A diet is needed not only for those who want to lose weight, but also for drivers. Learn how to eat right for motorists and how to get ready for a long journey. Nowadays, a car is not a luxury, but a means of transportation. For many people, the car is a means of earning and the only source of income. The driver's job is not easy, sometimes you have to spend a lot of time on the road. But, when the driver sits behind the wheel all day, and in the evening, when he comes home, he does not feel very well, irritability is felt, a headache begins, there may be severe bloating and severe fatigue. Very often, motorists cannot find the reasons why this happens, but in fact, everything happens due to poor nutrition.
In order for a person who has been driving for a long time not to disrupt the digestion process, you need to eat food approximately every 4–5 hours. If the break was more than ten hours, it can cause a state of uncontrollable drowsiness. And this is very dangerous, as it can threaten the life of both the driver and other people.
Proper nutrition for motorists
Proper nutrition of a person driving should contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. It is necessary to formulate your diet so that the food is satisfying and nutritious, but at the same time it is normally perceived by the gastrointestinal tract. It is imperative to eat the first courses, if in the driver's diet there is mainly dry food, then this disrupts metabolic processes and assimilation of nutrients. When a motorist organizes his meals, he must adhere to these rules:
- breakfast should contain 30–35% of the daily food requirement;
- lunch is 50–55%;
- dinner - 20-25%.
But, in the hot summer season, the daily need for food may decrease. For example, for lunch there can be no more than 40%, and for dinner - 15%.
Drivers who are on the road for a long time need to eat four times a day. It should be two breakfasts, lunch and dinner. It is very good to combine lunch with a little relaxation in the fresh air, it will benefit the driver. But if you adhere to four meals a day, then you need to take care to reduce the calorie content of the main breakfast and lunch. The driver's diet should include meat products for lunch, and dairy products for dinner.
Before going on the road, you need to have a good breakfast at home. But, if the driver did not have time to do this, then you can take with you yogurt and whole grain buns or other bread products with which you can satisfy your hunger. It is also very good to eat a lot of fruits, they are tasty and healthy.
Dried fruits, nuts and seeds are very healthy snacks. They will not only bring maximum benefit, but will help the driver to focus on the road, especially if he did not sleep well.
An indispensable companion of the driver on the road is a bottle of drinking water. It is needed to maintain high performance of the person who turns the steering wheel. The norm of water drunk per day is considered to be at least two liters. But, it can increase when it is hot outside and the same temperature in the car. It is important to remember that drinking too much fluids can overwhelm the body. If you are tormented by unbearable thirst, then it is best to quench it with cold tea or water. Thirst is often caused by a lack of water in the body, as well as drying out of the mucous membranes of the mouth, which can lead to headaches or weakening of attention. To control the amount of fluid you drink and not overload the body, it will be enough just to rinse your mouth.
Often, an insufficient amount of fluid in the body is accompanied by disturbances in the work of the cardiovascular system and edema. This, in turn, affects attention, performance and it is difficult for a person behind the wheel to concentrate on the road.
Scientists have proven that it improves the driver's performance well and actively affects the speed of the reaction of vitamin C. For this, you do not need much of it, just 2 g per day is enough and no more. But, all the same, experts recommend that drivers try to eat fruits as well, but if this is not possible, then vitamin C will "come to the rescue."
What makes the driver feel unwell?
The most common causes of fatigue are unhealthy diet, long intervals between meals, violation of rest and work. All this leads to a sharp decrease in blood sugar, which is the result of headaches, nervousness, fatigue. In addition, it can cause cardiovascular disease, and as a result - stroke or heart attack. There are times when such violations can happen while driving, which is also dangerous for other drivers and people around them.
Drivers are not advised to eat near the nearest fast food eateries. You also do not need to drink carbonated water, it should be replaced with plain water or tea. Because all this leads to a deterioration in attention on the road.
Also, the food of motorists should not be too high in calories. Such food is very hard on the stomach and causes not only discomfort, but also leads to fatigue and drowsiness, which is unacceptable for drivers. Many drivers are convinced that a large dose of coffee will help to cheer them up in the morning while driving, especially if they have not slept very well and there is a long road ahead. Indeed, the caffeine found in coffee energizes and invigorates a person. But when it comes to motorists, the opposite is true: constant focus on the road and excessive amounts of caffeine contribute to the fact that a person is tired and may fall asleep. That is why drivers should not get carried away with this drink.
Long journey: useful tips for motorists
- For drivers who are going on a long journey (it can be work or travel), you need to be well prepared. In order not to score anything, you need to make a list of products that you will need on the road.
- Before a long journey, it is very good to drink a glass of fresh carrot juice and add 1 tsp there. honey, it will give the driver cheerfulness. It also has a positive effect on vision, which is important for the driver.
- Care must be taken not to forget to take the necessary medications with you. This is necessary if you have an upset stomach, constipation or other illnesses on the way. After all, a long road is unpredictable and anything can happen.
- Every driver in a car, especially if he travels very far, should have a cooler bag, which makes it possible to preserve food for longer.
- On the road, it is not recommended to eat salty foods, for example, salted nuts, chips and other products of this kind. Such food causes constant thirst, and the driver needs maximum attention.
- If possible, it is necessary after a while to stop and get out of the car in order to warm up a little.
In order for the driver to feel good and comfortable, it is recommended to add low-calorie and low-fat foods to the menu. This helps to keep yourself in shape and tone. These products include:
- lean poultry or beef;
- fresh vegetables;
- kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, eggs;
- bread, preferably black;
- apples, bananas, pears and other fruits.
Fruits are considered very useful for drivers, as most of them contain substances - amino acids. The main such substance is tyrosine. A lot of it is found in bananas, avocados, pumpkin and greens. The use of such products significantly affects the speed of a person's reactions, especially in emergency situations. Also, the driver must be careful not to overeat. Because if he eats a lot of food, then this can also cause headaches, irritability, fatigue. It is necessary to control every meal and adhere to the correct diet.
Drivers need to be very attentive to themselves and their well-being, because their safety and the safety of the people who surround them depend precisely on proper nutrition. If the driver feels great, does not care about anything, and is focused on the road, then this makes it possible to reduce accidents on the road.
If drivers listen to these recommendations and follow them, then the whole day spent in the car behind the wheel will not be torture for them, but on the contrary, they will be satisfied with their journey or work.
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