Like to eat? Ride a bike!

The prevailing wisdom is that we've got an obesity crisis in our country today. We're dying from too much food, rather than not enough. The "diet industry" is a multi-billion dollar business, as people desperately try to get a handle on it.

It's not really rocket science. You consume calories of energy via food intake; you expend calories of energy by engaging in physical activity. Burn more than you eat... lose weight. Eat more than you burn... gain weight.

Ironically, at the same time as lifestyles have become more sedentary, food has become more high-calorie as "fast food" and "junk food" have become more prevalent in our diets.

I tend to be "calorically challenged." At least since I became a married man. (When I was eating my own cooking, it was much easier to moderate my intake. ANYBODY could lose weight eating MY cooking!) It would be convenient to blame it on "glands," or heredity. But, the truth of the matter is, like so many people, my natural tendency is to eat more than I burn.

At least... if bicycling weren't part of the picture.

When I'm riding 500-600 miles a month, I can pretty much eat whatever I want (within reason). I can enjoy the "sea food diet." (See food? Eat it!) If I ate totally sensibly, I could lose some serious poundage. As it is, I tend to lose 15-20 pounds in the summer... typically gaining it back over the winter. (Holidays are TOUGH, aren't they?!?)

Here's some more wisdom from the Bike Cult book... I post it in recognition of the about-to-start Tour de France. (THOSE guys would leave me behind on the bikes, and at the dinner table!)

Tour de France typical Daily Diet
(Source: Bike Cult)

PRE-BREAKFAST:
1-2 cups coffee or tea
1-2 bowls muesli or cereal with fruit and yogurt
2-4 slices bread with jam or honey
1 glass milk
vitamin supplements

BREAKFAST:
1-2 bowls rice or pasta
2-3 eggs with ham or cheese
1 plate fresh chicken, fish, or steak
1-2 bottles carbohydrate drink
water

PRE-RACE SNACK:
4 oz. glucose concentrate or fruit nectar
1-2 pieces of fruit
2 pieces sweet bread pudding, or 1 bakery tart
1-2 energy bars
1-2 pannini rolls (meat, cheese, or rice, and jam)
1-2 bottles carbo drink
water

IN RACE EATING:
2 musette bags, each containing:
3-4 muesli bars
1 energy bar
1-2 pieces fruit
4 oz. glucose concentrate or fruit nectar
5 bottles water
5 bottles carbo drink
1 bottle caffeinated cola

POST-RACE SNACK:
3-5 bottles water or juice
1-2 pieces fruit
1-2 bread rolls or biscuits
1 bakery tart

POST-MASSAGE MEAL:
1-2 sandwiches, or 1-2 pieces quiche or pizza
1-2 cups yogurt
1-2 pieces fruit
1-2 bottles juics, carbo drink, or water

EVENING MEAL:
1-2 bowls pasta or beans with light sauce
1-2 bowls salad
1-2 bowls soup
1-2 plates fresh chicken, fish, or steak
1 plate vegetables and potatoes or rice

DESSERT:
3 slices cheese, or 1 cup yogurt
1-2 pastry desserts
1-2 pieces fruit