With shows like NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” and VH1’s “Celebrity Fit Club” showcasing fat folks losing massive amounts of weight at lightning speed, it’s tempting to think shedding pounds should be a quick and easy process.
Former “Biggest Loser” contestant Ryan C. Benson made headlines in late November by revealing that he has gained back nearly all of the 122 pounds he lost while on the show, putting him back in the 300-lb. range. He contends that he used dangerous methods to lose weight at a rapid pace during the show, including intentionally dehydrating himself and skipping meals. Obviously weight loss can be quick, but given the medical problems you can cause yourself by going on crazy diets, it almost assuredly will not be worth it.
Losing only a couple of pounds per week, especially when you have a sizeable amount of weight to lose, can be frustrating, but one to two pounds per week is the amount recommended by the Mayo Clinic. Losing at this rate ensures that, once you have reached your goal weight, you have a good chance of maintaining that weight rather than gaining it all back.
As a trucker trying to lose weight, you face more difficulties than the average “loser”: You are on the road a lot, often have to eat whatever is available quickly, rarely have access to exercise equipment and work at a job that primarily involves just sitting and driving. But with ever-tightening FMCSA regulations on BMI and health conditions that are possibly connected to weight, it’s better to face these challenges now rather than when you are looking at losing your CDL.
That’s where we come in. Truckers News wants to see our readers succeed in becoming healthier, and we want to provide tools for you to do it. January marks the kick-off of our Take a Load Off weight-loss campaign. We also are launching Fit4theRoad.com, which will be a comprehensive, interactive website with information on health and weight loss, videos and other resources. You can visit the Fit for the Road site to sign up to Take a Load Off and get updates.
We will also provide opportunities for you to share your stories with us. We want to hear about your successes and your struggles, what works for you and what doesn’t. We plan to keep a running total of the amount of weight our readers lose during 2010 and post a grand total at the end of the year. And we’ll be offering some special events for Take a Load Off participants, so keep reading.
Here’s hoping for a healthier 2010. Good luck.
