I just read about a program that pays obese truckers to lose weight. According to Overdrive magazine, the Healthy Trucking Association gave thousands of truckers the opportunity to earn $800 by losing weight. What I am most thrilled about though, is that there was a real effort to help truckers lose weight instead of just lip service.

This particular promotion gave:

1. A reward for people to lose weight
2. Medical guidance to help you lose weight

Coming from a culture that revolves around food, being told you need lose weight is not enough to help you lose weight. Likewise, expecting anyone to walk into a fast food restaurant and order the salad while being assaulted by the smell of artery clogging burgers and fries every second, is delusional.

I tried. I have walked into fast food restaurants with every intention of making a healthier choice. Before opening the door I had the willpower of a professional athlete. Something happens though from the time I enter the restaurant to the time I come up to the counter to order. On every side I am reminded of how much tastier the non healthy choice is . Every picture is of a large hamburger cooked to perfection and a bun so big you could barely hold it in your hand. Conspicuously absent are posters encouraging me to watch my weight. There are no cardiology meal deals with a free toy if I make a better choice. Thus I get up to the order station and the inevitable happens...

I cave and order the unhealthy delicious choice

This brings us back to this program by the Healthy Trucking Association. If anyone reading this has done the program, I would like to hear about how things went.