Category: #wellnesswednesday

#Wellness Wednesday: Taste the Rainbow

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Marcela De Vivo - #wellnesswednesday, Expresstrucktax.com, wellness

Managing your health on the road takes a lot of dedication and hard work, but the reward is definitely worth it.

Having to remember everything you can and shouldn’t eat may seem like a nightmare in the beginning, but always remember that it’s a safe bet to stick to fresh food, especially when it comes to snacking.

While fresh food and being on the road don’t seem to get along very well, choosing a variety of fruits and vegetables from the produce section will help you out in the long run. Plus fruits and vegetables are resilient, and can be kept unrefrigerated for a number of days.

But what exactly should you choose to begin your wellness journey? Well, Trucking Nation, it’s time for you to Taste the Rainbow.

Red fruits and vegetables are filled with antioxidants to help your body detox. The darker the red, the higher the antioxidant. Though, that goes for any dark colored fruit or vegetable.

Red Peppers – These peppers are red bell peppers, not to be confused with spicy red peppers that could do some serious harm your tastebuds. They’re great for snacking, and they’re filled with nutrients. Not to mention they’re a great healthy replacement for french fries. Red peppers can keep for 2 days unrefrigerated.

Baby tomatoes – Not only are baby tomatoes sweet, they’re also healthy! They keep for 2 days without being refrigerated, and they can replace other unhealthy snacks like tater tots.

Red Delicious Apples – An apple a day keeps the doctor away! And with apples, especially ones of the red delicious varieties, you get a crisp, sweet snack that will fill you up. Apples can keep for 2-4 weeks without being refrigerated.

Orange fruits are high in vitamin C and vitamin K, both of which are required for a good immune system, to fight off scurvy, and have healthy eyes to see the road.

Oranges – Oranges can keep for 2-3 weeks without being refrigerated. And they’re filled with vitamins to keep you healthy on the road. Plus, they offer a much needed boost to stay awake naturally, without having to drink energy drinks.

Orange peppers – Much like their red counterpart, orange peppers are also filled with antioxidants, but they have a light fruity taste. And the crunch and freshness will have you disowning chips in no time at all. They keep for 2 days without refrigeration.

Carrots – Carrots are filled the vitamin K, which is good for your hair, skin, and fingernails. Plus, they’re super healthy, and they taste great. If you’re not a fan of the harsh crunch of carrots you can drink carrot juice, which is just as good and super tasty. Carrots can last 2 days without refrigeration, and carrot juice only needs to be refrigerated after opening.

Yellow fruits and vegetables are sweet, sour, and mostly tropical. They also contain enzymes that can reduce the risk of severe illness, as well as help lower cholesterol.

Yellow peppers – These peppers are very similar to orange peppers with the same light fruity taste. Sliced, they pack a crunch that will have you coming back for more. Any type of colorful bell peppers can be the best snack when you’re on the road. They keep for 2 days unrefrigerated.

Bananas – Bananas are filled with vitamin B6 and potassium that can help you stay awake, and prevent painful cramping. Plus, they’re filled with fiber and vitamin C! Bananas are basically a pre-packaged super delicious superfruit. They can also last 2-7 days without being refrigerated.

Cucumbers – Cucumbers are filled with antioxidants and vitamin K to help your body detox, and keep your eyes, skin, and fingernails healthy. And if you slice them up with a little bit of salt, they’re just as good as potato chips. Cucumbers last 2 days without refrigeration. If you’ve sliced them, they will expire the same day.

Avocado – Avocados are a miracle fruit. Filled with fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin K, they’re super healthy for you, and they’re very filling. And with a consistency similar to ice cream, you can eat them with a spoon right out of the skin. Avocados last 3-4 days without refrigeration.

There are technically no blue or indigo fruits, even blueberries are considered purple. Which is why we’ve lumped the last three colors in the health rainbow together to give you some amazing antioxidant packed berries that make great snacks.

Blueberries – These tiny little berries are packed with antioxidants and vitamin K with little to no calories at all. And they taste great! Anything that can make you feel good and taste great at the same time is definitely worth a try. Blueberries last for 2-3 days without being refrigerated.

