How cycling changes your body

[Alisha]

So...Ive gained some weight. By some, I mean about 25 pounds. I went back to college after a two year hiatus and holy crap. But seriously, how does cycling change the body? Its a cardiovascular exercise, so to burns calories...but does that mean I will be all leg and no muscle anywhere else? Does it mean Ill lose weight everywhere (the good parts and bad?). I do some occasional cycling around town, but I want to start going the distance. Let me know what you guys have experienced if you do rides 50+ miles.

[MCAP]

I've lost size all over, have gained muscle in my legs, core, back, and arms, have gained lung capacity, and made my heart stronger. Road cycling is awesome exercise and makes me feel like I can rule the world.

[GLC1968]

I started cycling almost 6 years ago now and in the first 4 years, did nothing but gain weight. I fell so in love with cycling that I dropped all my other activies in favor of it (weight lifting, other cardio, etc) and managed to gain 30 lbs in the first three years.

Just be warned that 1) you cannot out ride what you can eat and 2) multi hour rides do not justify multi-hour meals! ;)

[limewave]

Just be warned that 1) you cannot out ride what you can eat and 2) multi hour rides do not justify multi-hour meals! ;)

So true! I started biking 7 years ago. And gained 50 pounds (there were two kids and 2 major surgeries in there too).

And now that I've lost all that weight, the comment I get most is "wow! you must have a strict workout routine!" But my workout routine hasn't really changed all that much, just my diet :) No one likes to hear that though.

[indysteel]

As others have suggested, cycling can only do so much for you if you're unwilling to modify your diet. Endurance activities are tough in that you generally have to eat something before and during in order to fuel them. Plus, they tend to enhance your appetite. So, finding that balance can be tricky for some. I, personally, have mostly maintained my weight through cycling and my other activities. I've lost a few (and gained a few) pounds, but that's about it. I am absolutely ravenous most of the time when I up my mileage. From that standpoint, I actually think shorter, more intense rides are better for weight loss. Still, it's all about calories in versus calories out. There's no magic bullet.

I would strongly urge you to get engaged in a variety of activites in addition to cycling: walking (or running) hiking, kayaking, Pilates, yoga, strength training. Especially if you're worried about whole-body muscle development, it's good to balance cycling with other pursuits. Balance and flexibility are also important.

Good luck!

[limewave]

I will add, that I LOVE my legs now. Very muscular. And my hiney is getting smaller. I like the toned look that cycling and running helps to achieve.

[Becky]

I would strongly urge you to get engaged in a variety of activites in addition to cycling: walking (or running) hiking, kayaking, Pilates, yoga, strength training. Especially if you're worried about whole-body muscle development, it's good to balance cycling with other pursuits. Balance and flexibility are also important.



+1. I recently started yoga classes, and they're making me painfully aware of how unflexible I am and how weak my core is, despite being a dedicated cyclist (road and mountain). No wonder I deal with hip and knee injuries...

As for body changes: I'm the same size (more or less) that I was 10 years ago, but I weigh more due to increased muscle mass, and I think I look better. Healthier, stronger, more fit.... It's all a good thing in my book :)

[tulip]

Perhaps an even more important question is, "How does cycling change your mind?"

I think most here would agree that we are happier when we ride our bikes. And that happiness extends to the rest of our lives when we are off our bikes. We are more relaxed and generally have a better attitude.

Wouldn't you agree, ladies?

[indysteel]

By the way, don't let the mere possibilty of weight gain deter you from getting on your bike or engaging in physical activity. Most of us, if not all, will readily admit that we feel and look better from biking regardless of what the scale says. For many of us, myself including, cycling instigated a whole host of changes for the better in our lives. From alleviating to depression to making new friends to seeing new parts of the world to meeting a significant other. It just opens up the world in so many ways. Trust me on this. I have few regrets in my life, but one of them is that I didn't start biking seriously until I was in my late 30s. I cringe when I think of all the time I wasted.

Edited to add: I didn't see Tulip's post until after I posted this. Yes, I agree wholeheartedly! :)

[PamNY]

I find that cycling gives me tremendous motivation to keep my whole body fit.

As far as weight gain, I eat more than I ever have in my life and lost ten pounds after I bought a bike. Cycling seems to normalize my appetite -- I find it easy to eat what I need. If I'm not burning much energy, I naturally eat less.

