Weight Loss Advice From a Trucker

We’re always preaching to you truckers to get healthy.  Hey, we care about you and we want you healthy and happy.  In response to an article we wrote about one trucker’s weight loss success, Bennet Jones sent us this article he wrote.  He has given us permission to share it.

By Bennet Jones

Weight loss is 90 percent psychological and 10 percent life style change. Notice, there is NO mention of diet! Diets don’t work! Diets have never worked, nor will they ever work! STOP DIETING!

The only true way to lose weight is through life style change. And the only way to change your life is through your brain. Science says it takes 30 days to break bad habits and start good one’s.

Here are a series of questions that you must ask yourself before making a change in your life:
1. Do I want to be just another fat ass truck driver that uses a forklift to get in and out of the truck and a Hoveround to get to the terminal?
2. Do I want to see my children and grandchildren graduate from college?
3. Do I want to lose my career due to heart disease, Type 1 or 2 diabetes or hypertension?
4. Do I want to wear clothes that aren’t made by the local tarp maker?
5. Do I want to get old and grey?
6. Do I want to enjoy retirement?
7. Do I want to be able to walk more than 10 feet without losing my breathe?
8. Do I want to live out my life taking a hand full of pills everyday just to stay alive?
9. Do I want to be able to provide a living for my family?
10.Do I want to die in my truck?

Driving a truck is hard enough with all of the situations we face everyday. Adding our health problems into the mix is one that is NOT needed! And one that can be prevented. The way you answer the aforementioned questions is the the sole determination on whether YOU are ready, psychologically, to make a substantial life style change.

In June, 2011, I weighed 251 pounds. I’m 5’8″. That is 100 pounds overweight! Grossly OBESE is what they call it! In other words, I was a fat ass trucker, out of shape, had high blood pressure and was facing losing my DOT medical because of it. My BMI was approximately 39. I’m 49 years old and have been trucking for nine years.

I asked myself those questions. I looked at myself in the mirror. I didn’t like what I saw! It was time for a life style change. NOT A DIET! A COMPLETE LIFE STYLE MAKEOVER!

I had always heard that if you want to weigh a certain weight, you eat that many calories per day. For me, it was 150 pounds, my so-called “ideal” weight. So I got on my Droid and found MyFitnessPal. I started counting calories and reading labels. I stayed away from the fried foods, the buffets and the free reorders. I ate six times a day, three meals and three snacks. I counted every calorie that I could. I ate a salad and two veggies with lunch and dinner. I ate oatmeal with raisins and SUGER FREE syrup. No butter and no sugar! I stopped buying my Dr Peppers and started buying water. I drank 2 liters everyday! I stayed out of the fast food joints. I still had my beer and wings on the weekends. I didn’t give up all my vices!

All the while, I educated myself on proper nutrition. As time went on, I changed my intake more and more. I started watching the proteins, carbs and fats. AND I started walking.

I would park as far away from things as I could. I bought a pedometer and counted my steps. 10,000 steps per day. I walked 15-20 minutes at a time, 4 times a day. As time went on, I added jogging to the mix and then started using the TA/Petro workout rooms. I did sitting leg lifts as I drove down the road. I would start at a mile marker and see how many I could do before I got to the next mile marker. As my abs got in better shape, I would do 25 reps, then rest til the next mile marker. I did 25 more. In 30 minutes, I could get in 250 or so. I did this twice per day. I also added a Timex Heart Rate Monitor that I wore everyday. In February, I got the Supreme90 workout dvds from a driver friend. Its available for $20 at WalMart and is similar to P90X at a fraction of the price. In other words, I got real serious about my health!

On March 16, I retired. I’m in better shape today than I have been in 10 years. Today, I weigh 185 pounds! I workout everyday, as I have done all along. I lost 63 pounds while on the road and another 3 in the last week. Anyone that says you can’t lose weight while on the road doesn’t know what they’re talking about! I did and YOU CAN TOO!

As I said, its 90 percent psychological. I made up my mind to get into shape! I made up my mind I am going to see my grandchildren graduate from college! I made up my mind that my health is important to me and important to my family! I made up my mind that I wanted to get old and grey and enjoy my retirement! I made up my mind that Tommy, the Tarp Maker is no longer my tailor! I made up my mind that I WILL run a marathon this year! I made up my mind that I will NOT be just another fat ass truck driver!

I made up my mind. Will you make up your mind before its too late?

Bennett L. Jones
Formerly with Prime, Inc.