Can Yoga Help For Travelers With Chronic Back Pain?

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Dealing with chronic pain and living on the road is not easy. Beyond struggling with fatigue and being away from family, many travelers and drivers have a hard time finding time for exercise.

But sitting long hours without doing counteractive activities puts a lot of strain on your body – particularly the back. Consequently, many travelers and truck drivers develop chronic back pain. 

One of the most effective ways to find relief from chronic back pain is yoga. Yoga is suitable for all levels, easy to do anywhere, and relaxes your body and mind. 

If you do not have a yoga mat, you can still practice yoga while you are traveling. There are dozens of stretches and poses you can do right from your truck or car’s seat. 

 

Signs And Causes Of Chronic Back Pain 

Nearly every person on earth will experience back pain at least once in their lives. But for those who sit long hours, the pain soon develops into a chronic condition. 

 

Here are some common symptoms of chronic back pain:

– A continuous dull ache

– Pain that moves down to the hips and legs

– Limited mobility

– Pain that gets worse with sitting

– Pain that decreases when moving or changing positions

– Pain that persists for more than three months

Although most people with chronic back pain have similar symptoms, the causes can significantly differ.

 

What causes back pain?

There are many causes of chronic back pain. The cause can impact what you should and shouldn’t do in your yoga practice. 

Here are the most common causes of chronic back pain:

 

Muscle Strains And Imbalances

Frequent travelers can experience a strain due to prolonged pressure to their lower back while sitting. When one muscle is strained, the others take over, which creates a muscle imbalance that further aggravates back pain. 

 

Herniated Or Bulging Discs 

As we age or with prolonged stress on the spine, we can develop bulging or herniated disks. 

Bulging disk happens when the disc loses its fluid. It becomes compressed, and this causes sharp pain. A herniated disk breaks through the outer layer and presses on the nearby nerve roots. A bulging disc causes uncomfortable pain but also can cause weakness and numbness. 

 

Other Issues In The Spine 

There are many other reasons why you can develop chronic back pain. For example, you may be born with or have developed a deformity, such as kyphosis or scoliosis. 

Kyphosis is when your upper back is hunched, pushing your head forward and causing strain along the spine. Long term sitting can equally cause this, so it is vital to be aware of good posture and stretch regularly. 

Scoliosis is when the spine curves to the right or left. It may be slight by just a few degrees, but for others, when not taken seriously, it can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. 

Many people have found relief from these conditions in yoga. Still, it’s of the highest importance to be correctly diagnosed before you start your practice. Ensure that you seek educated guidance from a teacher or guide who has the experience, understands the body, and will take the time to explain the how’s and why’s to you. Seeking a skilled professional will ensure safety while practicing and a deeper understanding of your own body. 

 

How Yoga Helps Drivers With Chronic Back Pain? 

Yoga is a clinically backed method for combating chronic back pain. 

It increases muscle strength, especially in the torso. As you develop a stronger back, core, and chest, you will maintain a healthy posture.

Yoga also increases your range of motion. Lack of flexibility is a frequent cause of back pain and is a common concern in those who travel a lot. 

Finally, yoga calms you down and helps you to manage stress better. Beyond being problematic on its own, stress can further aggravate chronic back pain. 

If you never practiced yoga, it would be best to start with a studio class when you can, then take what you learned to start your self-practice on the road. 

 

How to Practice Yoga On The Road?

One of the best things about yoga is that you can do it anywhere.

Traditional yoga requires you to have a flat surface and a mat, but there are also some poses you can do in your seat. If you’re interested in those – lookup chair yoga poses. 

Travelers with chronic pain yoga props Mother Trucker Yoga blog post

Here are additional tips to prepare you for practicing on the go:

–       Have a bag with everything you need – pack comfortable workout clothes, a yoga mat, and maybe some props like straps and blocks. No time or space for a yoga bag? No problem. You can do many stretches in your jeans and boots and use things you have like a towel or belt as a strap. 

–       Schedule your practice – we are more likely to do something if it’s in our schedule. Try to designate at least 10 minutes for your sessions every day. Every little bit adds up. A stretch here, a pose there. Don’t be caught in the mindset of needed to designate a block out 30 or 60 minutes to exercise each day. The most important thing is to do something. 

–       Find online videos, like our platform designed perfectly for truck drivers and anyone else who lives on the road. Our easy-to-access online membership site is full of short, easy-to-follow videos showing you how to stretch, move and breathe right from the driver’s seat, sleeper, and right outside the cab of your truck or vehicle. Especially in the beginning having an educated teacher to guide you on video ensure that you do the stretches and poses safely and correctly. 

– Pack your pain relief cream, don’t forget to apply a soothing topical pain relief cream to those muscles that you have now woken up. A stiff body can feel like a glow stick cracked open to using when you start stretching again. The body has become stiff and can appear a bit sore after you first begin. Using a pain relief cream can help reduce the discomfort of your new routine if your muscles get a little cranky.

 

Check out some of our other great content: Neck Pain: 7 Ways to Drive Pain-Free 

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14 Ways to Reduce Overwhelm and Stress | As a Truck Driver

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Overwhelm and stress. Stress can be overwhelming and even debilitating. It can cause headaches, muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, irritability, and negatively affect our immune system. We all know that stress isn’t good for us physically or mentally. However, how do we keep stress from manifesting itself into our daily lives?

