Reviewing Winter Strategies For Nutrition and Fitness

Now that spring has arrived, I want to go back and review the goals outlined in my post Winter Strategies for Nutrition and Fitness. My general thesis is that winter has the potential to be the best month for fat loss. This is the season for rest and repair.

If we get into touch with our environment, this is the period where carbohydrate consumption should be at its lowest. Many people tend to gain weight in the winter, because they fail to get the sleep they need and eat too many carbohydrates that were never available year round until the modern age.

Time to review my 8 strategies.

1. Sleep More – SUCCESS for the beginning of winter when the days were shorter. As the days got longer, my sleep cycle decreased. In the depth of winter I was sleeping 8.5 hours and now I am closer to 7.5 hours.
2. Removal of All Sugar – FAIL. I developed a minor sweet tooth when I did the 16 hour “scheduled” Intermittent Fasts. On March 1st, I started a 30 Days Without Sugar or Fruit experiment.
3. No Fruit Except Berries – FAIL (see above).
4. Ketogenic Exploration – SUCCESS. I achieved ketosis during the 16 hour Intermittent Fasts that started after a low carb meal.
5. Cold Weather Exposure – FAIL. I had problems with my 2nd month of the daily 16 hour fasts and ended this practice. I plan to return to cold rinses in the shower soon.
6. Very Short Workouts – SUCCESS. I averaged one High Intensity Training session every 5 days. It took between 10 and 15 minutes. I did no other exercise.
7. Daily Intermittent Fasting – SUCCESS. I had success with month 1 and complications in month 2. In month 3, I returned to more random IF.

Let me review my goal for winter.

My primary goal for winter is fat loss. If I am to hit Level 3 Leanness in 2011, it is most likely to happen at the end of winter. This is all uncharted territory for me. Ive never done a ketogenic diet or daily IF. Will I make it? Stay tuned.

Did I succeed? Despite the problems I had with the 2nd month of daily 16 hour fasts, I am emerging from winter leaner than I’ve ever been in my life. I did it by sleeping more, exercising less and eating very low carbohydrates. I did not make Level 3 Leanness. Came very close. Maybe next winter. Now it is time to plan for spring. That post is coming up next.