Originally Posted by
rousseau
See, that's the thing. I was eating post-ride as if I'd just conquered Alpe d'Huez, as if my body would cease to function if I didn't ingest those 400 tasty calories within a half-hour of stepping off the bike.
400 Cals of carbs isn't going to hurt you if you've just finished burning 1600 Cals. Even at a moderate intensity you'll still be burning carbs that need to be replenished. The problem is the chocolate milk and muffin you described is probably more like 600 to 700 Cals.
Eating immediately the ride isn't the problem, it's the other food you need to limit.