The One Thing That Finally Helped Me Lose Weight (After 50 Years of Cycling)

Last Updated: December 11, 2025

The Truth Does Not Have to Hurt: Why I Finally Lost Weight After Decades of Riding

Quick Take: All the miles in the world won’t make you lose weight—unless you do one thing: track what you eat. Not how much you ride.

I’ve logged thousands of miles—some years over 5,000—and still struggled with my weight. I pushed through heat, wind, long tours, and endless climbs. And for all that effort, I still didn’t feel healthy. The mirror didn’t reflect the work I was putting in. I was frustrated, tired, and heavier than I should’ve been.

I tried keto. Lost weight fast. Gained it back faster. It was too rigid, too isolating, and too far from how I actually live. So I kept riding. And the scale didn’t budge.

The Day Everything Finally Clicked

One morning, I did something so simple I almost laughed at myself for not doing it years earlier:

I started counting calories.

That’s it. No diet. No tricks. No “clean eating.” No magic fat-burning rides.

I asked AI to calculate my TDEE—but here’s the part that mattered: I calculated it as if I were 100% sedentary. That became my daily calorie goal. I ate that number every day, no more. And I used cycling to create the deficit—not to justify more food.

What Actually Worked

Every day, I ate around 2,000 calories. If I rode and burned 300–500 calories, that became my deficit.

No starving. No complicated rules. No “earning” food. No guilt. Just slow, steady fat loss built on honesty and consistency.

And the best part? I still eat what I love. Pizza. Chips. Cookies. But I don’t lie to myself about the portions anymore.

Gear That Helped Me Stay Consistent

👖 Bib Shorts I Wear Every Ride
Comfort = more miles = more calories burned.
Castelli Endurance 3 Bib Shorts

⚖️ The Scale That Keeps Me Honest
Tracks weight, body fat, muscle mass—my daily accountability tool.
RENPHO Solar Smart Scale

🚴 Indoor Bike for Reliable Calorie Burn
Perfect for private, consistent 30-minute rides.
Sunny Health & Fitness Indoor Bike

Want to Try This Yourself? Here's Exactly How

🎯 Step 1: Find Your Sedentary TDEE

• Use any free TDEE calculator
• Enter your real stats
• Set activity level to sedentary
• Eat that number daily, no more

📝 Step 2: Track Every Bite

• Use MyFitnessPal, LoseIt, or Chronometer
• Log everything — even “just one chip”
• Weigh or measure food when possible

🚴 Step 3: Let Riding Handle the Deficit

• Do not eat back calories
• Ride 30–60 minutes most days
• Let the deficit accumulate slowly

🍕 Step 4: Eat What You Love — Just Less of It

• No forbidden foods
• Cut quantity, not joy

📈 Step 5: Be Consistent, Not Perfect

• Bad days happen — get back on track the next meal
• Your trend line matters more than any single weigh-in

Premium Upgrades That Make Riding Easier

🪶 Top-Tier Helmet
Giro Helios Spherical Helmet — ultralight, senior-friendly, built for real riders.

🛠 Senior Comfort Saddle
High-comfort ergonomic saddle — reduces pressure and numbness.

🪑 Suspension Seatpost
Cane Creek eeSilk+ Suspension Seatpost — smoother rides = longer, easier calorie burn.

🔦 High-Lumen Headlight
Magicshine High-Lumen Headlight — daylight-level visibility.

🚨 Smart Brake Light
Garmin Varia Radar & Brake Light — cars see you sooner.

Want to lose weight with cycling?
Start by tracking honestly — and let your rides create the deficit.

🧭 Related Posts:

• Is 30 Minutes of Cycling a Day Enough to Lose Weight?
• Can You Lose Weight Riding an E-Bike?
• Top-Rated Bicycle Helmets (2025–2026): Best Road, MTB, Commuter & All-Purpose Helmets
• 70 Is the New 50 in Cycling

Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor or dietitian. This is just what worked for me. Always consult your physician before changing your diet or exercise routine.