7 ways to make exercise a bit easier

You’ve heard it all before:

“You need to exercise more!”

“Get off the couch and move around!”

“All you need is 30 minutes five times a week!”

To which you reply, “Yeah, right. Easier said than done.”

Even the best advice often isn’t helpful when you drive a truck for a living and your physical position all day is sitting.

But, sometimes all it takes is one modest step to get the ball rolling, the feet moving and the butt out of the truck and one foot in front of the other. Try a couple of these tips:

• Don’t try to do it all at once. Do 10 minutes of an exercise routine three times a day – maybe before each meal – and you have that magic half hour.
• Fit exercise into what you normally do: park at the back of the lot and walk to the diner; take the stairs briskly if you can; do a couple laps around your truck before you get back on the road.
• Do what you can where you are. Even the biggest sleeper bunk is not a gym. But, you can do plenty of isometric and body weight exercises to help improve your health.
• Keep track of what you do. There are a slew of apps for your phone or tablet to help you chart your progress. Even making hash marks on an index card tuck in the visor of your truck can help inspire you.
• Do what you like, not what you think you need to do. Face it, yoga’s not for everyone.
• Exercise with a friend or spouse or total stranger. Walking goes faster when you’re talking to a companion. Check online for virtual fitness communities that can offer encouragement and tips.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Not everyone was born to be a super-jock. If your company has a fitness adviser, go see them. If it has a wellness center, go there. If you know a fellow driver who is fit, ask how they do it. Look online for truckers’ wellness resources; there are plenty.

And, start by talking to your family medical professional before getting too carried away with any exercise program. Just as it is with driving, keep safety first when working out.