Blackberries – Blackberries are filled with vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants. As a dark berry, they taste sweet, and contain a lot of much-needed nutrients. They last for 2-3 days unrefrigerated before expiring.

Grapes – Grapes have a low GI value, and can help with better insulin regulation, and blood sugar balance. Not to mention they improve skin health, heart health, and can aid people who are on calorie-restricted diets, or people who crave sugar but cannot have it. Grapes can last 3-5 days unrefrigerated.

You can still buy whole grain sandwiches, cheese, and pepperoni sticks, but when it comes to snacking you should definitely stay fresh and keep to the rainbow.

Got some tips for how to stay healthy on the road? Or maybe you just want to share some highlights from your own wellness journey. Drop us a line on Facebook or Twitter! We love hearing from you, Trucking Nation!

#WellnessWednesday: 4 Stretches to Eliminate Back Pain

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Marcela De Vivo - #wellnesswednesday, Expresstrucktax.com, truckers, wellness

Bad backs and poor circulation are one of the most common health concerns facing truckers. It’s understandable, you sit in a cab for several hours with limited movement, watching the road like a hawk.

But since it’s #WellnessWednesday, today isn’t about what you can’t do, it’s about what you can do to fight the pain and restore circulation!

Driving trucks isn’t easy, but these 4 simple back stretches definitely are. And they could save a life, and your back! So here’s how to do some quick back stretches to help you avoid back, leg, and neck pain.

Back Bends

Back bends will really help you with decompressing your spine and fluid buildup that can happen in your back after sitting for long periods of time. It might sound a little scary, but this simple stretch will help you avoid any sort of complications.

All you have to do is put your hands on your hips behind your back, leaning backwards, and holding for 5-10 seconds. Then you should repeat that 5 more times, and that’s it! You’ve successfully helped your body eliminate future back pain.

Front Bends

Front bends are important because they help you loosen your hamstrings and increase circulation to your legs. Good leg circulation is crucial for good driving, good posture, as well as good health. And all it takes is this simple stretch to maintain some great circulation!

All you have to do is put your hands on your hips, just like the back bend, and lean forward. If you’re feeling up to it, you can also combine it with the back bends for a full range of motion. Remember to hold the stretch for 5-10 seconds, and do it 5 times, while breathing in and out like normal. You don’t want to hold your breath while doing stretches. Your body needs the oxygen to repair itself.

Then voila, you’re successfully helping to avoid both back pain and poor circulation!

Knee Up’s

Knee up’s may seem a little difficult at first, but in the long run they’re worth it. Much like the front bends, they help restore circulation to your legs. They also really help you loosen up and stretch your lower abdomen, which can be difficult to stretch otherwise.

All you have to do is use the side of your truck, and place your hands shoulder width apart, taking turns to bring each knee up. Then you should turn your knee to the side, stretching it across your body.

These knee stretches will make you feel much better very quickly. You’ll also feel a lot looser, and much more flexible. So do as many as you can and try to hold the stretch for 10-20 seconds.

At first it might seem a little difficult, but in the end it’ll be rewarding, I promise! Don’t worry if you can only do a few at first. Wellness is a journey, not a destination.

Neck Stretch

The next stretch will give you some much-needed relief from the tension that builds around your shoulders and neck.

All you have to do is start with one hand down by your side, with your other hand out at a 90 degree angle. Then just lean your head to the opposite side of your outstretched arm. Try to reach out as far as you can with said arm.

Make sure you don’t let your arm drop, keep it outstretched as far as you can for 5-10 seconds. Then do 5 reps and you’ll really begin to feel loosened up, and so much less tension!

Then all you have to do is keep up with these stretches. Even doing them once or twice a week can greatly improve your mobility. And it can combat the pain of being sedentary for long periods of time! All in under 5 minutes.

#WellnessWednesday: 4 Ways to Eat Healthy on the Road

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Marcela De Vivo - #wellnesswednesday, Expresstrucktax.com, healthy eating, Healthy Tips

Truck stops have a reputation for being filled with greasy, fatty, fried foods that aren’t good for you. But you’d be surprised how easy it is to create a simple and healthy meal from the variety of foods you can find there.

