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Cycling Is A Poor Form of Exercise :-(

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Cycling Is A Poor Form of Exercise :-(

Old 09-23-20, 04:23 PM
  #76  
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
I love me a set of over/under eating intervals.

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Old 09-23-20, 04:32 PM
  #77  
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Originally Posted by genejockey
Because milkshakes are insufficiently decadent?
Large Choc Cake Shake -

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Old 09-23-20, 04:46 PM
  #78  
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Originally Posted by wolfchild
Nope, this has nothing to do with luck.
Careful selection of grandparents.
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Old 09-23-20, 05:40 PM
  #79  
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
Large Choc Cake Shake -

Good lord!
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Old 09-23-20, 05:52 PM
  #80  
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Originally Posted by djcookie
I've gone to two local meetups with road cycling clubs. One was a social meet up, and the members seemed far more fit than the average person of their ages (most were older). At the second meet, everyone was ready for a ride in their gear. I was shocked by their appearance. In full lycra kit, they had comically oversized pot bellies, but with skinny noodly arms and legs.

Basically, cycling is just sitting. It is not weight bearing. Your bones become weaker as you sweat away minerals over long miles. Your muscles and bones don't become any stronger because they don't have to bear any weight. As a matter of fact, any additional weight is a liability, so additional muscle mass only penalizes you on climbs.

Even when I was riding many miles a week, I never lost any significant weight. In the past couple of weeks, I've been walking and hiking instead. I've lost more weight in these past couple of weeks than I did when I was riding upwards of 200 miles a week cycling!

Cycling for me is more about fun and recreation rather than "physical fitness." You become fit when you become stronger, and cycling may actually lead to the opposite.

Much of what your saying it correct. I see many 'bikies' my age exactly as your describe.. noodly is right on. I am going somewhat that direction now given the this COVID era w gym visits off limits since March. Some strength work.. the resistance machines for me makes huge impact. Loosing muscle mass now.. and away from my better program which is carb limitation.

CYCLING is another arena IMO. Cardio numbers.. much less internal body inflammation.. total program.

Like any endeavor.. the many play at a game.. the few take it seriously.
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Old 09-23-20, 05:56 PM
  #81  
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Dude, the Quad muscles in your thigh are the LARGEST muscle group in your body. Use them, and you'll use the most energy. Simple bio-mechanics!

Cycling is also one of the two BEST zero-impact forms of exercise on the joints -- the other is swimming!

/donewithtroll...
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Old 09-23-20, 06:06 PM
  #82  
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
Large Choc Cake Shake -

Calories are not the problem here....It's the ingredients and the macronutrients that make those calories that are a problem. If those 1490 calories were from whole food and the macronutrients were more balanced it would be perfect.
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Old 09-23-20, 06:15 PM
  #83  
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Originally Posted by wolfchild
Calories are not the problem here....It's the ingredients and the macronutrients that make those calories that are a problem. If those 1490 calories were from whole food and the macronutrients were more balanced it would be perfect.
It takes a number of leaps for this concoction to be anything resembling "perfect," so why even go there?
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Old 09-23-20, 06:23 PM
  #84  
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Originally Posted by wolfchild
Calories are not the problem here....It's the ingredients and the macronutrients that make those calories that are a problem. If those 1490 calories were from whole food and the macronutrients were more balanced it would be perfect.
But then it would taste like crap, and you wouldn't eat it, which I guess would prevent you overeating.
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Old 09-23-20, 06:37 PM
  #85  
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Originally Posted by bcpriess
It's great exercise as long as you maintain speeds that offer resistance and include hills and hard sprints. Doing singletrack will also help with upper body.

I am a beer gut guy, (hell, look at my avatar!) in "pretty damned good" shape, despite the gut. I never, ever sprint, but I ALWAYS search for at least 2 brutal climbs per 60 mile ride. It's a great workout. Really my only form of exercise these days.
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Old 09-23-20, 06:50 PM
  #86  
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Originally Posted by wolfchild
Nope, this has nothing to do with luck.

Keep telling yourself that.
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Old 09-23-20, 06:56 PM
  #87  
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Originally Posted by wolfchild
Calories are not the problem here....It's the ingredients and the macronutrients that make those calories that are a problem. If those 1490 calories were from whole food and the macronutrients were more balanced it would be perfect.
If my dog was a bird he could sit up and fly.

That number of calories in a dessert is a bit problematic as it's unlikely to be the only thing consumed at that meal.
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Old 09-23-20, 07:00 PM
  #88  
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Originally Posted by genejockey
But then it would taste like crap, and you wouldn't eat it, which I guess would prevent you overeating.

For the life of me, I can't even imagine what would be in a whole food chocolate cake shake.
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Old 09-23-20, 07:05 PM
  #89  
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Originally Posted by djcookie
I've gone to two local meetups with road cycling clubs. One was a social meet up, and the members seemed far more fit than the average person of their ages (most were older). At the second meet, everyone was ready for a ride in their gear. I was shocked by their appearance. In full lycra kit, they had comically oversized pot bellies, but with skinny noodly arms and legs.

Basically, cycling is just sitting. It is not weight bearing. Your bones become weaker as you sweat away minerals over long miles. Your muscles and bones don't become any stronger because they don't have to bear any weight. As a matter of fact, any additional weight is a liability, so additional muscle mass only penalizes you on climbs.

