drbarney1

I had to quit my job after wage theft and because I am 71 I do not expect to find another. My car engine gave out and I can't afford to replace it. So now I have to use a bike to go into town which is 6 miles or more from my home whenever I need groceries or appointments and sometimes odd jobs that help. I have been an avid bodybuilder for 21 years and I workout 40 to 60 minutes every morning and have little body fat. I usually take second place in local small contests in the division of men over 50. What precautions do I need to take to not lose muscle mass when I bicycle for two to three hours on some days? Should I not go as fast as I can too often? Should I eat an extra Quest bar or even two while I pedal that far? Should I just adjust my calories to keep my weight where it is?

Seattle Forrest

Adjust your calories to maintain your weight.

Cardiovascular exercise doesn't kill muscles by itself. This idea comes from "hard gainers" (people who don't eat enough) doing cardiovascular exercise and creating a bigger calorie deficit as a result. It's not the cardio, it's the lack of calories.

By the way, you're allowed to use an electronic motor on your bike after age 65.

mnsam

I would imagine something like hammer perpetium in you’re water bottle might help on rides since it has some protien and will replace a portion of that calories you are burning and is more convenient than stopping to eat mid ride. Just a theory so take with a grain of salt.

ColonelSanders

That is a hell of a start to an opening post.

wolfchild

Cardio will use up some of the energy which could be going towards your recovery from your bodybuilding workouts....Adjusting your diet is the most important thing to do. On days that you ride you will be burning more calories so make sure to get slightly more protein and carbs. Don't push too hard, try riding at a lower intensity.

mcours2006

If you are counting calories, and you probably are if you are very low BF, then you know you have to replace whatever calories you expend while on your bike. The problem is that it's difficult to gauge how much you expend. Some trial and error will be necessary for you to get the balance right.

joelcool

I agree 100%. It's a simple caloric replacement game. You have to eat what your burn on the bike. If you don't eat those calories back your body will start converting your muscle mass to fat. Weird, but I've seen it happen in my body.

redlude97

There is a bit more to it than just calories in terms of the signaling pathways that are being activated and shut off during cardio and weight training that will be counterproductive. If you are interested in the nitty gritty science I can provide links but for the majority of us it doesn't really matter what is exactly going on. Wear a HR monitor strap or wrist watch and keep it at lower intensities.

joelcool

I'm interested in some nitty gritty

redlude97

You can start here with Dr. Hawley's review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5407958/

FrenchFit 

Those Aussies have a sense of humor: Are we guilty of overlooking the obvious or simply making the issue more complicated than it is?

Personal observation -- endurance running and cycling don't mix well (plays havoc with your stride/stroke too). One makes you less efficient at the other. I suppose it would be a similar outcome with distance running and weight lifting.

wolfchild

Cycling and weight training can complement each other if programed correctly and if following proper nutrition. I

FrenchFit 

Yes, their study says as much. But I said distance running.

OBoile

Triathletes seem to be doing okay with this.

joelcool

Thanks for the link! Interesting (but thick) reading!
The OP is a body builder - he's been doing this for quite some time. I don't think there's anything in the study that would suggest riding his bike for 6 miles (up to an hour straight) is going to cause any loss of his muscle mass. Although I understand the relationship between resistance and endurance training is linked and complex, I still think that to first order eating the calories back from the bike riding is a sound approach. Body builders know their bodies, and if there is any deterioration based on adding some endurance activity I'd think making adjustments would be pretty easy to figure out.
Meanwhile adding cycling will only help the cardio vascular system.

redlude97

It won't cause a loss in muscle mass but it will slow down any gains, and if he's a body builder that has been at it for awhile, then gains become increasingly marginal. There is a reason why at the top of the sport the athletes do no cardio. If he was an average person I absolutely recommend doing both. Within the reality of his situation he probably should bike. But he should be aware of the potential downsides.

KraneXL

No it doesn't. But at some point you will need to make a choice. Three hours of cycling is well past that point.Don't do it. Your muscles will still work even when you're eighty...plus!

KraneXL

Speaking of BB I switch my concentration between aerobic and anaerobic. Yesterday I reached the end of my weight training phase and managed to set a new record for pull downs. I began the weighted pull downs as therapy for my bad shoulder and despite the pain managed to get stronger.

Similar to you TS, I have trained with weights most of my life but stopped completely for 8 years after my shoulder/back went out. I'm glad I started the therapy since it hurts either way but through continued training and therapy, at least this way I still managed to get stronger.

At this point, I'll take a break for the anaerobic and switch to mostly cycling for the remainder of the summer. You can keep cycling TS, just keep in slow to moderate so you'll burn fat and not muscle.

drbarney1

Thank you. I have been keeping my weight close to constant and the tape measure along with the number of weighted (I never weighed that much so I need a belt and some weights to benefit from this exercise) pullups showed a slight gain since I quit my job due to a TBI from which I am making a good symptom-free recovery.

KraneXL

Full disclosure: height and weight? Even better, body fat percentage? Most people don't see themselves as fat.

Daniel4

On a few of my 1hr rides my app calculated I had burned approx 300 (+/-) calories.



What kind of snacks should I bring along that's 300 calories and full of protein, low on fat and no added sugar? Nuts and grain? A piece of chicken breast?

KraneXL

That's a meal replacement or protein shake. Not the most satiating, but simple to carry and prepare, and easy to digest.