Reduce Stress and Overwhelm Blog MTY

Life Is About Choices

The great American philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote a letter to his daughter who was worried over a mistake she’d made. This is what it said:

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders, losses, and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can.

Emerson’s quote serves as a reminder that we must give ourselves permission to make a few mistakes, be imperfect, and “fall off of the wagon” from time to time. Accept what you were able to accomplish and leave yesterday in the past. Do not let stress and mishaps prevent you from moving forward. 

An article that appeared in Medical News Today discusses how “overwhelm and stress, in common terms, is a feeling that people have when they are overloaded and struggling to cope with demands. These demands can be related to finances, work, relationships, and other situations, but anything that poses a real or perceived challenge or threat to a person’s well-being can cause stress.”

You may not always be able to control what happens in your daily life, but you can practice healthy habits to manage stress.

14 ways to reduce stress and overwhelm get up early MTY blog post

14 Ways You To Reduce Stress and Overwhelm in Your Life:

  1. Get up a few minutes earlier than planned and take some time to be silent, meditate, and visualize how your day is going to be great.
  2. Learn to say “no.” Say no to projects that won’t fit into your schedule, your vision, or may compromise your mental and emotional health.
  3. Allow others to help you. If they didn’t want to help, they shouldn’t have asked. And that my friend is not your concern.
  4. Have a backup. Have a backup plan, a backup car key, a backup babysitter, a back up a ride home. We think that it takes too much time to prepare. But did you have the time to figure out a half a$$ solution thereafter?
  5. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble, concern, and pain. Ask yourself: “is what I am about to say helping or hurting”? And go from there.
  6. Eat right. Start with one right choice. An apple. A glass of water. No need to bulldoze your life today. Just add in one new food or drink more water and see where it takes you.
  7. Listen to relaxing music or guided meditations (Check out MTY’s guided meditations made just for drivers). Choose uplifting or motivating broadcasts or shows. Stay away from music, radios, and entertainment that only causes more pain, confusion, agitation, and anger. You can choose what you listen to.
  8. Laugh—every single day. Laugh. Laugh so hard you cry. And better yet, laugh with a friend. Laughter releases endorphins that you desperately need to stay happy.
  9. Keep a gratitude journal. When is the last time you stopped and reflected on all you have to be grateful for? The news and social media do an excellent job of showing us where we are imperfect and lacking. Remind yourself you have so much to be grateful for.
  10. Surround yourself with people who lift you rather than tear you down.
  11. Take ONE DEEP BREATH before you say or do anything more.
  12. Be kind to unkind people. Kindness matters. Being kind doesn’t mean you agree with them or even want to be their best friend. But if you won’t be helpful, then who will be?
  13. Slow down. Most of us are all in overdrive in multiple areas of our lives. What’s the hurry? What if you will get there at the exact right time, every time?
  14. Meditate, pray, practice yoga. When is the last time you unplugged with something that will plug you back in? Make sure you check out Mother Trucker Yoga’s Online Membership site were drivers just like you can come together and get fit- inside and outright from the cab of your truck. 

Finding the best overwhelm and stress relief strategies may take some time. Don’t give up if one doesn’t work; move on and try another. However, it’s essential to keep looking for the tools that will help you manage life’s ups and downs healthily. Keeping stress at a manageable level is vital for your overall well-being. 

Surround yourself with people that support you in your journey and leave those that don’t, behind. You won’t regret it. 

Resources: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145855.php
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Benefits of Using a Topical Pain Reliever

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Benefits Of Using A Topical Pain Reliever

Natural Pain Relief Mother Trucker Yoga Blog Post

Do you continually drive, and your body becomes stiff because of staying in one place and driving for very long? Do your muscles and body hurt after driving for very long? The solution to your problems might be a natural pain relief cream targeting specific pain areas to relieve you of the ache. 

Who said you need to use over-the-counter pain pills and creams with many chemicals that only work to alleviate the symptoms for a while. Our natural Stiff Mother Trucker pain relief cream specifically made for you will completely relax your muscles and heal your body from the constant driving. 

Natural Pain Reliever Stiff Mother Trucker - Mother Trucker Yoga Blog Post

Benefits Of Using A Topical Pain Reliever Cream

No side effects 

Our pain reliever cream is made of natural ingredients with no chemicals and parabens. Many of the other over-the-counter topical pain relievers use junk ingredients, and they don’t work. With STIFF Mother Trucker pain relief cream, you will get natural healing without additives, fillers, or artificial colors. Your body will only heal, and there will be no side effects because our list of ingredients is the most natural you will find out there. 

It includes ingredients such as Peppermint, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Ginger, and much more to relieve you of discomfort and pain naturally you might face from driving day and night. 

Fast comfort 

It provides quick but effective relief from pain, meaning you can get rid of discomfort within just a few minutes. That is how effectively a pain relief cream works. Topical pain medications are absorbed through your skin. The most common varieties are creams or gels that you rub onto the skin over your painful joints. 

Because the ingredients are absorbed through the skin, most topical pain medications are best used on joints close to the skin’s surface, such as the joints in your hands and knees.

The cream also provides relief for a long time, so all you need is to put it once on targeted areas, and you will be suitable for at least a day!

