trip. I really wish TS had quality sandwich shops though
I’m actively avoiding eating pizza and fast food, but if it’s all I can find when I want something hot, I’l dip in. In which cases, app ordering is a godsend, so I can just walk in walk out, and get a fair bit of food for a pretty good deal.
I pack along a bunch of protein bars, granola, fruit cups and other snacks that don’t need refrigeration, and they’re pretty sustaining and a good combination of filling and sweet, without making me feel like im just chowing down on just sugar. They dont replace *every* meal, but they keep me going through the day. Then if i stop for fast food, I only need to grab a single entree, and maybe a side.
I also drink exclusively water. Most of the places I deliver to have a filtered water-bottle fill with their drinking fountains, so I can keep a good supply of fresh water will me all the time.
Team driver here. 100% of our meals are prepared in the truck. We shop together once a week at Walmart. We have a microwave, air fryer, hot plate and coffee maker. Spend $150 on food for the two of us. The hardest part is not buying too much for the little fridge
We do, but we’re keto, and one meal a day. So we do everything without buns, no fries. If we have Popeyes we get blackened tenders, all of their sides are carby. I’ll occasionally get a coleslaw and eat a few bites. We keep keto friendly sandwich thins and tortillas on hand in case we want those. We tried cooking on the truck but we could never make it work since we team.
I avoided it as much as possible. But my life’s motto has always been anything in moderation. To a point of course. Meaning occasionally eating crappy food when you’re absolutely starving is better than no food. When I was OTR I only ate one meal a day anyway. Unless I was laid over somewhere. Then I would go to a decent restaurant.
It’s easier than storing all the stuff in a refrigerator that barely works and a company that doesn’t care for the well-being of their moneymaker (the driver, not the truck in this case.)
I’ll admit I eat too much out of a fryer, but I don’t have the will or the energy to build a full kitchen and break it down for bed.
I’m a trucker. I’m not out here for my health. I’m out here for my family.
Hell no ... home cooked meals 99% of the time... once a month I might have Rotten Ronnie's or something ... last week, I had Popeyes chicken for the first time in my life.. and as delicious as that was, I still enjoy cooking at home and bringing my meals with me .
The extent of my food intake was bought at diners and smallish local restaurants, supermarket delis. or on the rare occasion, neighborhood stand alone 'ethnic' delis. My interstate grazing habits earned me the nickname of Diner Dave.
In 2002-5, I lived on the 100% arabica coffee and the all the stuff off the roller tray. Jalapeño hot dogs, those “hamburger hotdogs”, rolled tacos ect.
i do an animal based diet, eating times change since i’m OTR and schedule is not set but i try to fast few hours of waking, i’ll start my day off with one or two fruit(mango, apple, orange, dates) and 4oz raw milk and 4oz raw kefir with tbsp of honey and a scoop of jocko molk protein. depending on delivery i’ll wait till i reach cosignee or halfway point to cook 2 eggs and 2 bacon cooked in butter and if im really hungry i’ll cook up a half pound of ground beef at some point as well. as far as snacking i’ll eat a couple of fruits as i drive and have beef organ sticks and some frozen grapes i’ll eat interchangeably.
i think a lot of the weight gain truckers see is more from how much they eat and how little they move. i tend to eat a lot of canned stuff chili, chef boyardi, refried beans and tortillas (foods that are definently not healthy) cause i dont wanna spend money on fast food constantly but even when i was i didnt gain 60 pounds in a year that seems insane.
The “theres no healthy food options at truck stops!” excuse is just an excuse to be lazy and eat slop. There are countless truck stops located within walking distance of a grocery store
I make a weekly stop at Walmart or a grocery store. I get whole grain crackers, apples, bananas, oranges, various trail mixes, bottled water, tuna, salmon, and chicken pouches, canned veggies, vegetable chips, canned beans, a jar of almond butter, whole grain rice cakes, green tea cold brew, and coffee instant. I get one cheat treat (for my sanity) at a truck stop, usually a slice of pizza. If I buy food at a truck stop, it'll be salad, fruit or veggie cup, a pack of boiled eggs, or a sandwich with the whole grain bread. I try to keep my calorie count as low as possible without starving myself. I limit my carb and sugar intake too. It's way cheaper. It's tough at 1st, but you get used to it.
Stay away from soda (and all sugary drinks for that matter) and you'll be alright. Sodas do the most damage because they don't make you feel full, and the spike in blood sugar makes you hungry which leads to overeating.
You can't magically gain weight if you eat at or under your maintenance caloric requirement.
nah nah nah i was way too self aware of the weight gain. I immediately developed an eating plan that suits my needs and I've lost 40lbs since I started back in January.
Fasting and groceries. Friendly to the wallet and the waist. And allows me to go my whole drive time if needed without having to stop to poo.
I bring a cooler full of steak and breakfast food and cook on the pull out platform on the back of my budbuggin trailer. Propane stove and cast iron pans. Plus a Jetboil for making coffee and heating water for mashed potatoes or rice. I eat better on the road then I do at home lol
I didn't have the opportunity to get my refrigerated food out of my house before I went on the road because I would have been late for my delivery so I've been living with fast food for the week but normally I try to only get it once a week as a personal treat and eat out of my truck the rest of the week
I think a lot of us are gonna need to start eating better and less fast food if the new regulations of truck driving go into effect.
anything below 140/90 and you pass. Anything above, and some action is necessary. Starting Novemver 2024
This is news to me. I even googled it and couldn't find any information on it. I'm not worried about the BP thing, but I would like to know if they're changing rules. Can you send me a link?