From fresh fruit, to whole grain bread, truck stops are packed with variety. They even have protein shakes with low calories and carbohydrates to accommodate people of all diets and lifestyles.

Here’s a few healthy choices you can make instead of choosing something fried.

4. Yogurt & Fruit

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but a lot of people seem to skip it. Especially when they’re on the road, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Having a small breakfast of just yogurt or a piece of fruit can greatly improve your day and even boost your metabolism.

In fact, if you’re like most people, eating several small meals every day will help your digestive system and give you more energy.

And, as an added bonus, you can find yogurt and fruit at any truck stop. It’s not all grease and pizza! You can even grab a cheese stick, or a fruit and nut bar. Anything to get that metabolism going early in the morning.

3. Whole Grain Sandwiches

Whole grain sandwiches are cropping up at truck stops all across the US. In fact, truckers being able to have healthier options is becoming a large movement.

We have to take care of the dedicated men and women who haul goods from state to state. And adding healthier options is just one of the many ways the trucking industry is changing to make the lives of truckers better.

So the next time you stop off to get some gas and some food, consider eating whole grain. It’s better for your digestive system, and it has the added effect of being healthy for you. Plus, most of those sandwiches are loaded with protein and a lot of vitamins to keep you healthy on the road.

You should also consider eating a cheese stick or pepperoni stick on the side, instead of chips. But, if you prefer to have chips, consider chex mix, sun chips, or baked chips as an alternative to regular fried potato chips.

2. Salads

At first salads may not seem very filling, but the ones you can get at your truck stop have a lot more substance to them than just “rabbit food.” These salads are monsters! Filled with chunks of meat, and tons of eggs and cheese.

And that’s not all! You can get all sorts of different salads filled with everything you need to fill you up and make your whole day better.

1. Wraps

Wraps are a good standby that can be found at most truck stops and fast food places as a healthy option. And while tortillas aren’t much healthier than whole grain bread, wraps are usually packed with vegetables, meats, and cheese to help you get a well-rounded diet.

Plus, some truck stops are introducing corn wraps, which are much healthier than the flour tortillas. Corn tortillas have less sodium, less calories, and they offer a better taste and texture to your food. Not to mention, it’s something different. And a well-rounded diet with a lot of variety can really help!

Keeping a well-balanced diet while on the road can be tough, but manageable! Especially with all the options you can find at truck stops. Don’t let their “unsavory” reputations fool you. They have so much more to offer than fried chicken and taquitos.

#WellnessWednesday: Smoothies on the Road

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Marcela De Vivo - #wellnesswednesday, Expresstrucktax.com, smoothies

At ExpressTruckTax, we’ve been celebrating summer with our Summer Series of Giveaways. Every few weeks, we raffle off a prize to one lucky e-filer, and from now until the end of July, you can win a travel blender! Perfect for making delicious and nutritious smoothies right in the cab of your truck.

All you need to do is e-file with us and “Like” us on Facebook, and you’re entered to win an awesome Hamilton Beach Single Serve Travel Blender!

In honor of our current giveaway, this week’s #WellnessWednesday will feature some great smoothie recipes for truckers!

Carrying around food items that need to be refrigerated in a truck can be a bit of a headache. But almost anything can be made into a smoothie, including, non-perishable food items and non-temperature sensitive fruit.

So grab yourself a bag of ice and a cooler, and enjoy being healthy on-the-go!

These recipes are simple. In fact, most of them only require a few ingredients, a handful of ice, and a single-serve travel blender.

Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

3 tbsp of Peanut Butter
A single medium-sized banana, sliced
A handful of Ice
1 cup of Milk, ½ a cup of Kefir, or ½ cup of Yogurt
Honey to add sweetness

For a thicker smoothie, choose the kefir or yogurt option. If you prefer smoothies with a thinner consistency, go with milk. The peanut butter acts as a thickener for this particular smoothie anyway.

The best milk to use in situations where you’re travelling are single-serving boxed milk cartons. You can find them in the juice or cereal aisle of most supermarkets. They don’t need to be refrigerated until after you open them, so you can make a smoothie and get a full serving of calcium all in one fell swoop.