Targets pain areas 

You can use the pain relief cream to apply it on any area of your body that hurts from issues such as:

  • Muscle and Joint Pain
  • Carpal Tunnel
  • Arthritis
  • Tendinitis
  • Sciatica
  • Sports and Work Injuries
  • Cramps and Spasms

And much more. Whichever area hurts at the time, you can directly apply the pain relief cream, and within a few minutes, you won’t be able to feel the pain at all! 

Works well for chronic pain 

Chronic pain in many areas of our body can be a source of great suffering. It can hinder daily activities, and managing the pain while working can cause the pain to increase even further. 

What is chronic pain? It is a pain that is ongoing and usually lasts longer than six months. This type of pain can continue even after the injury or illness that caused it has healed or gone away. Pain signals remain active in the nervous system for weeks, months, or years.

When you couple the use of a natural pain relief cream with simple yoga stretches and postures the likelihood that you will find relief dramatically increases.

If you have chronic pain, then a topical pain relief cream will work wonders for you. It targets specific areas, so if you have chronic joint or muscle pain, then rubbing the cream on the targeted area will provide relief and comfort so you can go about your daily tasks without any problems. Just make sure you wash your hands after every application.

Final words on a topical pain reliever

Throw away your painkillers and get a pain relief cream that will instantly soothe all your pain. It is a much better buy because you don’t have to worry about taking too much and affecting your driving abilities or daily duties. Plus, the cream will last you a long time, and it is excellent for people suffering chronic pain. The best part is, there is no risk for you to give it a try. No doctors visit, co-pay or prescription required. Just a willing person who is looking for instant relief from their chronic pain.

To find more about our topical pain relief cream for truckers, visit our website and shop from us now for instant relief!

 

References: 

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12051-acute-vs-chronic-pain

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoarthritis/in-depth/pain-medications/art-20045899

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10 Ways to Stay Healthy During an Outbreak – COVID-19

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We understand that during this time our drivers must still keep on rolling. And as you roll on from city to city, and state to state. We appreciate you and your continued service to keep our country moving. 10 Ways to Stay Healthy

And although it seems silly, during this time, it’s always a great idea to stop and reflect on how we can be a part of the problem or a part of the solution. We at Mother Trucker Yoga want to be a part of the solution!

With the outbreak of COVID-19 impacting our state and local community, we are focusing on doing things we need to do to keep you, our community, our staff, and our facility as safe and as healthy as possible.

Like us, many of you were intending to travel to MATS and join us and thousands of others for three full days of fun, community, and connection. However, in light of the current events, MATS was canceled.

But let’s take this time to make sure we are practicing good hygiene and supporting others to stay healthy!

Here are the current guidelines and announcements from federal, state and local agencies, including the CDC and other health organizations.

Stay safe during an outbreak mother trucker yoga

Consider the following when out on the road, in the efforts to stay healthy and help others do the same: 

  • If you are feeling healthy, keep moving. Keep walking, keep exercising. A healthy body and mind can reduce stress and boost your immune system.
  • Support each other in cultivating a gratitude practice. Dr. Joe Dispenza conducted a study that found: Practicing gratitude for 9-10 minutes, 3 times per day, for 4 consecutive days increases the function of your immune system.
  • Get some quality sleep. Check out our guided meditations to help you get some much-needed shut-eye!  Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Research has shown that T-cell production increases with consistent good rest and sleep. Naps are GREAT!
  • Consider how you can support the health and comfort of your neighbors and friends. Check up on anyone you know that may have compromised health. Stay connected via phone, text, and email.
  • Be mindful of the source of information. Be thoughtful before sharing or posting. Question information that might be untrue or cause concern.
  • If you have a compromised respiratory system, immune system, uncontrolled high blood pressure, and/or diabetes, stay safe and stay home.
  • If you show any signs of illness (fever, cough, shortness of breath), Contact your health care provider and use common sense. It may not seem like a “big deal” but others may not have as strong of immunity as you do. Consider others and their health as well as your own during this time. It is difficult to discern the difference between Coronavirus, Influenza, the common cold, and allergies.
  • Minimize exposure to Coronavirus by following the hand hygiene guidelines – washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds and avoiding touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, contact your doctor. Or check out our DYI hand sanitizer recipe HERE.
  • Practice good social etiquette: wash your hands, cough or sneeze into your arm, and use paper towels when opening doors. Or at a minimum just we aware that the germs we spread not everyone’s immune system can withstand.
  • Consider wearing gloves when working outside your truck.

It is an absolute honor to serve you at Mother Trucker Yoga and to participate in keeping you safe and well.

Keep Yourself Healthy and Safe with these Practices – COVID-19 Virus:

1. If you have a runny nose and sputum, you have a common cold.
2. Coronavirus pneumonia is a dry cough with no runny nose.
3. This new virus is not heat-resistant and will be killed by a temperature of just 78°/81° Fahrenheit. It hates the Sun.
4. If someone sneezes with it, it takes about 10 feet before it drops to the ground and is no longer airborne.
5. If it drops on a metal surface it will live for at least 12 hours – so if you come into contact with any metal surface – wash your hands as soon as you can with a bacterial soap.
6. On fabric, it can survive for 6-12 hours. normal laundry detergent will kill it.
7. Drinking warm water is effective for all viruses. Try not to drink liquids with ice.
8. Wash your hands frequently as the virus can only live on your hands for 5-10 minutes, but – a lot can happen during that time – you can rub your eyes, pick your nose unwittingly and so on.
9. You should also gargle as prevention. A simple solution of salt in warm water will suffice.
10. Can’t emphasize enough – drink plenty of water!