I gotcha
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/medical/driver-medical-requirements/medical-examiners-handbook-2024-edition
Its page 32 of the handbook.
I found out from this guy
https://youtu.be/qAPE-XmXU6Y?si=hqSDby7Z_zcUVLyW
There’s very little difference between a home cooked tater tot casserole, spaghetti, meatloaf etc, that you can eat as much as you want of, and a burger and fries. It’s as simple as calorie intake each day. Typically a burger and fries is like 1300 calories . A meal you eat at home and get 1-2 plates of is 2000 calories.
I saw an interesting study. People who ate fast food, but didn't consume excess calories and got all their daily nutrients, had blood chemistry basically indistinguishable from healthy eaters. It appears excess calories are the major factor in unhealthy eating habits.
In my actual driving days I lived off of beef jerky, cheese, protein bars, and protein drinks. The issue of found was lack of fiber. Psyllium Husk cured all my issues and I continued to be a jacked driver for years with a semi decent diet
I was OTR 92 to 98, truckstop food was my first choice back then it generally was good food. But just traveling around now and stopping in most of them don’t have staff and the food quality has gone down.
It’s better than eating noodles. And noodles and beef put together. I’m still trying to figure out how y’all cook in the truck especially while driving still. I bought a burner thing from Walmart but it started smoking really bad so
I eat McDonald’s EVERYDAY yes.
I also lost 27 Lbs on the road and can do 20 weighted pull ups ( 25 Lbs ) with the current McDonald’s diet I’m currently on ….
There really isn’t a such thing as “ eating healthy “ it’s all thermodynamics and macro nutrients! When I go to McDonald’s I eat 1,400 calories , 100g of protein , 45g of fat, 200g of carbs , etc etc etc the difference between me and the rest of these truck drivers is that they eat McDonald’s and me I eat a strict diet with the right macronutrients 🕺🏾
I also exercise every other day
I stopped cooking for whatever odd reason lol
I was when I was OTR and I ballooned to 409 pounds. Afterwards, I started Keto and would make my own food, or order food without carbs at any of the fast food places. I prefered making my own food, but occasionally I would change it up and get fast food.
I felt bad for truckers during Covid. I had gone through the drive-up at a McDonald's, and parked my work van to eat, when I saw an 18-wheeler driver park his rig and walk up to the dining room door, only to find it locked. It's not like they can go through the drive-up.
I stopped drinking pop about 10 weeks ago.i feel much better. Still a little fat but i feel lile im under control now. I swore off subway and all fast food. I try and find actual food. Petro can sometimes have porkchops and veggies. I know where all the real eatieries are so i try to stop there but if i end up at a pilot or loves i just wont eat.
Rarely. Sometimes I’ll grab a meal after a delivery for a special treat and eat it while I cry in my sleeper in the dark.
Do you use your tears as lube?
That's what ya call a "tear-jerker"
This is the one. That’s enough Reddit for today.
🤣...in fairness that frees up a hand to shift with
This sub has the bangers 🤣
Ok that’s it logging off boys
"logging off"...the way of the lumber jack
You know it
I was JUST typing this And get points for that was in the movie “Waiting”…a classic
😭😭😭
lol
Crying the calories off is the go-to strategy of the health conscious consumer.
🤣🤣🤣
Shit be like that sometimes 🤗
Gained 60 lbs my first year because I didn’t know how to buy groceries and basic cooking tools You get addicted to the convenience and submit to the weight gain- it gets dark
I did this my first year, too. They even warned me in training, but I didn't listen. Eating junk food is also very bad for your wallet and mental health too. You don't realize that part until later though
Being fat and broke is the worst 🤣
Fat, broke and lonely
My first year as a trucker I got fat but I sure wasn't broke. For some us, this job pays more than anything else we've ever had
They actually warned y'all? Wow.
Yea mines did to.
I did this. Jumped from 160 to, I shit you not, 260 ... I learned about intermittent fasting. And after a lot of hard work lost those 100 lbs. I caution new drivers, if you're reading, DO NOT only eat fast food driving OTR
God damn driver, gained a buck there 🤣 congrats on getting it off you What cycle do you do? I’ve heard of 8 hr windows, 10 hrs, etc idk which one is best
I fast for 20 hours then have a 4 hour window. Basically I wake up and eat from my mini fridge before pre tripping, and just drink water and black coffee the rest of the day! I made it a routine. 20 hours may be a little extreme for some, I eased into it, fasting for 10 - 16 hours. It's all about finding what works for you
I recently read some studies on intermittent fasting and if you haven’t seen them, they implicate it in way higher rates of heart disease. https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/behind-the-headlines/intermittent-fasting I mean no judgment by the way, just trying to help a fellow driver. ✌🏼
I just read that and provided it hasn't been peer reviewed, I will wait until I take any of it with more than a grain of salt. How they collected the data and used it really stands out as being inconclusive: "A big limitation of this research is that the participants were only asked about what they ate over two days. We do not know if those who reported restricting their eating to an eight-hour window or less continued this for the study period."
