Quote Originally Posted by nuthatch
Does everyone else pick up this "winter 5"? (or ten or so....)
I find it interesting that in a normal year I do tend to pick up the "winter 5" that Nuthatch refers to, but this year that didn't happen. I think keeping a steady weight this winter is tied to my change of routine relative to food - a focus on eating to support my activity levels. After my early season crash and subsequent lower than normal biking levels, I was very careful to make sure that I was eating to support my current activity levels and not my normal lots of biking eating levels. I wasn't able to bike at all for 6 weeks, and when I started I was only able to ride (what I considered to be) short distances. I supplemented that with lots of walking. I'm not a (techical) race walker - but I do walk at a good clip. On days I wasn't able to ride, I tried to walk for an hour to an hour and a half. Of course that didn't work as well for me through the winter and cold weather. Normally I throw my bike on a trainer for the winter months, but for some reason this season boredom set in almost immediately - so I continued my walking regimen (outside, in the dark and cold, sometimes in the snow...) and I added using an elliptical trainer at the gym. And I continued to watch my diet, trying to keep a balance, and trying to stick with healthy food - even though I allowed myself the occasional ice cream and chocolate!

It's almost time to jump back into riding (from a weather standpoint, that is) - and I will be increasing my calorie intake to support my activity levels. I guess I'm going to have to try to keep my new (eating) habits in the off season next year too!