And don’t panic. Check all your sources when reading on Social Media!

Drink Water Corona Virus Mother Trucker Yoga

Know the Symptoms:

1. It will first infect the throat, so you’ll have a sore throat lasting 3/4 days.
2. The virus then blends into a nasal fluid that enters the trachea and then the lungs, causing pneumonia. This takes about 5/6 days further.
3. With pneumonia comes high fever and difficulty in breathing.
4. The nasal congestion is not like the normal kind. You feel like you’re drowning. It’s imperative you then seek immediate attention.

Serious excellent advice by Japanese doctors treating COVID-19 cases:

Everyone should ensure your mouth & throat are moist, never dry.

Take a few sips of water every 15 minutes at least.

Why? Even if the virus gets into your mouth, drinking water or other liquids will wash them down through your throat and into the stomach.

Once there, your stomach acid will kill all the virus. If you don’t drink enough water more regularly, the virus can enter your windpipe and into the lungs. That’s very dangerous.

The new Coronavirus may not show signs of infection for many days. How can one know if he/she is infected? By the time they have a fever and/or cough and go to the hospital, the lung is usually 50% Fibrosis and it’s too late (Fibrosis is not reversible).

 Simple self-check that we can do every morning:

Take a deep breath and hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. If you complete it successfully without coughing, without discomfort, stiffness or tightness, etc., it proves there is no Fibrosis in the lungs, basically indicates no infection.

In critical times, please self-check every morning in an environment with clean air.

In the efforts to keep your body well. Please enjoy a complimentary FREE 30 days of our Online Yoga/Fitness Membership Site where you can log in and get a little movement and mental health session whenever you need it.
PLUS we will be bringing in LIVE sessions with Hope again! So get ready for some interactive fun!

USE THE CODE: CORONA2020

Mother Trucker Yoga Online

And for everyone that signs up, we will be drawing for some prizes to celebrate your step toward health and well-being!

Please reach out with any and all questions or concerns.

Above all, be well.

Thank you for reading our blog. Don’t forget to check out our other blogs: 

>>>>> DIY Homemade Hand Sanitizer 

>>>>> Healthy Foods on the Go 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/coronavirus-what-parents-should-know-and-do-2020020518846

https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus-resource-center

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

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Drivers Fight COVID-19 with Homemade Hand Sanitizer

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Drivers fight COVID-19 with homemade hand sanitizer. You are out there, on the go, transporting toilet paper to the masses (insert humor). And we appreciate you. But we do want you to be healthy and use safe practices when it comes to keeping healthy and not spreading unnecessary germs to those whose immune system cannot handle them.

How can Mother Trucker Yoga help? Well, we thought we’d share some of our favorite hand sanitizer recipes with you all.
We’ve got a quick and easy recipe for all your germ-killing needs. We will let you decide to use an alcohol-based recipe or one without. But when in doubt wash, wash, wash your hands.

Maybe you haven’t yet considered making your own “on the go” hand sanitizer. And like toilet paper, store-bought hand sanitizer is hard to come by. Here’s the thing, you shouldn’t consider self-care and protecting your immunity only in times of a viral outbreak. But considering our current state of this county, it may be time to DYI a batch of hand sanitizer.

Every state coast to coast is currently being bought out of products like hand sanitizer, wipes, disinfectant, and even things like kleenex and toilet paper (because you need to wipe your bottom more when there is a viral outbreak?).

As truck drivers, it is vital that you consider your immunity a top priority, with or without an outbreak present. Traveling continuously, interacting with people all around the country on a regular basis, make sure you are considering how you can be sharing germs others can’t fight against as well as how your body can fight them to keep you healthy. Just like our simple easy exercises you can do from the cab of your truck. Here are a few simple easy recipes you can do from the cab of your truck.

washing hands mother trucker yoga

Please understand that simply rubbing your hands with hand sanitizer is NOT a substitute for good ol’ hand-washing. Alcohol-based disinfectants used in the right amount (99%) and rubbed long enough (to sing the ABCs) are fine when you are on the go. But soap, water, and a full hand washing experience (palms, tops, and fingernails) is the best way to protect yourself against everything that is floating around out there, global pandemic or not.

There are several recipes for DIY hand sanitizer so find one that you like and get to it! A little goes a long way. And I’m going to share with you a few versions I love. And some hacks that make this recipe easy to make on the go (or in your truck).

Hand sanitizer should NOT replace hand washing

This probably sounds like common sense but hand sanitizers should ONLY be used when there’s no water and soap available.

 

DIY Liquid Alcohol-Based Hand-Sanitizer

Ingredients
1 cup of 99% isopropyl alcohol
1 tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide
1 teaspoon of 98% glycerin
¼ cup, 1 tablespoon, and 1 teaspoon of sterile distilled or boiled cold water

 

DIY Gel Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer

2/3 cup of 99% isopropyl alcohol
1/3 cup aloe vera gel or spray(read the label that it’s pure aloe)
8-20 drops essential oil (NOTE: the Dollar Store does not sell REAL essential oils) try oils like Lavender, Peppermint, Citrus, Cinnamon, Tea Tree or Myrtle.

