Start the New Year out right by getting plenty of rest, exercise and nutritious food. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can keep you out of the doctor’s office and in the driver’s seat.
- Sleep – Research studies show that sleep is critical when it comes to regulating body weight and metabolism. Sleep loss leads to higher levels of a hormone that triggers appetite and lower levels of a hormone that tells the body when to stop eating. If you’re getting less than 8 hours of sleep a night, you could be jeopardizing your health and your waistline!
- Diet – Experts agree with Mom: vegetables are good for you. Of course, some are better than others. So, be sure to eat veggies that are on the higher end of the nutrition spectrum such as leafy greens, not vegetables with lower vitamin counts like iceberg lettuce and potatoes. Color is a good indicator of a vegetable’s nutrition level. Choose vegetables that are vibrant in color such as red tomatoes and dark green broccoli and spinach. Make sure your diet includes vegetables with a variety of colors. Equally important is how vegetables are prepared: don’t overcook them, and avoid adding too much salt, butter or cheese. The closer they are to their natural state, the better they are for you.
- Exercise – A recent study from the research journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that people who sit for long stretches are 54 percent more likely to die of a heart attack – even if they exercise regularly when they are not sitting. So, take a stand for your health every opportunity you get! A brisk walk around the truck is a good way for BCOs to get exercise while on the road. Taking a walk during stops and before getting into the sleeper at night will prove beneficial to your health in the long run. Remember, walking around a 53’ tractor-trailer 32 times is equivalent to one mile!
Resolve to make 2012 a Safe & Healthy New Year!
For more information, please contact:
safety@landstar.com
or 800-872-9496.
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