It’s always difficult to keep from gaining weight in the wintertime, especially around the holidays. When I was racing, I always paid very close attention to my diet, and I never drank any alcohol. It was a challenge to keep from eating too much, but I always managed to keep it under control. Now that I ride for enjoyment, and like to enjoy holiday feasts it has become much more difficult to keep my weight under control. But, I have managed, and I want to talk about how it can be done.

The most important thing is to make sure that you are still getting exercise. A couple pounds gained in the off season is not a bad thing, but if you stop exercising and put on ten pounds, then that is a completely different story. I know we hear it all the time, but everything is OK in moderation. Don’t punish yourself for eating too much at Christmas dinner, but try to get in a few extra miles the next day, and be extra careful what you eat to make up for it.

The trick is a system of checks and balances. A big part is not getting too upset by set backs, but to focus on what you can do from here on out. An all or nothing attitude is going to set you up for failure. We are not perfect. If you know that something is going to make you upset, then make a conscious decision not to do it before you do. Worrying about something that you have already done is a waste of time. Focus on what you CAN do.

Enjoy the holidays, let your hair down…. Just remember to use moderation in your decisions, and don’t forget that exercise is the key to staying trim and healthy. If you do gain too many extra pounds, don’t try to lose it all in a day. Your body needs fuel in order to be strong. Slowly take off the weight. That means focus on exercise and using a few less calories than your body needs a day to get by. The weight will come off more slowly, but it will not upset your metabolism and you will be able to keep the weight off more easily. Initially, try cutting out alcohol and desserts. You will be amazed how these empty calories can pack on the weight.

Good luck…. Get out and ride!

I would suggest that anyone who is interested in a real training program should hire a coach to help them stay motivated and on target. But, there are little tricks that you can use to spice up and intensify your workouts.

The first exercise that can help improve your speed is to do sprints. I like to choose different spots on the road up ahead of me. Maybe I am sprinting for a tree, maybe a light or the top of a hill. These kinds of sprints help you improve your speed, and without realizing it, you actually improve your power too. Depending on the terrain, you want to just accelerate and hold your speed all the way to your end point. Sometimes you will be in your little chain ring, and other times you will be in the big chain ring. Generally you want to start from a medium pace, and jump as hard as you can on the pedals and go for it. I like to choose a spot that is maybe a 30-45 second sprint. Do as many as you can, keep it entertaining and fun. I like to do about ten, and I try to have full recovery in between efforts. But, the fun part about doing this kind of workout is that you can let the road decide it for you. Decide to sprint for every tree, or the top of every hill. You don’t have to have a specific plan, just make it like a game and let your route decide how many efforts and recovery time. Sometimes it might be longer and sometimes shorter but it o.k. either way!

The next workout that I really love is to find a nice gradual hill to ride and practice different types of riding. I will spend ten minutes at a high cadence, around 90 rpm, and then recover. Then I will go to a standing exercise, where I will try moving between sitting and standing for ten minutes at a lower cadence 70-80rpm and practice feeling my bike moving under me. A mistake that a lot of people make is that they will automatically speed up when they get out of the saddle. In this exercise, I try to focus on keeping the speed the same and shifting up a gear every time I stand in order to keep the speed the same. The reason for this exercise is to learn how to use changing positions as a way to give your muscles a break on a long climb. You can always use standing as a way to speed up, but, it will benefit you to learn how to use different muscles as a tactic to making climbing easier.

The most important thing you can do to improve your fitness is to get out and ride. But in order to get faster, you need to push the limits and learn to get everything you can out of your bike. Learning the tricks of the trade, and learning how you can get the most power out of your bike is the way to start. Don’t think that small sprints are silly. This is how we all get faster. Use these as your own private finish lines. I have won many of my best races in my imagination on my training rides. It’s what makes my riding entertaining, and keeps my routes fresh and fun.

Happy riding!