 

Just be mindful when using alcohol-based hand sanitizers as ingesting these ingredients can be harmful to you and your loved ones. And alcohol used as a sanitizer regularly has been known to kill the bad bacteria AND the GOOD bacteria as well (which we don’t want to have happened). There is no hand sanitizer in the world that can ever replace using soap and water!

 

DIY Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer

1 Tablespoon aloe vera spray or gel

1 Tablespoon alcohol-free wich hazel (you can find this at the dollar store, Walmart, CVS)

1/4 teaspoon Vitamin E Oil (if you can’t find it, don’t stress, you can go without)

10-20 drops essential oil blends like Young Living Thieves or Doterra On Guard, or DIY your own blend using: cinnamon, myrtle, tea tree, lavender, rosemary. Use what you can find.

 

It’s important to choose essential oils that are anti-bacterial like the ones listed above. The use of alcohol continuously on your skin can really dry out your skin. By combining aloe vera gel or spray into your mixtures you can nourish your skin as well.  I prefer the spray as it’s not so clumpy and easier to mix.

No matter what recipe you use, you’ll want to mix all your ingredients together and eventually need something to put it into. As a driver accessing a fancy squirt bottle can be difficult. So I want to suggest a water bottle hack that you may find convenient and helpful.

Water Bottle Hand Sanitizer Hack

  1. Drink water from a bottle (consider using a thicker plastic water bottle).
  2. Rinse water bottle with soap and water. Clean rim and cap with soap and water.
  3. Pour all ingredients into a water bottle
  4. Using a knife, nail, screw (something sharp) poke a small hole in the cap of the water bottle.
  5. Screw the cap back onto a water bottle and squirt hand sanitizer onto hands as needed.

Caps for DIY hand sanitizer mother trucker yoga

Finally, just make sure you clearly label your containers. You don’t want anyone drinking your potion! And in the heat of the moment, you don’t want to be drinking it either.

Water bottles for DIY hand sanitizer MTY

 

Here at Mother Trucker Yoga we urge all drivers to use common sense. If you are sick, stay home, or get to a doctor ASAP. Wash your hands whenever you can. And remember, when you promote good health and hygiene habits you are protecting yourself and also the lives of others. We may never know what someone else is up against or the status of their health. They may not know either. And no one wants to contribute to another’s health complications.

Now wash your hands and be safe out there.

 

Read more of what Mother Trucker Yoga has to say on health and well-being on our other blogs:

Constipation: 3 Ways to Get Relief on the Go Blog 

Put Back Pain In Your Rearview Mirror Blog 

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Constipation: 3 Ways to get Relief on the Go

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Constipation. Not exactly a conversation ANY of us want to have. But yesterday I spent the day with drivers at the Petro in Wilmington, IL and the topic of fiber, digestion, and constipation just kept coming up.

It struggles for anyone who travels to try to stay regular. There are so many factors that play into your body not playing along. But for a truck driver, the challenges can be even steeper than that of the average person.

With little access to “just run into the store” and limited to prepurchases before you (yes, you the truck driver) leave for a run and what is available at the truck stop, you better leave stocked up or you might find yourself in an uncomfortable situation.

I just want to first start out by saying it is not under any circumstances normal to not be emptying your bowels every single day. If food is going in, then food better is coming out. If your body is currently not operating in this manner than I urge you to imagine where that eaten food is then going? Fermenting, decaying, not leaving your body.

Gross right? Exactly.

The average truck driver’s diet is often less than what someone would consider healthy, but with a little preparation and thoughtfulness, you (yes, I’m talking to you again) can get things running more smoothly (see what I did there).

3 Ways to Help Fight Constipation:

First things first. Water. We all absolutely, positively, without a doubt need to be drinking water. Your body is made up of more than 60% water and it is your job to keep the river flowing. As a driver, you are constantly racing against the clock and each stop you take works against you. So my suggestion is always to drink smart.

1-hour before you wake up, drink AT LEAST 8 ounces of water, I have some drivers now downing 10-20 ounces before their feet leave their truck. That hour will give your body time to make a way through you. Plus, by drinking water in the morning you cleanse your body from yesterday’s leftovers. Add lemon and you can also help boost and balance your pH (more on that later). So drink up my friend, your body depends on it.

Get your greens in. For anyone who travels it can be difficult to get a balanced diet each and every day. And for some drivers, cooking on the truck every day is just not a reality for them. So to help boost your body’s bottom line and get in what you just can seem to consume through food each day consider grabbing a greens powder to take every day.

Dark greens are essential to our daily diet. They help keep the bloat away, act as a means to detox the body, improve digestion, and elimination. Plus, provide you with essential nutrients that you just aren’t getting from that chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato or that iceberg salad. Couple that with daily movement with Mother Trucker Yoga and you have yourself some healthy bowels!

Do the best you can with what you have. But sometimes, you have need more. Greens travel and store well, and all you need to do is mix them with water (I take them at night and in the morning) and drink up.

Here are a few of my favorite brands.

Finally, finding fiber, or better yet, finding foods with fiber is another challenge some drivers may not even fully be aware of. Fiber is essential for your body. Its role is to help your body eliminate what is no longer necessary in the body and get it out. If you are lacking fiber in your diet, then you are more than likely lacking bathroom visits as well.