Making the actual smoothie is easy. All you have to do is make sure you add the banana first (you don’t actually have to slice it, you can break it up with your hands), then add the peanut butter, before pouring in the milk and put a handful of ice on top. You can add any amount of honey you’re comfortable with. It all depends on your taste for sweetness. Then just blend it and enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Extravaganza

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

A pinch Cocoa powder or a handful chocolate chips
2 tbsp of Peanut Butter
A medium-sized banana, sliced
A handful of ice
1 cup Milk, ½ cup of Kefir, or ½ of Yogurt
Honey to add sweetness

Like the last smoothie, this one also contains peanut butter so it will already be thick. You don’t have to use yogurt or kefir unless you want to.

To make the smoothie, if you use chocolate chips, place those at the bottom of the blender, but if you use cocoa powder, you will once again place the banana at the bottom. Then add the powder on top, the peanut butter, the milk, and a handful of ice. Blend and enjoy!

Banana and Green Smoothie

A handful of baby kale

A medium-sized banana

A handful of ice

1 cup of Milk, ½ cup of Kefir, or ½ cup of Yogurt

Honey to add sweetness

This smoothie could use a little yogurt to beef it up and make it a little smoother. But if you don’t have yogurt on hand, kefir, and milk work just as well.

Simply add the banana, a handful of baby kale, and some yogurt, milk, or kefir. Then you add a handful of ice and some honey for sweetness. This one could use a little extra sweetness, but it’s so, so healthy for you.

Protein & Banana Smoothie

Protein Smoothies

1 pkt or 2 scoops of any protein powder
A medium-sized banana
A handful of ice
1 cup of milk, ½ cup of Kefir, or ½ cup of Yogurt
Honey to add sweetness

Any protein powder will do, but the strawberry, chocolate, and peanut butter flavored ones usually taste best with bananas.

To make the smoothie just add the banana at the bottom, your protein powder of choice on top of it, and a handful of ice. For this one you don’t really need honey since you’ll be using a powder, but if you want a little extra sweetness, then do it. Those powders can taste a little better with a spoonful of honey. Now just blend, and enjoy!

The best thing about smoothies is that they’re filling, they help you save some money, and you can eat healthy on the road! All you have to do is push a button.

#Wellness Wednesday: Exercises to Get You Through the Traffic

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Marcela De Vivo - #wellnesswednesday, exercise, Expresstrucktax.com, traffic, wellness

Cross-state travel can be tough, especially when you hit traffic or inclement weather. But worry not, Trucking Nation, because the next time you hit traffic or weather so bad you have to pull off to the side of the road, or stop at a truck stop, we’ve got you covered.

Exercising while driving a truck is difficult. Most of the time you’re in a sitting position, driving a giant vehicle where one wrong move can mean a loss of control. But while driving across state lines and all over North America, you may find yourself spending a lot of time parked to avoid road dangers, construction, or to get some much-needed rest from the road.

That’s where we come in. It only takes a few minutes to get some much needed exercise. A little bit of healthy movement, breathing, and stretching will go a long way.

4 Simple Exercises to Get You Through the Traffic

These exercises are so easy you don’t even have to get out of your truck! Because nobody wants to stand in the rain or be ogled by passing drivers in a truck stop parking lot.

Wheel Push-ins

This exercise is basically the same as a push-up, and with the large cabin in your truck they should be a breeze! Put your hands on the wheel at 3 and 9 o’clock and squeeze. Both of your hands should be pressing towards each other. Do 3 sets of 10 and hold each one for an entire second.
Then you can stretch by sitting tall, lacing your fingers behind your hips, and pushing your chest forward and shoulders back.

Wheel Pulls

Much like the Wheel Push-ins, but going the opposite direction. Place your hands on the wheel at 5 and 7 o’clock with your palms facing you. Pull against the wheel, working the muscles in your forearms and upper arms. Do 3 sets of 10 and hold every pull for 1 second.
To avoid muscle aches, stretch by lengthening your arms with your palms up and clasping your hands together, pulling one arm to the side, holding for 3 seconds and then pulling the other.

