One more thing about insulin. It slows, or in great amounts halts, the release of growth hormone. Thats the stuff that builds muscle.

So, if you have a huge workout, and then you eat tons of carbs, your carbs are stored as fat, AND you stop your natural release of growth hormone. You don't repair your aching muscles, AND you dont get stronger, AND you get fat.

There is evedence that a carbohydrate spike after strenuous workouts will, if done regularly, will change your lean body mass ratio in a negative direction.

If you work out, then carb out in the evenings, its much worse. Most of your growth hormone is released during REM sleep. Big bowl of pasta at night, no growth hormone release.

Lasagna at midnight, anyone?

Alright, I need to buckle down and learn this diet/nutrition thing. If you guys could recommend one book on the subject what would it be? I want to learn the physiology and have a regular game plan for eating.

dStone,

If you want an effective game plan, the Zone Diet by Barry Sears is it. Verify with any of the top CFers or trainers.

If you want to learn the science of nutrition, well, I can't help, but the trainers should have a recommendation. Jones? Andy?

If you want an interesting history/understanding of how westerners have come to demonize fatty food and meat, but elevate fat free carbs, read Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. It includes plenty of science with respect to the metabalization of the macro nutrients and their relationship to cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other diseases.

This one is for the nerds:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4362041487661765149

It's Taubes going summarizing the thesis of his book in an hour long lecture. Didn't see the whole thing yet.