GAME ELEVEN WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY Game Daygameplanforliving.com/images/books/BUS/BUS-Chapter11.pdf · You are about to face one of the major challenges of your life.Turn off the

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GAME ELEVEN WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

DAY 1 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

You are about to face one of the major challenges of your life. Turn off the“I can’t do it!” attitude, and start today by saying, “I can do it!” Just by doingthis GAME, you are taking the first step toward a healthier you. There is nodoubt that weight gain has become a major problem throughout the drivingindustry. As drivers, you sit behind the wheel all day and often lead asedentary life after work. You gain three pounds one year, five pounds thenext year, and before you know it, your pants don’t fit anymore (and thedoctor is telling you that your life may be at risk).

OBESITY IS A “BIG” PROBLEM.

GOAL: Have you maintained your weight the past three years? What about the past five years?

*Note: Be sure to also do the GAMES on NUTRITION, PHYSICAL EXER-CISE, and MOTIVATION. They will directly affect your success with thisGame.

DAY 1 SAFETY

Communicate! Signal your intentions to other drivers early enough so thatthey know what you intend to do! If you are moving to another lane, giveplenty of notice. If you are exiting, make sure you are in the right-hand laneearly enough to ease off the highway.

READY OR NOT, HERE I COME!.... WRONG!!!!

GOAL: Signal your intentions to other drivers.205

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DAY 2 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

If your body weight is 20-40% above your ideal weight, you are mildly obese.If your weight is 40-99% higher than your ideal weight, you are moderatelyobese. And if your weight is more than double the ideal weight, you areseverely obese. If you are obese, you may experience symptoms such assnoring, sleep apnea, heartburn and arthritis. You may also have a low self-esteem, feel depressed, or just have a poor image of yourself. However, thisGAME isn’t about what is wrong with you. It’s about the power you have tochange yourself. You don’t have to stay in the shape you are in if you are nothappy with that shape!

SHAPE “DOWN”!

GOAL: Make a doctor’s appointment to find out your ideal weight.

DAY 2 SAFETY

If you feel vibration or hear an unusual noise, try to localize it from your dri-ver’s seat. Then stop the coach in a safe location, and inspect the coach tofind the source of the problem. Know your company’s procedure in case ofa breakdown.

“SOUND” ADVICE

GOAL: Don’t ignore vibrations or unusual noises.

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DAY 3 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

Obesity, or excessive weight, bears enormous consequences on our physi-cal and mental well-being. Emergency unit physicians regularly witness theresults of obesity. Medical doctors are addressing the health problems relat-ed to obesity. They acknowledge that the stress on the body leads to anincrease in medical problems such as coronary heart disease, high bloodpressure, diabetes, and arteriosclerosis. Nearly 70% of cardiovascular dis-ease is related to obesity. Don’t wait until you bear those consequences. Itis time to let go of the old you…and look for a more energetic and healthieryou!

YOU MUST FIND YOUR OWN “WEIGH”TO LOSE WEIGHT.

GOAL: Do you have problems related to your weight?

DAY 3 SAFETY

Splints are used to keep an injured body part from moving. They ease thepain and prevent further injury. Many different kinds of objects can be usedas splints: boards, brooms, rolled newspapers or magazines, or rolled blan-kets. Splints can be tied with neckties, handkerchiefs, or string. Splints shouldbe extended above and below the injured area to immobilize it. Do not tie thesplint so tightly that the ties interfere with the person’s circulation. Loosen tiesif the victim begins to feel numbness or tingling.

YOU “WOOD” BE A GOOD “SPLINT…ER”.

GOAL: Ask your company if and when you should use a splint on apassenger.

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DAY 4 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

There are reasons why people are overweight or obese. They consume toomany calories, their parents were obese, they have genetic factors thatmake them susceptible to weight gain, they have health problems that inter-fere with their metabolism, and/or they lead a sedentary lifestyle. Other rea-sons include: growing up in a family with poor eating habits, yielding to peerpressure, or the suffering of emotional problems. Think about the reasonswhy you may be overweight. Awareness is the first step toward changingbehavior and, ultimately, losing weight.

GET A BEAT ON WHY YOU EAT.

GOAL: Circle the reasons above that may relate to you.