[ny biker]

Its a cardiovascular exercise, so to burns calories...but does that mean I will be all leg and no muscle anywhere else? Does it mean Ill lose weight everywhere (the good parts and bad?).

The answer in part is that it depends on your body type. I do not have huge leg muscles. When I lost weight I lost it from the top down, because I have a tendency towards being pear-shaped.

As others have mentioned, merely exercising was not enough for me, and I had to cut my food intake to see real weight loss. I never starved myself, though. I just stop eating when I start to feel full so that I don't overeat.

I stopped training for centuries because I was gaining weight. The really long rides made me very hungry for days, and also too tired to do any exercise for days. So now I generally limit my long rides to 40-50 mile rides, with a few 60ish-mile rides each summer. This way I'm able to remain consistently active instead of seesawing between huge bursts of activity and couch potatodom.

BTW, I highly recommend Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook. I really like her approach to eating for weight loss.

http://www.nancyclarkrd.com/books/sportsnutrition.asp


Also, I agree with indysteel's advice about the importance of a variety of activities for overall good health. But, you gotta start somewhere, and you have to find activities you enjoy if you're going to keep at it. So go ahead and start cycling, with some stretching on the side to help prevent injuries. Once you get into a routine you can look into other activities for whole-body fitness.

Good luck!

[Seajay]

+1. I recently started yoga classes, and they're making me painfully aware of how unflexible I am and how weak my core is, despite being a dedicated cyclist (road and mountain). No wonder I deal with hip and knee injuries...



Totally agree. Road cycling with no core development over many years had hurt the flexibility and strength in my core. I started having issues due to a weak core and very tight piriformis, adductor and psoas. Pilates worked best for me.

[Bike Writer]

Let me start with the fact that I don't do 50+ mile rides yet. In the 16 weeks I rode this summer I lost weight, about 20 pounds however my appearance changed more than 20 pounds. I'm more toned everywhere and dropped a full clothing size. During some weeks I would see the scale move up particularly after hard rides, only to move down below what it was previously after a day or two of recovery.

As others mention this is because of muscle gain which weighs more than fat. As Tulip mentioned the most important change was to my mind. As cycling progressed so did the desire to incorporate a healthier lifestyle into every aspect of my life.

I have more energy, eat better and more importantly I am satisfied after a normal sized meal. I began riding to benefit my arthritis and stiffness of joints. All of the side benefits are a BIG bonus. I have increased lung capacity, stamina, strength, endurance etc. I just can't say enough good things about how much better off I am since taking up biking again. I love my bike and more importantly I love me more too now.

[Catrin]

I learned how to ride a little over 11 months ago and this summer was riding like a mad woman :D Rode over 100 miles a week, got to where I was doing 50-60 mile rides and longer every weekend, which when combined with strength training and spinning classes I was doing a lot of work.

My body certainly has changed a great deal, in looks even more than the 55 pounds that I lost + something like 6 sizes in clothing - though that is hard to tell with the vanity sizing that is in so many stores. Even at the height of my long distance riding this summer when my weight became stable, I continued to loose body fat and toned. I have never had a butt in my life, but I do now :D Well.....it is still flat but it is TONED flat ;)

It is important to have a well rounded set of physical activities - good for the body and soul. Also important to make sure you work in appropriate rest and recover times :rolleyes:

In a nut-shell, you don't have to ride 500 miles a month to see improvement, what matters is consistency and being well rounded/balanced. Keep in mind that the longer you are on the bike, then you are going to build those leg muscles - love those leg muscles ;) However muscle weighs more than fat, so after a certain point I think it is better to pay attention to how clothes fit, not what the scale says.

Just my 2 cents worth, I've only been riding for a season that ended early due to over-use injuries - but you have found a website where there are a large number of very wise women with a lot of experience.

[malkin]

Perhaps an even more important question is, "How does cycling change your mind?"

I think most here would agree that we are happier when we ride our bikes. And that happiness extends to the rest of our lives when we are off our bikes. We are more relaxed and generally have a better attitude.

Wouldn't you agree, ladies?

Yes.

