Is cycling enough?
03-27-18, 07:13 AM
#51
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 6,319
Bikes: 2012 Salsa Casseroll, 2009 Kona Blast
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1031 Post(s)
Liked 208 Times
in
146 Posts
So, when you go out for a long ride, what do you stuff in your jersey pockets? Sausages? Fried chicken? Peanut butter? The thought of chowing down on high fat, or high protein without carbs in the middle of a long ride is kind of gross. Wondering how you made the transition.
03-27-18, 07:20 AM
#52
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 6,319
Bikes: 2012 Salsa Casseroll, 2009 Kona Blast
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1031 Post(s)
Liked 208 Times
in
146 Posts
Riding alone is not enough....but it is better than nothing.
I am 52 yrs of age. I recently began cycling....9 months ago. I weighed a whopping 24 stone. I ate crap all day long. Sat on the sofa after work. Watching TV. Playing PS4. Guzzling fizzy drinks by the litre. Chocolate bars. Biscuits, cakes. Little or no exercise. I was unfit. In agony. Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. High BP. Depression. Was taking a fistful of tablets every day to combat these problems....but never once thought about changing my lifestyle.
Until....
I was at work, could feel chest pains. Said nothing....as I work in the NHS and surrounded with nurses.
Went to A&E after work. Was admitted to hospital. Was basically told by a consultant that unless I change my life, I will be dead in 5 years. Even this didn't scare me enough....I know, ridiculous, isn't it?
So, on I went....eating, lazing about.
Until one day, a colleague who cycles - and had been on at me to go out with her - finally convinced me to give cycling a try. I dug my old Pagan MTB out the shed.....weighed about the same as a small car lol. Went over to the nature reserve, near where I stay......and struggled to go eben 1 mile. Any slight rise in the road killed me.
But, I kept at it. Bought a better bike, a Giant Aluxx hybrid. Went on the road. Managing 3 miles now before I collapsed. But, I kept going. the chance came along to buy a proper road bike. I did. Now, I am hooked.
This was 9 months ago. In that time, I have lost 4 stone. Can cycle for 40 miles now without a stop. Not fast, just at my own pace....avg 14mph. Wearing lycra - which I said I would never do! I have changed my life totally. I eat healthier. Don't sit in front of TV anywhere near as much as I did. Cut out the fizzy drinks, chocolate, cakes and all. Have a treat now and again. I still want to drop another 4 stone. I will do it!!!
No, cycling is not enough....but it is a good place to start. Without it, I wouldn't be in the place I am just now.
I did try jogging, walking and the gym....found that all very tedious. Not so with cycling. I have met many new friends, who encourage me. See the world in a different way....
So to quote the great Freddie Mercury....
"Get on your bikes and ride!"
I am 52 yrs of age. I recently began cycling....9 months ago. I weighed a whopping 24 stone. I ate crap all day long. Sat on the sofa after work. Watching TV. Playing PS4. Guzzling fizzy drinks by the litre. Chocolate bars. Biscuits, cakes. Little or no exercise. I was unfit. In agony. Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. High BP. Depression. Was taking a fistful of tablets every day to combat these problems....but never once thought about changing my lifestyle.
Until....
I was at work, could feel chest pains. Said nothing....as I work in the NHS and surrounded with nurses.
Went to A&E after work. Was admitted to hospital. Was basically told by a consultant that unless I change my life, I will be dead in 5 years. Even this didn't scare me enough....I know, ridiculous, isn't it?
So, on I went....eating, lazing about.
Until one day, a colleague who cycles - and had been on at me to go out with her - finally convinced me to give cycling a try. I dug my old Pagan MTB out the shed.....weighed about the same as a small car lol. Went over to the nature reserve, near where I stay......and struggled to go eben 1 mile. Any slight rise in the road killed me.
But, I kept at it. Bought a better bike, a Giant Aluxx hybrid. Went on the road. Managing 3 miles now before I collapsed. But, I kept going. the chance came along to buy a proper road bike. I did. Now, I am hooked.