Upper Back Presses

This exercise is great for your posture and lower back. Sitting in a truck for long period of time can definitely wreak havoc on your back muscles! All you need to do is place your hands gently on your steering wheel at 3 and 9 o’clock and push your shoulders and upper back into the seat behind you. Again, you should be holding this exercise for a full second, and you should do 3 sets with 10 reps.
Stretch your back by interlacing your fingers in front of you and pushing your palms upwards towards your windshield.

Calf Raises

This is one of my favorite exercises because you can literally do it anywhere! All you have to do is lift and lower the heels of your feet while putting weight on the balls of your feet and toes. You can even take it a step further, lifting yourself up in the seat and working your glutes. Make sure you’re still holding for a full second before moving on to the next rep. Do 3 sets of 20 reps and then stretch!
Stretch by straightening your legs off the floor and flexing your feet by pointing your toes for 10 seconds.

It’s just that easy! It may not seem like much right now, but little things you do every day will build up and help you on your wellness journey. So keep up the good work, Trucking Nation!

#WellnessWednesday: Yoga for Truckers

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Marcela De Vivo - #wellnesswednesday, best customer support, Expresstrucktax.com, Yoga

When it comes to driving a truck, since you’re sitting in a vehicle most of the time, you can develop aches and pains.

There are a number of different ways to combat these chronic aches, but the best way is to regularly do yoga.

It doesn’t have to be anything crazy– just a few basic poses and some good, deep breaths to get a good stretch in and get that blood circulating.

That alone can make a world of difference in your mobility and overall happiness. It actually works so well that we even do it here at ExpressTruckTax!

Here’s a few basic poses depicted by the ExpressTruckTax Support Legends!

Tree Pose

Kay

To perform a successful tree pose, you only have to do a few things. When you inhale, move your arms up and over your head, and then when you exhale move your arms down by your side. This is done to improve your balance and find your center.

And don’t forget to breathe! The breathing you do in yoga is important. It trains you to breathe properly, especially when doing exercise.

Swan Dive

Jana

From the tree pose you can go into the Swan Dive pose which is essentially tree with a slight modification. Instead of moving just your arms up and down, move your arms up on inhale and on exhale, move down bending at your back and knees, then though the ground.

Chair Pose

Lauren

From Swan Dive you can go into Chair. With the Chair pose, instead of touching the ground in front of your feet, you just bend at your knees, and squat slightly while arching your back.

Cat Pose

Sir Charles

Cat is a floor pose. In order to perform the cat pose, you must be on all fours, back slightly arched with your face forward and arms slightly bent at the elbows.

Sonial Balance

Eli

From the Cat pose you can perform the Sonial Balance pose. This pose requires you to be on all fours and extend your right arm and then your left leg (or vice versa) while balancing on your other limbs and stretching your body.

5 Tips on How to Begin Your Wellness Journey

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Marcela De Vivo - #wellnesswednesday, Siphiwe Baleka, Tony Blake, trucking news, wellness

The best thing about deciding to live a healthier lifestyle is that you get to decide what that means for yourself. You get to choose what to change, how to eat, and how to exercise.

But maybe you aren’t sure where to start your wellness journey. We’ve got some tips for how to get started and how to change your habits over time. Because it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.

5 Tips on How to Begin Your Journey:

Believe in Yourself

The first step in beginning your wellness journey is to believe in yourself. Now this probably sounds like a total cliche, but trust me, if you don’t believe you can do it then you won’t make it very far.

Talk yourself up every day, realize that you’re so much stronger than you think you are and just do it! Because every single day is another step on your path to becoming a healthier person. And it matters, it really, really matters because your health is so important.

Eliminate Bad Habits

It takes 14-21 days to beat a bad habit, but once you’ve beaten it you’ve accomplished something great. Out there on the road it’s so easy to find yourself eating fried, sugary, and salty foods that are so bad for you. You don’t have to change your eating habits overnight, but you do have to make a choice.

Try eliminating one of those bad things and switching it out for something healthier. Switch from milk chocolate to dark chocolate, from ice cream to yogurt, from fried chicken to grilled chicken, or from french fries to apple slices or baked sweet potato fries. There are so many ways to make a change in yourself. All you have to do is start small and keep on trucking.

Water Is Your New Best Friend

Lose the juice and the soda and switch to water. This might seem like a huge change, but you can take your time with this one too. If you’re not a big fan of water or need a lot of caffeine to keep you going, try moving to a drink that has less calories and sodium (perhaps a diet soda).

