Category: diet

Downtime Entertainment: Fun and Games on the Road

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Marcela De Vivo - diet, downtime, entertainment, exercise, expresstrucktax, fun, games, mental health, on the road, truck drivers, trucker health, trucking nation

Fun and Games on the Road

When you’re out on the road, you have enough troubles to contend with.

Over the years, we’ve encouraged proper health through diet and exercise, but sometimes you need to give your mind a workout.

So we asked Susan, one of our truck tax experts and our resident Queen of Sage Advice, about how truckers can work their mental fortitude while on the road.

Here’s what she had to say:

You may spend most of your driving time in your own head. When you park at the end of your shift, all you want to do is decompress with some guilty pleasures, like binge watching TV shows or movies. But it’s much healthier to get out and about doing something physical (walking), social (talking with someone while you walk), or learning something new (juggling maybe?).

After some physical exercise, consider working that grey matter in your head with some games and puzzles.

Studies have shown working your body will increase oxygen flow throughout your system. They also show engaging in mental play can also be good for your overall health and well-being.

Putting the Pieces Together

With its birth around 1760, the jigsaw puzzle is a good way to work those brain muscles. Either done solitary or with a friend or two, puzzles have come quite a long way from its rudimentary beginning of paper on wood.

From small (100 pieces or less) to colossal (record breaking 24,000 pieces) there is a picture and number of pieces that will work for you. Puzzles can be kept with a puzzle keeper, found in many big box stores, or use a roll of felt to keep the pieces from moving around. You can even work puzzles online, use “free jigsaw puzzles” in your search.

Consider the Game at Hand

There are all kinds of card games available using standard decks or special decks, like Pinochle, UNO and many others. If you want to really flex your brain, consider learning Bridge, one of the greatest thinking card games around.

Cards can be played in groups or online. If you prefer, there is the ever popular Solitaire, but there are also variations of Solitaire, other than the well known Klondike.

There are books and online sources with instructions, or just look for virtual games where you can play a hand or two with players from around the world.

If You’re Bored, Try Board Games

If you don’t have a physical board game available, take a look at what is available online. Scrabble has a broad online player universe, giving you the opportunity, just like with cards, to meet other game players from around the world.

There are always the classic games that will engage the brain just as well: dominoes, checkers, Chinese checkers (marbles), Bunco (dice), chess, and backgammon. Plus, there are many new incarnations of these games available.

Playing games, interacting with others in person (or online) can be just what ‘the doctor ordered’ to help you remain sharp and focused while on the road. The great thing about these mental gymnastics? You can play anytime and anywhere you park your rig.

When it comes to filing that 2290 HVUT, using an 8849 Schedule 6 for a refund, or filing that VIN correction, the team at ExpressTruckTax.com wants you to know that we don’t play around.

Our system makes it easy and fast to complete your filings. Plus, we are here to guide you through the steps so you can get on with your day.

Give us a call Monday – Friday, 8 am to 6 pm EST – or drop us an email with any questions you may have. Plus, drop in anytime and visit with us on Twitter or Facebook. It’s always nice to chat with friends!

5 Diet Tips for the Sedentary Trucker

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Marcela De Vivo - 1st Quarter IFTA Deadline, diet, food, Form 2290 Deadline, healthy living, healthy truckers, sedentary lifestyle, truckers

Now, we know not every trucker is OTR. But there are many members of our Trucking Nation who spend more time in their rig than they do anywhere else.

Hey, it’s a living! But now more than ever we know there are some health concerns with a sedentary lifestyle.

As for truckers? We know the human body faces additional stress from extended periods of sitting, but we also know those goods aren’t gonna deliver themselves!

There’s a dilemma, obviously. So we’ve gathered some healthy tips to help with your health concerns as a sedentary trucker.

Make a Plan

Like all good ventures, begin by planning out the route you’ll take.

Maybe you just eat too many carbs, and you need to cut them out. That’s a start! Just make sure you have a plan for the carb-withdrawal cravings, or you’ll end up at a truck stop binge eating potato chips!

Focus on your heavy hitters first, like the “empty” calories that don’t help you.

Calories Matter

Now, both men and women have a lot to contend with when it comes to calories. But how they intake calories differ, according to experts.

Typically, meal plans for women aim for about 1,800 calories per day (ages 19-50). According to the USDA, this could contain up to 2.5 cups of vegetables, 1.5 cups of fruits, 6 ounces of grain, and 5 ounces of high-protein foods like meats.

