Cycling body vs. "real world" body
 

Every once in awhile I muse about this. I'm 68 and hang out on Tuesday happy hours with a bunch of men and women at a local watering hole. I am invariably about 10 yrs older than everyone else. I am almost always the only cyclist in the tavern. I am down to 5'9" and weigh 180 lbs and in pretty good shape. At the bar most everyone else is 10-20 lbs overweight. Some of the 25-35 yr old's aren't but most are. People think I'm some kind of "specimen" because I look more fit and younger than what they expect. And, them I might add. On Saturday morning I go out with my club for our weekly ride and I look around and, once again, I'm the overweight old guy. At this point I just laugh at myself and remind myself that we just "ain't normal." Anyone else having those kinds of experiences?

Most of my drinking pals are around my age (67), but most are friends I made playing various sports, none cycle, but all stay active in their various sports and all are healthy and young looking for their age. And happy!

No magic in cycling just in staying active, whatever activity you choose.

( plus luck in the genes you were given)

Truer words never spoken.

It is nice to bounce between the two worlds to maintain a good perspective on life.

Mike

well, my cycling body is the only body I have... so.. it is what it is...and like you I am not exactly skinny for a cyclist. I am a bit taller than you and a bit lighter, but at 170 lbs, not skinny in this world.

Within my riding group, we have all sorts. The coach is old, waify, superfit. On the Computrainer last night, 1 hr 10 min for the course I did last week at 1 hr 15. The uber clyde of the group, 1:01. Waify racer female late 50s. 1:08.

Different is all relative. I like what Mike above said. And It's okay to revel a little in the fact that yes, you could smoke them.

I bounce between these two worlds on almost every bike ride I take. Living in north coastal San Diego County, I encounter lots of elite triathletes and cyclists, as well as the beach cruiser set. I get passed by some folks, and I pass others.

Yah, at 56 I'm in great shape compared to half my work colleagues, at any age, but around the cycling folk I look outa shape. I want my 25 year old body back.

I'm 60, ride 20 hours a month pretty regularly. 5' 10" and 200. Don't drink, smoke, & eat healthy. I'll never see that 153 pound 21 year old body again. I recently went to winter base (maintenance) training on the beach with my fat bike. That has had more than expected consequences in leg strength and cardio. My friends say I look "trim", "fit". Whatever.

Repeatedly. But then, I'm only 57.

I think that's a really good way to see it.

I don't know about that - nobody considers me "a specimen" as far as I know. I'm 152 lbs, and have gained weight since I started cycling. I suspect that some of my co-workers think I'm a freak for riding to work, but that's as far as that goes. You're probably benefiting from the overall impression of health and vitality among your more sedentary companions.

I was just discussing this with a friend today.

To a non-athlete, it's all about what you look like. And clothes hide a lot.

To an athlete, it's all about your performance. Your body is a tool and it's a matter of what you can do with it.

So people look at you and say ... "You look fine. Don't lose any more weight!" But they don't understand that those extra 10 pounds really make a difference on a long day climbing in the mountains, and to us, that is what counts.

And, when I tell them that when I go to the gym I do my leg lifts and leg presses with the entire rack on the machine they flip out. Most of them have either not been athletes or stopped after HS. But, for me I'm either underachieving or wonder how I can do more. As a former athlete I always feel like I can go longer or faster or stronger. Getting older is irrelevant.

I compare my current level of fitness to that of 4 years ago.

I was always a big guy, hit 209 as a freshman in college, was an offensive tackle, shot putter, discus thrower and surprisingly an XC runner, and motocross racer, in HS. I had hit 278 in 2011 with all the surgeries and each recovery period. Prior to the 16th, and final surgery, I was pretty much bed ridden with the intestinal fistula forming constantly and having to wear an ostomy bag, then my final recovery period got extended with in MRSA infection in the surgical wound requiring 2 rounds of IV infusion therapy. So it was inactivity over a long period and no riding, bad nutrition habits took over, and frankly, I didn't much care what happened to me. Riding, and a strict nutrition plan for kidney disease setting in, both got me back in to things, and active again. I managed to loose 100 lbs in just under 2 years, and have kept it off, thankfully.

Recently I returned to Facebook and posted a picture of me with my bicycle, wearing my regular kit of shorts and a jersey. A friend I have not seen in 15 years refused a friend request so I sent him the request again, with a message explaining who it was. He accepted and sent back a message to me saying he didn't recognize me. Funny thing was he said "Man, you are a stud, I didn't know you", this got me laughing as I am far from ever being a "stud" in any manner, shape of form.

I am feeling better than ever and do not miss the days of weight work and being huge, big arms never got me much of anything (OldsCool, don't throw things at your screen, its just my way of dealing with things now,) and I have more energy than ever. Doctors tell me my Parkinson's Disease would be worse on me than it is, so far, if I hadn't began riding and shed the weight, 100 lbs was a millstone around my neck that was dragging me under, I am glad its gone.

Bill

Biological age < Chronological age = GOOD

You can be fit and trim in the non cycling world, then put on some Cateilli euro race cut jerseys and you're a fat sausage.

I was at REI with my wife and she said "look there is a bright biking shirt on sale and it is a large, try it on". I comply. "Is it supposed to be so tight? your nipples show". Thanks, dear. I explained to her: that is a Castelli Gabba jersey, size large is meant for a 170 lb man with a 38 chest, and I already have that jersey. "You wear that outside?". I explained further, patiently. It is cycling, you are supposed to hurt yourself, suffer, loathe your fatness unless you have none and that means none, and seek redemption by riding for three hours in cold rain. "Ooo look at those shoes"'

Here's my rule....when cycling, if your body fat % is in double digits you are obese and should sell your bike and all your gear. :)

As others have said before me..........be thankful for your genes. Only one body per customer so look after it. Of course everyone reading this already knows there is no secret. Calories in should equal calories expended. 122 lbs and 5' 9" since 1951, as my grandpappy used to say.....work eat sleep work eat sleep etc.

Just in case anyone's curious about what "normal" is, here is a link to a BMI calculator.

Calculate Your BMI - Standard BMI Calculator

As of this morning, I'm 5 pounds into the "Overweight" zone (and 10 pounds over my goal weight).

I had an industrial accident in October and surgery to put things right in December. After two months on the couch, I was overweight and weak. So, for the first time ever, I joined a gym. Fitness is returning, but it was frightening to see how easy it all slips away.

I'm on the heavy side of normal with a 22.9 BMI. Thanks for that link KenshiBiker!

Could be better, but of course, could be worse too. What Victor (Biker395) said is very true too; when riding in the mountains every once you don't have to pull up the climb is a help!

Unfortunately, my fat % is 18-19% (depending on the day) so I'm no where near the single digits that bruce19's rule recommends :( .

Rick / OCRR

I and my father went from thin to a rounder shape, but because I cycled from my pre teens onward I skipped the type 2 diabetics inflicting him.

Im 76. A lot of others that post here are like me. We have health such that physically we are much younger than our years. Granted we are very fortunate to have good genes, but keeping active thru cycling helps keep us that way. As I have stated here many times, if you set you rust. Never give up, do everything you are physically able to do.

I might add that cycling is a great way to exercise since it doesnt pound the heck out of your body. And-----------I have to add that riding a bent as I do, I dont suffer all the pain and discomfort of a DF bike. Bents equal all gain and no pain.