DAY 4 SAFETY

If the coach leans when the engine is off, this may be a normal condition. Itshould straighten up as soon as you start the engine and the air pressurebuilds up. If the coach leans with the engine running, you may have a badbellows or a bad height-control valve.

A “LEAN” MACHINE?

GOAL: Know the difference in a leaning coach when the engine isoff, when you start the engine, and with the engine running.

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DAY 5 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

Take responsibility for your weight and your health. Don’t blame yourself.Instead, choose to be responsible for your weight. Say, “Yes, I am a capable,intelligent person. Now I see that I can learn from my past habits, and I canimprove my health.” You have done the best you can up until now. Don’tunderestimate your potential. The most important factor that influencesweight loss is your own determination. Are you willing to go for it?

IN THIS GAME THE “WINNER” IS THE “LOSER”

GOAL: Are you willing to take responsibility for your health?Are you willing to let go and not blame yourself for your weight?

Are you willing to lose weight?

DAY 5 SAFETY

If your steering wheel is hard to turn, you may be low on power-steeringfluid. If the automatic transmission is slipping, you may be low on transmis-sion oil. Although adding the right fluid will correct the symptoms, theremay be a leak which would have to be repaired by a mechanic.

A BUM STEER?

GOAL: Get power-steering fluid or transmission oil when needed.

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DAY 6 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

Just for today, think about what you gain from being overweight. You mustgain something if you really give it a little thought. You may get to complainto others that you just can’t lose weight. You may have a reason to feel tiredall the time. You may have a reason to be angry. Your weight may give you areason to be depressed. Think about what you gain…then get past that,and believe that this time you really can lose weight.

THERE REALLY IS NOTHING TO GAINBY BEING OVERWEIGHT.

GOAL: What I gain from being overweight:

What I lose from being overweight:

DAY 6 SAFETY

When you try to start your coach and the engine does not crank, there aremany possible explanations, but they are most likely connected to an elec-trical problem. These are some things you might try to do: if the coach is notin neutral, place the transmission in neutral; if the battery disconnect switchis off, turn it on; if the rear remote starter switch is off, turn it on; if the frontstarter switch is bad, try the rear starter switch; or if the battery connectionis loose, tighten the connection with a wrench.

CRANK IT UP! (EVEN IF IT IS A BIT CRANKY)

GOAL: Know the basics of what to do if the engine doesn’t crank.210

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DAY 7 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

Your bus burns fuel to get the energy to go from one place to the next.Human beings also need fuel for energy. You get that fuel from food. Yourbody burns food to produce energy in the form of heat. Nutritionists meas-ure that heat in units called kilocalories - or in our everyday language…calories. All food has calories. To lose one pound, you must burn 3500calories.

WHAT IS YOUR “BURNING” DESIRE?

GOAL: Today is one of the most important days for you concerningweight control. Call your doctor and find out the following information:

How many calories do I need in order to maintain my weight?How much weight should I lose each week?What foods should I eat to lose that weight?

DAY 7 SAFETY

If the engine cranks, but will not start, here are some possible causes andsolutions. (1)The rear ignition switch is in the wrong position … switch it tothe correct position. (2)You are out of fuel and your fuel gauge shows emptyor low … get fuel. (3)The outside temperature is very low … warm theengine before you start it.

FOR “STARTERS”, TRY THESE TIPS.

GOAL: Ask a mechanic for assistance when you don’t know theanswer to a problem.

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DAY 8 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

PORTION CONTROL IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS TOCONSIDER IF YOU WANT TO CONTROL YOUR WEIGHT. In America, weeat far too much food! When we eat in restaurants, the portion sizes areusually far greater than what we need. More is looked upon as better, butwhen you are trying to control your weight, more is not better. If you areeating meat, keep your serving to the size of a deck of cards. Don’t worryabout portion size when it comes to vegetables (as long as they are notcooked in butter or cream sauce). Starches (rice, pasta, potatoes) shouldbe 1/2 cup. For breads, cereals, and other grains, look at the labels, andmeasure if you must. You’d be surprised at what one serving really is!

THE REAL DEALA DECK OF CARDS EQUALS 1 PORTION OF MEAT

GOAL: If you want to lose weight, you’ll need to cut calories eitherby burning them off with exercise or eating less. 3,500 calories = 1 lb.,so if you cut out or burn 500 calories a day, you should lose 1 lb. perweek.