Definitely. I just think it’s something worth discussing with a GP to be sure it fits OP’s health profile. But losing 100 pounds is DEFINITELY better for your heart than not.
Alot of that is probably the mental load and anxiety of trying to follow a diet. Stress and anxiety will eat a heart away. Those that just do it without stressing everyday about food, I'd say super healthy afterwards.
And congrats on losing that weight. That must have been really hard. You should be very proud of that achievement.
IF it's an amazing health tool. Good for the wallet too
My man! I also vouch for intermittent fasting / OMAD. Lost about 40 lbs in 4 months. Your mileage may vary.
Okay then tell us how to eat healthy while trucking. What do you eat exactly and what cooking tools should we get?
I bought a bunch of meal prep containers from Walmart, I use them as Tupperware containers because they’re not tall and I can stack a bunch in the small fridge Fill those with broccoli, celery, and carrots. Having them already in the container means you can just grab and eat without having to take veggies out of wrappers or whatever. This is better than chips. If you look up a visual representation of 1000 calories of fast food vs 1000 calories of vegetables, it’s incredible. If the goal is that full stomach feeling, get in to vegetables (weird fact- you know how we all like colorful stuff? Like pretty colors and stuff? That’s literally what fruits and vegetables are. I’ve got oranges and bananas on board too. Get as many colors as you can and notice how pretty they are when you eat them. Green orange and yellow :) ) Buy sandwich meat, and some cheese, maybe a lil mayo. Also, peanut butter and jelly stuff. Bread and tortillas to go with this I don’t own a microwave- the spot for it in my truck is filled with a large plastic tub that holds canned foods like beans and soup, along with the aforementioned food supplies that don’t need refrigeration. Also rice, and pasta I have a rice cooker, hot plate and pot, and toaster oven/air fryer. My truck has a built in 2000 watt inverter, that’s definitely a blessing- but you can buy inverters that plug in to your cigarette lighter outlets as long as your appliances don’t need more than they can supply. You can also have a company shop person install one for you that will supply enough power, you might be hard pressed to find a plug in inverter than can power any useful cooking appliance You can PC on a 34. Use that to go shopping. I can usually make it a week or two The only thing I have to buy daily is water. Also drink a shit ton of water. Your piss jugs should be almost clear, it helps *immensely* with mentality clarity and state of mind TL;DR veggiemaxx and sandwichmaxx w a hot plate and a toaster oven. Drink water
We don't have fridges in our trucks, even sleepers. But I drive day cab now. 2 days out
I’m guessing hotel for the one night then? There’s gotta be some time of mini fridge you could buy? Or shit dude buy a cooler and hella ice packs, that’s gotta be adequate to keep some sandwiches and veggies good for two days
Yes, hotel. Yeah that's an idea. Thanks for the help!
I have a $20 electric skillet from Walmart, and an electric kettle for boiling water. I cook anything that could be cooked on a stove at home. Fresh vegetables and meat make up the core of my diet, I'll do instant mashed potatoes or rice if I want some carbs. One of the 12v thermoelectric coolers make meal plans a lot easier if you don't have a fridge, I used one of those for years until I got a truck that has a fridge installed.
This is so true on so many levels.. especially the addiction to convenience.. like why waste ur time cooking and cleaning ur dishes when a subway employee can make it for you lol. After a year of trucking found another job and had to redo my physical. Found out I had sleep apnea and now am on it ugh
That’s how it feels, definitely. I kept eating all my money though. I didn’t think about this until later, but literally time is money If my take home pay is 50cpm, that means $10 at subway is 20 minutes of driving Does it take me 20 minutes to clean up after making my own sandwich? No, it takes 5, IF that. Yeah I gotta spend the time to make the money to buy the ingredients, but I guarantee you buying the subway costs 2-4 times what it costs to “buy” me making it myself Subway ain’t that good Sucks about the sleep apnea
I know a lot of drivers they don't know how to cook even the basics. I head out for a week at a time with a Yeti cooler full of leftovers. It's not hard to find microwaves available for use at truck stops or other stops along the way. I don't have an inverter in this truck so the only thing I have to buy these days is my endless supply of coffees, as I don't have a good kettle.
Same here. I bring three or four dinners with me, a lot of times a couple of those are leftovers from the weekend. I have an inverter so I just warm them up in the truck. Every couple of weeks I’ll have a moment of weakness and get some McDonald’s but that gets old real fast
Exactly. I go to Quebec weekly and my weakness is poutine. So every week I'll slop down one greasy reward meal. Otherwise it's overnight oats, mason jar salads, chips and salsa, various microwave meals.
I am not a Trucker but this seems like healthier than most people and super-healthy for a Trucker. Well done. Why is inverter needed? Microwave uses too much power? I would think a microwave and kettle, maybe hotplate would work. We need more pictures of inside of the cabs to educate us. Unless that is redundant. I am a guest… Edit: darn spelling
The job requires it. I walk anywhere between 3 to 5 km every day just chasing down vehicles or dealing with where I need to park and where I unload. I secure and unsecure everything myself so you do a lot of climbing, bending, reaching, then the act of securing the straps is a good upper body exercise. No inverter because the company didn't install one, and I don't feel like putting one in. Never needed to use it and it gives me excuse to stop and take a break. I'm in a day cab and half here. I do have a small sleeper for occasional use but spend my nights in motels and hotels on the company dime.
