10210 Marsh Road, Bealeton, VA 22712
I started working out because truck drivers aren’t really known for being healthy. There are a lot of diseases that can come with this job — heart disease, diabetes, blood clots — but more importantly, mental health. When you’re on the road all the time, living and sleeping in your truck, it can get to you. If you don’t have an outlet to release stress or depression, it will build up and eventually destroy you. Working out became that outlet for me, not just physically, but mentally too.
A lot of people think you can just call family or text and that fixes everything. That helps, but it’s not always realistic and it’s not something you can rely on while you’re driving. So I lift weights, I walk, I run, I get outside whenever I can. Even if I’m at a rest area, I’ll walk the trails or just move around. Anything counts. You have to create your own escape.
For me it’s also about being physically capable. I’m not trying to be some massive bodybuilder. I just want to be able to climb on my trailer, carry tarps, move chains, and not be out of breath. I’ve seen too many drivers get winded just walking from the fuel pump back to their truck. I don’t want that to be me. I want to look good, feel good, and be able to handle the physical parts of this job without struggling.
It all comes down to discipline and consistency. People say they don’t have time, but you can always find time. Thirty-minute breaks, waiting in line to get loaded, waking up a little earlier — there’s always an opportunity if you actually want it. The same goes for food. Truck stops are full of processed stuff, but you can still choose better options. I pack hard-boiled eggs, tuna, fruit, protein shakes. It might cost a little more, but it pays off in the long run.
I’ve been lifting for years, and I can honestly say it changes how you feel and how you age. You don’t have to go extreme. Start small and stay consistent. The human body is capable of a lot if you take care of it. At the end of the day, nobody else is going to do it for you. You have to make the choice to stay healthy, especially in this line of work.
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