Fitness is a topic near and dear to my heart. I enjoy lifting weights with my 14 year-old son, walking with my wife, and jogging with each of them. I am more fit today in my 40s than I was throughout most of my 30s.
So when I saw these two articles, I knew I needed to write about them.
A 2014 study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that 69 percent of drivers were obese; 54 percent smoked; and 88 percent reported having at least one risk factor — hypertension, smoking, obesity — for chronic disease compared to 54 percent of U.S. workers.
And in a Sport Illustrated article, Jon Wertheim wrote about Tony Blake, a former Ivy League swimmer-turned obese truck driver who became passionate about fitness – for himself and for his fellow truck drivers.
Drivers, you have to take of yourselves. Too much weight, too little sleep, non-traditional hours, and stress will damage your heart and other organs and limit your immune system’s ability to deal with illness.
Management, you claim to value your employees; your drivers… Do you really? Do your create systems to help them take care of their physical needs? As managers you are leaders. What examples are you setting?
Good luck to you all and get fit!