One of the biggest challenges anyone faces when making changes in their life is finding and keeping their motivation. Whether one is trying to save money for the future, make a change in their health, lifestyle, or really make any other change in your life. Finding that motivation to get started then keeping that motivation to hit your goals for many is the hardest part of the journey. The reasons why we need to make these changes are as varied as the people trying to make the changes. It ranges from family reasons, wanting or needing to be healthier, in some cases it can be money or job-related or countless other reasons and combinations.
Personally one of my biggest struggles has been trying to maintain my weight on the road. My goal is to keep it in the 220-250 range. Is that the absolute best weight range for me no. However it is a range where it keeps most of my doctors happy. When I first started driving truck I was in the 250 range, and it crept up to about 300. About 2 years ago I was below 250 and doing good. However over the last year it has went up again to about the 280 or 290 range.
What caused these changes for me??
The motivation to loose weight was multi-fold. Simply put the Doctor at work was not happy with my BMI, and I needed to loose about 50 pounds, or face a sleep study. While I konw I needed to loose the weight it too me awhile before I find the right combination that worked for me. The biggest motivation was switching to a run that had me in NYC almost everyday. For those of you who have driven the northeast. Truck parking is at a premium especially in NJ. The places where you can find parking primarily serve expensive fast food. So I began to cook on my truck, and was walking more. Between the 2 the pounds came off.
As my weight came off people noticed, and asked what I was doing and encouraged me to share my story and to promote driver health. I agreed to doing it, and over time became more active and involved in the driver health movement. Which was additional motivation to loose some more. Then I made a mistake. I over committed myself in time and energy. I began to put some many other people and projects first my weight began to slip.
How??? Easy I was so busy it became easier to eat out then to cook for myself. It started out a little at a time. At first I was doing good and keeping my eitgh undercontorl. Then as I became busier I spent less time xercising, as I had to get projects done. Then I became mroe srressed so became less careful about what I was eating. next thing I new the weight was back on.
Now I am looking for my new fresh motivation. I have a large number of friends encoruganing me to do what I konw works. Which is simply eating better, and smaller protions, as well as cooking for myself as I can mroe easily control what I eat. Another motivating factpr is that many drivers and those in the industry are also getting motivated to be healthier. They are starting grouops to support each other, as well as various challenges to help people achieve their goals. Two of the current fitness challenges (spring 2016) are the MATS2Gats.com and https://www.facebook.com/SBTC-Chairmans-Fitness-Challenge-1666854113576306/. More information on these contests to be coming soon.
