So I’ve been contemplating on writing this post for quite sometime. Mostly from my own personal embarrassment of having an issue with food but also my denial in thinking it wouldn’t make much difference. I’ve read so many posts that talk about eating right on the day of the test and also listened to the webinars where a few people have talked about changing their eating habits while studying. I am going to be very transparent and say that I have struggled with food my entire life. I may or may not be the only one but I certainly don’t want it to continue to affect my ability to do better on this test and even in my life. For the past 2 years I have been able to switch many of the foods that I eat to lower fat and less sugar. For the most part I have been able to switch to healthier options and in doing that while also cutting my portions I have lost a lot of weight. My issue is that I am still not eating healthy per se, nor am I eating enough vegetables. I’ve grown up mostly eating Mexican food. I mean the real southern Mexican food where they don’t put carrots in your rice and they don’t substitute fat because “that’s where the flavor comes from” lol That’s a quote from my family. I also have a love for spicy food. I prefer salty and spicy over sweet and savory. This community has been so great in helping myself and so many others when it comes to helping prepare for a test that makes or breaks our ability to get into the schools we want. That is why I am reaching out and being vulnerable in this confession that I feel my lack of healthy eating is hindering my ability to score higher. Does anyone have advice on how to eat better and what foods to eat? I feel if I had some guidance then it would be much easier for me to make a change. I don’t want to follow a strict diet and I’m not looking for weight loss tips. I just would genuinely like some advice on how to eat healthier and more specifically what are the best foods to help with brain function. I find myself feeling sluggish and sometime even a bit foggy. I know these things can also be affected by sleep so that is something I’m working on as well. For those who offer advice thank you in advance and for those that are just here to see what the food post was about haha thank you for reading.
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37 comments
Low-carb/Paleo eater here. I don't get blood sugar dips since my body isn't as reliant on glucose. Despite conventional thought, the brain can run perfectly well with less glucose. Ketones are actually the preferential fuel source for some cells. Any glucose your body needs can be created by the liver by a process called gluconeogenesis.
Anyway I eat lean meats and fish, lots of non-starchy vegetables, some berries and non-seed oils (olive, avocado).
On test day I eat a small breakfast (half an avocado, couple eggs and some spinach) and for the 15min break a piece of chocolate + MCT oil.
Disclosure: I felt compelled to post, merely to present the way I eat. I'm not looking to start any ideological battles. I'm a strong advocate for eating whatever makes you feel great.
Great post OP! (3(/p)
I feel like we need an LSAT recipe book honestly!
My boyfriend and I started our own recipe book because we realized it was tough to find easy to make healthy recipes that worked with our schedule.
For example, for breakfast we have recipes about scramble eggs and veggies (whatever we have), hearty vegetable quiche (we make 2 of these on Sundays and it lasts us all week and is one of the simplest to make and most filling things to eat), yogurt and fruit bowl, smoothies etc. We don't include any recipes either one of us dislikes like overnight oatmeal. lol I also make it a rule to sprinkle chia seeds, flax seeds, and nuts on anything in breakfast to give myself an omega dose. I used to get break outs from stress but ever since chia seeds have been added to my diet I feel my skin no longer gets into trouble.
For lunch, we have simple things like vegetable and hummus (we make a big bowl of cut vegetables and home-made hummus -it lasts us a long time), sardines (great source of omegas and brain food and you can just buy them and eat them straight out of the can), chicken noodle soup (super easy to make- you can substitute quinoa for noodles and use left over veggie scraps to make your own broth), etc.
Honestly, I also got some ideas from what people wrote above and plan to try them. If they work, I intend to add them to my book.
I am from an Indian family and our eating habits are not that dissimilar. Half the time I feel hungry just because I am missing Indian foods. What I have realized is that if I use Indian food as a once in a week treat it works much better than as part of my diet :(. Also, I don't buy what I don't think is good for me to eat. So if I don't buy ice cream, I am not going to eat it.
Also, I don't stress that much about getting it 100% healthy. I happily put some cheese in my eggs or quiche because I feel that I am allowed to do that since I am eating healthier everywhere else.
@jasminejudge480, I think this idea is awesome! And people could add more recipes over time, maybe.
@kingse414 said:
My boyfriend and I started our own recipe book because we realized it was tough to find easy to make healthy recipes that worked with our schedule.
Can you please publish it? (3(/p)
Oh, forgot the most important thing I was going to say. Don't get down on yourself for eating what you do. There's nothing to be ashamed of or explained away. We're all different and have different tastes. I know the guilt about it... I wish I was one of those people who thought fast food was gross. I don't. I think it's delicious and honestly I could eat it every day haha. I would still live off mac and cheese and chicken strips if my old body could handle that like I did in college. hahaha. But we need to learn to not live in guilt or shame over these things. Yes, we could all stand to eat a little healthier and discipline is hard. But we all just do the best we can, ya know?
