Everyone has their own metabolism, and it pays obvious dividends to eat (or not) according it's demands. I'm in the process of getting back into shape and shedding significant weight after a long hiatus from riding. Whay seems to work best for me is an easy ride for maybe 10 miles before breakfast followed by a solid breakfast followed be a longer more intense ride in the early afternoon. I generally skip "lunch" and have an early and a light, veggie sourced dinner. I follow that regime 4 days a week and only eat sparingly on days "off". Since last August, I've dropped 30+ lbs. and gotten my calculated FTP up from ~140 to ~200. So it seems to be working. I make no claims that this is the "best" way to go, and it's certainly not the only way. But for me, it avoids the dreaded bonk (I hate that feeling) and provides the results I'm looking for.