Add fiber too much too soon and you have a constipation problem all over again. So start small and start with real foods when it comes to adding more fiber to your diet. Consider beans, avocados, blackberries, chia seeds, bran and getting in your veggies. Good news, things like bran, chia seeds, and beans all travel well. That means you can take them with on long-hauls without the worry about spoiling.

If you have never used chia seeds before, they are amazing! Put them in yogurt, add them to your drink, smoothie, you can even put them into your baked goods. My favorite is to soak them in warm water for 10 minutes then add them to coconut yogurt- YUM!

Even then, traveling and living on the road can make even accessing the food suggested above challenges. Consider traveling with fiber you can easily add to a drink or mix with water and take daily. If you find yourself in need of adding supplemental fiber into your diet try some of my favorites:

Don’t let the challenges of being a truck driver keep you backed up (hehe- constipation). Instead, pack the essentials. Not just want you truck would need if you broke down, but what you need so you don’t get backed up! Without a healthy you- there is no truck driving.

Want more? Check out our blog post on Healthy Foods on the Road

Are you following us on Facebook? Hop over and check us out!

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10 Steps to Goal Setting as a Truck Driver

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Goal setting can seem like a mountain to climb, but it doesn’t have to be. So much of what we want to accomplish, achieve and get to is available to us. But it is in m experience that if we right from the start don’t set ourselves up for a successful path it’s going to be less than blissful and may end up being one of the 92% that give up on their New Year’s Resolutions.

I don’t like resolutions, I prefer goals because rather than telling myself I’m bad and suck here so I should change. I like to look at what I want, and how to get there.

Seven months ago I closed my yoga studio of 14 years. It was hard, and for two to three years prior I talked about doing it. I knew deep down it was what needed to happen for me to reach my bigger goals and dreams, but I was scared. Yep, long story short, I was scared and afraid. I chased my tail, stood still and felt lost, I wasn’t taking action, I never created a plan of how to get there. I just floated through mad because I wasn’t there yet. And frustrated because I saw others making changes I wanted to make and I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t happening for me.

I know now. I want to share with you what I figured out when it comes to goals, changes and dreams. What I wasn’t doing and should have been. What I recognized I did do in other areas of my life but I wasn’t applying to this particular situation and once I did, everything changed.

10 Steps to Setting Your Goals and Reaching Them:

    1. Choose ONE goal. Yes, choose just one goals. You may have many, but today just choose one to focus on. If you can’t decide, write them all down in a notebook. Yes, buy a notebook and write all of this down in ONE place. Write down all your goals and then looking at them choose one. What you may discover is that many of then feed into each other. So it will help to see them down on paper. When you choose one goal you will accelerate the process faster. You can only put so much energy into something at once time: exercise, studying for a new career, learning how to food prep, etc. For now, just choose one.
    2. Know where you are staring from. There is a reason addicts that truly hit rock bottom are the ones that make it out and fully recover. Because in that moment they decided to get well, they knew exactly where they were starting from. I tried for years to “get better” get into recovery, and it wasn’t until I truly hit rock bottom that I saw my life as it actually was and I didn’t like it. So I stepped through my anxiety, and guilt and got help. Real help.
    3. Make a timeline. A time line gives your goal an end date. Now be realistic, where are you right now and what would it take to get to where you want to go? Once you decide that…WRITE IT DOWN. Yes, don’t just think it in your head. If that method worked you would be there already…am I right? Yes, of course I am. In that notebook you invested your all of $2 to buy, write down your goal and an end date next to it.

  1. 10 Stepping stones. What are ten things that need to happen in order for you to get to your goal, your dream? What has to happen today, tomorrow, a month from now to get there? I like to work backwards. To lose 100 pounds I need to be working out five days a week and clean eating. Well I don’t recommend doing all of that all at once like a magic trick. Work backwards. Well to clean eat, I need to stop eating at the truck stops so much. Well to do that I have to buy healthy food. Well I can’t do that until I buy a frig to fit in my truck. Well I can’t do that until I reorganize my truck. See the path. This is not to cause frustration, but rather help you see a clear path to get to where you want to go. The same can be true about exercise. Because you know you need to do that to get to your 100 pound goal in one year. Decide if food happens first or second to exercise. Once you do that, working out five days a week. I need to figure out what to do. I need to enlist an expert or follow and work with Mother Trucker Yoga (shameless plug). Then I need to map out my days, even if that means I do it always the night before because my days are different (no excuses right). Research what truck stops have fitness centers and walking trails. Call my buddy and ask to walk and talk at 5pm each day. See what I did there? You can do this too!
  2. Once you set that path, ask yourself what is is achievable today? What can I do today to influence the outcome tomorrow? And just start. No more BS, just start!
  3. Recognize that 70% of the choices we make are actually habits. Yes! Habits! Not choices. You keep saying you are going to walk once you park each day, but you don’t. Instead you eat, shower and watch T.V. Why? Well, because it’s a habit, it’s what you have always done. You are choosing it before you even see it is a choice. So set your alarm, change your shoes mid day so you are ready for action. And when you park, hit the Jon, but don’t take in your wallet and get your a$$ moving and start walking. Call your buddy and chat it up for 30 minutes while you walk and talk. Make a new habit.
  4. Remember it’s a decision. You are not “trying”. When you try, you are giving yourself an out. You are saying that if you fail, it’s OK. A decision is a decision. There is no going back. You are all in. So when you look at your goal in your notebook each day (yes every day) and write it down like it happened each day- you are not “trying” you have decided!
  5. Write it down EVERY SINGLE DAY. Yes every day you have to write down your goal and write down what step you are on like it has already happened. Remember that sub-conscious part of our brains, well we remember things too. So do you want your brain to remember that you are “working on it”, “trying” or ARE there?
  6. Motivation comes from within. If you are waiting to be motivated by someone or something, you will be waiting for a long time. I love inspiring people, helping others to see things differently, but ultimately I cannot “motivate” you. I can’t force you out of bed. This is exactly why rehab doesn’t work for those who aren’t ready. They aren’t yet in a place of motivation. They have not set a goal. They don’t yet see the point. But you my friend, you do.
  7. Balance is bull sh!T. Yes, here is a yoga teacher by trade telling you balance is bull. It is, having balance as a goal in life will drive you bat sh!T crazy! I tried this path for more than ten years and just felt like a failure. It’s about learning to ride the waves with grace and swing with the pendulum. Some days life will take you one way and you learn to adapt. Other days you will swing the other way, and just go with it. Because now you have a clear goal, you have a plan and know where you are. So no matter what, nothing it going to get in your way. And if it does, get up and begin again.

