Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
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Diversions April 2014 | Overdrive | 47 How to take the weight off Since starting her weight loss program more than a year ago (top photo), driver Bettina Cameron says she's about halfway to her goal. By TARA BULLOCK B ettina Cameron's "diet- ing" since January 2013 has been much more than what you normally might associate with the word. No quick- loss gimmicks here, Cameron says. She's been after what amounts to a wholesale change in her approach to food and daily activity. "My whole life revolved around food," she says. "I lived to eat. Now I eat to live. Food is just my fuel." Changing her way of thinking about diet and exercise has allowed her to move from size 32 clothing to size 18. After weighing 330 pounds at the start, she's shed about 70 pounds and plans to lose another 70. Diet The amount of time Cameron spends running team with her husband, Brian, for Georgia-based RRR Transportation means she occasionally still eats at fast-food restaurants. Here recommendations at those establishments: Hardee's low-carb versions of their sand- wiches, wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun; and McDonald's salads, substituting meat from their 100 percent Angus beef burger for the chicken, which she says tastes too processed. Cameron cautions those turning solely to salads to be smart about them. "Once you add dressing and croutons and cheese, you can do better eating a pint of chocolate ice cream," she says. Before a haul, Cameron stocks up on items that don't need to be refrigerated, such as apples and oranges. She's traded soft drinks for water, adding lemon juice or lime juice to boost the flavor. Cravings were "hell," she says, especially during the first month of her diet change. Now when she wants something sweet, she craves strawberries. When she sees a donut, she reminds herself that it would cost her 175 sit-ups. Exercise While vacationing in Jamaica, Cam- eron planned to climb the 180-foot Dunn's River Falls, but never made it to the top. "That was the first time it really hit me that I couldn't do what I wanted," she says. She now exercises at least an hour every day. When on the road, she exercises in her truck, lifting weights or using a yoga mat for various calisthenics. When she's home, she puts in three-hour gym workouts twice a week. Share About three to four months into her journey, Cameron's friends encouraged her to start a Facebook page (Search "Losing it" on Face- book.com to find it). In addition to documenting what has been a big transformation in her appearance, she commonly shares fitness and dietary challenges to spur her followers toward com- pletion of their own goals. "When it's -35 degrees in Montana and I just want to drive, I'm looking for an excuse to not go to the gym," Cameron says. "I remember that there are 253 people [who like her Facebook page] who are looking for an excuse." Diversions_0414.indd 47 4/1/14 7:34 AM