The Climb (#153)

Many cyclists want to lose weight after the holidays, but crash dieting or hammering long rides only backfires. This week's The Climb newsletter explains how to do a realistic 6–8 week January reset using structured cycling, a modest calorie deficit, and smart recovery, perfect for busy riders with 4–6 hours a week.

Every January, I see the same thing.

Riders jump back on the bike after the holidays, feeling a bit heavier, a bit sluggish, and convinced they need to “go hard” to undo the damage. I’ve done this myself in the past. Eat everything over Christmas, feel guilty, and then try to fix it by smashing brutal rides or starving myself for a week.

It never works.
In fact, it usually makes things worse.

Search trends spike every single year for things like “post-holiday weight loss,” “January fat-loss plan,” “reset diet after Christmas.”

It’s predictable because people feel desperate for a fresh start. But the mistake is trying to fix a few weeks of overeating with extreme dieting or aggressive training in January.

The better approach is a clean reset. Four to six weeks of calm, structured, repeatable habits that get you back on track without burnout. That’s what I coach, and it’s what works, especially for riders over 40 with busy lives and limited time.

Here’s exactly how I get my clients back into momentum each January.

THE 6-8 WEEK RESET PROTOCOL

This isn’t a punishment phase. It’s a recalibration phase. The goal is fat loss, consistency, and restoring good habits without sacrificing your strength or killing your motivation.

Here’s the framework:

1. Modest calorie deficit

Around 300–400 calories daily. Nothing drastic.
This avoids hunger, keeps energy stable, and protects your training quality.

2. Protein target

Aim for 1.6–2.0g per kg of bodyweight.
This keeps you full, helps with fat loss, and protects muscle.

3. Three structured rides + one optional long ride

No junk miles. No random intensity. Just a simple mix of endurance, tempo, and one harder session.

4. At least one strength session per week

This is the secret weapon. It restores movement quality, builds muscle, and helps you feel strong again.

5. Prioritise sleep and recovery

This is the overlooked piece. Most people come out of the holidays underslept, overstimulated, and stressed.

You can’t train well on that.

If you follow this approach for four to six weeks, the weight comes off steadily, your legs come back to life, and your fitness starts trending upward.

A REALISTIC 4–6 HOUR WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN

This is the exact sort of schedule I build for clients who work full-time and don’t have hours to spare. Simple. Effective. Sustainable.

Monday: Rest or 20–30 min mobility
You’re probably still tired from the weekend.

Tuesday: Tempo / Sweet Spot (45–60 min)
Progressive, controlled intensity. Perfect “bang for your buck” session.

Wednesday: Strength training (25–30 min)
Squats, deadlifts, rows, and core. Keep it simple.

Thursday: Endurance ride (45–60 min)
Zone 2. Low stress. Easy to recover from.

Friday: Optional recovery spin (30 min) or rest
Listen to your body.

Saturday: Interval day (60–75 min)
Short, sharp VO2 or threshold efforts. Builds fitness fast.

Sunday: Longer Zone 2 ride (90–120 min)
Steady, relaxed endurance. No pressure. No hero efforts.

That’s it. No 4-hour slogs in the cold. No, trying to out-train December.

This structure brings focus and simplicity after the chaos of the holidays.

DEALING WITH JANUARY OBSTACLES

Because let’s be honest, January is a tricky month.

Limited daylight
Ride indoors during the week. Save outdoor rides for weekends. Go for a walk each lunch time to expose yourself to some natural daylight daily.

Cold weather
Shorter indoor sessions are absolutely enough. I do this myself.

Low motivation
Progress tracking helps. So does following a set plan.
When you know exactly what to do each day, motivation matters less.

Motivation comes from progression.

Poor sleep after holiday disruption
Prioritise this first. Training improves when sleep improves.

If you get these basics right, January stops feeling like punishment and starts feeling like a clean slate.

This reset is exactly how I prep riders for the start of the Cycle Lean Project each year.

It builds momentum, consistency, and confidence so you hit the ground running rather than starting from scratch.

If you want a full 8-week plan built around fat loss, strength, and smarter cycling, not more cycling, the January 2026 Cycle Lean Project is now open.

You can join us here:

Join the Cycle Lean Project – January 2026

Whenever you're ready, here are the ways I can help you:

1. The Cycle Lean Project: This comprehensive, all-in-one product group coaching programme is everything you need to shed kgs and ride faster.
2. The Cycle Lean Collective: Get ready to transform your fitness journey with our new and improved 1-2-1 coaching programme.

I am an ambassador for:

Awesome Supplements: Award Winning Supplements — Our plant-based awesome protein powder is 100% UK-made with low-sugar, gluten & dairy-free.

The best protein powder I have ever tasted.

Get 10% off any product/ every time you make a purchase when using my code: DAMERELL10 at Awesome Supplements.