Marcel Laourche started driving in 1995. He is a proud Canadian who’s delivered goods in every province and state.
Marcel says he learned early in his trucking career that living off the truck stop food is the last thing drivers need. For him, that experience led to obesity, high blood pressure and pre-diabetes.
That’s when he adopted the “something” rule.
What is the “something” rule? Simply put, it means taking the initiative to get up and accomplish SOMETHING that improves fitness and health. After hours of sitting behind the wheel of a truck, drivers need movement.
For Marcel, other “somethings” include sticking to unprocessed foods, protein and plain filtered water. He also packs prepared meals from home when he spends a week or so over-the-road.
“Diet matters,” he said. “Avoid eating second helpings — no matter how tempting.”
Sugar is the No. 1 enemy of healthy eating, a lesson Marcel says he learned a trucking Facebook group, Trucking with the Carrs.
Life is an adventure, and fitness is key.
To help keep himself focused and energetic, Marcel says he treats every long-haul trip like an adventure, even when it’s a repeat trip. This helps make each day different and interesting.
Part of the adventure is taking walks whenever time allows, something that has become a part of everyday life for Marcel. To add to the physical challenge, he makes a point of finding something heavy — either along the way or when he starts out — and lifting it or carrying it in various ways. Rocks, chains, rims, tires … anything challenging is good to go, he says.
We can all learn from one of Marcel’s regular fitness routines: Whenever he’s out for a walk or a drive, Marcel stops to pick up trash along the way. This is not a random act of kindness; it’s something he practices in every province and state he travels.
This habit of cleaning trash from roadsides, walking trails and other places requires plenty of walking, bending, lifting and carrying. As he adds to his trash bag while walking, it increases the weight he’s carrying, adding an opportunity for exercise while he does a good deed.
Another favorite form of exercise for Marcel is push-ups, which he says can be performed almost anywhere in good weather.
For pull-ups, he uses a load bar in an empty van trailer — always making sure the bar is secure and testing it before performing the exercise. So many exercises can be done in an empty van!
In addition to a healthy diet and plenty of physical exercise, Marcel believes proper sleep habits are a key part in staying healthy; sleep allows the body to rest and heal.
At age 65, Marcel is reaping the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. His motto? “Health till I die. If I drop dead tomorrow, it’s still a win.”
Bob Perry is a regular contributor to The Trucker. He has spent nearly the past four decades on a mission to educate professional drivers and share life-changing products and services to help them live healthier lives while on the road. Recognized throughout the transportation industry, from bus drivers to over-the-road professional drivers, Perry has played an important role in creating a paradigm shift helping regulatory agencies, private and public sector entities, and consumers understand the current health challenges of the professional driver. He has participated as a wellness advocate in several roundtable discussions, large audience groups and small forums as well as going “curbside” through a national truck stop tour.
Bob’s articles have been featured in The Trucker and a number of other national transportation industry publications and is the host of a weekly wellness call produced by Rolling Strong. Bob has been a regular guest on RedEye Radio and Land-Line Radio, and is often an invited guest on Sirius radio shows. He has been featured in the New York Times, Men’s Health Magazine, Drug Store News, American Road Magazine, WSJ, NPR, ABC National Radio, as well as hundreds of daily newspapers. He has appeared on television news shows across the nation, including a featured TV segment on ABC NightLine News.