[bluebug32]

Cycling will do amazing things for your body (self esteem- and appearance- wise) over time. I started out as a mountain biker and got sucked into their post-ride beer culture right away. I definitely didn't lose weight until I started road biking. I quickly realized two things about weight gain. It's easy to consume too many calories through energy bars, gels, and drinks when you don't need them (rides less than 1.5 hours generally, except for extreme exertion or heat). I also added more protein into my diet, which helped stave off the constant hunger pangs.

[shootingstar]

It's easy to consume too many calories through energy bars, gels, and drinks when you don't need them (rides less than 1.5 hours generally, except for extreme exertion or heat).

Most definitely. After all these years of cycling, I still haven't had much energy bars, energy drinks nor gels. (never had the last one). This is another reason why I don't want to get hooked much the stuff and just stick to healthy, well-balanced foods.

As far as cycling benefitting one's psychological positive equilibrium, yes most definitely. It probably saved me abit..more than I realize. I was unemployed for quite awhile and could have easily slid into a serious funk if it weren't for cycling. Cycling for me enhances general self-discipline and sustains personal motivation, psychological endurance for many other areas of my life. Of course, it cannot be the only psychological uplifter, but even simple, short rides can contribute alot for overall well-being.

I credit cycling for keeping me slim, BUT I have made some major changes to my diet in last 4 yrs. due to need to keep my glucose /blood sugar levels normal. I believe it is the latter that is helping me from faster weight gain...cause I haven't cycled in past 4 weeks!! (snow, ice, etc.) I've just been walking alot.

[DarcyInOregon]

I stopped training for centuries because I was gaining weight. The really long rides made me very hungry for days, and also too tired to do any exercise for days. So now I generally limit my long rides to 40-50 mile rides, with a few 60ish-mile rides each summer. This way I'm able to remain consistently active instead of seesawing between huge bursts of activity and couch potatodom.

BTW, I highly recommend Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook. I really like her approach to eating for weight loss.

http://www.nancyclarkrd.com/books/sportsnutrition.asp



NY, thanks for the link.

What you were saying about training for the centuries being hard on the body weight, I agree with you. What you say makes sense. I was thinking along the same lines for my 2011 cycling goals, to back off on the miles and keep the long rides to 40-50, with a few charity metric rides, and focus on shorter rides with some having difficult climbs, and get in more diversity of cardio with other activities, along with the core/weight workouts. Some people have no problem with body weight in training for the distance rides, however for some of us the training does something to how our bodies can burn fat, and we end up stalling on the weight loss or perhaps gaining a bit. I want to take 2011 and see if backing off on the miles will enable me to get rid of the last few percentage points of excess body fat that I have.

However, I want to add to the discussion because the question was what does cycling do to our bodies, and what I was surprised to discover is how the cycling fitness translated over to other cardio activities for me, some good and some not-so-good. I guess the good is I found I can run, and if I don't mind going slow I can jog 10 miles and not even feel winded; this doesn't mean I am turning into a runner, just that I know I can run 10 miles to save my life if I had to do so. The bad is walking is no longer cardio for me, even hiking up steep mountains because it doesn't get my heart rate into the lowest cardio zone. The good is I can do amazing things on the elliptical at the gym, upper ramp levels only, resistance set higher, totally hands off the side rails and I can really go fast, for whatever it is worth. Essentially I love how cycling increased my fitness so that I am able to be good at other activities.

For the comments on the calories, especially the calories consumed while on the bike, I have seen some strange things. I've learned to keep my mouth shut because cycling friends don't want to be told not to eat. But OMG, cycling with someone who is already up 20 pounds, and who has to stop at every rural grocery store on the route, and then comes out with a big bag containing nothing but sodium and fat over 2000 calories per stop, when the entire ride is no more than a 2000 calorie ride, so the person is consuming 6,000 to 8,000 calories and only burning 2,000, oh boy but I have to zip my lip. For some people, honestly, they get it into their heads that they are burning calories while cycling and so they can just eat whatever they want to eat, and there won't be any consequences. Now me, I record every #### calorie I consume in a food diary and that helps a lot. It is real hard to keep the calories down and under control on the rest days and I can't do it unless I keep the food diary.

[Bike Chick]

Perhaps an even more important question is, "How does cycling change your mind?"