My Plan for Cutting Calories:

Maintain portion control throughout the day. Check the food/portionguide in the back of the book.

DAY 8 SAFETY

If you hear a loud “bang” you may have had a blowout. Your first reactionshould be to stay off the brake and grip the steering wheel tightly Theblowout of a front tire can pull the wheel out of your hands. Let the coachslow down until you are below 20 mph; then pull off the road and stop in asafe location, using the brake gently.

WHEEL DONE!

GOAL: Stay off the brake when there is a tire blowout.212

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DAY 9 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

You don’t need to eliminate all of the foods you like, but you do need toincrease the good “carbs” while decreasing the bad, or empty, “carbs”. Good“carbs” include whole grains such as whole grain breads, whole grain tortillas,whole wheat pasta, and whole grain cereals. Good “carbs” also includefruits and vegetables. They have more fiber in them and more vitamins thanthe refined “carbs”. The “carbs” that you should avoid include (but are notlimited to) white bread, bagels and muffins, cakes, cookies, candies, mostcrackers, chips and other snack foods, white rice, French fries, and sugarycereals. When you eat more of the good “carbs”, you begin to crave them.The more good “carbs” you eat, the less room you’ll have for other foodsthat do not give you the nutrients you need.

“DO YOU PROMISE TO EAT THE GRAIN,THE WHOLE GRAIN,AND NOTHING BUT THE WHOLE GRAIN?”.....“I DO!”

GOAL: Which good “carbs” do you eat on a regular basis now?

Which good “carbs” do you plan to add to your diet?

Which bad “carbs” should you eliminate from your diet?

DAY 9 SAFETY

The blowout of a rear tire starts with a “bang”, and you should react thesame way that you do when it is a front tire (at least, until you are sure itwas actually the rear tire that failed). A rear blowout may cause a strongvibration, or the vibration may be so slight that you can’t be sure the tirehas failed until you look at it.

YOU MIGHT GET A BANG OUT OF THIS!

GOAL: React to a rear tire blowout the same way that you do to afront tire blowout.

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DAY 10 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

The hidden sugar syndrome! According to the United States Department ofAgriculture (USDA), the average American consumes more than 20 tea-spoons of added sugar each day. This equates to roughly 328 calories!Some people consume over 100 teaspoons of white refined sugar a day!Avoid foods that have refined white sugar in them: Candy, canned fruit insyrup, ice cream, jelly, chocolate sauces, pudding, pie, soft drinks, cakes,cookies, pastries, salad dressings, and jam. Choose fresh fruit, canned fruit in natural juices, and unsweetened juices. Read labels. If sugar is thefirst ingredient, there is more sugar than anything else in the food.

A SWEET T(R)OOTH

GOAL: Get natural sugar from fresh fruits. Reduce or eliminate thehighly refined white sugar from your diet.

DAY 10 SAFETY

The Heimlich Maneuver is the recommended method to use when a personis choking. If the person can speak, cough, or breathe, you do not have tointerfere with his/her efforts. If he/she cannot breathe, stand behind him/herand place your fist with the thumb side against his/her stomach slightlyabove the navel and below the ribs and breastbone. Do not touch thebreastbone. Hold your fist with your other hand and give several quick force-ful upward thrusts. Do not squeeze on the person’s ribs with your arms.Use only your fist in the abdomen. It may be necessary to repeat theHeimlich Maneuver up to ten times. ***IMPORTANT - Use this procedureonly with your company’s approval and proper training.

A “WRAP-AROUND” LIFE PRESERVER

GOAL: Be familiar with the Heimlich Maneuver. Use it only with yourcompany’s approval and proper training.

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DAY 11 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

If you eat more than one or two meals a week at restaurants, you may beeating high calorie foods without even realizing it. If you eat any of these,you could be adding a lot of weight: a la mode, breaded, cream sauce,glazed, creamed soups, hollandaise sauce, stuffing, au gratin, orgravies. Fast food restaurants are notorious for WEIGHTY foods. Don’t buythe triple-decker cheeseburger with bacon, or the large fries, or the evenlarger soda. Stick to portion control! And look for healthy substitutes. Fastfood restaurants are beginning to accommodate healthy eaters, but the onlyway they will continue to do so is if people continue to ask for healthy foodchoices.

