Always hungry? Quell the constant urge to visit the fridge by eating smart after a long bike ride.

Problem 1

You’re not that hungry right after a ride so you don’t eat. Next day you can’t get crisps into you fast enough.

Solution

Ride hard and you can suppress your appetite, essentially putting your body into calorie deficit, even a couple of days after you finish a big ride.

Eating when you’re not hungry is pretty horrible though, so try a recovery drink after riding to make sure you’re getting the nutrients, proteins and carbs to repair your ailing body.

>>> Five foods you should never eat before you ride 

Problem 2

Your energy levels seem to spike and crash throughout the day.

Solution

Some foods break down quickly and rapidly release glucose into the bloodstream, some get digested slowly and gradually release energy for you body: and it’s the latter you want to be eating.

Use the glycaemic index (GI) to work out what’s best — a lower GI number indicates a slower rate of digestion and absorption of the food’s carbohydrates which will give us a more even release of energy and helps us feel fuller for longer.

Problem 3

You find yourself snacking for a couple of days after a hefty ride.

Solution

Snacking isn’t really a problem, it’s a good thing. Eating five to seven smaller meals a day keeps your hunger at bay more effectively than three big feeds. Just remember to eat the same amount of food you normally eat over the smaller meals and keep the calorie intake the same.

Try not to snack just on carbs either, eat protein too — it’ll keep you full for longer, and it’s essential for muscle repair after riding.

Watch: Post-ride fast food refuelling

Problem 4

You’re yawning as well as ravenous

Solution

How much sleep are you getting? Sleep deprivation can make you feel hungrier, so says the latest research.

The boffins aren’t sure why this is, but it could be hormonal: one study found that after limited sleep the hunger-suppressing hormone leptin decreased and hunger-increasing ghrelin levels increased.

The subjects said they felt hungry for high carbohydrate food. Try and get more sleep, even if it means — shock horror — putting your Sunday morning ride back an hour.