For men, a 2,400 calorie plan is encouraged. This would include 3 cups of vegetables, 2 cups of fruits, 8 ounces of grains, and 6.5 ounces of your high-proteins.

Now combating the sedentary life isn’t about losing weight, but if you master your calories you’ll see a definite decrease in pounds.

Fitness Helps

For a greater caloric deficit, become one of those fitness truckers!

We kid, we kid. Seriously, though, if you increase your burned calories, the deficit you create every day will contribute to your overall health.

It’s recommended that you get at least 30 minutes per day of exercise, which isn’t outlandish. We know most truckers are extremely busy, but it’s worth a shot. If you drive a flatbed, you probably get over 30 minutes of exercise per day.

Proteins are Everything

Basically, adult women need to eat about 46 grams of protein, and 56 grams of protein for men.

While carbs are an easy snack (I’m looking at you, bag of chips), there are plenty of protein alternatives you should seek out.

Instead of reaching for those chips, snack on some unsalted, roasted nuts!

Eat Unprocessed Foods

Speaking of chips, stay away from processed foods! I mean, we know you don’t have a ton of options on the road, but you can make some gains just by choosing wisely.

We know you might not be able to cook a full meal in your cab, but you can aim for more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables instead of processed snacks.

Also, just eat more salads. The vegetable kind!

At the end of the day, your bodily health is as important to your career as your truck’s maintenance. Don’t let it pass you by!

And don’t forget, the IFTA deadline is fast approaching. Generating your fuel tax report with ExpressTruckTax and ExpressIFTA is as easy as ever.

What are your tips to combat the sedentary lifestyle?

Ready for April? 3 Important Moves to Make RIGHT NOW!

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Marcela De Vivo - 1st Quarter IFTA Deadline, April, diet, exercise, fitness, Form 4868, healthy living, International Fuel Tax Agreement, Personal Tax Extension, taxes

Alright Trucking Nation, April is here! And that means a few things for us in the transportation industry.

What’s going on in April? Well, your personal taxes and fuel taxes are both due. And there’s a chance for you to work on your health!

Extend Your Taxes

First up, your personal taxes are due April 18th. Normally they would be due April 15th, but the weekend buys you some time! And you can get even more time with a Personal Tax Extension Form 4868.

Let’s face it, filing your taxes isn’t fun. But do you know every deduction a trucker can file? There are a lot, so don’t sit on this! And yeah, finding some more deductions doesn’t make it fun. But it makes filing a little bit easier, don’t you think?

Whether you’re filing by yourself or you have someone filing for you, you can get an extension for an additional 6 months to file Form 1040, 1040A, 1040-EZ, 1040NR, 1040NR-EZ, 1040-PR, or 1040-SS.

Let’s Get Ready for IFTA!

Alright, we know you don’t want to hear all this tax stuff. If you’re anything like me, it just gives you anxiety. But that’s why we try to make things easier.

How easy? Well, the same login credentials you use for your ExpressTruckTax account works for ExpressIFTA. So you can generate your fuel tax report with the same ease of use that you expect for your 2290s.

How else can you get ready? Instead of waiting until the last moment, take this next week to gather all of your fuel records and trip sheets.

If you’re not running around like a chicken with your head cut off, IFTA is pretty easy, really.

And if you want to make your next round of IFTA even easier, pick up an app like TruckLogics. With this handy cloud-based trucking management software, you can generate and send invoices, create profit & loss reports, and use ProMiles for one-click trip sheets.

Now Is the Time to Get Healthy

Okay, you were supposed to get healthy at the new year. But you didn’t!

If your diet fell apart three weeks into the new year, let April be the month you get healthy!

How? Well, eat better. Change your diet to focus on whole grains, whole veggies, and lean meats and proteins. Yeah, that doesn’t sound as great as a bucket of hot wings, but you need to make some changes.

After you get your diet in check, find time to exercise! We know you can! No excuses. In fact, we’ve told you how to turn your trucking environment into a portable gym. So don’t let that stop you.

Besides, you want that beach bod, don’t you? Ha!

So use April as your time to shine with your personal taxes, fuel taxes, and physical well being. If you have any questions about e-filing your fuel taxes, give the support experts a call at 704.234.6005 or an email at Support@ExpressTruckTax.com.

Are YOU ready for April?

Category: diet