I think most here would agree that we are happier when we ride our bikes. And that happiness extends to the rest of our lives when we are off our bikes. We are more relaxed and generally have a better attitude.

Wouldn't you agree, ladies?

Absolutely!!! You definitely have to consider the WEEEEEEE factor! Even if I never lose a pound riding my bike, the enjoyment I get from riding is invigorating.

[Catrin]

Absolutely!!! You definitely have to consider the WEEEEEEE factor! Even if I never lose a pound riding my bike, the enjoyment I get from riding is invigorating.

+10000 on this - for me the WEEEEEE factor is key :) There is something so joyful about being out on my bike in the country enjoying the weather, hearing the sound of my tires on the pavement, and feeling my body chugging along on the bike. I feel alive and connected to the world around me, and I CANNOT obsess/focus on stressful things while on the bike.

I've other forms of stress relief, but none have the pure WEEEEEE factor that my bike has. It is amazing what this can do to one's budget though :o

[redrhodie]

After many years of of poor body image, dieting, being emaciated but feeling fat, cycling has been a godsend for me. I finally have a strong body that I feel great in. I eat. I love my body. I never thought I'd be able to write that. So, the transformation has been both physical and mental for me as well.

[Librarygirl]

Yes, I agree 110% with all the comments made here about the psychological and physical benefits of cycling! :D

I have always been prone to depression and anxiety, particularly during grey cloudy weather (which we have now despite it officially being the beginning of summer here in Australia! :( ) and cycling really helps with that. Once those endorphins get going, wow it is just such an excellent feeling - calm, centred, relaxed yet more awake than before! Plus I think that mastering bike handling skills and achieving goals like to ride a certain distance or to beat a personal time, is SO good for one's self esteem. I feel really good about myself after most bike rides.

On the physical side, I have lost about 5 kilos (not sure how many pounds this is...) in the last 6 months, since getting the stamina to start doing longer harder rides. Also, my leg and butt muscles rock (if I may be a little immodest :cool: ) and I feel so strong! I'm the happiest I've ever been with my body, I reckon! But I agree, it is a real danger to start thinking you can eat whatever you want. So hard limiting the eating damage after a long ride - usually right after I'm not so hungry, but the two days after, OMG get me away from the fridge!

To sum up, just over a year after getting into bike riding, I love it, am completely addicted and never want to give up the amazing benefits!
Go for it, you'll love it too I'm sure!

[smurfalicious]

It depends. Get yourself a heart rate monitor and use it if weight loss is your primary goal. At a certain your body switches from burning fat to burning carbs. There's no real way of knowing exactly where that is, but I'm sure you've seen things that talk about your "fat burning zones." There are tons of good articles on training with heart rate that will give you information and tests to do to gauge where that point is for you.

For me, I keep getting smaller but I don't lose weight. I'm more on the sprinter side of things so I'm probably bulkier than a lot girls and it's getting tricky to fit my thighs into pants, but not horribly. Depends on what your body tends to do. I started swimming again and WHAM! My man shoulders got out of control. That's just me. I also have hormonal imbalances that mean I have more testosterone than most women, which could be a factor.

As others have said, you do need to work your core and such separately, but most of the female cyclists I know how pretty cute figures. Even the so close to pro she can taste it racer friend I have doesn't look all massive. Now, if you wanna race track like Chris Hoy who is dead to me because he married someone who isn't me, you'll get big legs:

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/imageBank/c/Chris%20Hoy%20legs.jpg

[chicagogal]

I agree with everyone who said that it depends on body type, and how your body has historically responded to training.

I, for one, am tall/thin and can eat pretty much anything and not gain weight (please don't hate me). I do a huge amount of on the bike training including a mix of long rides (100+ miles) and short intense interval training sessions. During short sessions, I don't eat on the bike and rely on water for hydration. However, I try to eat right after my workout to replenish what fuel I used and to jump-start the recovery process. I am not trying to lose weight, however. Nonetheless, it is important to eat something right after a workout because it really does aid in recovery.

On long rides, I eat bars and gels and drink Gatorade. Even if you are trying to lose weight, it is important to stay on top nutrition on the bike, because if you don't, you run the risk of running out of glycogen stores and bonking - this is serious.

How has my body changed? I have lost some weight even though I try not to. My legs are super toned although not massive (my quads are pretty defined, however). My core is stronger, but my arms are like sticks.