THESE WORDS CARRY A LOT OF WEIGHT!

GOAL: Eliminate the above products in your diet today.

DAY 11 SAFETY

In an evacuation, it is your responsibility to assist passengers to the exit,count the number of passengers (do this twice), supervise the movement ofpassengers, and assemble them and recount. You don’t want to have any-one missing. Someone could be asleep on the bus and not know what isgoing on.

TAKE A COUNT IN CASE A PASSENGER IS“COUNTING …SHEEP”!

GOAL: Know the exact procedure for evacuating the coach.

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DAY 12 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

Increase your physical activity. There is no way that you can lose weightand keep it off if you are sedentary. You have to burn calories! Make yourlifestyle active! Reduce your television and other screen time. Walk more.Move around the house more than you usually do. Become active! Don’t sitfor more than fifteen minutes. Get up at commercials if you are watchingTV. You can’t afford to be sedentary!

A MORE “MOVING” EXPERIENCE

GOAL: Buy a pedometer and start counting your steps today.

DAY 12 SAFETY

When it is appropriate, assist your passengers on and off the coach. Makesure that only authorized passengers are transported. Check that all carry-on items are secured in the overhead racks and not blocking any exits.Make pre-departure and pre-arrival announcements.

MISSION CONTROL

GOAL: When appropriate, assist your passengers as they get on andoff the bus.

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DAY 13 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

Explore and learn as much about why you want to lose weight as you pos-sibly can. If you want to lose weight, you must be clear on what you wantand why you want it. What is your goal? Why do you want to reach it?How will you reach it? If you can answer these three questions, you are onyour way toward losing weight.

BE A GOALTENDER!

GOAL:

What is your goal?

Why do you want it?

How will you reach it?

DAY 13 SAFETY

Your responsibilities when you load and transport passengers include: keepingtrack of ownership of all passengers’ belongings stored in the luggagecompartment, enforcing company policies concerning smoking, alcohol andnoise, and following regulations regarding the barring of prohibited items.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

GOAL: Ask your supervisor today about your company’s policieswhen loading and transporting passengers.

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DAY 14 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

What information do you need to reach your goal? Go to www.webMD.comand check out the information on obesity. Call your doctor and get veryspecific diets based on your needs. Get professional help to understandwhy you eat the way you do. Clip articles from newspapers that relate todiet. Look for information related to health in magazines. Spend an after-noon in a bookstore looking through diet and health books.

WHAT’S UP, DOC?

GOAL: Information you need:

DAY 14 SAFETY

If you are a motorcoach driver, greet your passengers when they board.Process their ticket, check baggage, check the acceptability of carry-onitems, and help passengers to board. Also, remember to have a good attitude.

WELCOME WAGON

GOAL: Follow company procedures concerning boarding yourpassengers.

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DAY 15 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

Know the seven TRUTHS about healthy eating.1. Eat fresh, natural and wholesome foods - the less processed the

better.2. Eat plenty of fiber naturally found in fruits, vegetables and whole

grains.3. Don’t stuff yourself; it’s better to be underfed than overfed! 4. Drink plenty of water.5. Eat slowly.6. Vary your diet.7. Listen to your body. It knows best of all what it wants.

THE “PITCH” FOR NUTRITION…DON’T “STRIKE OUT”!

GOAL: Which truths do you include in your daily diet?

DAY 15 SAFETY

Getting on and off a school bus is the most dangerous part of a child’s trip.The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration says that threetimes as many children are fatally injured while getting on or off the bus asare killed while actually riding the bus.

VERY “OFF…ON” IT IS GETTING INTO AND OUT OF THEBUS THAT IS MOST DANGEROUS FOR CHILDREN.

GOAL: Give young children the attention they deserve as they get onand off the bus.

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DAY 16 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

Develop a strategy to deal with your frustrations. You will definitely hit thosetimes when you will become frustrated. How are you going to deal withthem? If you don’t lose the weight you hope to, how will you cope? Think ofyour strategy. If you have a plan in advance, you will be more likely to suc-ceed in losing the weight. Go to the section on MOTIVATION for assistance.

