Consistency is the name of the health and fitness game, according to Hillsboro wellness coach Bud Harris.

"Just do anything -- consistently," said the 52-year-old, fresh from the glory of seeing his Truckers to Triathletes participants swim, bike and run their way to healthier lives in the recent Midsummer Sprint Triathlon at Metro's Blue Lake Regional Park.

Truckers are notoriously unfit, said Harris, with a high percentage of drivers suffering obesity, high cholesterol and sleep apnea. Many smoke, and their diet often consists of a high-fat, low-nutrition meal grabbed on the road. Those combined with the stress of long stretches sitting behind the wheel is a recipe for disaster, he added.

"Imagine a truck loaded with 80,000 pounds of freight going 70 miles an hour and the driver has a heart attack," Harris said. Con-way Freight's Clackamas location hired Harris through Wellness Coaches USA, a nationwide company that contracts with businesses to improve the health of their workers.

Participants begin by training and competing on relay teams of coworkers and, as they gain confidence and fitness, they increase their performance to a level where they can compete in the three triathlon events -- a half-mile swim, a 16.5-mile bike ride and a 3.1-mile run.

John Schniedewind of Washougal, Wash., has been a truck driver for 17 years and suffered from most of the health problems that plague a large percentage of workers in his industry. He had already set his sights on losing weight when he met Harris in 2009.

"Dr. Bud is an incredible motivator," said Schniedewind, 51, who has dropped 50 pounds, lowered his cholesterol, and relieved some of the pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. The recent Midsummer Sprint Triathlon was his fifth competition.

Despite working 12 to 14 hours a night driving, Schniedewind now finds time to hit the gym for organized bike spin classes, swimming laps and sessions on the treadmill. His new dedication to fitness has also inspired his family, including a son who also has lost 50 pounds.

Harris worked as a helicopter logger, an electrician and engineering technician, then switched careers, earning a doctorate in safety engineering and certificates in several areas, including personal fitness, wellness and ergonomics.

"No matter how unfit their workforce is, in today's world of health care costs, employers expect employees to have a hand in their own health," Harris said. And, healthy workers are less at risk of injuries, saving both employers and workers time and money.

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Dr. Bud Harris says if truckers can do it, so can you