Personally I feel better when I eat lower amounts of carbs and moderate amounts of protein (from chicken/seafood etc.). Not necessarily Keto (though the one time I made it through for 3 weeks I felt AMAZING). More like 50-80g of carbs a day made up of healthy complex carbs like fruits (cantaloupe, watermelon, etc.), oats, miracle brand pasta with vodka sauce etc. instead of trash (i.e. white potatoes and cake...God do I love both haha)
@a342 all this talk about healthy eating prompted me to go to my local Freshii's to get some healthy food because, well, why not?
So, they have this yummy chia pudding with fruit on top. Its was sooo good. I have been having a problem staying awake in the afternoon when I study and the last two days that I've had the pudding I've been staying awake through the afternoon. Now, I'm not saying there is any causation here or even correlation - perhaps its just a coincidence that I'm not feeling so tired in the afternoon when I eat the pudding, but I'm going to continue doing this because so far its working for me. Just wanted to share with you in case you wanted to try it too.
Per the Freshii menu the pudding has chia seeds, coconut milk and honey. It is topped with mango, strawberries and shredded coconut.
Oh FYI, if you haven’t done greens smoothies before, spinach is the best starter green. It blends super easily and has a mild flavor. Kale can be tough with standard blenders. The cruciferous crunch is a little better because it’s only part kale. But spinach is awesome for smoothies! And nice because it’s so versatile. Great for salads, on sandwiches, lots of things!
Sweets are my weak spot so I’m very careful with how I start my day. During the work week I make a veggie smoothie that is rich and super satisfying and I truly enjoy it (I know it sounds wierd) Unusually consists of:
•one peeled cucumber
•1/2 cup of steamed then frozen chopped cauliflower or zucchini
•1/2 cup of frozen spinach
•1/2 an avocado
•2 tbs chia seeds
•1 tbs ground flax seeds
•1 tbs collagen powder (does not add any flavor)
•crap ton of cinnamon powder (for balancing blood sugar and the flavor is phenom)
•if you must have fruit in it, 1/2 cup of blueberries
Add water and blend (I use the large Nutribullet). This smoothie adds a ton of veggies straight off the bat, and if you don’t add the blueberries has basically no sugar, plenty of healthy fats & fiber, and the collagen even adds some protein. Checks off all the boxes!
Interesting post! You could try making green smoothies from kale and other vegetables mixed with fruit. I've substituted my usual breakfast (or lack thereof) with green smoothies and have really noticed a difference. And they are pretty easy to make if you have a blender. If you google "green smoothie recipes" you'll find tons of recipes to try. My go to is usually kale, frozen banana, peanut butter and a couple dates
I also grew up eating Mexican food lol. When I went away for college it was so hard for me to learn how to eat healthier. I stuck to hot pockets, pop tarts, and ramen soups.
I still hate vegetables but I find them easier to eat with hummus. I cut up strips of jicama, celery, and carrots on Sunday nights and put them in little baggies. I divide a tub of hummus into 5 mini Tupperware containers. Those are my snacks for the week.
I bought mason jars and found an overnight oats recipe I really enjoy. I add half a cup of oatmeal, honey, tiny bit of vanilla, almond butter, and the night before I eat it I add a banana and flax seed milk. That's my breakfast!
For lunches and dinners I usually prep some sort of quinoa bowl or butternut squash casserole with bell peppers, onions, eggplants, etc.
The hardest part is finding food you enjoy and prepping meals ahead of time but this makes the difference for me! The weeks I don't prep my meals ahead of time I end up ordering take out for all of my meals /: It's a time saver throughout the week and I feel much more energetic!
Good luck with everything!
You have nothing to be embarrassed about! My advice would be don't try to change everything all at once. For the first week, just commit to having a healthy breakfast every single morning. Then the next week, add in healthy lunches, and so on. It's so much easier to get frustrated and feel like a failure if you feel like you have to switch from not so healthy eating to perfectly healthy overnight. And I know everyone says this, but drinking a lot of water really will make a difference too!
@a342 I actually just mentioned the blood sugar spikes in a private message! In case anyone else reads this, my old endocrinologist told me that it's really important to eat fat and/or protein with your carbs. It helps keep glucose levels stable. I have felt worse in a sugar-induced (reactive) hypoglycemic state than I felt when I had the flu. It's amazing how much glucose affects both our bodies and our minds. Anyway, thinking about all of this is a really good reminder for myself that I don't need to go crazy and change my whole diet, but I should start eating more regularly throughout the day. Ugh but now I want berries..
@kingse414 said:
@a342 said:
@kingse414 said:
@kingse414 said:
My boyfriend and I started our own recipe book because we realized it was tough to find easy to make healthy recipes that worked with our schedule.
Can you please publish it? (3(/p)
@kingse414 dooo iiiittttt
@a342 and I will buy it (3(/p)
I want it autographed :smiley:
@a342 said:
@kingse414 said:
@kingse414 said:
My boyfriend and I started our own recipe book because we realized it was tough to find easy to make healthy recipes that worked with our schedule.