HOPE ‘N COPE!

GOAL: Problems you might face and your strategy to deal with them:

DAY 16 SAFETY

School bus drivers MUST turn on warning lights about 100 feet before mak-ing their stop. Other bus drivers should be on the lookout for school buses,especially during the early morning and afternoon when the school busesare taking children to school and returning them home.

NO SCHOOL(BUS) “DAZE”

GOAL: Be aware of school buses and give them plenty of distance.

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DAY 17 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

You may need a support group if you want to control your weight. Get yourfamily and friends involved. Tell them that you are going to change your dietand your lifestyle. Tell them why you want to do it. Ask them for help. Youmay even ask them to workout with you, or to make dinners that are portioncontrolled with you.

JUST TELL THEM LIFESTYLE SUPPORT,NOT FINANCIAL SUPPORT. THEY’LL HELP!

GOAL: Decide upon a course of action to treat obesity. What is it?

DAY 17 SAFETY

In order to transport passengers safely, you must be in control of the envi-ronment on the bus. Whether you are driving a school bus or a motor coach,you must set the tone. You must concentrate on your driving and not be dis-rupted by either students or rowdy passengers.

PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT!

GOAL: Be in control of the atmosphere on your bus.

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DAY 18 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

You cannot think of obesity and weight control, alone. All of the lifestyle fac-tors affect your weight. Think of the other eleven lifestyle factors and howthey relate to your weight. For example, it is obvious that Game One,NUTRITION, affects your weight. So does PHYSICAL EXERCISE, GameTwo. How do you think Game Three, MENTAL EXERCISE, affects yourweight? Does your weight affect your stress level or your sleeping patterns?

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

GOAL: Think about your weight in relation to all of the lifestyle fac-tors. Which Game should follow this one for you?

DAY 18 SAFETY

Driving a bus can be challenging, but bad weather conditions can add tothat challenge. You can’t control the weather, but you can control your speedand your following distance. If you slow down, and maintain your distance,then you are making your driving a lot safer.

SNOW DOWN!

GOAL: SLOW DOWN and MAINTAIN YOUR DISTANCE in inclementweather.

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DAY 19 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

Perseverance is a necessary component assuring that you will accomplishyour goal. We are all capable of achieving our goals. All that is required isthat we commit ourselves with determination to the goal we have chosen.Take one moment at a time. Take one day at a time. Don’t close yourself offfrom success. You will succeed, but only if perseverance is part of your dailyvocabulary.

REMEMBER WHAT THE COACH SAID, “WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING!”

GOAL: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being that you will definitelysucceed, what number are you?

How persistent will you be to accomplish your goal?

DAY 19 SAFETY

Posted speed limits are set for normal weather. If the weather changes, youmust adjust your speed. If it starts to rain and visibility is low, then SLOWdown. You must use your best judgment at all times.

YOU MUST JUDGE “WEATHER” YOU SHOULD SLOWDOWN.

GOAL: Change your speed according to weather conditions.

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DAY 20 WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY

If you are obese, you can make the decision to have the courage to try tolose weight. If you have not succeeded before, that doesn’t mean that youwon’t succeed this time. Don’t give up! Persistence is a sign of genius. Besmart! (Make sure to also complete the games on PHYSICAL EXERCISE, NUTRI-TION, AND MOTIVATION).

Answer the following questions. Give yourself one point for every YESanswer.

1. Have you called your doctor about a plan for you to lose weight?2. Are you willing to increase your physical activity?3. Are you willing to change your eating habits?4. Are you willing to take responsibility for your overall health?5. Do you have a strategy to deal with your weight?

DAY 20 SAFETY

Be safety smart and safety wise.

Answer the questions below. You get one point for every YES answer.

1. Do you know what you should do if your engine does not crank?2. Are you aware of how to check out vibrations in your bus?3. Do you watch out for children at all times?4. Do you greet your passengers as they enter your bus?5. Do you control and adjust your speed to weather conditions?

TOTAL NUMBER OF “YES’s” FROM WEIGHT CONTROL / OBESITY andSAFETY?

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1-2 points 3-4 points 5-6 points 7-8 points 9-10 pointsStay in Moving Gaining Winning The CHAMPION

The Game Forward Momentum Game