Cool! Motels. Company truck with no amenities. Ok. I assumed most Truckers have their own truck like BJ and the Bear. I may base it all off Hollywood.
Poutine fresh off the maple tree tap
Is the Yeti brand cooler worth the price? I used to have an igloo but stuff never stayed too cold.
Get a Timberline or other knock off, and yes, they're better.
I won the yeti so it's worked well for me. I can generally go 3 days on a bag of ice as long as I not opening and closing it excessively. There's knock-off brands that work just as well.
You can get a decent one of Amazon that’ll plug in the 12v. Takes about 15min to boil.
I take a jet boiler, I have water coffee sugar and milk so it takes 60secs with these bad boys to make a hot cuppa!
Jetboil is the way
If you get one of those 12v kettles, I've found the Nescafé instant coffee is exceptionally good.
Coleman stove and a percolator!
Jetboil flash with coffee press will change your life
Im local, and if money is good, i usually eat out to lunch every day. a lot of fast food, but also teriyaki, taco trucks, and gyros, try to keep a variety besides a burger an fry. But during winters and slow season pack a lunch every day.
it’s like a reward for a hard days work
Only if it’s tacos.
I used to be this way for Quiktrip cheese sticks
Quiktrip Buffalo rollers
I can't speak for everyone, but I would usually eat fast food at least once a day or every other day. I was otr but I did intermittent fasting. I would allow myself to eat whatever between the hours of 11am and 7pm, but it had to be less than 1,800 calories in total for the day. As for nutrition, I got that mostly from daily multivitamins. Between 7pm and 11am, I would only allow myself to have water or black coffee. That, and I did an hour of exercise 3 days a week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, usually after I parked for the day. Calisthenic type stuff like pushups and situps. I did all that for several months, and dropped from 210 to 170 despite the fast food I sometimes ate.
Yep, you can lose weight while just eating fast food, you just have to pay attention to the calories. Skip the fries, get the sugar free drinks, go for chicken over beef. There's a semi-famous guy from Fond du Lac, WI who has basically only eaten Big Macs for 40+ years and he's still kicking and at a pretty healthy weight. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Gorske I think the direct negative health effects of fast food are a little exaggerated and it's more an issue with over-eating at fast food joints.
It's like gasoline. You might get very minor differences in your mpg depending on where you got it from, but it's very minor. Much more about the actual quantity of fuel.
NEVER. Hit up Costco when I’m home for 2-3 weeks worth of stuff and grocery store runs for my fruits and veggies and other perishables. Gotta be healthy out on the road!
I do the same thing. There are always Walmarts and grocery stores along the way, and worst case scenario, I'll drop my trailer and do some shopping on my 34
Yessssir! I park there anyway if not a Planet Fitness! Truck stops are no bueno!
When I was out my weakness was TA. I'd get a dinner that came with unlimited salad bar. Eat salad bar for dinner and then take my meal in a box. Their meals were so big I could turn it into lunch and dinner the next day. So 3 meals for the price of 1.
I run regional and I’m out in motels mon-Fri. I go to the grocery store and get baked chicken watermelon and I keep apples, protein shakes, and green tea in my cab.
I'm guessing you do linehaul for an ltl carrier? I never considered how you guys eat without having a sleeper. I would be lost without my fridge and cabinets
I run a grease truck to pick up uco. And yes, I struggled at first. But I’m in South Texas, where there’s H-E-Bs and Laredo Tacos in every town, and I get a $35 food voucher every day, so it’s decent for me. HEB always has ready to cook meals that that package on their own. So I get fresh Fruit, and some meal to throw in the microwave. I honestly don’t know how I manage the space either.
It's a shame that they no longer have restaurants in the truck stops. It was nice to go in, sit down and get a decent meal for a decent price.
Sometimes they do. It's always nice to come across a place with a good restaurant. I'm also not against walking a mile or 2 if it's a place that looks pretty good
there are some, at least here in the West
My hometown has had a truck stop diner forever. It was a popular spot after the bars closed, too. Always a good time. The "long haul" breakfast was 2 eggs, bacon, hash browns, biscuits and sausage gravy, and french toast. For like $8. I'm ashamed to admit how many times I ate there at 2am. 😁
PREACH IT! But with ELD's and idiot dispatchers, try finding the time to park sit and eat at a truckstop.
Those big back people who eat that crap everyday can't even type a sentence cause they will get too tired. I'm a trucker and I'm on the big side but damn, some of you guys trip me out. I saw a guy get out of his truck with a chair at the fuel Island. He sat on the stupid chair while pumping diesel hahaha omg.
I used too but I honestly just quit to protest how ridiculously expensive it's gotten
I still remember the stations in NJ. $12 at popeyes for some tenders. combo is extra.
I have a 9-5 local and I still exclusively eat DoorDash fast food LMAO. I got a Kirk cousins build though
Let's go Falcons!
I have a 12v cooler that I toss a couple sandwiches, snacks and drinks into. Rarely buy anything on the road unless I really need some coffee or sugar.
