If like us you are looking forward to some well earned time off this Christmas you may be planning to set out into the New Year with some crazy goals and plans to ride your bike whenever you can. Christmas can be a challenging time of year when if comes to fitness goals and getting your rides in thanks to copious amounts of food and alcohol partnered with cold and wet weather. With this in mind we have pulled together some handy tips and tricks to help you into January with the best form possible. 

First off… go put your feet up because you have earned it this year. 2019 has been a busy year and a little bit of time away from your bike might be a great idea. Take this time to reflect on all the amazing things you have achieved this year. What are the not so great parts? Either learn from them or leave them behind in 2019. Take these lessons and use them to plan some more challenges, look into races that you want to tackle next year! 

Christmas is the ultimate test of willpower when it comes to food and drink. It is so easy to overindulge so it’s expected that our waistlines may get a little bit larger. The larger the waistline though the harder it will be to lose it all again come the New Year so although we all LOVE to indulge at Christmas try and do it in moderation. If you would rather substitute out the really indulgent food for a healthier option then check out our Fit Fuel Pinterest board for some inspiration. 

Don’t let the bad weather or shortage of time hold you back this winter and get yourself an indoor trainer. At this time of year we all expect the weather to be a bit rubbish so don’t let it disrupt your training plan. Having an indoor trainer may just save you time too because you won’t have to worry about cleaning a dirty bike or soaking wet clothes. Instead of trying for a long ride on a trainer, focus on shorted high intensity interval training which will be much more interesting and get your heart rate up quicker. This sort of training is ideal for maximizing a short training session. 

December is full of parties, family events and work commitments so it can be really difficult to stick to a full training plan so try and make yourself as flexible as possible. It you only have time for a quick 30 minute ride then go for it. It’s better to get a short, fast workout in than no workout at all.