Goals are for the motivated. Goals are for those who want more than what they have. If that isn’t you, no worries. Keep loving life exactly where you are! Love that! When I get to my end goal, I will surely do the same. But for those of you who are ready. Let’s jump in. First things first, buy the darn notebook. Buy a pen just for that notebook, and write down your goals.

Don’t think you have any? I beg to differ, I bet you a steak and salad that you have goals, you just have never taken the time to ask yourself what they are and then given yourself permission to write then down and see them with your own eyes.

I’m over here, believing in you. Cheering you on. You got this. You got this because you now have an actual goal. With an actual end date. With an actual plan and steps to get there.

You got this!

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StayFit Days with TA Petro and Mother Trucker Yoga

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StayFit this year! 2020 is here and we are sure goals for this year are rolling alongside the new decade! Mother Trucker Yoga together with TA Petro want to help you reach them by coming to you.

We at Mother Trucker Yoga would like to invite you to join our CEO Hope Zvara as she joins TA Petro as their 2020 StayFit Ambassador for the new year!

What does this mean?

It means Hope is coming to you at various TA Petro tuck stop locations throughout 2020 offering one-to-one coaching and various trucker fitness centered workshops. And these offerings are 100% free.

“At Mother Trucker Yoga we believe that this is a step in the right direction. These truck stops have fitness amenities and they are under utilized. I believe you don’t get to complain about not having options if you aren’t using the options in front of you. But at the same time recognize the frustration when you don’t know where to start, and feel overwhelmed or even embarrassed (as many usually won’t admit) when it comes to taking advantage of these offerings.” – Hope Zvara, CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga

Join Hope for an hour workshop or hang out with her all day! You decide!

  • Wondering about the best food choices?
  • What exercises in the fitness center to start with?
  • What you can do to get rid of that pain in your butt, back or neck?
  • How to stretch?
  • Stress Relief?
  • What exercises you can do in your truck? She’s got you covered!
  • TA Petro and there StayFit programming offers you- the driver opportunities to improve your health. TA Petro has more than 20 locations with fitness centers and 120 sites with mapped walking trails.

StayFit Fitness Rooms are free to use for any driver. The following equipment is available for drivers any time of day:

  • Elliptical cross-trainer;
  • Recumbent bike;
  • Dual adjustable pulley resistance equipment or an adjustable sit-up board;
  • Weight scale;
  • Folding gym mat;
  • Shelving unit for storage of gym bags while working out; and
  • Wall-mount TVs and fans.

Mark your calendars for the next upcoming StayFit Days TA Petro locations Hope will be at during the first quarter of 2020.

Tuesday, February 11th, 2020 – Petro Wilmington #402

—–StayFit 1-Hour Workshops: 10am & 4:30pm

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020 – TA Las Vegas #108

—–SayFit 1-Hour Workshops: 12pm & 5pm

Tuesday, March 17th, 2020 – Petro Ontario #026

—–StayFit 1-Hour Workshops: 9am & 5pm

Share this Flyer HERE

These workshops and offerings are 100% FREE to drivers!

We hope to see you there!

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BreakTime: Fitness Time with Hope Zvara

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Have you heard? RoadPro Family of Brands has kicked off a drivers only private forum (chat room) where truck drivers can come ask questions, answer questions and hang out with fellow drivers in a virtual setting. This isn’t a place to complain or post rude comments, but rather a place for drivers to motivate one another, give and receive great information, take fun quizzes and win free products and swag.

RoadPro launched this online offering back at GATS (Great American Truck Show) back in August 2019 inviting drivers to come and join.

“I love the idea of BreakTime for truck drivers as it gives those who may not be on Facebook a place to connect with other drivers and say up to date on what is going on. I know I am not a driver and never claim to be one. However with nearly 20 years in the fitness and yoga world and a traveler myself, I get it. I grew up around the trades, and had drivers, family members of drivers and company owners of trucking outfits all as students over the 14 years I owned and operated a yoga studio in my home town. I have a real passion for helping drivers and am excited to help inside BreakTime. My expertise is movement, fitness, and lifestyle. My focus is making it super-duper easy, accessible, quick and fun.” -Hope Zvara

Ask questions, gain insights, inspiration and a kick in the pants to start your health and fitness journey over the road alongside Mother Trucker Yoga and Hope. Have back pain? Neck pain? Stressed? Can’t sleep? Wondering where to start? Hope will answer all those questions and more. But for now you can check out one of Mother Trucker Yoga and Hope’s recent blog posts all about back pain.

