How long after a workout do muscles cease repairing and growing?

[smatters]

Okay this may sound like a stupid question but I was wondering, Just how long do you need to consistently feed your muscle once you've worked it out? The question stems from this, eating 3500 calories a day, every day in order to maintain my weight is not an easy thing to do every day. There are days where I just feel like taking a break and not eating as much. I'm an ectomorph by nature and it is a big challenge to grow my muscles. However, The point of my question is this, How many days after you have worked out a muscle does the growing period cease. If on my fourth day after working out my chest I decide instead of 3500 cal I will only eat 2000 calories, Will my chest muscles have any affect by that. Are my chest muscles still growing after the fourth day from the workout period. If I continue eating 3500 cal a day am I just putting on weight or are my muscles still repairing themselves and actively growing. Again it may sound silly but I've always wondered just how long does the anabolic growth-enhancement period stay active.

[PROness]

It depends on how long you've been working out. The less time you've been training the shorter the recovery. It's also *sighs* genetics and how they pertain to your metabolism.