Stomach Crunching Couriers

There exists a reputation for fast food consumption amongst transport providers; a stereotype typified by the expression a ‘van man diet’, but this does not have to be the case.

As couriers will be aware, the food readily available when on the road is not the most healthy or nutritional, as service stations flanked by fast food chains are the predominant (and often singular) option. Even when there are healthy options available (the occasional roadside supermarket stocking ‘superfood’ salads) they are expensive and the range limited. An alternative to service station food could be to take food with you from home, a sandwich or even a pasta salad, however I appreciate this is not always practical.

Another issue associated with transport providing, is the temptation offered by snacking; who hasn’t been tempted to polish off a family sized bag of Malteasers during a car journey?! A way to combat ‘unhealthy’ snacking could be for drivers to take fresh or dried fruit with them on long journeys, however this relies on a strong will in the face of temptation. Another solution could be deciding in advance when, and even where and what, you will eat, allowing yourself to look forward to this, which in turn will help resist the desire to snack.

It is also difficult for transport providers to get regular exercise, as the nature of their job, if nothing else, makes incorporating it into their daily routine difficult. It also goes without saying that the hours of a courier can be antisocial, and may not coincide with the opening hours of gyms or other sports facilities. However, there are some hospitality facilities with late opening hours, so it is worth the while checking this out! If you are aware of a hotel with a pool, for example, it may be worth scheduling a stop there; a swim can do wonders for both the body and mind.

The wrong type of food, coupled with a lack of exercise, can be hugely detrimental to one’s health, and therefore they are important things to think about. Many of us assume that issues with weight are the only negative outcome however other serious problems such as sleep apnoea, muscle pain and even depression can be a result.

A good suggestion for how to incorporate exercise into the life of a courier is by combining the inspection of ones vehicle with exercises such as squatting and bending. This may sound silly, but I would argue no more so than those who do such exercises in the comfort of their own homes, or a gym! I would maybe draw the line at doing push or sit ups in the car park – I can’t imagine either being a comfortable experience (unless, that is, you have a yoga mat stashed in your vehicle!). Also, although car parks are not the ambient mirror and music filled playground offered by said gyms, they do provide a limited amount of useable space. As well as stationary exercises why not try ‘taking a turn’ around a service stations, (or even the car park) perhaps increasing the length/number of circuits each time. Obviously it is essential to keep an eye out for other vehicles, we are not encouraging reckless car park wandering!

In conclusion the life of a transport provider, certainly while working, lends itself to a lack of exercise and unhealthy eating. Although it takes a little effort and forward planning to counteract this, it is possible, and it can have huge benefits on health and happiness. Exercising regularly also means that fast food and confectionary never has to be cut completely, which in my eyes, can only be a good thing.