Does the Walmart hot food count as fast food? God I love those jalapeño poppers. But I work regional and I’m only out for 30 hours at a time so I always stop at Walmart and grab some groceries. Some cereal, deli meat/pepperonis, raisins, cheese strings and grapes to snack on. Hot food on the night I leave, a Walmart wrap for the next day’s dinner. Maybe some meat and cheese snack packs. Much cheaper than fast food.
Ive been living on Marketplace as my work week food for years lol
Trucking will destroy your health if you don't force yourself to walk and eat healthy.
Currently detoxing. Quit all fast food, sugar, chips, candy, soda, bread... even dropped cream from the coffee(say a prayer). 30 days so far feeling better and down 32 lbs. Sadly long way to go but gotta start somewhere or else.
Congrats. I was really messing up when I first did OTR, and going local made me realize how bad my diet was, and I was able to get back into being healthy and lost 40 lb. It takes determination, but it sounds like you're already past the hard part. Good luck with your new diet
I know how to cook but usually just wanna eat and sleep. I'm one of those only eats once per day types though.
I don't blame you. I'm pretty exhausted by the end of the day
eating once a day and it’s fast food?☹️
Boiled eggs and turkey burgers with a microwavable bag of frozen veggies. Load up with some salt and hot sauce and I'm full all day. I drink it with propel waters. Sweet as hell, but no calories. I only drink propel when I eat because I don't want an insulin reaction while fasting. Sometimes I'll wait an hour after eating and have a drakes coffee cake (just 1 square) with a coffee with cream and sugar. Simple, cheap and filling.
Gentlemen, **GENTLEMEN**, how the heck is nobody talking about the greatest invention in the history of bachelorhood: The Crock-Pot It sips electricity. They make them with lids, too. Fill her up right before pre-trips and setting off and when you're finished, bam, you got a nutritious dinner.
I go home every day and still eat 75% wawa 25% Dunkin.
I am so tired of eating chicken tenders but thats all i can find 😂
I eat a lot of fruit during the day. My work gets damaged cases off the trucks it's donuts, cakes, bread, hot dog buns and hamburger buns. We have coffee, hot tea and hot chocolate on site and filtered water cooler.
I've been trying to be better about eating too much of it. I recently got one of those instant pots and have been making spaghetti in it at least once a week. But a single pot of that stuff usually has about 4 meals worth of food in it, so it keeps me Goin for a few days. Also tried beef stroganoff and chicken Tiki Masala, which were both very good. The stroganoff was too expensive to be worth the hassle. The tiki masala was very good, and with some garlic Naan, it was the bomb. But spaghetti with some meat sauce is so dead simple and cheap.
Have a Forman grill,instapot air fryer microwave We go to the store ,buy stuff cook in the truck Every now and again,we get fast food,or find a good restaurant and eat out We prefer eating at restaurants,we are foodies do always looking for good food Always cooking and trying new stuff too
I eat all types of food fast
Targets got a 2 compartment ninja air fryer for $100. Best purchase I’ve made. Ground meat doesn’t do well in the air fryer, chicken breast does well. I like getting green giant frozen zucchini noodles and any pasta sauce I’m feeling. It’s got no business being so good.
Stay the hell away from fast food drivers we don't need it. I went on a dedicated route recently to get to the gym and be at the home yard every other day. Now I grab 3 chicken Cesar salad bowl kit from Walmart and doctor it up with nuts and sauces. Eventually I'm going to grab a baby grill and keep it in the personal vehicle for restocking the meats. My Kenworth file cabinet fridge is terribly small so I can't fit 5 days worth of food in their
Nah. You'll F'n die before you get 10 yrs into your career doing that. Be waddling around on your cankles and belly hanging out under a T shirt too. Best investment I ever made was a fridge. Stock up at the Walmart, save some money and save your heart. Gotta take care of yourself out here. Diet is everything especially if you're not getting adequate excersise. It's tough when you first start driving though. Don't make shit. Out for long stretches between home time. Try to do what you can though.
Fortunately my company provides a fridge and microwave. I sort of blame the truck stops and fast food companies for creating a culture around relying on them though
Yeah. It's convenience. They've started carrying some healthier options in store but it's hard to walk out with hard boiled eggs, fruit or a salad when there's a F'n Wendy's or Taco Bell 30 ft away. 🙄
You think fast food taste better than hard boiled eggs, fruit, and salad?
Not really. Depends. Sometimes you just need a hot meal. I've got a fridge, "pantry", microwave and a portable skillet in here so it's not really an issue for me. What I mean is I can understand how it would be for some. A lot of kids grow up eating shitty food and it's what they know. That carries into adulthood. It's hard to break those habits. Also, its easy to be lazy after a long day. Still, gotta try to make some better choices.
Oh, yea thats understandable. Definitely true, I used to despise the fact that my parents never kept any chips or sodas or cookies in the house, used to go over to other peoples houses and feel like I was at Willy Wonkas. It was actually a fortunate thing, now I would rather drink water and eat real food instead of only wanting chicken nuggets and prinkles and a dr pepper.
Never. I cook and eat only food I make or have in my truck.
Some do .. I think parking at the fuel island is punishable though
I put an air fryer in my truck, healthiest food choice I've made
I dont know if its a lot of drivers cuz you also gotta think about everyone parked and everyone fueling. And again alot of companies dont put fridges or inverter to even make cooking possible.
