???GAINING weight from CYCLING?? How can this be?

This is my Third season returning to cycling since "Growing Up",
reaching sixty.
This year I have been much more serious, not missing a day. I ride a
Hybrid on perhaps 10% pavement, 90% trails, dirt roads, and woodland
paths.
Since determining last season that a horsefly has a Vmax of about 8
MPH, I have been diligently striving for average speeds of ten or
higher. {Keep the bragging for some other thread, OK? At least I am
out there every night! Respect your elders! :-) }
So, in the last month, my endurance has improved markedly, especailly
uphill, and the Rest Stops are farther apart.
I have NOT change my diet at all! Toast or oatmeal for breakfast, a
salad or sandwich for lunch, and a late meal of some protien and a
vegetable, minimal starches.
I have been feeling great but a few minutes ago, remembered to weigh
myself, and to my disgust, see I have gained nine pounds!
Given the calories being expended now, compared to a snowbound Winter,
how is this possible?? It calorically does not balance!
Thoughts are welcomed because I am baffled, and not a little
disappointed!
Thanks...

"Specialized" wrote in message
...
This is my Third season returning to cycling since "Growing Up",
reaching sixty.
This year I have been much more serious, not missing a day. I ride a
Hybrid on perhaps 10% pavement, 90% trails, dirt roads, and woodland
paths.
Since determining last season that a horsefly has a Vmax of about 8
MPH, I have been diligently striving for average speeds of ten or
higher. {Keep the bragging for some other thread, OK? At least I am
out there every night! Respect your elders! :-) }
So, in the last month, my endurance has improved markedly, especailly
uphill, and the Rest Stops are farther apart.
I have NOT change my diet at all! Toast or oatmeal for breakfast, a
salad or sandwich for lunch, and a late meal of some protien and a
vegetable, minimal starches.
I have been feeling great but a few minutes ago, remembered to weigh
myself, and to my disgust, see I have gained nine pounds!
Given the calories being expended now, compared to a snowbound Winter,
how is this possible?? It calorically does not balance!
Thoughts are welcomed because I am baffled, and not a little
disappointed!
Thanks...

Muscle weighs more than fat.

On Fri, 14 Apr 2006 01:10:04 GMT, "Neil Brooks"
wrote:

Thoughts are welcomed because I am baffled, and not a little
disappointed!
Thanks...

Muscle weighs more than fat.

*****BLUSH*********

Thanks.

Duh. :-)

Specialized wrote:
On Fri, 14 Apr 2006 01:10:04 GMT, "Neil Brooks"
wrote:

Thoughts are welcomed because I am baffled, and not a little
disappointed!
Thanks...

Muscle weighs more than fat.

Muscle may weigh more then fat, but I dont' think it's possible to have
the same intake, increase exercise, and gain weight. My guess is he's
upped his intake. A little more at each meal perhaps.

Rich

"Rich" wrote in message
...
Specialized wrote:
On Fri, 14 Apr 2006 01:10:04 GMT, "Neil Brooks"
wrote:

Thoughts are welcomed because I am baffled, and not a little
disappointed!
Thanks...

Muscle weighs more than fat.

Muscle may weigh more then fat, but I dont' think it's possible to have
the same intake, increase exercise, and gain weight. My guess is he's
upped his intake. A little more at each meal perhaps.

Rich

Ditto...a weight gain of 9 lbs, at age 62, with moderate cycling as the
primary exercise, seems unlikely to result in 9 lbs of new muscle.

More likely it's due to a little bit of muscle, and a fair amount of "I just
rode my bike 15 miles, so now I can have that [beer, cookie, cake, etc.]".

GG

"Rich" wrote in message
...
Specialized wrote:
On Fri, 14 Apr 2006 01:10:04 GMT, "Neil Brooks"
wrote:

Thoughts are welcomed because I am baffled, and not a little
disappointed!
Thanks...

Muscle weighs more than fat.

Muscle may weigh more then fat, but I dont' think it's possible to have
the same intake, increase exercise, and gain weight.


It is for me.

Ditto...a weight gain of 9 lbs, at age 62, with moderate cycling as the
primary exercise, seems unlikely to result in 9 lbs of new muscle.

More likely it's due to a little bit of muscle, and a fair amount of "I
just
rode my bike 15 miles, so now I can have that [beer, cookie, cake, etc.]".