This was 9 months ago. In that time, I have lost 4 stone. Can cycle for 40 miles now without a stop. Not fast, just at my own pace....avg 14mph. Wearing lycra - which I said I would never do! I have changed my life totally. I eat healthier. Don't sit in front of TV anywhere near as much as I did. Cut out the fizzy drinks, chocolate, cakes and all. Have a treat now and again. I still want to drop another 4 stone. I will do it!!!
No, cycling is not enough....but it is a good place to start. Without it, I wouldn't be in the place I am just now.
I did try jogging, walking and the gym....found that all very tedious. Not so with cycling. I have met many new friends, who encourage me. See the world in a different way....
So to quote the great Freddie Mercury....
"Get on your bikes and ride!"
Keep it up, but be aware the body has a way of adjusting to changes. And, great that you cut back on the colas and sweets, but be aware, the body is sneaky, and you could find yourself back where you started if you aren't careful.
03-27-18, 07:28 AM
#53
Senior Member
Congratulations on making some healthy changes. But I am speaking as someone who made the same changes as you 5 or 6 years ago. And I, too, lost some weight and got healthier. And eventually, the body adapted and I found myself in about the same place this year as I was last year. healthier than I was, but still overweight.
Keep it up, but be aware the body has a way of adjusting to changes. And, great that you cut back on the colas and sweets, but be aware, the body is sneaky, and you could find yourself back where you started if you aren't careful.
Keep it up, but be aware the body has a way of adjusting to changes. And, great that you cut back on the colas and sweets, but be aware, the body is sneaky, and you could find yourself back where you started if you aren't careful.
I am very vigilant regarding my health....and my cycling. Recently I have begun to introduce more hills and climbing in to the routes I go. Also, do more physical activities like Yoga, stretching and meditation....I do sit ups, planks and lunges.
I am aware of how the body gets used to one type of activity. I do have a plan in my head of how I will progress. So far, I am on target.
I know that my health and weight is a long game. No short cuts. I know that I will always have to keep an eye on it for the rest of my life.
I treat it like an addiction. I live for today
. I look no further than today - albeit I do have a plan in mind. But, I know that things can change quickly and get out of hand - then I am back at square one!I am in this for the long haul.....I Have 52 yrs of bad habits to break....
03-27-18, 07:36 AM
#54
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: DFW
Posts: 4,126
Bikes: Steel 1x's
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 632 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Now I don't typically carry or eat anything and I don't have that up and down energy level during rides. It just stays consistent throughout. If I do a longer or harder ride, I might carry a small sleeve of sunflower seeds but many times I get back and haven't eaten them.
Making the change from sugar burner to fat burner was tough initially as I had a few bad rides, but after a couple of months I was able to ride without needing sugar for fuel anymore.
03-27-18, 07:49 AM
#55
☢
It was an interesting change. Before going keto, I had to "fuel" my rides meaning I had to carry Clif bars or gel packs that I had to ingest periodically to get me down the road when my sugar levels would drop.
Now I don't typically carry or eat anything and I don't have that up and down energy level during rides. It just stays consistent throughout. If I do a longer or harder ride, I might carry a small sleeve of sunflower seeds but many times I get back and haven't eaten them.
Making the change from sugar burner to fat burner was tough initially as I had a few bad rides, but after a couple of months I was able to ride without needing sugar for fuel anymore.
Now I don't typically carry or eat anything and I don't have that up and down energy level during rides. It just stays consistent throughout. If I do a longer or harder ride, I might carry a small sleeve of sunflower seeds but many times I get back and haven't eaten them.
Making the change from sugar burner to fat burner was tough initially as I had a few bad rides, but after a couple of months I was able to ride without needing sugar for fuel anymore.
Last edited by KraneXL; 03-27-18 at 07:52 AM.
03-27-18, 07:51 AM
#56
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: DFW
Posts: 4,126
Bikes: Steel 1x's
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 632 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Actually, I do know a bit about the ketogenic diet (although I'm no expert), and I can agree that's a great diet for losing weight for many. However, it is not an efficient substitute for producing energy to fuel an aerobic activity such as cycling. Carbs, when used as fuel are your body's most efficient macro nutrient for high-intensity energy conversion.