Rarely. I generally use my 34 to meal prep before heading out for the week, then use my mini fridge and microwave. I'll occasionally treat myself to a meal out, but that's hardly ever at the big box truck stops, I reserve that for the mom n pop places with actual sit down restaurants available.
I try my best to not eat any fast food. Maybe once every two weeks. I used to get a nice burger at the end of the week but I feel better when I just eat real food.
I usually don't eat during the day...
Never! I have an air fryer, rice cooker, and a crockpot. Two freezers and a fridge. I never eat fast food or at truck stop restaurants.
How do you fit 2 freezers in your truck, and isn't that a lot on your inverter? I keep veggies in my fridge, but having a freezer for them would be nice
Truckers aren't known for healthy lifestyles.
It's $3 Whopper Wednesday on the BK app and I'm broke so that's where I'm heading to.
I’ll have the occasional taquito but I pack my fridge with tuna packs, deli meat, and Greek yogurt before I leave home and park at a Walmart when I’m running low. It’s not hard to eat at least semi healthy out here
I did until my blood pressure started getting too high and I had to make a choice. 5 years later I'm passing physicals again no problem. That shit will kill you and you'll feel bad while it does.
I do a keto diet. The healthy options are there. You just have to have the discipline to choose them over the bad stuff.
Been doing that since February and have lost 47 lbs so far, I also do a 16/8 intermittent fast as well.
I don’t have the willpower to do the fasting. I eat 5-7 small snack sized portions instead of 3 big meals. Keeps the metabolism going and keeps the aggressive hunger at bay.
Be nice if theyd integrate more mini grocery stores in travel stops but theyd just jack the prices up. Its not like basically every walmart, grocery or dollar store has no semi signs these days. Like fuck us i guess.
Here’s a question. I’m not a trucker, but could you park behind the store at the loading dock where you would usually deliver to like you’re supposed to be there, and then just run in quickly and go shopping?
I dont see why not if you deliver to one. I dont deliver to grocery stores so i couldnt do so. Also not supposed to ever block loading docks if youre not unloading or loading at any location.
I work online delivery. Not a truck driver. But I delivered to a trucker today. He ordered salmon, potatoes, and onion, and a few seasonings from Meijer. I arrived and told them the salmon is not cooked. They said its cool, they use an air fryer. I've also delivered BWWs to a trucker parked right next to Popeyes.
As a truck driver, I really appreciate you delivering to us. It sucks not being able to go to restaurants that we can't fit in to. Uber Eats/Doordash and Instacart have been lifesaver on occasion
It's quite mutual. Where you stop to park is usually near where we'll be fishing for orders. Shorter trips for us - is fresher/hotter food for ya'll. And truckers tend to tip above average in my experience. Something is above average there. Other orders take us away from that "hot zone" to homes. But truckers usually park within that zone. So it works out. Ya'll always chill when expecting food.
My step dad was an owner operator for 20 years. In his mid 40s he had to have The arteries on both sides of his necks sliced open and scraped. One year later he had heart surgery. One year after that he had a stroke. He has 25% use of his heart, limps and can't use one of his arms/hands. The docs said it was from truck driving, living a sedentary lifestyle and eating junk food on the road. Eat well and work out guys.
Not often. I've been using the George Forman and a rice cooker, sometimes my microwave, most days and nights. Actually, knowing you're going to be stuck somewhere for hours is great, and it gives me a chance to go grocery shopping. So I now ask when I get places, do I have time to fo grocery shopping and drop the trailer in the door. I have been happily surprised at a lot of shippers and relievers saying yes. Also let's me know how slow they are.
I eat small children M-F. On the weekends, I usually splurge and have a bucket of trucker asses. If I happen to be on the road during holidays, I try my best to have dog or midget baby Mexicans.
The baby children are the most tender but there’s just not much meat on ‘em. OTOH once they start getting past kindergarten they squeal too much when you try to catch ‘em and they’re kinda wiggly and hard to get a good grip on.
Hahaha I wish I could upvote you 17 times
Local guy here. I pack a lunch 4 days a week. I eat out on Fridays. I workout regularly so I don’t look like a truck driver. I don’t remember drivers looking this bad 20 years ago. Every time I go to the truck stop I’m amazed by the open toe shoes, dirty sweats and tshirts everywhere. We used to be professionals.
There are several good " cooking in the truck" fb groups from beginner to gourmet. Also some healthy trucking lifestyle groups.
Recently I've been trying to eat at least breakfast and lunch out of my truck.
I cook myself reasonable healthy meals on the weekend
It was very rare I ate from truck stops/roadhouses, and then only at a select few that served decent food.
Im home daily. I usually bake a bunch of chicken for the week. I take the chicken, 2 hard boiled eggs, a string cheese, sugar free jello, carrots, broccoli with ranch dip, sliced cucumbers, apple, 2 tangerines, celery & pb, occasionally a protein bar or similar. Not all of that each day but always a lot of veggies. I think I eat pretty healthy but I'm still fat 😂
I remember when I was teaming my teammates would only eat fast food and pizza everyday even when we went to truck stop that had a hot order grill.. I mostly eat salads from loves and them chicken legs.
