Off season training and eating.....for the next race season

[girlracer]

Hey-
Are any of your guys struggling to keep the weight off during the off season training? I am riding on the weekend still (its too cold in the AM to ride before work anymore) and heading to the gym with some light running during the week. and I find myself starving!! Almost like I was still in the middle of racing season! i'm succumbing to junk food addiction! How do you guys change your eating habbits in the winter to not gain to much weight so you have to lose it before racing starts, but still eat enough for the gym lifting and trainer sessions with the bike?

[Eden]

I've heard try to warm up before you eat - like take a warm shower after exercising, then eat, since cold stimulates your appetite even though you don't really burn any more calories. (I can attest that I feel much more hungry after riding in the cold)

[luvs2ride]

I was putting on weight too but I have a wedding to attend next weekend and a dress to squeeze into so this has been some "motivation" for me. Honestly, all I've really done is throw away the left over Halloween candy and cut out deserts as well as bump up my running to between 6-10 miles a week (with one long ride on Sundays) and my pants are fitting again-YEAH!!!!! Acutally, looking forward to putting that dress on next Saturday!!! The trick will be what I do AFTER I wear the dress ????? Hopefully, I can carry these habits through the Christmas and New Year's season. I have found that small changes really do make a difference for me!

[velogirl]

I've found the easiest time for me to lose weight is during the off season. But I've done it with a pretty severe calorie restriction (500-1000 calories/day), along with shorter bouts of exercise (typically 90 minutes or less).