Is It A Challenge For You To Stay In Shape As An HGV Driver?
When we look at the spread of globalisation and growth of online retail in the past few years, it is no surprise that demand for van and truck drivers is going through the roof. This is definitely one of the jobs that will only have a higher demand over the next couple of years, considering how things are going with our annual worldwide lockdown and people being unable to access their products in a traditional way.
If you ever considered being an HGV driver (Heavy Goods Vehicle Driver) then there are several things you should consider before sitting in a truck and going halfway across the continent tomorrow. It is quite obvious that there is a major lifestyle change when going into HGV driving since your work-life balance is distorted while you are on the road.
One of the biggest challenges with HGV driving is not being able to stay in shape and workout due to sitting behind a driver’s seat 10+ hours every day, with no access to adequate facilities while travelling. We have done some research and would like to present you with 7 ways of how to overcome that challenge and remain fit while being a full-time HGV driver.
However, the below tips are only for your reference, please remember safety comes first while driving your truck and make sure you follow the regulations and safe driving codes behind the wheels.
Tips #1 – 15 Minutes Every Day
No matter what, this is the number one rule you should follow if you want to stay in shape. This is quite useful advice even if you are not in this profession, but it is extremely important for HGV drivers.
Due to prolonged periods of being seated and relatively immovable, your muscles can lose their strength much faster as opposed to someone working in a 9-5 job. That is why it is important to work out even for 15 minutes every day. It can be any combination of exercises, with or without weights, as long as it is at least 15 minutes.
Tips #2 – Work Out While Driving
Since you are being seated for a very long time, day after day, then you might as well take advantage of being in that position and benefit your fitness. There are plenty of exercises to do while you are driving. For example, you could do a few shoulder shrugs or crunch your abs for a few minutes.
Also, it is very important to stretch your joints while driving. This will both help you deal with everyday 15-minute workouts as well as with operating the truck for prolonged periods. Again, please make sure it is safe to do so.
Tips # 3 – Don’t Skip Meals
Eat at least 3 meals per day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is very important to keep a regular diet during times on the road as your body tends to burn calories differently while you are diving.
Furthermore, maintaining a regular diet will help muscle build and prevent you from over-eating at irregular periods, which is bad both for your workouts and your goal to stay in shape. If possible, you should eat breakfast and then every 3 hours after that. However, if that is too unrealistic, just try to keep it at 3 meals per day.
Tips # 4 – Intense Workouts
During the 15 minutes you have set aside to work out every day, you should really do your best to make the workouts as intense as possible. They don’t have to be the most intense workouts you have ever done, just intense enough to get super tired considering your profession and the amount of physical activity you do every day.
Since there is not enough time to do longer workouts every day, keeping the exercises short but intense will ensure your fitness goals are more achievable. Furthermore, it is easier on the mind to think about daily intense 15 min workouts and agrees to do them as opposed to trying to work out for several hours a couple of times a week.
Tips # 5 – Keep Healthy Snacks
Driving a truck all day can get a little bit monotonous. And when things get monotonous, we get snacky. And when we get snacky, we usually end up eating junk food and making our fitness goals even harder.
That is why it’s very important to keep only healthy snacks in your truck, to support your desire to get in shape. Your job may look like a never-ending road trip, but that doesn’t mean that you should behave the same way as when you go on a road trip. Keep the snacks healthy!
Tips # 6 – Set Reasonable Goals
No trucker would drive non-stop from London to Spain, ever. Not only because it violates the maximum driving time regulations, but because it is also very unrealistic. The same goes for your journey towards a healthier body. You cannot expect to lose 30 pounds in two weeks, but you can set realistic goals which you can reasonably achieve.
The focus here should be on setting milestones and celebrating smaller achievements, not getting disappointed when we don’t see the results right away. If achievable goals are in place, with the right mindset, they will be achieved and you will be one step closer to your ideal look.
Tips # 7 – Log Exercise and Nutrition
Once we have set some realistic fitness goals to accomplish, now we need to make sure we are on the right track. It is important to keep a daily log of all the exercises and nutritional intake in order to be able to spot weak points, improve or adjust your habits.
As Peter Drucker, the famous management theorist said: “what gets measured gets managed.” Once you start keeping track of your fitness-related activities, you will be able to notice the difference and feel better much quicker.
Seeing your habits change for the better in a consistent pattern comes way before seeing your body shape change or seeing a significant weight loss, and that is why this step is crucial in your long-term fitness lifestyle plan.
Get In Touch With Your Enquiry!
Thanks for reading our blog and we hope you find the information helpful. If you are an HGV driver driving in the UK and would like to find out more about our latest HGV job opportunities, please get in touch with us on 01604 761206, our team is always happy to help.
Global Employment Bureau is a premier HGV drivers recruitment agency based in the town centre of Northampton. We are a company that cares and we will do our best to help you with your HGV driving career. Don’t delay, call us today to arrange your interview appointment and start your job ASAP.