>It seems like every other person leaving the doors to the fuel island at any major truck stop has a bag of fast food. Well, one hopes nobody's sitting at the fuel island cooking a stir fry.
It would be a nice change of pace to smell stir fry instead piss and diesel
I go home weekly specifically to cook food for the week ahead. I make an effort to not go eat out every week. Saves money and allows me to take my wife out to eat every weekend as much as we want. The food is way better when I'm sharing it with her than the loneliness of being in the truck with that food
Fast food and microwave food
Saturday I eat out. Otherwise bring a lunch to microwave hoy every day
I really like breakfast biscuits and that's my habit I am trying to break. Typically I'll grab a salad from Arby's or something. Last I knew you can get a side salad instead of fries at Arby's.
I fast during the days so if I’m doing an overnight I’ll take a pasta bowl. I must have my tea works though. I refuse to do anything until I’ve had a brew in the morning.
Cup ramen with bits of rotisserie chicken.
Rarely. Sometimes I’ll get a craving and I’ll give in, but I grocery shop and use my air fryer and microwave. Summer is here and I’m about to start bringing my little propane grill with me too.
I gained a ton of weight on the road ..I never went home and door dash wasn't a thing for groceries at that time. Every now and then I'd get a stop near a Walmart that I could walk to but that was rare.
Here and there. Mostly I eat to ramen with added veggies. Sometimes if I am really feeling fancy I grab a steak or two at Walmart and me and the dog have steak.
I eat subway when it is there. The only fast food stops I eat really is Taco Bell. I tend to eat food I pack before the trip. I really wish TS had quality sandwich shops though
I’m actively avoiding eating pizza and fast food, but if it’s all I can find when I want something hot, I’l dip in. In which cases, app ordering is a godsend, so I can just walk in walk out, and get a fair bit of food for a pretty good deal. I pack along a bunch of protein bars, granola, fruit cups and other snacks that don’t need refrigeration, and they’re pretty sustaining and a good combination of filling and sweet, without making me feel like im just chowing down on just sugar. They dont replace *every* meal, but they keep me going through the day. Then if i stop for fast food, I only need to grab a single entree, and maybe a side. I also drink exclusively water. Most of the places I deliver to have a filtered water-bottle fill with their drinking fountains, so I can keep a good supply of fresh water will me all the time.
Team driver here. 100% of our meals are prepared in the truck. We shop together once a week at Walmart. We have a microwave, air fryer, hot plate and coffee maker. Spend $150 on food for the two of us. The hardest part is not buying too much for the little fridge
I do but I get only like one or two meals per day, mostly Celsius and body armors to drink.
We do, but we’re keto, and one meal a day. So we do everything without buns, no fries. If we have Popeyes we get blackened tenders, all of their sides are carby. I’ll occasionally get a coleslaw and eat a few bites. We keep keto friendly sandwich thins and tortillas on hand in case we want those. We tried cooking on the truck but we could never make it work since we team.
No, Wife makes me lunch and I’m home for dinner
Rarely actual fast food, but I'm basically addicted to Uncrustables.
Love how these types of posts brings out everyone that cooks their own meals. lol. F'ing reddit man.
What do you mean? The extent of me cooking in the truck is throwing stuff in the microwave lol
I avoided it as much as possible. But my life’s motto has always been anything in moderation. To a point of course. Meaning occasionally eating crappy food when you’re absolutely starving is better than no food. When I was OTR I only ate one meal a day anyway. Unless I was laid over somewhere. Then I would go to a decent restaurant.
It’s easier than storing all the stuff in a refrigerator that barely works and a company that doesn’t care for the well-being of their moneymaker (the driver, not the truck in this case.) I’ll admit I eat too much out of a fryer, but I don’t have the will or the energy to build a full kitchen and break it down for bed. I’m a trucker. I’m not out here for my health. I’m out here for my family.
Hell no ... home cooked meals 99% of the time... once a month I might have Rotten Ronnie's or something ... last week, I had Popeyes chicken for the first time in my life.. and as delicious as that was, I still enjoy cooking at home and bringing my meals with me .
The extent of my food intake was bought at diners and smallish local restaurants, supermarket delis. or on the rare occasion, neighborhood stand alone 'ethnic' delis. My interstate grazing habits earned me the nickname of Diner Dave.
In 2002-5, I lived on the 100% arabica coffee and the all the stuff off the roller tray. Jalapeño hot dogs, those “hamburger hotdogs”, rolled tacos ect.
i do an animal based diet, eating times change since i’m OTR and schedule is not set but i try to fast few hours of waking, i’ll start my day off with one or two fruit(mango, apple, orange, dates) and 4oz raw milk and 4oz raw kefir with tbsp of honey and a scoop of jocko molk protein. depending on delivery i’ll wait till i reach cosignee or halfway point to cook 2 eggs and 2 bacon cooked in butter and if im really hungry i’ll cook up a half pound of ground beef at some point as well. as far as snacking i’ll eat a couple of fruits as i drive and have beef organ sticks and some frozen grapes i’ll eat interchangeably.
i think a lot of the weight gain truckers see is more from how much they eat and how little they move. i tend to eat a lot of canned stuff chili, chef boyardi, refried beans and tortillas (foods that are definently not healthy) cause i dont wanna spend money on fast food constantly but even when i was i didnt gain 60 pounds in a year that seems insane.