On Tuesday, January 14th 2020 at 7pm EST

(6pm CST, 5pm MST, 4pm PST)

Come join Hope Zvara, CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga for a private chat, Q & A and some fun giveaways inside BreakTime.

To join it’s fast and easy, no need to give your blood type, your first born child or take out a small loan (insert humor) it’s FREE to drivers.

At Mother Trucker Yoga we hope you come join in on the fun over at BreakTime with Hope. There are already questions posted waiting for your comments in BreakTime for Tuesday nights chat!

See you there!

BreakTime Chat with Mother Trucker Yoga

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Attention Truckers: Step It Up with Interval Walking

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Attention truckers let’s stet it up with interval walking.

This is a perfect way to increase your efforts to add more movement into your day?

Maybe you are getting the toning or even stretching you need, but the cardio just isn’t there.

And it can be challenging. As someone who travels on and off quite a bit. The neighborhood can look a bit sketchy when it comes to getting out for a walk.

I have no trouble hoofing it in the airport with a roller bag in tow. But I know what you are thinking. Hope I’m usually pulled over in a truck stop parking lot, where do I go now?

And that’s a great point. Good news! Truck stops like TA Petro have roughly had 211 truckstops and of them have 171 have walking trails!

So depending on where you are located and where you drive regularly. At least you know there are some options made available!

But no matter what:

  1. You’ve got feet.
  2. You’ve got asphalt/parking lot
  3. A few minutes to burn on a break or parked for the night.

On an average day, you want to walk close to 10,000 steps. However, the average American barely walks 3,000-4,000 steps per day. Which is roughly 1.5 to 2 miles. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends you walk an average of 150 minutes a week!

Let’s do the math. That’s roughly 21.7 minutes PER DAY! That’s it!

So between you and me. We got this! And let us turn up the heat a bit so you can get the most bang out of your stride every single time!

Interval Walking Check List:

Protocol: Start small and simple. Try 5 minutes of easy walking. Next, you want to increase intensity only about 15% for 4 minutes. And continue to do so every 4 minutes. Keep going until you reach your maximum amount of available walk time. And don’t forget to include a 2-5 minute cool down walk as well.

Example: 5 minutes of easy walking -> 15% increase for 4 minutes (total time 9 minutes) -> 15% increase for 4 minutes (total time 13 minutes) -> 15% increase for 4 minutes (total time 17 minutes) -> 15% increase for 2 minutes -> decrease to original pace for 2-5 minutes (total time 21-24 minutes)

Walking is a simple yet often overlooked form of exercise. If you don’t want to end up in a wheelchair when you are older. Then get out of the chair now! This doesn’t mean you have to go out and get a gym membership, become a yogi, or join Cross Fit.

NBC News.com posted an article discussing how walking is the MOST underrated form of exercise. And I couldn’t agree more. “Walking can be as good as a workout, if not better than running,” says Dr. Matt Tanneberg, CSCS, a sports Chiropractor and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist in Phoenix, Arizona who works with elite athletes. “You hear of people ‘plateauing’ when they continue to do the same workout routine and stop seeing results. I see patients all the time that plateau from running, they will run the same distance, speed and time, day in and day out. You need to constantly be switching up your exercise routine in order to get the maximum benefit for your health.”

What should the level of intensity be?

1 being no exertion at all

15 being maximal exertion

Start at about a 5 – “Light”. Much like a warm-up in an exercise class.

And each increase, bump yourself up one exertion level.

Think of the goal to get to 10- “Hard”. Where the workout feels difficult, but you can keep going.

Every little bit counts.

Can’t do 20 minutes straight? Consider five minutes and increase rate each minute after minute for 3 minutes, with a cool down minute at minute five.

Interval walking is great for weight-loss. And if increasing your interval like above seems a bit much. Reduce the time and consider adding in 30 second rest periods.

In that same article NBC News posted John Ford, certified exercise physiologist, who runs JKF Fitness & Health in New York City. commented that: “In fact, walking is the suggested workout over running for many people. For example, those with knee, ankle and back problems and also for people who are overweight to obese. Walking is a lower impact exercise and can be done for longer periods of time.”

The only excuses are the ones you make up in your head. It doesn’t matter if all you can do is one minute of walking and then you have to take a break. Because it all adds up. And the biggest critic is the one inside that head. And I want to tell you it’s all lies. You can do this! Walking can be fun. And it’s free!

When we tell ourselves we need to exercise or workout, what we are doing is putting that into a box. And in that box are stipulations around how that box should or should not be used. I want to encourage you to take exercise out of that box and see it has movement. Challenge yourself every day to move more. And do not mistake walking as just something you do. Because without walking the world is no longer accessible to you in the way you want. Walking is your independence, your freedom, your gateway into the world on many levels. So get out and walk today. The more you do it, the more you will want to do it!

References:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/10000-steps/art-20317391

https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-use-interval-walking-to-lose-weight-3495456

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/why-walking-most-underrated-form-exercise-ncna797271

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