I’m a sucker for seasonal training. Being on the north east coast we get brutal winters, a beautiful fall and a nice summer. Whenever the weather is nice I try to workout in nature when I can. Besides that, I also alter my diet and training depending on the season.
In the fall and winter I typically try to add some more strength/muscle. Although I am pretty close to my natural limit and the gains are minimal, it is fun to do. During these months I may pack on a little more fat but it is all good. You won’t see me at the beach in December with my shirt off.
Once the spring hits I typically start to diet down a bit in preparation for summer. I like to get pretty lean for summer with all the pool parties and vacations. Once summer hits I try and maintain that leanness through the summer. Then I repeat the cycle.
I like doing things like this because it changes it up. I am not constantly eating clean all year round going crazy. I honestly think it is good for your body too to go through cycles like this. It is very hard to maintain a low body fat year long unless you are a genetic freak.
I tend not to worry much about overeating during the holidays in the winter. That’s probably the opposite of what you hear from any trainer. But to me, you have to live life. That means engaging in some apple pie eating from time to time.
So am I saying to just go all out in the fall and winter? Bulking season baby! Definitely not. But it doesn’t hurt to get in some extra food to pack on some muscle. This obviously depends on your goals and current body. If you are very overweight I do not recommend this just yet. Instead I recommend a steady weight loss that you can maintain long term.