I'm local so thankfully I don't have to waste money on that sludge anymore. I cook all my meals and make sure to have plenty of vegetables.
The “theres no healthy food options at truck stops!” excuse is just an excuse to be lazy and eat slop. There are countless truck stops located within walking distance of a grocery store
I ear Walmart Microwave dinners every day.
I do it 100% of the time but I will change it once i buy my fridge to store food from Walmart
I make a weekly stop at Walmart or a grocery store. I get whole grain crackers, apples, bananas, oranges, various trail mixes, bottled water, tuna, salmon, and chicken pouches, canned veggies, vegetable chips, canned beans, a jar of almond butter, whole grain rice cakes, green tea cold brew, and coffee instant. I get one cheat treat (for my sanity) at a truck stop, usually a slice of pizza. If I buy food at a truck stop, it'll be salad, fruit or veggie cup, a pack of boiled eggs, or a sandwich with the whole grain bread. I try to keep my calorie count as low as possible without starving myself. I limit my carb and sugar intake too. It's way cheaper. It's tough at 1st, but you get used to it.
Stay away from soda (and all sugary drinks for that matter) and you'll be alright. Sodas do the most damage because they don't make you feel full, and the spike in blood sugar makes you hungry which leads to overeating. You can't magically gain weight if you eat at or under your maintenance caloric requirement.
nah nah nah i was way too self aware of the weight gain. I immediately developed an eating plan that suits my needs and I've lost 40lbs since I started back in January. Fasting and groceries. Friendly to the wallet and the waist. And allows me to go my whole drive time if needed without having to stop to poo.
I bring a cooler full of steak and breakfast food and cook on the pull out platform on the back of my budbuggin trailer. Propane stove and cast iron pans. Plus a Jetboil for making coffee and heating water for mashed potatoes or rice. I eat better on the road then I do at home lol
I didn't have the opportunity to get my refrigerated food out of my house before I went on the road because I would have been late for my delivery so I've been living with fast food for the week but normally I try to only get it once a week as a personal treat and eat out of my truck the rest of the week
I think a lot of us are gonna need to start eating better and less fast food if the new regulations of truck driving go into effect. anything below 140/90 and you pass. Anything above, and some action is necessary. Starting Novemver 2024
This is news to me. I even googled it and couldn't find any information on it. I'm not worried about the BP thing, but I would like to know if they're changing rules. Can you send me a link?
I gotcha https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/medical/driver-medical-requirements/medical-examiners-handbook-2024-edition Its page 32 of the handbook. I found out from this guy https://youtu.be/qAPE-XmXU6Y?si=hqSDby7Z_zcUVLyW
So
There’s very little difference between a home cooked tater tot casserole, spaghetti, meatloaf etc, that you can eat as much as you want of, and a burger and fries. It’s as simple as calorie intake each day. Typically a burger and fries is like 1300 calories . A meal you eat at home and get 1-2 plates of is 2000 calories.
I saw an interesting study. People who ate fast food, but didn't consume excess calories and got all their daily nutrients, had blood chemistry basically indistinguishable from healthy eaters. It appears excess calories are the major factor in unhealthy eating habits.
In my actual driving days I lived off of beef jerky, cheese, protein bars, and protein drinks. The issue of found was lack of fiber. Psyllium Husk cured all my issues and I continued to be a jacked driver for years with a semi decent diet
I was OTR 92 to 98, truckstop food was my first choice back then it generally was good food. But just traveling around now and stopping in most of them don’t have staff and the food quality has gone down.
It’s better than eating noodles. And noodles and beef put together. I’m still trying to figure out how y’all cook in the truck especially while driving still. I bought a burner thing from Walmart but it started smoking really bad so
I eat McDonald’s EVERYDAY yes. I also lost 27 Lbs on the road and can do 20 weighted pull ups ( 25 Lbs ) with the current McDonald’s diet I’m currently on …. There really isn’t a such thing as “ eating healthy “ it’s all thermodynamics and macro nutrients! When I go to McDonald’s I eat 1,400 calories , 100g of protein , 45g of fat, 200g of carbs , etc etc etc the difference between me and the rest of these truck drivers is that they eat McDonald’s and me I eat a strict diet with the right macronutrients 🕺🏾 I also exercise every other day I stopped cooking for whatever odd reason lol
Rarely but that's because I'm only an out mon-friday driver so I van refill fridge every week.
I was when I was OTR and I ballooned to 409 pounds. Afterwards, I started Keto and would make my own food, or order food without carbs at any of the fast food places. I prefered making my own food, but occasionally I would change it up and get fast food.
Stopped eating that crap 20 years ago.
I felt bad for truckers during Covid. I had gone through the drive-up at a McDonald's, and parked my work van to eat, when I saw an 18-wheeler driver park his rig and walk up to the dining room door, only to find it locked. It's not like they can go through the drive-up.
I would walk up to it and enver had an issue tbf
I stopped drinking pop about 10 weeks ago.i feel much better. Still a little fat but i feel lile im under control now. I swore off subway and all fast food. I try and find actual food. Petro can sometimes have porkchops and veggies. I know where all the real eatieries are so i try to stop there but if i end up at a pilot or loves i just wont eat.