03-27-18, 08:34 AM
#57
Señor Member
Hmm. That is interesting. I have typically tried to do carbs with a mix of some protein and fat. so, some toast with peanut butter, or a scrambled egg before the ride, and something like a Cliff bar during the ride, if the ride is 3 hours or longer.
So, when you go out for a long ride, what do you stuff in your jersey pockets? Sausages? Fried chicken? Peanut butter? The thought of chowing down on high fat, or high protein without carbs in the middle of a long ride is kind of gross. Wondering how you made the transition.
So, when you go out for a long ride, what do you stuff in your jersey pockets? Sausages? Fried chicken? Peanut butter? The thought of chowing down on high fat, or high protein without carbs in the middle of a long ride is kind of gross. Wondering how you made the transition.
For short rides, I only drink water. For longer rides - especially in the summer when I sweat more, I drink some sort of brew that contains both elecrolytes and some amount of carbs.
04-16-18, 05:59 PM
#58
Banned.
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 821
Bikes: Wahoo of Theseus, others
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 428 Post(s)
Liked 67 Times
in
46 Posts
Heart disease is largely genetic and so is blood pressure. There is nothing that is "enough" if you are predisposed to it.
Cardio workout is helpful for heart health but that is not the same as a cure for heart disease which has many factors.
Cycling can be useful for cardio workout but the way most people do it it is completely worthless for that purpose. Cardio workout needs to have very intense heart rate elevation for moderate periods to have a strong effect.
So that is why my other idea for a thread was kind of dumb. You can't really talk about cycling for blood pressure or heart disease, especially not in terms of distance. You can talk about it for cardio workout but to really get a good idea of how you are doing then you most likely have to get a heart rate monitor and time out your rides. And even then when you are sure you are getting optimal cardio workouts, you may get very little BP change, or very great BP change all depending on what is going on in your body. And BP itself does not guarantee a healthy heart either, though it will for people who don't have some underlying heart issue.
Cardio workout is helpful for heart health but that is not the same as a cure for heart disease which has many factors.
Cycling can be useful for cardio workout but the way most people do it it is completely worthless for that purpose. Cardio workout needs to have very intense heart rate elevation for moderate periods to have a strong effect.
So that is why my other idea for a thread was kind of dumb. You can't really talk about cycling for blood pressure or heart disease, especially not in terms of distance. You can talk about it for cardio workout but to really get a good idea of how you are doing then you most likely have to get a heart rate monitor and time out your rides. And even then when you are sure you are getting optimal cardio workouts, you may get very little BP change, or very great BP change all depending on what is going on in your body. And BP itself does not guarantee a healthy heart either, though it will for people who don't have some underlying heart issue.
04-17-18, 09:24 AM
#59
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: northern Deep South
Posts: 8,901
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2604 Post(s)
Liked 1,928 Times
in
1,210 Posts
This defeatist attitude is incorrect and dangerous. There are roughly ten risk factors for heart disease and high blood pressure (see https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/edu...sk-factors.htm or Know Your Risk Factors for High Blood Pressure for instance).
Sure, there are some risk factors you can't control -- age, sex, gender, and your parents, for instance. But there's a lot more that can be controlled, although I'll be the first to admit it isn't easy. Change your diet is the big one that drives many other changes, and work with your doctor is the other major change. Control your diabetes, control your blood pressure (although losing weight - aka changing diet - helps both of these), start taking statins if you need them.
Are there outliers? Yes. But outliers are far less common in the population than they are on online fora. No one who hasn't been working conscientiously with a doctor for a good long while should give up before he or she starts. There's probably less than 10% of the population who can't control diabetes, blood pressure, or lipid profile through diet, exercise, and medication -- heck, probably less than 5%. Most people look at what's needed, decide it's too much trouble, and just hope cardiovascular trouble won't hit them.
