Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Fifty Plus (50+)
Reload this Page >

How do you stay trim & fit?

Notices
Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

How do you stay trim & fit?

Old 03-19-19, 08:56 AM
  #26  
Planemaker
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Wichita, KS.
Posts: 861
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 167 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times in 5 Posts
I fijnd that unless you use a heart rate monitor, the calories burned calculation from fitness devices and phone apps way overstate calories burned. I found at times my post ride snack exceeded my calories burned

Now I use MyFitnessPal and stick to my daily allotted calories anything I burn through exercise just adds to my weekly deficit.
Planemaker is offline  
Old 03-19-19, 09:35 AM
  #27  
Planemaker
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Wichita, KS.
Posts: 861
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 167 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times in 5 Posts
I fijnd that unless you use a heart rate monitor, the calories burned calculation from fitness devices and phone apps way overstate calories burned. I found at times my post ride snack exceeded my calories burned

Now I use MyFitnessPal and stick to my daily allotted calories anything I burn through exercise just adds to my weekly deficit.
Planemaker is offline  
Old 03-19-19, 09:50 AM
  #28  
davester
Senior Member
 
davester's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Berkeley CA
Posts: 2,531

Bikes: 1981 Ron Cooper, 1974 Cinelli Speciale Corsa, 2000 Gary Fisher Sugar 1, 1986 Miyata 710, 1982 Raleigh "International"

Mentioned: 97 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 926 Post(s)
Liked 1,281 Times in 482 Posts
Originally Posted by Planemaker
Now I use MyFitnessPal and stick to my daily allotted calories anything I burn through exercise just adds to my weekly deficit.
For short rides that may be OK, but if you're frequently riding 50-milers, centuries, etc (something I do every week) this doesn't work. You need extra calories to keep from bonking.

I do agree that the various apps are all over the map regarding calories burned. A major issue is that some include your baseline calorie expenditure (i.e. the calories burned just to keep you alive) rather than the excess calorie expenditure due to exercise. The LoseIt! app's exercise calorie estimator seems pretty conservative. I'm especially surprised at the low calorie count it gives for sexual activities.

Last edited by davester; 03-19-19 at 09:54 AM.
davester is offline  
Old 03-19-19, 09:57 AM
  #29  
Planemaker
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Wichita, KS.
Posts: 861
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 167 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times in 5 Posts
Originally Posted by davester
For short rides that may be OK, but if you're frequently riding 50-milers, centuries, etc (something I do every week) this doesn't work. You need extra calories to keep from bonking.

I do agree that the various apps are all over the map regarding calories burned. A major issue is that some include your baseline calorie expenditure (i.e. the calories burned just to keep you alive) rather than the excess calorie expenditure due to exercise. The LoseIt! app's exercise calorie estimator seems pretty conservative. I'm especially surprised at the low calorie count it gives for sexual activities.
Agreed, I do eat during long rides and count those calories. I just don't go on an eating binge after a long ride.
Planemaker is offline  
Old 03-19-19, 01:54 PM
  #30  
OldTryGuy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SW Fl.
Posts: 5,604

Bikes: Day6 Semi Recumbent "FIREBALL", 1981 Custom Touring Paramount, 1983 Road Paramount, 2013 Giant Propel Advanced SL3, 2018 Specialized Red Roubaix Expert mech., 2002 Magna 7sp hybrid, 1976 Bassett Racing 45sp Cruiser

Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1063 Post(s)
Liked 771 Times in 499 Posts
Originally Posted by Planemaker
Agreed, I do eat during long rides and count those calories. I just don't go on an eating binge after a long ride.
I have NEVER counted calories (was 185lbs -- dropped to 150lbs) and simply added miles with greater intensity while eating healthier reducing sugars and processed foods. Actually ate more because of the greater intensity/miles requiring more fuel. More cycling means no denying.

Last edited by OldTryGuy; 03-19-19 at 02:46 PM.
OldTryGuy is online now  
Old 03-19-19, 03:45 PM
  #31  
canklecat
Me duelen las nalgas
 
canklecat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,522

Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel

Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4558 Post(s)
Liked 2,798 Times in 1,798 Posts
Originally Posted by downhillmaster

Another great way to eat right and stay healthy is to stop looking for excuses or blaming friends and family for your lack of willpower.
Unfortunately that is not popular these days.
Easier said than done. I had no problem putting distance between myself and some dysfunctional family members. But some folks can't do that, even when they'd be better off and healthier, physically and mentally, if they moved completely out of the region.