Overall, I feel great. I feel strong and healthy, and this is the most important thing to me!

[Nessa]

I've been biking since the end of the summer. I had to take some breaks due to grandbabies being born, sickness, etc. I can tell you that it has made a difference in the way I look and feel about myself. I feel more fit. I have always worked out with weights and am continuing doing that. I haven't lost any wieght....just maintaining!

[Jiffer]

I seemed to lose inches all over. After a few years of cycling, a friend of mine says to me out of the blue, "So, how much weight have you lost?" I was a little puzzled. I had just recently lost a few pounds that I had previously slowly put on, but pretty much weighed the same that I had been for a few years. When I said a few pounds, she said, "No! You've lost way more than that! You've lost like ten pounds!" :rolleyes: I could hardly convince her otherwise, and couldn't believe she really thought I had lost ten pounds. I started thinking about it and realized that my clothes did fit looser and realized I might not have lost pounds, but had definitely lost inches. Among other areas, my butt was a noticeable difference.

As for toning up other areas, you'd think your arms wouldn't get much of a workout on a bike, but I did find that when I was in more serious training mode last summer, my arms were looking much more toned. Standing on the bike makes you use your arm muscles, for one. My husband rides a ton, races and climbs way more than any human should. His arms have continually developed more muscles and gotten stronger and leaner. He is pretty muscular all over just from riding. His gut is his only trouble spot, yet they say a stronger core makes you a better rider. But that means doing exercises off the bike, and that just doesn't happen for me!

[Jiffer]

By the way, I know a lot of female cyclists, and none of them have huge quads! Their bodies are proportionate. I think it depends some on your body type. Some people might bulk up more in some areas more than others, but even so, I still can't recall seeing a female cyclist with huge quads.

[Eden]

I know some female cyclists with big quads.... interestingly all of them came to cycling from skating sports - 2 did inline competitively and one did roller derby

[bluebug32]

I know some female cyclists with big quads.... interestingly all of them came to cycling from skating sports - 2 did inline competitively and one did roller derby

I bet they have trouble finding comfortable cycling shorts! I have muscular quads and many shorts are reeeally snug in the legs.

[Eden]

I bet they have trouble finding comfortable cycling shorts! I have muscular quads and many shorts are reeeally snug in the legs.

None of them are particularly petite overall.... I'd bet that they probably just order men's sizes

[Organic Goddess]

I've been riding for a year. I didn't drop a pound until I went more than once a week.
After I read 'Younger Next Year' I decided I wasn't doing myself any favors by riding just on weekends. So, I got out there, without my husband. And I loved it. The minute I did, I started loosing inches. A couple of months and my husband said 'Please don't hit me, but your butt doesn't jiggle as much as it used to'. He tends to ride behind me. Even I like the way my butt looks!
I don't have a scale. But all my clothes fit looser. I've lost a couple of inches off my legs, two in my waist and 2 around the bust. I probably had 25 lbs of jiggly bits. Now they are muscle. I don't care about the pounds. Just the inches. Course, I've always eaten well. No fast food, I don't drink soda, eat very little dairy and buy mostly organic.
I just began mountain biking, last month. I definitely use more upper body for that. Glad I put 1,600 miles on my road bike first and I've been lifting those little 5 lb weights. We've got really rocky paths out here.

[DMC]

My weight remains pretty constant unless I am consciously trying to drop it. I have target weights for the off season, base building and my race weight (in fact, I use a great book called Race Weight by Matt Fitzgerald (http://www.amazon.com/Racing-Weight-Lean-Peak-Performance/dp/1934030511) to help me reach my goals).

Exercise alone only really comes into play with my weight loss when I'm putting in big training weeks and burning more calories than I consume. Of course, this is how weight loss always works, but sometimes its a challenge to eat healthily and still get all the calories in during the day that I need to keep up with my training goals.

I've noticed that my calves are more muscular now that I'm a cyclist, but they aren't bulky.

[hebe]

I am so happy with my legs and bum after a few months of cycling. I do mainly off-road so my waist and tummy are improving too, that's also a reflection of a better diet.

[maillotpois]

Perhaps an even more important question is, "How does cycling change your mind?"

