Why are we still so fat?

[mpath]

We've all heard it before, quasi tongue and cheek, that we're all too fat for this sport.

Excluding racers, why are so many roadies still fat? I know several of the middle-aged kind (ie, mamils) that can ride circles around me, that can afford to shed some pounds, but year in year out they've got that huge gut stuck in the middle. They eat relatively healthy, aren't huge alcohol drinkers, ride more often than me, so what gives?

[ravenmore]

its not rocket science - they're still somehow taking in more calories than they're burning.

[therhodeo]

They eat relatively healthy,

You can get fat really fast eating too much healthy food. Its not hard.

[calamarichris]

Because we live in a land and a time when men go hunting on a full stomach.


Personally speaking, one reason I love riding is because it allows me to eat as much as I like. Might be a fat b@$t@rd in cycling circles, but to non-cyclists, I'm pretty slim.

[Seattle Forrest]

And here's what The American Human Development Project has to say about income, development, opportunity, equality, health, and mortality, the domestic version of the HDI:



There's a lot of overlap!

[DScott]

Calories in > calories out.

[Homebrew01]

We've all heard it before, quasi tongue and cheek, that we're all too fat for this sport.

Excluding racers, why are so many roadies still fat? I know several of the middle-aged kind (ie, mamils) that can ride circles around me, that can afford to shed some pounds, but year in year out they've got that huge gut stuck in the middle. They eat relatively healthy, aren't huge alcohol drinkers, ride more often than me, so what gives?

I'm a fat racer.

[banerjek]

Most people overestimate how much they burn and underestimate how much they can eat.

The typical rider on BF puts in 100-150 miles/week. While that is definitely good for you and far better than doing nothing, it's not enough to allow you to eat more than you're supposed to or consume junk like breakfast pastries, shakes (i.e. lattes), etc on a regular basis.

[GDA]

Can't put a zipper on it and overall, lack of self control.

[STP]

"Agribusiness now produces 3,800 calories of food a day for every American, 500 calories more than it produced thirty years ago, and at least 1,000 calories a day more than most people need."

Flora, C. and Flora, J. (2008) Rural Communities: Legacy + Change, 3rd edition, Westview Press, Boulder, CO., p. 303.

[cmolway]

I always chuckle when I see people stuffing two bottles of gatorade in their cages and munching on a cliff bar while waiting for the roll-out of the weekly 25 mile club ride. It's no wonder some of them look like stuffed sausage in their lycra.

[Matt Gaunt]

Most people overestimate how much they burn and underestimate how much they can eat.

The typical rider on BF puts in 100-150 miles/week. While that is definitely good for you and far better than doing nothing, it's not enough to allow you to eat more than you're supposed to or consume junk like breakfast pastries, shakes (i.e. lattes), etc on a regular basis.

This. I learned the hard way. Turns out your daily 2000 calories is really easy to hit.

I eat very healthily, control my calorie intake and cycle 100-150 miles every week and maintain my 180lbs (6'0", stocky build with a small amount of excess on my stomach). Losing weight is very tough.

[Doohickie]

Put the fork down, fatty.

[patentcad]

Cycling makes you hungry that's why.

[Campag4life]

We've all heard it before, quasi tongue and cheek, that we're all too fat for this sport.

Excluding racers, why are so many roadies still fat? I know several of the middle-aged kind (ie, mamils) that can ride circles around me, that can afford to shed some pounds, but year in year out they've got that huge gut stuck in the middle. They eat relatively healthy, aren't huge alcohol drinkers, ride more often than me, so what gives?

A fair question. I try to get the fat guys who ride fast on the flats in the hills. Hard to carry that lard up the hill for mile after mile.
The simple reason as most that ride simply eat more to compensate for their calorie burn.
If you are speaking for yourself btw ...then I have an answer for you that worked for me. I was never fat but am middle aged and wanted to get more riding skinny. I increased my miles to 120-150 miles a week and watched what I ate. I dropped 15 pounds doing that and look pretty good for an old man...no gut and fairly toned.
So it can be done....have to increase miles...ride with the fastest guys you can hang with...watch the alcohol and big calories and the weight will come off guaranteed.

[mazdaspeed]

We?

[hyhuu]

I always wonder the same thing too. Ever since I started cycling, I had to eat more just to keep from loosing too much weight. But I didn't start out fat.

[VA_Esquire]

Who you calling fat??????

[tagaproject6]

What's this "we" stuff? I am one sexy beast

[Carbon Unit]

I must be doing something wrong. I have gone from 232 to 195 since taking up cycling.

[hammy56]

ride to eat...eat to ride.

[jmX]

I've found that when I go for hard and short rides (<50mi) I end up eating lots. I'm starving after 2 hours of intense work and I eat to make up for it. During 1 month of training I end might gain 2 lbs.

However, when I go moderate for 4-6 hours (ie, a century) I end up eating the same or a even little less than after the intense exercise . During 1 month of long endurance rides I will lose 2-3 lbs.

Through those mechanisms I end up training and managing my weight pretty nicely.

[dstrong]

I'm learning that at 53, it's a heck of a lot harder to lose weight than it was even 3 years ago. I did successfully go from 212 in April to a low of 193 last month but I'm already struggling to stop the pounds from coming back on as we've moved into the fall. I'm really going to try to keep things below 200 but it ain't gonna be easy.

I noticed another big difference from a few years ago. 5 years ago I went from 215 to 195 over the summer. I bought a few pair of slacks that fit nicely..even up to about 205. This year those slacks, even at 195, are snug...and it's not just due to my over-developed guads.

[ColinL]

My wi... I mean, uh, a woman I know exercises 5 days a week over her lunch break. One hour of power yoga, extreme fitness and bootcamp depending on the day. She goes hard, clothes fully drenched in sweat. On top of this she cycles a bit, maybe 20-30 miles a week.

She has a little bit of a belly and larger-than-she'd-like thighs. She weighed 8 pounds less 5 months ago. She eats reasonably healthy foods but has a hard time avoiding dessert maybe 2 times a week.

That is plenty of exercise for any normal person. The diet choices aren't that bad. It is unquestionably a portion problem.

TL;DR
I suspect many BF members have the same issue with portions. This is most profound beyond age 30. At age 18, you can get away with a lot of horrible stuff that just won't fly later on in life.

[RUOkie]

I like pie.


What was the topic again?