Setting and achieving health goals is a part of most people’s lives, and self-monitoring is one of the easiest and most effective ways to do so. It is a form of self-reliance that allows us to keep ourselves “in check.” And for truck drivers who are on the road for extended periods of time with little or no support from family or friends, it is vital.
Self-monitoring involves tracking your behavior (diet, exercise, smoking) and progress (weight loss, decreased blood pressure) on a daily basis. How you track your behavior is a personal choice, and options include a food/exercise diary, phone apps (that monitor your steps, caloric intake) or high-tech wrist bands (FitBit). You must be completely honest in your monitoring in order to hold yourself accountable. You will see what works and what doesn’t work for you throughout your progress.
Tracking your progress (weight loss, decreased blood pressure) can be done at health check stations in pharmacies, TAs, terminals, and at home. At terminals, you can discuss your lapses, successes, goals, and barriers with wellness coaches. However, being accountable to yourself is the magic tool.
The new Rolling Strong health and wellness mobile app for IOS and Android devices will soon be available to partner fleets. The app offers many self-monitoring tools that drivers can easily have at hand, including:
- Nutrition Guidance – meal suggestions and predictive nutrition based on location, truck stop, restaurant, as well as daily food logging with calorie counts and targets calorie ranges
- Exercise Programs – Guided workout routines with duration and intensity choices, designed to be done anywhere without the need for a gym, based on personalized preference, and daily step tracking with an integrated wearable activity tracker
- Sleep Time and Pattern Tracking – With an integrated wearable activity tracker, and CPAP integration
- Personal Health Records – Including biometric data from drivers, uploads from physician visits, or via a wellness coach or health check station visit
- DOT certification reminders when medical evaluations are due and when medical certificates need to be renewed
- The ability to connect with a CDL wellness coach
The new Rolling Strong mobile app also allows participants to earn points for logging sleep, exercising, and meeting daily calorie goals. Fleets can use the app to create and manage interactive competitions. Points earned by drivers can be redeemed at a growing network of partners, such as truck stop operators.
The new Rolling Strong mobile app may be just the tool you need to help you put self-monitoring into practice!