I've watched as each successive generation of some family branches have become more and more dysfunctional and codependent. In some ways the worse they make each other's lives, the closer they get. Some of them may even be aware that being too close to dysfunctional family isn't good for them. But it's hard to modify that conditioned programming that begins at birth. I suppose when their world looks like $h1t and they've lost everything, even dysfunctional family beats the alternatives.
canklecat is offline  
Old 03-19-19, 08:03 PM
  #32  
Barrettscv 
Have bike, will travel
 
Barrettscv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Lake Geneva, WI
Posts: 12,392

Bikes: Ridley Helium SLX, Canyon Endurance SL, De Rosa Professional, Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra, Schwinn Paramount (1 painted, 1 chrome), Peugeot PX10, Serotta Nova X, Simoncini Cyclocross Special, Raleigh Roker, Pedal Force CG2 and CX2

Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 910 Post(s)
Liked 288 Times in 158 Posts
Originally Posted by downhillmaster

Another great way to eat right and stay healthy is to stop looking for excuses or blaming friends and family for your lack of willpower.
Unfortunately that is not popular these days.
Being overweight is not due to a lack of willpower.
Being overweight is not due to a lack of character.


Last edited by Barrettscv; 03-19-19 at 08:12 PM.
Barrettscv is offline  
Old 03-19-19, 08:14 PM
  #33  
FrenchFit 
The Left Coast, USA
 
FrenchFit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,757

Bikes: Bulls, Bianchi, Koga, Trek, Miyata

Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 361 Post(s)
Liked 25 Times in 18 Posts
Originally Posted by caloso
Eat more fat. (Seriously.)
This.

Become fat adapted, cut out the carbs & sugars, choose endurance exercises. The pounds will fall off.
__________________
There is more to life than simply increasing its speed. - Gandhi
FrenchFit is offline  
Old 03-19-19, 09:01 PM
  #34  
gregf83 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 9,201
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1186 Post(s)
Liked 289 Times in 177 Posts
Originally Posted by OldTryGuy
More cycling means no denying.
+1 I find it much easier to ride consistently and eat what I want rather than starving myself trying to live on 2000 Cals/day. Commuting a couple hours/day allows me to spread an extra 1400-1500 Cals on whatever I want.
gregf83 is offline  
Old 03-19-19, 11:08 PM
  #35  
Doohickie
You gonna eat that?
 
Doohickie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty
Posts: 14,723

Bikes: 1966 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist, 1973 Schwinn Varsity, 1983 Raleigh Marathon, 1994 Nishiki Sport XRS

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 164 Post(s)
Liked 67 Times in 44 Posts
Originally Posted by thehammerdog
How do you stay trim & fit?
I don't.
__________________
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.


Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
Doohickie is offline  
Old 03-19-19, 11:57 PM
  #36  
Hondo Gravel
Life Feeds On Life
 
Hondo Gravel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Hondo,Texas
Posts: 2,143

Bikes: Too many Motobecanes

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4385 Post(s)
Liked 4,496 Times in 3,008 Posts
Just think about this if you wanna famished models to me are not attractive. Women that my have 1/2 inch or so called fat on their hides and bicycle and lifting weights are the most attractive. They eat and they train and the nutrients they consume are needed to build a strong and attractive woman not a famished anorexic unhealthy model type. Just my my humble opinion young women should inspire to be strong and athletic not skinny and sick.
Hondo Gravel is online now  
Old 03-20-19, 11:25 AM
  #37  
fietsbob
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,598

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,354 Times in 861 Posts
Nope , hit 45 and my genetic heritage began kicking in..
fietsbob is offline  
Old 03-22-19, 08:20 PM
  #38  
Alfster 
long time visiter
 
Alfster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: in the Northern Tundra
Posts: 654