Even when I was riding many miles a week, I never lost any significant weight. In the past couple of weeks, I've been walking and hiking instead. I've lost more weight in these past couple of weeks than I did when I was riding upwards of 200 miles a week cycling!

Cycling for me is more about fun and recreation rather than "physical fitness." You become fit when you become stronger, and cycling may actually lead to the opposite.
I pretty much agree with all points you made and I've been a dedicated cyclist for over 25 years. Cycling certainly isn't a weight-bearing exercise which means you can potentially do it into your old age, but that also means you had better be doing some other exercises that are weight-bearing to keep your bones strong.

I also agree about the flabby / skinny upper body... however, running, hiking, skiing and probably a whole host of other sports don't help that either. I tried swimming for a while and that helped even-out my physique, but the chlorine killed my skin. I now do regular stretching and body-weight exercises which have actually helped my cycling quite a bit.

If you're not losing weight cycling, I'm going to venture to guess it's not the cycling... it's your diet or you're not riding any where near as hard as I do (You can coast on a bike and consume zero calories if you allow yourself to). Your body has inputs (calories) and outputs (burned calories)... if your inputs exceed your outputs, it doesn't matter what exercise you do, you won't lose weight.
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Old 09-23-20, 07:14 PM
  #90  
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Originally Posted by Dirt Farmer
I am a beer gut guy, (hell, look at my avatar!) in "pretty damned good" shape, despite the gut. I never, ever sprint, but I ALWAYS search for at least 2 brutal climbs per 60 mile ride. It's a great workout. Really my only form of exercise these days.
I prefer to call my 'bratwurst and beer' gut my 'aerobelly', thankyouverymuch... And I was born a Cheesehead in FdL
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Old 09-23-20, 07:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Cougrrcj
I prefer to call my 'bratwurst and beer' gut my 'aerobelly', thankyouverymuch... And I was born a Cheesehead in FdL
Mine has been called a "Milwaukee Tumor" on occasion!
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Old 09-24-20, 12:33 AM
  #92  
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Some of those potbellied MAMILs kick my butt on group rides. Partly because some are former serious amateur and pro athletes, gifted with natural abilities and years of conditioning. Mostly because they're about 10 or more years younger than I.

I'm 5'11", 150 lbs, very fit, and at age 62 it doesn't give me any bonus points against those MAMILs. And some MAWILs who are also often a bit faster than I am.
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Old 09-24-20, 05:05 AM
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Originally Posted by unterhausen
I never quite understood how cycling can be considered not to be weight-bearing. Sure, nothing in your upper body gets much of a workout.
Doesn't balancing on a bike strengthen your core?
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Old 09-24-20, 07:34 AM
  #94  
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Originally Posted by genejockey
Good lord!
But, with 1,200% of the RDA if Vitamin C, you’ll never get scurvy.
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Old 09-24-20, 07:42 AM
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Here’s the nutrition menu for the Cheesecake Factory:

https://www.thecheesecakefactory.com...onal_Guide.pdf
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Old 09-24-20, 08:19 AM
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Originally Posted by genejockey
Definitely NOT a double bacon cheeseburger with large onion rings and a milkshake, followed by a big slice of cake with ice cream, then?
Well, in my case it usually would be.

I think it was more about carbohydrates rather than calories. 80 grams is the number that comes to mind, less in subsequent hours.
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Old 09-24-20, 08:28 AM
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
But, with 1,200% of the RDA if Vitamin C, you’ll never get scurvy.

I gotta think that's a typo. What in a chocolate cake shake even has vitamin C?
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Old 09-24-20, 08:33 AM
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I might look at it from the opposite direction: Suppose someone has a big belly and spindly limbs, and wants to get into exercising. Well, a high impact activity like running might be too much cardio all at once, plus their weight compounds the impact. And if they've been heavy for a long time, they might have joint problems at some level, or at least be prone to injury. Also, if you're a male over 40, your ability to build muscle diminishes with every passing year, so you have to choose your battles wisely. A few more ounces of muscle at the expense of damaging your joints might not be the best bargain.

So it comes down to, how about maybe... cycling?

Plus, cycling is pleasant. If you're not primarily motivated by the pleasure of cycling, then it's a pretty tough slog. But it could be an acquired taste, so don't give up too quickly.

Last edited by Gresp15C; 09-24-20 at 08:36 AM.
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Old 09-24-20, 09:06 AM
  #99  
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Originally Posted by Gresp15C
I might look at it from the opposite direction: Suppose someone has a big belly and spindly limbs, and wants to get into exercising. Well, a high impact activity like running might be too much cardio all at once, plus their weight compounds the impact. And if they've been heavy for a long time, they might have joint problems at some level, or at least be prone to injury. Also, if you're a male over 40, your ability to build muscle diminishes with every passing year, so you have to choose your battles wisely. A few more ounces of muscle at the expense of damaging your joints might not be the best bargain.

So it comes down to, how about maybe... cycling?

Plus, cycling is pleasant. If you're not primarily motivated by the pleasure of cycling, then it's a pretty tough slog. But it could be an acquired taste, so don't give up too quickly.
Like I explained to my son, the scenery changes at the right rate.
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Old 09-24-20, 09:07 AM
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Originally Posted by livedarklions
I gotta think that's a typo. What in a chocolate cake shake even has vitamin C?
I was wondering about that myself. Chocolate has only traces of Vitamin C. However, Vitamin C is added to some foods to ****** oxidation and browning. Maybe that explains it.
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