Good weather for self-analysis
The leaves are turning red, the sun is losing some of its brightness, and we're pulling our long sleeves out of the drawers. For cyclists, fall is a mix of mixed emotions. We remember the long rides , the competition days, the coffee/ice cream/beer rides, and the new KOMs we achieved while out of breath... As the season comes to an end, the mere thought of sitting on our saddles can be off-putting. The off-season feels like a liberation, a time when we can do whatever we want. Maybe you'll go on a camping trip, lace up your running shoes, or pick up that book you've been meaning to read for the third time.
Three days, a week, a month: only you know how long this well-deserved break will last. In any case, by slowing down your daily routine, your energy needs are likely to vary considerably. This is therefore a good time to rethink your diet and set goals for the coming year, whether personal, athletic, or dietary. There's nothing better than introspection about your needs before adopting new lifestyle habits.
1- Ground yourself
Getting back to basics, letting your instincts guide you, and, above all, rediscovering the meaning of eating. That's the first challenge for athletes who are used to eating food to get energy or avoid hitting a wall when they're working out.
We want to reconnect with our hunger cues, but also our satiety cues. Listening to ourselves also means taking more time to enjoy our meals and letting our taste buds and preferences guide our menus. However, this does not mean that we should take advantage of the off-season to overindulge in ultra-processed foods.
Hunger is defined by a feeling of emptiness in the stomach (a hollow feeling) and a slight drop in energy. If you let time slip by, you may even find yourself in a bad mood, with a headache and dizziness. These symptoms are closely linked to hypoglycemia (a drastic decrease in blood sugar levels). Let's say that hunger can vary between 1 and 5 throughout the day. If you constantly wait until you reach 5 before eating, i.e., when you feel like you could eat the walls, you'll be more likely to eat quickly... and grab whatever you can get your hands on.
Be aware that in less than 20 minutes, the satiety center in your brain doesn't have time to know whether or not you should stop eating. In other words, you'll be able to eat just about anything and any amount in 15 minutes. To avoid polishing off a bag of chips before dinner, try to be more aware of how hungry you are and keep in mind that when you're at about a 3, it's time to start thinking about eating something within the next 30 minutes.
2- Define your goals
The off-season is the perfect time to take a step back and reflect on our training, lifestyle, and eating habits. It's a chance to analyze what helped us perform well and, conversely, what let us down. When it comes to nutrition, we can ask ourselves whether we were able to stay well hydrated during exercise, eat less processed foods, or increase our consumption of fruits and vegetables, for example. To assess our strengths and weaknesses, we need to take the time to take stock of what we need to improve.
Next, there's nothing like setting new goals for the coming season, while giving yourself tips on how to achieve them. Want to eat more vegetarian meals? That's great, but what steps will you take to get there, and is it feasible in your current situation?
I suggest you choose five goals related to food and write down an action plan that will help you achieve them. For example, if you want to eat out less often, you will need to adopt strategies to better plan your grocery list and set aside time during the week to prepare meals.
3- Get informed, consult
Are you thinking about radically changing your habits? Do you want to follow a specific diet, such as vegetarianism or veganism? All of this is possible, but you have to do it the right way.
If you plan to lose weight or significantly change your habits, I strongly advise you to consult a nutritionist and/or kinesiologist. These professionals will be able to assess your habits and, above all, suggest an action plan that will allow you to enjoy these changes so that they become sustainable. Contrary to what the Internet may lead us to believe, there are no miracle solutions or effortless ways to make dietary changes. But if your reasons are strong and your motivation high, you will succeed.
Keep in mind, however, that the process can take more or less time, depending on the individual. It will sometimes be fraught with obstacles and discouragement, but also satisfaction and pride.
4- Experiment
Who isn't surprised to read what professional athletes can consume in a typical day of training? We all have our favorite athlete's classic breakfast in mind, but when our day of glory arrives, we quickly revert to what we are used to doing on a daily basis. In any case, that's the rule: on competition day, we eat a breakfast that we know, love, and digest well.
The off-season is the ideal time to experiment with new foods and test them during exercise, when there are no challenges on the horizon. Whether it's for a pre-race meal, a post-workout snack, or fuel during exercise, try out different options and choose what you like best.
A good tip is to keep a journal describing how you felt after eating each food: bloating, lack of energy, nausea, feeling heavy, etc. The idea here is to find foods that help you manage your energy better, gently and without digestive discomfort.
5- Stop feeling guilty
Ultimately, despite all this advice, the off-season is above all a time to free your mind from constraints. If the mere thought of establishing a new routine or constantly listening to your body tires you out, don't feel guilty! This is the time to relax and let yourself be carried away by life, as well as by food: discover new dishes, share familiar and comforting meals, and allow yourself to travel through your taste buds, forgetting obligations and rules.
Much like a ride without Power Meter, eating simply opens the door to the essentials...