Driving is a task requiring unconditional focus and fast reaction times, and is most definitely not something you can multitask (although many of us try). There are a lot of factors which can influence the way we drive at a certain time – Unfortunately, we don’t have control over some factors such as weather, household problems and faulty vehicles. However, there is one thing we can control and which poses a suprisingly big influence on our driving. That would be diet and hydration. Today’s blog post is all about diet tips before driving.
Whether you’re just preparing for your driving exam, driving to work daily or doing long distance coach and truck routes, the advice from this post will vastly improve your driving skills and perhaps even save your life one day.
1. Carbs Are Killing You
A staple food of many of our diets, carbs are among the worst foods you can eat before driving, and doing any other cognitively demanding task.
For a long time I was stuffing my face with sandwiches and pastries from local bakeries and rest stops as a young driver. At the same time, I’d feel slow and lethargic in everything I was doing every single day. Now, I’m not saying you should cut them out completely (fruits and veggies are good for you!) but you should definitely limit the pasta, sandwiches and croissants while on duty or before work. The same goes for candy bars.
Unfortunately, as I’m a bus driver myself I’m well-informed about the fact that most places where you’ll be making breaks are full of unhealthy snacks like these. This is exactly the reason why you should take home-prepared food with you to work every day. Even a sandwich you make at home will be better than anything you can get at the supermarket these days.
If you’d like to read about the topic in more detail, Enzymedica has a great post on beating the “carb coma”.
2. Don’t Skip the Soup before the Main Course
If you’re in the luck of discovering a roadside restaurant which offers a full menu for a good price, don’t forget to eat the soup. It’s a bad diet mistake you can make before driving. Soup isn’t there just to fill you up more or to warm you up on a cold winter day. The main goal of eating soup before the main course is to stimulate your digestive system. There was a few times when I was too cheap to pay for the soup and just ate the greasy meat, after which I would deal with terrible stomach-aches for hours.
If you do forget to eat your soup here’s a trick I’ve learned from the old-school bus drivers:
Get yourself a bottle of coke to drink after any “suspicious food”. Supposedly the chemicals in it are strong enough to clean off whatever is happening in your stomach. I tried it and the trick works every time. Not just that, but you also have a reason to drink coke if you’re craving it.
3. Skip the Beans Before You Drive
Avoiding food which gives you gasses is common knowledge and shouldn’t even be on the list. Although letting out gas isn’t as dangerous as driving with an intense stomach-ache or sluggish brain, it’s still a big no-no. Whether it’s beans, cheese, broccoli or anything else that’s specific to you that causes gas. Unless if you’ve got a grudge with your passengers, then feel free to go for it!
4. Stay Hydrated
Hydration, just as eating, is one of the most important things you can do to keep yourself alive and healthy. I know a lot of us have a tendency towards fizzy drinks and juices, but nothing beats plain old water here. Make sure your bus refrigerator is always stocked up with water and have a bottle next to you at all times. Dehydration can cause dizziness, and while this is a serious issue, the good thing is you can alleviate it almost instantly.
Plastic Bottles? No thanks
5. Don’t Feast Before Driving
Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or a highway stop – another diet tip is to never feast before driving. Feasting (even if there’s not many carbs) is a ticket straight into lethargy and drowsiness, two of bus driver’s worst enemies from the inside.
Rather keep your meals light and plentiful than few and enormous. Proteins and fruit should be the staple of anybody who is doing cognitive work for a long period of time. I usually make myself a breakfast shake first thing in the morning, and by the time i get dressed and arrive to work, I can only feel the benefits of it. Unlike one of my colleagues who failed to listen to what I said to him and took 3 wrong turns on a school trip (and somehow still arrived before me).
This is where I share the thing I’ve been eating for breakfast the past year or so.
FLOW STATE SHAKE
Put the following ingredients into the blender:
- 2 raw eggs, Whole
- Handful of Almonds (or other nuts to your liking)
- 1 Banana and/or Apple (sliced) – Great for the fibre!
- Milk of your wish 100-150 ml (1/2 cup if you’re in the US)
Extras:
- Teaspoon of Honey – Will give you energy instead of Coffee
- Protein Powder (If you’re into fitness)
Tip:
If you want to have an awesome day avoid coffee for the first 90-120 minutes after waking up. Learn why!
Now you’ve learned the 5 diet tips you must know before you go driving. This is just a small window into what our FREE Bus Driver’s Community is all about. Join today and see your health, happiness and relationships skyrocket like never before.