Then you can switch from that to carbonated or flavored water. Eventually you’ll learn to love it because drinking water will make your feel better! You’ll be less thirsty, increase your circulation, flush toxins out of your body, and it will even improve your skin.

Dance, Dance, Dance

Being cooped up in a truck all day doesn’t give you much time for exercise, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are little things you can do to improve your mobility inside of your cabin. Maybe you have a song you like to dance to, crank it up and do a little dance in your truck!

And any time to have a moment to stop, take some time to do some stretching to get your blood flowing, Not only does stretching help with your circulation, it also makes you feel so much better. You can also make it a point to walk a little further every day, every time you have a break. Eventually you’ll begin to feel like a new person!

Be Mindful of What You Consume

You don’t have to go all out and eat nothing but salads and vegetables, but you should be mindful of what you consume. If you’re eating a lot of fast food, make sure you pay attention to the calories (most restaurants will have them on their menus) in your favorite meal.

If they seem too high, try eating just the sandwich or main entree, or substituting those calorie high french fries for something healthier like apple slices. You can still have french fries if you want to, but make sure you know what you’re putting into your body. Because monitoring the amount of calories you consume each day can help you feel less tired and lethargic and much more energetic.

Food can give you energy, but only if you use it right!

#WellnessWednesday: Wellness is a Journey

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Marcela De Vivo - #wellnesswednesday, Expresstrucktax.com, Siphiwe Baleka, Tony Blake, truckers, wellness

Wellness is a journey, not a destination. It takes more than deciding to go on a diet, you have to decide to change your whole life.

I’m not talking about becoming obsessive and going to the gym 7 days a week for four hours or anything like that. I’m talking about your own personal wellness journey—what you alone are comfortable with doing.

Siphiwe Baleka, an Ivy-League swimmer, was already well into his own journey before he decided to help truckers begin theirs. Instead of pursuing an Olympic Career, he found his passion was helping truckers become more active.

And he’s doing a great job at it! In fact, he’s helped thousands of truckers lose tens of thousands of pounds.

Here at ExpressTruckTax, we know trying to eat well and maintain a healthy lifestyle while on the road can be tough. But we’ve got some health tips that might be able to help!

Beat the Boredom

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. All wellness journeys should begin here. By getting your house (your mind) in order, you can begin to focus on your body. If your mental health is out of whack, then there’s a good chance you won’t be able to focus on anything else.

Boredom is a very common experience in the trucking industry. You have to sit and drive for hours, and listening to a radio station that recycles the same songs over and over isn’t very stimulating.

That’s when overeating can creep in. Because you can’t do much else while you’re driving (you also shouldn’t be eating, but we all do it). And you need to focus your mind on something other than what seems like an endless road in front of you.

But overcoming your boredom on the road can be as easy as buying an ebook, or subscribing to Amazon’s Audible (because you may not always have time to stop by a bookstore). When you have something else to focus on—other than a bad habit of eating when you’re bored—you can retrain your brain!

Which brings us to the next stop on your wellness journey: becoming health conscious.

Be Health Conscious

Nothing is going to change unless you’re willing to change it for yourself. The second step to living a healthier lifestyle is to address the problem.

Most of the time the problem is overeating, which is easy to start doing when you’re on the road all the time. Because most of the time what you’re eating has a skewed sense of serving sizes, not to mention way more than the recommended daily amount of sodium.

To help you become more conscious of what kind of calories, fat, sodium, etc. you’re taking in per day, there’s an app for that! The app is called MyFitnessPal, and you can use their website or log your daily food intake from their smartphone app.

And MFP is set by your weight and lifestyle, so even if you’re sedentary, you can still lose weight or maintain your current weight.

Not to mention, after a while of recording your meals, you begin to notice that you automatically adapt to eat within your allotted calorie range. You begin to eat smaller portions because you realize just how much you may have been eating and you change it.

That’s why the second step on your wellness journey is making a change in the way you eat. It doesn’t even have to be a big one, it’s taking the step that counts!

Be More Active

Now, this next step is usually a red flag for people, but it doesn’t have to be scary. You don’t even have to step foot in a gym (unless you’re comfortable with doing that).

