If it makes you feel better, the way you eat in restaurants is exactly how I eat most days. I *love* the so-called bad stuff. And I enjoy it which makes it all the better. I just don't subscribe to the clean plate club. I eat as much as my body needs, and when I start saying things like 'I'm really full but this is *so* good, I know I've had enough. I think it is easier to do when you let yourself eat that sort of food -- in moderation -- whenever you please. Makes for good leftovers too.

As for the glycogen bit, I am no expert on it, but I notice that if I don't eat enough after a ride (I ride to and from work so I have to deal with evenings too) I have much less energy/endurance the next day.

Yesterday was a good example. After probably 2,000+ calories during the day, I rode to a hair apt. after work & was getting ready to order Italian food for dinner there when my sister (& roommate) came in limping with some serious road rash. She'd crashed her bike on the way in and wanted to go home right away. So I skipped plans to order food and headed out to the drug store to get some gauze pads, etc. while our hairdresser drove her to the bus stop. By the time I got home it was well after 9:00 and I'd ridden a tough 15 miles or so in a strong headwind (which knocked me over twice.) I was HUNGRY. But my sis needed help cleaning it all up and by the time we were done I needed to be in bed (had to get up at 5:30). So I had a big glass of milk and some fruit, but only a fraction of what I normally eat. This morning my ride to work was *awful* in spite of my normal breakfast. I granny-geared my way up hills that I usually kill, I felt like I had no energy. I took my road bike and got to work more slowly than I usually do on my MTB.

Now that *could* have been caused by anything, but it seems that I feel similarly any time I cut myself short on calories after exercise, especially hard exercise. I don't know about the 24 hour bit, I've read that the majority of glycogen replenishment happens within a short period of time after exercise. You pretty much want to get off the bike and have something with carbs and protein. A big glass of milk is a good choice for that, but I usually eat something else too & continue until I fall into bed.

Anne