Yesterday was my carbup day.. and in contrast to my low-carb day I felt incredibly sluggish and sleepy today! This also had to do with lack of physical activity as Sunday is my rest day.

Yay for low-carb meals!

The reason why I still carb up is to restore glycogen levels and the high food consumption also tricks my body into believing there's no reason to hoard fat as there is no crisis (6 days/week I'm about 500-600 kcal below maintenance intake).

Were talking about couch potatoes and overconsumption of carbs!

This is my harp! The problem is in modern society we have ready access to high cal, good tasting, high carb food stuff. The problem is that most americans don't do nearly the physical activity it takes to make use of this high calorie load. If you are into bike commuting or other high calorie burning physical activity you arn't hurting yourself. I would like to add here that it is still better to get the carbs from whole grain, less refined carb source. It is just better on your body than a sudden rush of glucose you get from simple carbs.

I try and cary carb sources that are a combo of simple and more complex carbs when I ride long rides. I ran out of an energy source on a long ride this past summer and had to almost crawl home. I agree that it is more important for long rides to eat a little on a regular basis than depend on your reserves for longer rides. I can make a 20 mile ride at a brisk pace on one meal that has some carbs in the mix. If I go longer than that I have to eat on the go.

In nature refined carbs, fat, and salt is at a premium in most ancient human populations. We are pre programed to have a natural affinity for these things and are predisposed to over indulge in sugar, fats and saltiness. Your body has to have all of these to function properly, therefore no diet that eliminates all of any of these is not practical.
Every one should educate themselves to how much of each thing they need and which foods provide proper balance for the task at hand. Most regular people have no clue as to the true amount of calories that pass there lipps or how it affects there body!

I have noticed that here in the USA almost all of out food has sugar added to it! I have noticed that cheeper brands of processed foods have lower carbs. The extra cost is in the added sugar!

Forgive me for rambling but the thing that really opened my eyes to this carb issue was a commerical for a low carb diet that ask "Are you eating like a pig?". Having grown up in a farming family I got to thinking, you know that is right, farm animals are fattened up on almost all grain with a very low fat content!

I realy sould be riding insted of typing. hehehe

Don't get me started on gainfed feedlot meat lol.However everything you say is so true all the more reason to remember to always cycle vigiously if you are going to eat like a cyclict regularly.As a confirmation for your last post as well as initial post on my recent tour as on many long rides I started craving salt so really started overdoing it with those packets you get at fast food restuarants.Usually the added salt helps me with energy but after not too much of this I noticed my lips were becoming dry and parched and I started getting a cramp in one of my calves.As I suspected potassium would help the cramping and had some high potassium sources in fruit I had been carrying but neglecting at the time I immediately stopped and had a feast on apricots and oranges and it was surprising how fast all the above symptoms disappeared .The above example shows the need for sodium(salt) during extended physical activity but the importance that it be balanced with potassium intake which unfortunately most sources of added/refined salt don't include.

Indeed.. I had cramps a few weeks ago and since I wasn't carrying my normal Ca/Mg tablets which are said to prevent cramps (you put them in water), I asked at the gym whether they had licorice (salty). Nope.. and since I didn't want to buy a drink loaded with carbs (I'm on a ketodiet) I asked for plain salt and put a bit in my post-workout drink (whey, cottage cheese & cream). Gross, but it worked.
At home I have salt with extra potassium and magnesium, but I decided to take in my daily allowed carbs for the workout by taking 1 banana or a few dried apricots along.. f**k the raised glycogen levels in my liver (it is said that fructose from fruit will deposit in liver, rather than in my muscles), I don't want to have cramps.
Problem with regular licorice is that I'm an addict...
Edit: and unfortunately it is regular salt (NaCl) again, I said that the manufacturers should have sport's licorice.. actually I bought a twig of licorice root a few days ago and am chewing on it today (doesn't have a lot of carbs, but satisfies my licorice cravings quite well)

By the way, my main problem has always been that I ate far too little 'normal' food and would then binge on the wrong kind of foods (ice-crem, licorice, french fries, chips, cakes). This would especially occur a few days after a gruelling cycling weekend with not enough food intake.. a couple of days later the calorie loss would have been countered by major binges.. am trying to curb them now with this keto-diet..

Fietser, who's also a farmer girl .. and is sad to see that dear brother wants to fatten cattle on grain as well!

Fietser I drink a similar shake multiple times a day but I usually substitute fruits,grains(oatmeal)and sometimes a raw egg(jumbo lol)for the cottage cheese as I'm actually on a weight gain (as muscle) program and have a body type where I have to worry more about weight loss (particularly as muscle) than fat gain.You are right about fructose from fruit storing in the liver then as fat bypassing the muscle from my understanding so fruit should be used for quick energy or recovery but not energy storage /replentishment.I also agree potassium and magnesium are two extremely important minerals for energy production and recovery(actually magnesium has so many important functions its amazing)its a shame they are processed out of most refined products and not even added back in any enrichment attempt.However I find snacking on fruits and nuts while cycling helps me with these minerals just watch the added salt on nuts .

Only trouble with pistachios is that you need to peel them yourself (it is possible to buy peeled ones but they aren't as delicious or cheap) and by doing so, half of them may disappear into your mouth..

Actually one of the pluses I found with pistacios is when you have to shell them it limits the number you can eat at one time particular while riding on a bike .However I did find on my recent tour when I started eating them again after the above noted cramping incident they did start making my lips parched indicating the high sodium content they can have from added salt.

Or the chapped fingers from splitting them up, like what happened to an acquaintance when he was touring in Iran, the country with the best pistachio nuts

Moon pie and an RC. (I'm from Kentucky - land of 4,000,000 people and 15 last names)

I ride a road not far from home that is on the TN,KY state line. West to east and I'm in TN all the way, east to west I'm in KY that way I can enjoy two states in the same ride.

You do know that the tooth brush was also invented in Kentucky don't you? Any where else and it would have been called the teeth brush.