Being more active is just another step on your journey. And like everything else we’ve talked about, you can start small!

You can park a little farther away from where you need to go so you walk a few more steps. Or play your favorite song and dance a little in your truck. You can even spend a little more time walking around in a truck stop.

You won’t become physically fit overnight. And that’s not what this is about, it’s about taking small steps to become a better you. Because each small step you take helps you further along the road on your wellness journey.

And as long as you don’t stop, you’ll get there in no time!

Got some tips for how to stay healthy on the road? Or maybe you want to share some highlights from your own wellness journey. Drop us a line on Facebook or Twitter! We love hearing from you, Trucking Nation!

#WellnessWednesday Part 5: Eat, Drink, & Be Healthy!

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Santamarina Joseph - #wellnesswednesday, Expresstrucktax.com, trucking news

It’s hard to believe, but it’s been 2 months since we began our wellness journey, Trucking Nation.

In the very first installment, 5 Tips for Healthy Trucking, I said that wellness doesn’t begin with pumping iron or munching on a head of cabbage. While it may not start there, at some point, we need to consider healthier eating. (Notice how I’m not using the dreaded word “diet.” This isn’t an extreme 1 month program, this is a gradual lifestyle change!)

What I’m trying to say is…

It’s time to break out that head of cabbage! But we won’t stop there; there’s loads of power foods & tips for making better choices that we’ll discuss today in #WellnessWednesday Part 5: Eat, Drink, & Be Healthy! As always, we compiled these tips with trucking lifestyle in mind, meaning the foods are either readily available, not perishable, and/or easy to eat while driving.

Chew on these 5 tips for healthful eating. Open up wide!

1. Eat Whole Foods:

A general rule of thumb you’ve likely heard by now. It simply means, the less processed your food is, the better. Processing foods not only decreases nutrient density, it also provides the opportunity for artificial flavors, preservatives, colors & even more unsavory things to be mixed into your food. Eat things that look like what they actually are. Whole grains, like brown rice, are preferable to bread, for example. And where might you get these whole foods? Well that leads me to tip #2!

2. Park with Care:

Choices are certainly limited when you’re living out of a truck cab–don’t limit yourself further by stopping only at rest stops and fast-food joints. The limited (and what tends to be unhealthy & overly-processed) selection is just setting you up for failure.
Instead, stop at grocery stores or farmer’s markets along the way. You’ll find a much wider selection of whole foods, and for better prices! If you absolutely HAVE to grab a snack at a rest stop, grab a pack of nuts or sunflower seeds instead of a bag of chips, unsalted is preferable. And grab water instead of soda, that’s a no-brainer!

3. Pack Smart, Snack Smart:

Bringing along healthy, delicious snacks is another way to set yourself up for success. Yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, hummus with veggies are all protein-packed, filling, and scrumptious–if you have a mini-fridge! If not, bring dry goods like unsalted nuts and seeds, nut butters with sprouted bread, fresh berries, fruit leather, seaweed or kale chips–I could go on forever, baby!
Some of these may sound foreign, but they’re becoming readily available. They’ll wake-up your tastebuds (I can tell you from experience), and they’re INFINITELY HEALTHEIR than the same, boring snacks you’ve been eating your whole life! Be bold, try new things, & find what works for you!

4. Start Juicin’:

The perfect way to consume a TON of fresh fruit, veggies, & herbs, right in the palm of your hand. Juicing works for truckers, it’s a fact. Google it, you’ll find truckers who’ve shed hundreds of pounds and beaten chronic illness by juicing on the road. If you’re trucking for a few days at a time, you can “pre-juice” at home and store it in air-tight jars in your mini-fridge. Just grab and chug–wheel in one hand, juice in the other.
However, juicing on the spot is best, the fresher the juice the better! Juice recipes are easy to find online, and they’ll not only cover your 7-a-day, but they’ll detox your body while flooding it with the enzymes, minerals, and vitamins it craves.

