Glycolysis and glycogenesis

Just after the meal the body will get all its energy from breaking down glucose from the meal. This process is called glycolysis.
All cells in the body can use glucose as an energy source.
The brain is capable of using glucose for energy, but can not store glucose for later use. Everything that is supplied is immediately used.
The muscles and the liver, however, are capable of storing glucose for later. They will do this if the supply of glucose exceeds the demand. Glucose as such cannot be stored. It first has to be transformed to glycogen. This process is called glycogenesis.

If the maximum capacity of glycogen storage is reached, the liver will transform the excess of glucose to fatty acids. These will be bound, 3 by 3, to a glycerol and then stored under the form of body fat.

At any moment also fats and proteins are broken down in other processes, but these only deliver a minimal amount of the total energy needed by the body in this phase.
Yet it is important to know that fats are being broken down all the time. So a low fat diet remains important for patients with MCAD deficiency.

Read further: glycogenolysis >