Over The Road Fitness?

and use the resistance bands for my arms/shoulders (I keep breaking them)

Check into Bodylastics. I probably sound like a broken record but, these are some quality bands. They have an anti-snap nylon cord inside to keep them from being over stretched to the point of snapping. I've had my bands for a while.

I've often wondered if trucking companies, or many other corporations for that matter, couldn't recoup their investment by offering a small pay incentive to people who maintain a minimum level of health and fitness. When you look at the healthcare costs and the lost productivity from workers being so out of shape you would think there might be a true business case to make for paying a little more for healthy people.

Not sure about incentive pay, but I do know that a LOT of companies are starting to give discounts on your health insurance premiums based on participation in health programs & proving you don't smoke with an annual Biometric Screening & Cotinine (tobacco) Screening. The company I work at now does this. They use a service called Vitality (www.powerofvitality.com) to implement the program with Quest Diagnostics.

Here are a couple of excerpts from an email I received last week about this exact proram....

Schedule your onsite, no-cost 2015 biometrics screening to help you earn the highest possible credit toward your medical premiums next year.

Why is this important?

• The results can help you determine possible health risks and provide key measures to help you live a healthy lifestyle. • The biometric screening is a way to waive the tobacco surcharge if you are a non-tobacco user. Without a screening, the default surcharge will be assessed to your benefits premium in 2016. • Vitality points are awarded, which count toward your status level for credit toward your medical plan premium.

the more you actively engage in the program this year, the more of a credit you will receive next year on your medical premiums. Your level of involvement is measured by your “Vitality Status.” The higher your Vitality Status, the more of a credit you will receive. For example, if you have a Silver Vitality Status, you will receive the minimum credit, but not as much if you were a Gold or Platinum Status.

and use the resistance bands for my arms/shoulders (I keep breaking them)

Check into Bodylastics. I probably sound like a broken record but, these are some quality bands. They have an anti-snap nylon cord inside to keep them from being over stretched to the point of snapping. I've had my bands for a while.

I find the idea that they string a chord through the band a great idea... I broke a fitness band once and it was not at all a fun experience. Besides getting snapped by the the band, the unexpected loss of resistance also causes you to suddently overextend your arms/legs being excercized and can possibly cause an injury to boot.

a LOT of companies are starting to give discounts on your health insurance premiums based on participation in health programs

Ya know why I don't like that approach? For one, I don't trust the entities involved. I simply don't trust large corporations to be honest with the numbers. There's no lying about making 33 cents per mile versus 36 cents per mile, ya know what I mean? Don't give me alleged discounts, give me cash.

Plus for most people it's really not going to have the same impact. Nobody runs home and tells their wife how excited they are about a discount on something. But more cash in the paycheck??? Oh yeah!!! Now that's what it's all about.

Obviously it could work out the same financially either way. Since that's the case and they're doing it to help me out then I vote to make my incentive cash in my wallet.

a LOT of companies are starting to give discounts on your health insurance premiums based on participation in health programs

Ya know why I don't like that approach? For one, I don't trust the entities involved. I simply don't trust large corporations to be honest with the numbers. There's no lying about making 33 cents per mile versus 36 cents per mile, ya know what I mean? Don't give me alleged discounts, give me cash.

Plus for most people it's really not going to have the same impact. Nobody runs home and tells their wife how excited they are about a discount on something. But more cash in the paycheck??? Oh yeah!!! Now that's what it's all about.

Obviously it could work out the same financially either way. Since that's the case and they're doing it to help me out then I vote to make my incentive cash in my wallet.

It's actually quite clear what you can do to earn points for status upgrades and you can see how you are progressing whenever you want... I can understand however your trepidation for how it could be mis-handled by an employer. But look at it this way. If they are crooked enough to fudge the numbers to keep you from earning a discount on your health insurance, they could just as easily fudge the numbers to keep you from getting the incentive pay.

The company i work for now has an incentive program thats pretty cool . you have four areas they measure and for each one that you pass....say BMI or cholestrol... they gave you $200 bucks in your H.S.A or flexible spending account plus a lower premium on insurance. I have not seen any Hsa offered in trucking companys yet though just flex. hope that changes soon...excercise wise though those bands look like a good idea along with a dvd or two....somebody should make a an excercise dvd performing all exercises in a truck or around one... i would buy it

and use the resistance bands for my arms/shoulders (I keep breaking them)

Check into Bodylastics. I probably sound like a broken record but, these are some quality bands. They have an anti-snap nylon cord inside to keep them from being over stretched to the point of snapping. I've had my bands for a while.

I saw a guy snap some bands once...right in the Hairy Boys...He had to be carried out on a gurney and into an ambulance..but I digress. Does anyone know anything about Planet Fitness?? I greatly improved my health by losing 60 pounds but I love to eat and gained 20 back. I will HAVE to do something if...no, WHEN!, I start driving to prevent some of the issues I nearly had to battle with being overweight :/