5. Fermented Foods:

Sounds gross, at first, until you consider that some of the finer (or should I say, winer!) things in life are fermented. Fermented foods are not only easy to bring on a road trip (because they’re preserved in jars!), but they have amazing health benefits too. The lacto-fermentation preserves nutrients and makes them more readily-digestible. You’re likely already eating these foods without realizing it!
Pickles, for example, are a healthy fermented food, along with sauerkraut. Look for ones that have been lacto-fermented, rather than vinegar-based. Not as common is kimchi, a spicy fermented cabbage which is becoming more common in the US every day! You can also drink the benefits of fermentation with kefir, a yogurt drink, or drink kombucha! (Don’t worry, the alcohol content is non-existent.) Made from fermented oolong tea, kombucha is a fruity, delicious, gut-loving alternative to water. Droves of people swear by kombucha because it improves digestion and boosts your energy!

Take these 5 tips on your wellness journey, and use them to make better choices. Choice, being the keyword. No one can dictate what’s best for you. Break the grooves of routine, do some self-discovery, & reforge new, healthier habits that nourish your body!

And if you feel like back-sliding, gather some inspiration from our former blogs & remember: if you don’t finish your broccoli, the ExpressTruckTax Support Heroes will send you to bed without dessert!

5 Tips for Healthy Trucking

5 More Tips for Healthy Trucking

Even More Tips for Healthy Trucking: Ripped Edition

Part 4: The Return of the Tips

#WellnessWednesday Part 4: The Return of the Tips

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Santamarina Joseph - #wellnesswednesday, Expresstrucktax.com, Trucker

With just a week and a half until the Form 2290 filing deadline, we need some extra wellness in our lives now more than ever!

ExpressTruckTax has already eliminated any dread you may have felt when filing taxes before (because we’re just awesome like that). And in today’s blog, we’re going to help eliminate another problem that plagues the Trucking Nation: back and neck pain!

Stuck behind the wheel for hours on end, it’s not surprising that most truck drivers experience chronic stiffness and pain. That’s where we come in–the Heroes at ExpressTruckTax have always got your back! If we could reach through the phone and massage your aching spine, we would. But since the

technology isn’t quite there yet, these tips will have to do instead!

So for Part 4 of our #WellnessWednesday series, here are 5 quick tips for booting that pain in the neck (and back).

1. Empty your Pockets: Cell phones, wallets, receipts, what’s in your pockets? The answer should be “nothing.” Stuffing your pockets, especially your back pockets, leads to lots of pain in the long run. It’s like the Princess and the Pea, if your phone and wallet were enormous peas. Sitting on those items for hours at a time throws off your alignment and puts pressure on your back. For immediate relief, try storing your gadgets in the glove box or any other cubby near by.
2. Sit at the Right Angle: You’ve had practice sitting your whole life, but are you doing it wrong? It sounds crazy, but there’s actually a right and a wrong way to sit. And good posture isn’t just for looking fancy! It’s far better for your spine. Adjust your driver’s seat so that your back is straight and your knees rest at a 90 degree angle for optimal alignment. Some seats also have a rocking function if you can’t sit still for that long.
3. Float on Air: Your driver’s seat may not be the most comfortable chair in the world. While tearing it out with a sledgehammer may not be a viable option, there are ways to make it comfier! Why not try levitating…on a memory foam pillow! Memory foams puffs up with air and contours to your body, creating the perfect custom cushion for your backside. Gel seat cushions are also on the market. Try them out and see what you fancy!
4. A Loose Dress Code: Tight-fitting clothes may be the fashion, but they aren’t suited for the trucking life! Comfortable, loose-fitting clothes are the way to go! Ill-fitting clothes, or undergarments, can lead to stiffness, stomach pain, and just general discomfort. Nobody’s got time for that!
5. Take a Hike, Buddy!: Seriously, walking is a miracle worker. It’s easy & free, you can do it nearly anywhere, and the benefits are endless. It may be tempting to spend your breaks lounging in the sleeper catching up on Netflix, but doing a quick lap around the truck stop will increase circulation and give you a chance to stretch out!

As always, these 5 hacks are just the beginning. Stretching, yoga, back support belts are all great ways to keep your spine in line.

So how do you stay loose and limber while trucking? Let the ExpressTruckTax team know. We love hearing ideas straight from you, the pro’s! Remember, sharing is caring.