In June 2017 I was off travelling again, Toronto this time … again No Seatbelt extension!
I was going to be in Toronto for over a week, Staying in a hotel, with a bar!
I was concerned that I may revert to type, and with the change of environment allow myself to go off track.
To stay in control I decided to stay away from the main conference hotel… so much so that I booked in out in the suburbs about 40 minutes travel time in by car, and 30 minutes by foot and “Go Train “… Now this may seem extreme… but I challenge you.
If you are trying to change anything in your life, and not control the environment you are doing that in how difficult it becomes…
I know you KNOW This … I have spoken to a lot of drivers out there, and you have told me…
QUOTE… I have to park in Truckstops the company I work for insist …
This means I have been in control all day of what I eat, then at night when I park and I am with the friends I have always been with it seems really difficult to stay away from the Truckstop Menu…
I really get it …
Environment Is Key!
By staying out of town in Toronto, I made a really conscious decision to stay away from the All night drinking sessions of the past… Again NOT because I am anti drink I am truly not …
BUT I am anti the person I BECOME WHEN I DRINK!
I know
- I will eat a lot of snacks between drinks
- Get giddy and sling the shorts in
- Eat a kebab or 2 on the way
- Not feel like exercise the next day
- Need a huge greasy breakfast to kick start me in the morning
- Not sleep well
- NOT maintain my body balance with Water intake
In other words I /IT gets Fucking Messy
Again Please do not misunderstand me I like Messy, I really do … I mean I REALLY like messy …
Just NOT Every night…
By staying out of town I
- had to get away at a reasonable time
- had to walk for at least two miles or
- had to get an Uber ( an option I took twice when I did get messy)
- could control what and where I ate.
Now can You do this in a Truckstop? I have started to.
I have not been a huge fan of Truckstops through my working life anway, I hate the smell, the risk of theft, and the constant trailer swaps and racket… so I have had my own favourite parking spots over the years which have been quiet, with my own security.
Look if you talk to Super markets and Industrial unit Owners and make friends with them you will be amazed at how tolerant they can be…
I have a true legion of places where I have parked over the years from Reading to Rosyth, where I can tuck myself away under a security camera.
The unit owner is glad of the extra presence around his premises, I am secure under their cameras and often times an overnight security guard, and I never leave a mess!
I have access to a kettle and a bog in the morning and everyone in the garden is happy!
BUT what if You Have to stay on the Truck stop circuit?
How To Control The Truckstop Environment
- Eat Before you Park See the slow cooker recipes
- Shower early
- Park away from the crowd ( not always easy)
- Tell Your friends WHY.
- Drink Loads ( NOT Juice or Pop ) Weak squash or plain water
- Curtains round quick
- Go for a walk around the truckstop
- Get to bed early
Eat Before You Park
The beauty of The Slimming world plan is just how much you can eat… I mean you can eat loads, some times I can hardly move, I mean I have lost a lot of weight … but I am still a greedy fucker. But If you have lots of ” FREE ” Snacks to hand and you have big meal with speed and free ingredients, you will be so full you could not face anything else. The slow cooker recipes are just great, and by using a bag the washing-up is minimal, and the mess is non existent.
Shower Early
In my travels I have always managed to “Blag Showers” from customers… I truly believe the trick is to be friendly and NEVER leave a mess. I have never been refused a shower when I have asked except when the premises just did not have a shower… I know you are going tp find this difficult to believe and that a lot of RDC's are shit to drivers … not allowing them the use of their staff toilet facilities
In this case I had showers early on my lunch break… again it takes planning and determination … but what cost is it when your health is concerned?
You are in the business of habit formation, and once you get these habits right you can design your new life around them and really once you have these things in place the weight will simply fall off .
Park Away from The Crowd
I never found this difficult to be honest, but I get if you have been tramping a while and you met up with people regularly around the country it can be difficult… If you have regular spots where Your TV Tunes in, or you get the best wi-fi signal, then carry o parking there, just make sure that you get other controls in rigidly.
Tell Your friends WHY
I struggled with this, because , well I did not want to be laughed at… I could just hear it…
” What? You? You are on a diet… yeah to right, a fucking see food diet “
The reality was my real friends were ultra supportive, and watched on in envy when the weight did start to fall off… Just be honest, if they do not support you … well in reality they are probably not your friends.
Drink Loads ( NOT Juice or Pop ) Weak squash or plain water
This will be you saviour, I never got enough water in, now every time I have a beer I have 2 pints of weak lime and soda first. If I do not the first 2 pints of beer just go straight in without touching the sides. I would still demolish the beers if I did not bloat myself first with water…
Again You have to do this … NO ONE CAN THIS FOR YOU … But If you want to lose weight this is what has to be done
Curtains Round Quick
If you can, get your curtains drawn fast and get into Night time do not disturb mode… I know billy no mates … but this will take effort and control and this early habit formation is vital… you HAVE TO BREAK THE CUE RESPONSE HABIT LINK…
Cue: Pull into Truckstop
Habbit Response : Messy night with poor food and too much beer
We MUST BREAK THAT Routine and rep[lace it with a cleaner easier life style choice.
Go For a Walk Around the Truckstop
I know Hilarious Right! … but your body will really thanks you for this … Get the habit formed… park up, paper work done, shoes changed, and walk the very long way to back to the cab. I dod not vare what people think, believe me, when people you have known for years fail to recognise you as stand in front of them, this will be so worth it.
Get to Bed Early
Is this one so hard? I had to really work on this, I know how much of a Fear Of Missing out {F.M.O} there is attached to this … if you are not out with your mates what will you miss out on? Honestly? Not much, certainly not much that you will not be able to catch up with in the future.
When I came home from Canada, I weighed in that night, and guess what … I was down by 7 pounds … in a week! Remember the Las Vegas Trip… Out bound No Seatbelt extension… Homebound I had blown it and needed to be strapped in again!
However hard this may be, the reality is, these adjustments are nothing, in comparison to type 2 diabetes or worse…
I will publish some recent updates and talk about goals later in this series…
For now Watch out for these environment changes
Change these habits and YOU WILL Change Your Life
I always recommend Slimming World as it has been so good for me … but You can aways get additional support from Stuckinatruck.com and our Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/stuckinatruck/
All The Best
If you want to chat or ask questions,
Please Email Me Here and we can get together either on skype [Skype handle steveg6i7] or contact me through Facebook. or email.. I have nothing to gain, no financial reward by helping you… but I want to help as many people as possible in the same way I have been helped
All My Contact Details Are HERE 
PLEASE USE THEM
Or Sign Up Below for weekly Updates