Bikes: 2005 Trek 6700 disc 2007 Orbea Onix 2009 Raleigh One Way

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 33 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
I've tried the calorie counting apps in the past. I'm not disciplined enough to constantly record each meal, so it didn't work for me. In November of last year I finally decided to get back into shape after years of being 60 lbs overweight. So far I've lost about 45 lbs. I have made choices that hopefully will be life-long habits ... such as drinking mostly water through the day, don't drink any pop or other sugar-laden drinks, eat mostly whole-foods (rediscovered my love for grapefruit), eat about 1/2 the amount of meat that I used to ... substituting more beans and other veggies, and use smaller size dinner plates for better portion control. Along with the food changes, I also have been exercising 6 days a week at home. I do a mixture of cardio (mostly indoor bike trainer until the snow melts), weights and mix in the occasional 'fitness blender' workout. My workout sessions range from 40 to 60 minutes. This was the hardest part to adapt into my lifestyle. When I get home from work I'm fairly burnt out. I have a relatively stressful job. I used to get home and just sack out on the couch. Now I have energy left in the evenings to squeeze in my workouts before sacking out on the couch
Alfster is offline  
Old 03-22-19, 10:10 PM
  #39  
trad
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 12
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Things that help me.... 1) stop snacking at night (major weakness for me) ; 2) go on long rides a few times a month - 4hr + rides that go past glycogen stores and burn a bit of fat/love handles; 3) occasional morning rides w/o breakfast (again use a bit of my love handle based energy store)
trad is offline  
Old 03-22-19, 10:16 PM
  #40  
trad
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 12
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Things that help me.... 1) stop snacking at night (major weakness for me) ; 2) go on long rides a few times a month - 4hr + rides that go past glycogen stores and burn a bit of fat/love handles; 3) occasional morning rides w/o breakfast (again use a bit of my love handle based energy store)
trad is offline  
Old 03-22-19, 10:32 PM
  #41  
downtube42
Senior Member
 
downtube42's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 3,802

Bikes: Trek Domane SL6 Gen 3, Soma Fog Cutter, Focus Mares AL, Detroit Bikes Sparrow FG, Volae Team, Nimbus MUni

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 878 Post(s)
Liked 2,019 Times in 1,055 Posts
Stay fit by not having a car, and cycling and/or walking a lot. Also randonneuring, sport rides, unicycling, hiking, and doing a bit of indoor training in the winter.

Trim is relative. 200 lbs at 6'2" is trim in the good old U.S.A.
downtube42 is offline  
Old 03-23-19, 02:58 PM
  #42  
IronM
Full Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Cumming GA
Posts: 201

Bikes: Fuji Transonic, Ridley Excalibur, Foundry Overland, Niner EMD

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 40 Post(s)
Liked 24 Times in 16 Posts
Originally Posted by trad
Things that help me.... 1) stop snacking at night (major weakness for me) ; 2) go on long rides a few times a month - 4hr + rides that go past glycogen stores and burn a bit of fat/love handles; 3) occasional morning rides w/o breakfast (again use a bit of my love handle based energy store)
I probably shouldn't admit this; but after I got dropped this AM from the group ride, i settled into a long (4.5 hrs) fat-burning endurance ride. As I usually do on a ride, I was coming up with ideas to call the ride Strava. I was tempted to quote an almost Elvis lyric "I'm just a lump, a-lump, of burning fat"
IronM is offline  
Old 03-24-19, 05:26 PM
  #43  
jackb
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Missoula, Montana
Posts: 689

Bikes: Trek Domane SL5, Trek Checkpoint SL5, Cannndale Trail SE 4, Specialized Langster

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 157 Post(s)
Liked 128 Times in 69 Posts
I watch don't eat too much, and I exercise regularly, but only walking, cycling, and skiing. I drink plenty of wine, whiskey and beer. Never count calories or avoid any particular foods.
jackb is offline  
Old 03-28-19, 03:19 PM
  #44  
Biker395 
Seat Sniffer
 
Biker395's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SoCal
Posts: 5,615

Bikes: Serotta Legend Ti; 2006 Schwinn Fastback Pro and 1996 Colnago Decor Super C96; 2003 Univega Alpina 700; 2000 Schwinn Super Sport

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 937 Post(s)
Liked 1,966 Times in 561 Posts
I'm lucky in that my weight stabilizes to a reasonable value without too much effort. I'm unlucky because that value, while reasonable, is about 10 pounds more than I would like. Here is what works for me when trying to lose weight.

1. Get a calorie counter and use it (e.g. MyFitnessPal). I think half the value of the app is that it is such a PITA to enter some food, I forego eating the food instead.
2. Eat healthy low cal stuff (broccoli, oatmeal, and the like) and eat as much as you like.
3. Stay away from food that tastes too good (that way you eat when you are hungry and only enough to get rid of the hunger ... no cheese on that broccoli and no nuts, fruit and sugar on that oatmeal).
4. Exercise frequently.
5. Weigh yourself daily.
__________________
Proud parent of a happy inner child ...

Biker395 is offline  
Old 03-28-19, 03:27 PM
  #45  
caloso
Senior Member
 
caloso's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865

Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur

Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times in 1,417 Posts
Originally Posted by Biker395
I'm lucky in that my weight stabilizes to a reasonable value without too much effort. I'm unlucky because that value, while reasonable, is about 10 pounds more than I would like. Here is what works for me when trying to lose weight.

