A successful race season is behind you, and in the coming weeks there will be dark mornings, early sunsets, and — for many of us in the Northern Hemisphere — a long stretch of colder temperatures as well. While you likely will tough it out on some cold-weather rides because you just need to get out for a spin, many of us will be moving our training indoors to better deal with the elements and engage in some active recovery. Variety is good for the mind and body, and chances are you may mix it up a bit with indoor cycling classes, trainer workouts, spin classes, and resistance-training sessions among other choices.

This change in your training schedule also comes with a significant decrease in both intensity and volume and coincides with the diet-busting days from late October up to the New Year. This means it’s easy to put on the pounds if you don’t adjust your diet for the coming weeks of lower energy expenditure.

Following are some hints for preventing unwanted weight gain in the coming months, practicing nutritional strategies that provide an immune-system boost, and supporting good training sessions and optimal recovery — even with the downturn in training.

First, check your weight and body fat. Getting a starting point can be very motivating and provide a bit of a reality check. Determine your weight and body-composition goals for the “off-season.” Maybe putting on a few pounds is fineas long as you can take them off when focused training starts again. Or perhaps you’d rather avoid the weight gain. Check your weight regularly. This may mean once weekly or every two weeks; choose an interval that will help you stay focused on your weight goals.

Next, have a structured schedule of training and workouts each week. Stay focused on being active, whether with weight training or cross-training. Weight training revs up your metabolism and builds muscle and strength. It also provides some great weight-bearing exercise for the cyclist. Have a plan for each week of training, and try to stick with that plan as the holidays approach.

Practice portion control. With the drop in training intensity and volume comes a drop in energy, carbohydrate, protein, and fat requirements. Whereas in-season carbohydrate requirements could range from 3 to 5 grams per pound of body weight, they could easily drop to 2 to 3 g per pound of weight during the off-season. For a 165-pound cyclist, this could result in a drop from 660 g of carbohydrate on a long-ride day to 400 g daily. Protein needs remain moderate, especially if weight training, but are easily met with a balanced diet and reasonable protein portions. Keep your intake of healthy fats modest. Portions may need to be seriously adjusted this time of year. Stop eating at a comfortable level of fullness. It might take a short adjustment period to get used to the lower calorie intake.

Pack more fruits and vegetables for snacks. High in fiber, filling, and packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, fruits and vegetables should be part of your snacks and meals over the next few months. A nice sweet piece of fruit can replace a higher-calorie energy bar for a snack. Vegetables can easily fill one-third to one-half of your dinner plate, replacing starchy foods.

Cut back on energy bars, gels, and energy drinks. During the majority of the season, sports nutrition products are essential and convenient for training and recovery. This time of year, use them wisely. An intense cycle class may still require a sports drink, as can a cold-weather outdoor ride.

Try new foods and experiment a little. Even with less training, we all have busy and often hectic lives, especially with the holiday season ahead of us. This is a great time of year to try some new recipes, new foods and get out of any food ruts that may have developed over the past season.

Watch choices and portions when eating out and at holiday gatherings. Don’t let the anything-goes holiday mentality get a grip on you. Pay attention to portions, and especially keep the high-calorie desserts and add-ons to small or modest portions. You can try everything — just don’t go back for seconds. Watch out for liquid calories from alcohol, juice, and sodas.

Keep a food journal when your weight hits high alert. Having to write down what, when, how much, and why you eat can really keep you honest. A food journal not only makes you accountable to yourself, but it also provides a somewhat objective tool to allow you to pinpoint problem areas in your eating and develop constructive strategies.

Of course, there are many nutritional strategies that you can practice for your various types of workouts to provide fuel for training, muscle building, and recovery. An outline of these suggestions follows below.

Nutritional strategies
Cold-weather training rides
You still need to replace fluid losses. Try to keep liquids warm, and even heat up sports drinks before you leave for a ride. Keep any bars and gels you bring with you close to your body and as warm as possible. If your body is well-insulated, you may sweat up to two quarts per hour. Shivering also increases energy requirements, so bring fuel to prevent bonking.

Indoor cycle classes
Have a snack or breakfast providing carbohydrate before these classes, as they help to maintain blood glucose levels and liver glycogen stores. Sweat losses can be significant, and having a sports drink can also maintain blood glucose levels. If you decide to drink water for a “fat-burning” experience, be prepared for falling blood glucose levels.

Late night/early morning trainer sessions
Timing can be tricky with weekday training workouts. For higher-intensity sessions, have a quick bite of carbohydrate beforehand. In the early morning try a banana, and have a good recovery breakfast afterwards. Liver glycogen stores are depleted early morning, so it may help to have a sports drink, rather than water, for higher intensity sessions, unless you are focused on fat burning. Evening sessions may benefit from an afternoon snack, followed by a modest recovery dinner.

Resistance training
Weight-training sessions may or may not be coupled with aerobic training or indoor rides, but muscle building will be facilitated by following specific nutritional guidelines. In the hour before weight training, consume anywhere from 10 to 20 g of high quality protein, and 25 to 50 g of carbohydrate. You can add more carbohydrate if some aerobic condition is combined with this workout. Within the hour after training, again aim for 10 to 20 g of high quality protein, and 25 to 50 g of carbohydrate, more carbohydrate to replace glycogen stores from training if needed.

Cross-training, aerobic training
Make sure that you hydrate during any cross-training or aerobic workouts. Try not to start any of these sessions when the fuel tank is on low — your workouts won’t be as good or as much fun.