The Barriers That Be...

Often times in conversation with people who don't work in the Oil & Gas industry, I'm asked what kinds of specific barriers people within the industry face when it comes to their health and wellness. While I can only speak from my own personal experience, a lot of the stories that have been shared with me from others within the industry are all very much the same.

Nutrition

There are a few different scenario's to look to address the barriers in place when it comes to nutrition. A lot of it depends on a person's living situation when they are away.

1. The first living situation when working away from home is remote work camp setting. In my personal opinion, this one is the least ideal when it comes to nutrition. While some people love staying in camps because all your food is provided, hot meals cooked for you, an abundance of options of food from all the sweet treats you could ever imagine just free for the taking, to theme meals like Taco night and steak night, as well as rooms cleaned for you daily, there are a lot of people who find nutrition difficult in camps. If you are someone who has any kind of dietary restrictions or allergies, it can be difficult to avoid those foods. While most camps nowadays make a point to list allergens in the food and ensure that there are options for people with allergies or sensitivities, it can be hard to always avoid these ingredients. This can lead to bloating, indigestion, gas, and heart burn, to name some of the digestive issues many people face when they are eating camp food. Another common issue with camp food is that the ingredients used to cook the food are usually not of the highest quality. You need to think that these camps are feeding hundreds to thousands of people and so they need to keep the food "fresh" and cost-effective, which means it's usually full of high amounts of sodium, nitrates, and other preservatives like inflammatory oils that wreak havoc on the digestive system. Having a lactose intolerance and a gluten sensitivity myself, in my own personal experiences over the years, work camps are my least favorite of the living situations due to the food availability and ingredients. Some camps are better than others when it comes to the food offerings. When you can't control what is being cooked for you and the ingredients use, it definitely poses a barrier to your nutrition.

How K&K can help: I help educate workers on what options are the better ones to take and empower them with the knowledge to make the best choices with what is available to them.

2. The second most common living situation when working away from home is a hotel. Typically, when workers are staying in hotels, they are receiving some sort of daily subsistence pay from their employer. Subsistence pay is a daily dollar amount that the employer provides to cover the workers lodging and food while on shift. Some companies will choose the hotel for you and pay for it themselves and give you the remainder for food, while other employers will give you the full dollar amount and the freedom to choose where you want to stay. Barriers that exist when staying in hotels include: availability of kitchenette suites that have a stove top/hot plate or an oven to cook your own meals. Usually the hotels that have kitchenette suites available are more expensive and the kitchenette rooms are already booked up. This leaves most people with a standard room, usually only with a fridge and a microwave. There are limited options available to make your own meals when all you have available is a fridge and a microwave. As a result of this situation, most people who stay in hotels typically turn to take-out. Some hotels will allow you bring a Crock Pot or Instant Pot but that is a discussion that has to be had with front desk staff, as the Staff may tell you these items aren't allowed since they pose a fire hazard. Most hotels will not allow you to bring a hot plate. Some hotels might not let you have a Crock Pot or Instant Pot in your room, but will allow you to use them in the breakfast or dining area of the hotel. While it's not impossible to eat healthy when staying in a hotel, it certainly can be difficult with the lack of resources to cook and meal prep, and unlike a remote camp situation, staying in a hotel allows for more (but not a lot) of control over what you are eating and the ingredients in the food, especially if you have an allergy or a sensitivity.

How K& K can help: One of the things I help people who stay in hotels with is finding ways to eat healthy when their cooking options are limited. From grocery shopping and ways to cook their food to educating on which take-out options are better for them if they are going to go that route.

3. The third living situation which, in my opinion, is the most ideal is getting a daily subsistence pay from the employer and finding a place to rent short-term, like a basement suite or AirBNB. This one is the most ideal because you can choose a place that is fully furnished with a fully stocked kitchen which allows you to have more of a normal life away from home in that you can buy all your own groceries and cook all of your own food. Aside from it feeling more of a home away from home, you are in full control of what you eat and in this situation.

How K&K can help: If you are working away from home and renting a place, I can a suggest meal plan or a macros-based plan for you.

Fitness

Following the same order as the living situations above, here are some barriers that come with exercise and fitness goals when working away from home.

1. Every remote work camp I've ever stayed in (and I've been in a lot) has an onsite gym/fitness room. Depending on the size of the camp and the company that owns the camp, the gyms range in size from very small to very large. Some of them have a large variety of equipment while others have very little. When there isn't much available for equipment, it often means you need to get creative with your workouts. Many people don't know what exercises they can do with limited equipment to get an effective workout.

How K&K can help: I can build a fitness program with the equipment you have available in the camp to help you with your goals. I can also provide suggestions for equipment I like to bring on the road with me that is small and compact and can be taken anywhere for an effective workout.

2. Most hotels have a fitness room or swimming pool on site. However, most hotel fitness rooms I've ever seen are very small and lacking in the variety of equipment. Depending on the town a worker is staying in, there may be local gyms and fitness centers around, however, the smaller the town, the lower the likelihood of the gyms being open late or opening early, or with 24-hour access to accommodate shift workers schedules.

How K&K can help: Like the option above, I can create effective workout programs for you that utilize the equipment you have available to you. These workouts can be done using gym facilities available to you or with body weight exercises and minimal equipment in your hotel room.

3. With the last situation, renting a suite or AirBNB, the barriers can be like the above with hotels where if it's a small town, there will be a fitness facility available but the open hours might not be ideal and work well with the workers' schedule. In this case they might have to rely on home workouts or getting away from work early enough to get to the town gym during staffed hours to purchase a pass/key fob to gain access after hours.

How K&K can help: I design effective workout programs in a variety of lengths (minimum 4 week programs) for either gym or home/hotel that help you stay on track with your goals.

With a better understanding of some of the major fitness and nutrition challenges faced by people who travel a lot or work away from home, it helps me be a better Coach for you and design programs that are custom-made for you and your specific situation. I look forward to working with you on your journey towards better health and wellness!

- K&K