1. Get a calorie counter and use it (e.g. MyFitnessPal). I think half the value of the app is that it is such a PITA to enter some food, I forego eating the food instead.
2. Eat healthy low cal stuff (broccoli, oatmeal, and the like) and eat as much as you like.
3. Stay away from food that tastes too good (that way you eat when you are hungry and only enough to get rid of the hunger ... no cheese on that broccoli and no nuts, fruit and sugar on that oatmeal).
4. Exercise frequently.
5. Weigh yourself daily.
I could have written this word for word.
caloso is offline  
Old 03-29-19, 10:33 PM
  #46  
Xyrium
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 35
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I have a 4 yo at age 49. That pretty much does it....though he could probably pass me on an incline.
Xyrium is offline  
Old 03-30-19, 07:38 AM
  #47  
woodcraft
Senior Member
 
woodcraft's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 6,016
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1814 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 923 Times in 569 Posts
Having a thin father has worked well for me...
woodcraft is offline  
Old 03-31-19, 12:03 PM
  #48  
noglider 
aka Tom Reingold
 
noglider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,691

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Mentioned: 510 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7287 Post(s)
Liked 2,361 Times in 1,380 Posts
How do stay trim and fit? I don't know. I've pretty much been at my ideal weight my whole life. So go ahead and hate me. Maybe I unconsciously developed a calorie counter.

A few years ago, I weighed 178, and I felt my ideal weight was 168. So I cut back on sugar and other junk food. I didn't cut anything out, I just cut back. I realized that high calorie food that has good nutritional value was a good thing, so I ate as much of it as I wanted. When eating good food such as meat, vegetables and nuts, I ate until I was full. Doing this controls cravings for junk food!

Rather than losing 10 pounds, I lost 25 pounds! I didn't know I had 25 pounds to lose. I was 55 years old and back to my college weight. Some folks told me I looked too thin. Since then, I've gained most of that weight back, so I'm at 169 pounds and 58 years old, and I'm content with that. This way I have a little reserve for whatever.

I do ride a bike a fair bit, about 2,700 miles last year. I do a little bit of weight lifting, very little. I am aiming to do more, because I don't do it enough.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
noglider is offline  
Old 04-01-19, 07:30 AM
  #49  
NomarsGirl
Senior Member
 
NomarsGirl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Easton, MA
Posts: 632

Bikes: Specialized Ruby Sport

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 318 Post(s)
Liked 314 Times in 165 Posts
I'm working on it. I know I can improve my diet, but I just don't like most vegetables. I'm eating more of the ones I do like, such as green beans. I have cut out the snacking at night - oddly by taking up knitting. I'm not going to munch on potato chips and get my nice yarn all greasy. And I get nice hats, mittens and socks out of the deal! That actually kicked off my weight loss.

Then I started riding my husband's old bike that was just getting dusty in the garage. I was getting much stronger and I lost more weight. I'm down about 40 pounds from my heaviest. (I joke that I finally lost the baby weight and the baby is only 23!) I just rewarded myself with a nice new road bike. She's fun to ride, so I know I will ride even more. I've been hungry non-stop since I got back to riding again after a long winter, but I'm trying to keep that under control and just eat real food.
NomarsGirl is offline  
Old 04-01-19, 09:12 AM
  #50  
MinnMan
Senior Member
 
MinnMan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 5,734

Bikes: 2022 Salsa Beargrease Carbon Deore 11, 2020 Salsa Warbird GRX 600, 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX disc 9.0 Di2, 2020 Catrike Eola, 2016 Masi cxgr, 2011, Felt F3 Ltd, 2010 Trek 2.1, 2009 KHS Flite 220

Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4260 Post(s)
Liked 2,936 Times in 1,810 Posts
The OP now has enough advice to be thoroughly confused, so probably I'm not helping here, but here goes....

The OP didn't say how much he rides and how frequently. I ride about 7000 miles/year and I do not have a problem with my weight. I keep an eye on what I eat, and I try to avoid certain things (high calorie processed foods, taking in too many calories in fluids such as juices, sweetened coffee beverages, etc.), but for the most part, I eat quite a lot. (Also, I try to keep my real weaknesses out of the house - I can easily down huge quantities of chips and salsa and also ice cream, so I seldom allow myself to buy them.)

Of the people I know who ride comparatively high mileage, very few have weight problems. 2000-3000 miles a year may contribute a lot to overall health and to weight management, but I know plenty of people who ride that kind of intermediate distance and still are above their ideal weight. It may not work for everybody, but high mileage works for me and I think, for most people.

And I do it because I love riding, not because I want to stay thin. So I don't recommend it unless it's what you want to do anyway.

Last edited by MinnMan; 04-01-19 at 09:17 AM.
MinnMan is online now  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.