I think most here would agree that we are happier when we ride our bikes. And that happiness extends to the rest of our lives when we are off our bikes. We are more relaxed and generally have a better attitude.

Wouldn't you agree, ladies?

And in addition to the simple "whee" factor and stress outlet mentioned, long distance cycling has really helped me learn extreme patience (critical for my job and also for parenting a teenager) and perseverance.

[ny biker]

I just bought two pairs of skinny jeans. I actually look good in them. So good that I don't feel guilty about walking into the Clark's store intending to buy a pair of boots, and buying two pairs instead.

[lph]

tulip, I like your thinking. It's just as important to think about what keeps us happy, sane, patient, add-admirable-trait-at-will as to how exercise affects our bodies.

That said, what I like most about biking as exercise and especially bike commuting is the everydayness and usefulness of it. Even the days that aren't "whee!" I'm still getting from A to B on my own power and am also using my body the way I feel it was meant to be used, simple movement over time, nothing extreme.

[featuretile]

I have also been puzzled as to why I would do a really long ride (for me 40-50 miles), not eat all that much, and gain weight the next day. My stepson says that it is because of inflammation. After a couple of days the weight would go back to what it was before.

I would think that with all the exercise (about 100 miles a week) and seriously watching my diet, I would lose more than I have. I have lost about 10lbs. and one size in clothes in about 1 1/2 years. But, I look better. I feel better and stronger. I am no longer huffing and puffing walking up a hill. I think - how easy is it to be walking up a steep hill and not pushing a bike. Stairs are fine. I basically feel younger. Have made new friends. And have had some great cycling vacations. My only regret is that I did not start riding sooner.

I have been doing some experiments with food and drink while riding. I started using Nuun electrolyte tabs in my water. They do not have sugar and a bunch of calories and really seem to help while riding. I think some people eat too much while riding because they feel depleted, and the electrolytes can curb that. I do not use gels and bars because they are full of chemicals and have a lot of calories. I eat dried apricots and pretzels and some nuts. It turns out that you can get by on less of those than you think. The problems seem to get worse if you just keep riding without stopping and don't get enough chance to eat or drink something. Once you pass that point, it's hard to get out of feeling drained.

So, I hope watching what I eat when I ride coupled with a somewhat low-carb diet will eventually help me to lose a little more weight. Calories in and out just doesn't seem to work for me. I'm sure that I am exercising more than I am eating. I keep waiting to see if I will eventually gain enough muscle to speed up my metabolism. I also do water aerobics, swimming and a little hiking to balance out the riding.

[Organic Goddess]

That said, what I like most about biking as exercise and especially bike commuting is the everydayness and usefulness of it. Even the days that aren't "whee!" I'm still getting from A to B on my own power and am also using my body the way I feel it was meant to be used, simple movement over time, nothing extreme.[/QUOTE]

Love this contribution! Very 'wheeeeee' to me. Thanks.

[smurfalicious]

I think some people eat too much while riding because they feel depleted, and the electrolytes can curb that. I do not use gels and bars because they are full of chemicals and have a lot of calories.

Whut? I'm looking at the ingredients for my beloved Hammer Mtn Huckleberry, at 90 calories with the following ingredients, I fail to see the big scary chemicals in it:

Maltodextrin, Filtered Water, Energy Smart® (Fruit Juice, Natural Grain Dextrins), Huckleberries, Natural Huckleberry Flavor, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate (as a preservative), Amino Acids (L-Leucine, L-Alanine, L-Valine, L-Isoleucine), Salt, Potassium Chloride.

A lot of dried fruits have scary crap sprayed on them, or they're processed with a ton of coconut oil. Good stuff (really, really is tons of articles about it, makes good cookies), but it packs a wallop!

The key is doing it right and that varies from person to person. Sitting on the "I don't eat while I ride" high horse just makes you look kinda silly. Cycling is an endurance sport and endurance requires fuel. You wouldn't go on a road trip expecting to get there on only what you put in the tank that morning, right?

The level of exertion on the ride will determine what your body uses as fuel, stored fats or carbohydrates. Okay, so say you keep your rides fairly sedate, body is rockin' on fat and the birds are singing in trees. Problem is, your body needs carbs to access stored fats as energy.