Hate it when that happens. I was on a gradual weight-gain plan over the
years, without recognizing it. I had rationalized that, as long as I rode, I
could eat. Doesn't work that way. There's that darned thing where your body
becomes more efficient (sounds better than saying your metabolism slows
down, y'know?), so much so that I got to the point where I could eat 4
ounces of ice cream and gain a pound of weight. Internal cold fusion, as it
were.

Finally stopped going to Doughnut King after rides, and all was better. Got
the weight back down from 185 or so to 171... now it's drifted back up to
176 due to this never-ending winter we've had, so a bit more work to do.

Still, what we don't know about this particular guy is whether he might have
actually been a bit underweight to begin with. It's possible that cycling
might have helped his system reach a healthy equilibrium.

But more likely it's those post-ride doughnuts...

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
Ditto...a weight gain of 9 lbs, at age 62, with moderate cycling as the
primary exercise, seems unlikely to result in 9 lbs of new muscle.

More likely it's due to a little bit of muscle, and a fair amount of "I
just
rode my bike 15 miles, so now I can have that [beer, cookie, cake, etc.]".


Hate it when that happens. I was on a gradual weight-gain plan over the
years, without recognizing it. I had rationalized that, as long as I rode, I
could eat. Doesn't work that way. There's that darned thing where your body
becomes more efficient (sounds better than saying your metabolism slows
down, y'know?), so much so that I got to the point where I could eat 4
ounces of ice cream and gain a pound of weight. Internal cold fusion, as it
were.

Finally stopped going to Doughnut King after rides, and all was better. Got
the weight back down from 185 or so to 171... now it's drifted back up to
176 due to this never-ending winter we've had, so a bit more work to do.

Still, what we don't know about this particular guy is whether he might have
actually been a bit underweight to begin with. It's possible that cycling
might have helped his system reach a healthy equilibrium.

But more likely it's those post-ride doughnuts...

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


Boy,
Can I relate to that never ending winter. We finally had a nice day in
the valley above Sacramento and I went out for about 40 miles. I also
couldn't wait to get back and eat everything in sight but settled for a
low calorie veggie stew my wife made. Sigh, no chocolate. A bit of a
warning too, don't try going out after skipping breakfast because you
get really tired after a bit. 30 miles into I was wondering why I was so
tired, then it hit me, even the drinks I took were diet.
DUH, Bill.
Fortunately, there are no temptations en route in the country.
Bill Baka

To lose weight try riding at 75% of your maximum heart rate for a
minimum of at least 30 minutes 5 days a week. If you want to get
serious try throwing in a few sprints. Another thing that also really
helps is to join a cycling club.

On 14 Apr 2006 02:28:24 -0700, "Kenny" wrote:

To lose weight try riding at 75% of your maximum heart rate for a
minimum of at least 30 minutes 5 days a week. If you want to get
serious try throwing in a few sprints. Another thing that also really
helps is to join a cycling club.

Hmm. Thanks, folks.
Well, the food around here has not changed, but I will check and see
if there are fewer leftovers! That's the only thing I can think of.
I generally do not completely finish lunch on workdays, but I am
getting suspicious of emptier plates at supper.
One thing I have noticed is that it takes less time for my pulse rate
to slow down after riding. I have added "sprints" in the last two
weeks, partly for practical reasons. First, I get a couple of bad
hills "Over With", so as not to prolong the struggle.
Because of homebound commuter trafiic at evening rush hour, I do a
max effort sprint from my ridng areas once I hit pavement, partly to
minimize my exposure to frantic cagers on my narrow road, and partly
out of vanity, to drive my CatEye Max and average speeds up, so I can
look at it and gloat to myself. Yeah, I know, _briefly_ hitting 30
MPH will get me yawned and laughed at on here, but for me, it's like
the Sound Barrier. A 36 Lb. Expedition with Armadillo tires is not
exactly the easy way to do it, I suspect. At least for me.
I have been meeting more and more people on my rides, and have joined
some a few times, but am embarrassed at what I feel is my poor
endurance, though it is improving. The hardcore trail guys who do the
rocky stuff, I call "The Big Kids" when I see them, provoking a lot of
laughter and joking.
Last night I got chased home by a thunderstorm...An interesting sprint
motivator. The rain felt good.