It's also possible for your body to cannibalize muscle tissue (if you give it no choice) and use that to get the job done. So much for those sexy toned legs. Mmmmm, zombie body. Ask me about braaaaaaaains!!! Aaaghhh grrrrr mmmmmmphhh!!!

Since there's no real way of knowing where you body switches gears from fat to carb burning, and since it needs carbs to burn fat (also the inverse is true from my understanding) there's probably little harm in downing a gel every 45-60 minutes.

Certainly there are people who over-do it, and it's not good for you nor will it feel good to try and replace everything you use while on the ride. Mmmm, puke-n-pedal, no thanks.

On longer rides 3+ hours or so I will probably bring a Larabar or something of that nature. My tummy wants something in it, or there will be war. For the most part though, gels are usually sufficient. I can't stomach Perpetuem otherwise I'd rock that, prolly cheaper.

In the long run, not eating on rides of 1+ hour in length will probably do you more harm than good. Number one, you're asking your body to perform on fumes. I could see that messing with your metabolism the same way that it does people who try and starve themselves skinny. Your metabolism slows because your body doesn't know how many miles there are to the next gas station. Second, if you lightly fuel yourself along the way, you're less likely to come back into the house and devour half the 'fridge. I started to take gels to the pool because masters swimming was the same night as wing specials at Buffalo Wild Wings. :p

Like anything it's about balance. I factor in my bike food into my total calories. I've never tried to replace all I burn, but I have made myself miserable by not replacing anything. At the time, I thought it was all part of the game, once I started eating right I realized how much better I felt. I have this manorexic riding buddy who went 45m on half a water bottle, no grub, while I stopped at a gas station. It scares me to ride with him, lest he fall over. He won't listen to reason though.

Now, that said, will I eat a Snickers bar at the Hygiene store when I'm less than 10 downhill miles from home? Was it a long ride? Yeah, yeah I probably will because sometimes that's what it's about. Will I brave one more hill interval to get to the coffee shop for an Almond Joy latte, yes, yes I will.

Anyway, enough of my nonsense, here's a great article from Hammer addressing feeding follies:

http://www.hammernutrition.com/knowledge/the-10-biggest-mistakes-endurance-athletes-make.1273.html?sect=essential-knowledge-section

[Aisling]

It's really nice to see such a positive post about cycling and body image - I'm new to cycling, but some of the comments about how much to eat really resonated with me.

I just wanted to echo some of the points raised by smurfalicious - I was a fairly serious rower (crew in the US?) while I was in college, and would have been training hard 5-8 times a week, but I was carrying a fair few extra pounds which never budged. And the reason was that I wasn't eating enough - I didn't feel particularly hungry after rowing, so I didn't eat any more than usual.

It wasn't until my final year, when I rowed only socially, that I actually lost the weight - and that was when I dramatically decreased my energy output without decreasing my intake, completely counterintuitive!

So take care of yourself, and see what works for you. My best friend swears by eating whenever she's feeling hungry, but for me, I sometimes need to eat when I don't.

[owlice]

I still weigh way more than I should; can't say I've lost any weight. I'm wearing pants three sizes smaller than I used to, though, pants I wore when thirty pounds lighter. I used to be a pear; now I've realized I've become more apple-shaped (and I'm not especially happy with that, BTW, though do like wearing the smaller pants!).

But I don't ride for fitness (hahahahahahahaha!! The idea of me riding for fitness is funny!), and I don't ride for weight loss (good thing, because I haven't lost weight).

I ride to feel better. I feel better physically and emotionally when I can ride.

Plus, it's fun!

[jolie]

I start riding when I was a 4 grade primary school student. I think this is good for toning legs, it is also useful for me. But the waist also fat

[kfergos]

I would strongly urge you to get engaged in a variety of activites in addition to cycling: walking (or running) hiking, kayaking, Pilates, yoga, strength training. Especially if you're worried about whole-body muscle development, it's good to balance cycling with other pursuits. Balance and flexibility are also important.This is a bit after-the-fact, but I second this comment. I spent the last year commuting 40 miles/day by bike and was too tired to do any other activities. Now I'm having to go to PT to deal with back pain that developed as my core strength decreased. Biking is a great way to get out and burn some calories, but you definitely need more variety than just biking to be healthy.