Can you please publish it? (3(/p)
@kingse414 dooo iiiittttt
@a342 and I will buy it (3(/p)
@kingse414 said:
Great post OP! (3(/p)
I feel like we need an LSAT recipe book honestly!
My boyfriend and I started our own recipe book because we realized it was tough to find easy to make healthy recipes that worked with our schedule.
For example, for breakfast we have recipes about scramble eggs and veggies (whatever we have), hearty vegetable quiche (we make 2 of these on Sundays and it lasts us all week and is one of the simplest to make and most filling things to eat), yogurt and fruit bowl, smoothies etc. We don't include any recipes either one of us dislikes like overnight oatmeal. lol I also make it a rule to sprinkle chia seeds, flax seeds, and nuts on anything in breakfast to give myself an omega dose. I used to get break outs from stress but ever since chia seeds have been added to my diet I feel my skin no longer gets into trouble.
For lunch, we have simple things like vegetable and hummus (we make a big bowl of cut vegetables and home-made hummus -it lasts us a long time), sardines (great source of omegas and brain food and you can just buy them and eat them straight out of the can), chicken noodle soup (super easy to make- you can substitute quinoa for noodles and use left over veggie scraps to make your own broth), etc.
Honestly, I also got some ideas from what people wrote above and plan to try them. If they work, I intend to add them to my book.
I am from an Indian family and our eating habits are not that dissimilar. Half the time I feel hungry just because I am missing Indian foods. What I have realized is that if I use Indian food as a once in a week treat it works much better than as part of my diet :(. Also, I don't buy what I don't think is good for me to eat. So if I don't buy ice cream, I am not going to eat it.
Also, I don't stress that much about getting it 100% healthy. I happily put some cheese in my eggs or quiche because I feel that I am allowed to do that since I am eating healthier everywhere else.
Yes I agree a recipe book would be awesome! Or even just a list of foods so we can search the recipes would be great.
Thanks for your response and tips! I am gathering up all the ides and going to make a list for this week to start trying things out.
@a342 said:
@leahbeuk911 said:
Oh FYI, if you haven’t done greens smoothies before, spinach is the best starter green. It blends super easily and has a mild flavor. Kale can be tough with standard blenders. The cruciferous crunch is a little better because it’s only part kale. But spinach is awesome for smoothies! And nice because it’s so versatile. Great for salads, on sandwiches, lots of things!
Yes I have put it in my fruit smoothies before but I haven't tried Kale. I do wonder do you put anything like apples as a sweetener? I have seen some smoothie places do that and I wonder if it helps with the flavor.
So for my favorite smoothie it's something like this: half a cup of unsweetened coconut milk, small handful of frozen blueberries, a few pieces of frozen mango, half a banana, a scoop of berry flavored Vega brand protein powder (vegan brand, protein from rice and peas - since I'm allergic to soy it's one of the few protein powders I can have), 2-3 ice cubes, and a couple of big handfuls of baby spinach. May need some more liquid to blend, so I add in more coconut milk or water as needed. I have a massive sweet tooth and a lot of people would criticize this for the sugar content, but IMO the sugar is coming from fruit so is at least a lot better than other things I eat haha. It definitely can be made with water instead of coconut milk and less fruit to lower the sugar. The Vega powder is pretty sweet on its own but is sweetened with stevia, so also low cal and not processed sugar. It gives a nice boost with a good dose of protein and lots of vitamins, and iron from the spinach!
@kingse414 said:
@kingse414 said:
My boyfriend and I started our own recipe book because we realized it was tough to find easy to make healthy recipes that worked with our schedule.
Can you please publish it? (3(/p)
@kingse414 dooo iiiittttt
You're definitely not alone in thinking that food affects your ability to focus. I've definitely been noticing that too. I'm also in the same boat in terms of preferring salty and spicy foods to sweet foods.
One thing that I really love for breakfast that keeps me full and makes me feel focused is avocado toast. I usually make it using a really good whole grain bread from a local bakery. I mash up half an avocado on a plate and squeeze in a bit of lemon juice. Then I toast a slice of bread and spread the avocado on top. I top it off with another squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt, and (very importantly for those of us who love spice) a generous sprinkle of Marash red pepper flakes... or just any old red pepper flakes if I am in a pinch. I find that it's the perfect combination of delicious and filling without being too heavy. :)
I can relate because I’ve had my own food struggles for my whole life, but always wished I could eat better / healthier. I eat plenty, but eat the wrong things lol. I have sensory issues with food that made it difficult for me to eat well because of texture, smells, etc. I dont eat condiments, had a hard time with fruits and vegetables, and mostly liked things crispy, crunchy, fatty, starchy, everything that isn’t healthy haha.
BUT I have been gradually working on this for the past couple of years. So I’ll share with you what has helped me personally:
So first of all, I’d take something I normally eat and try to substitute it for something healthier. Instead of chicken nuggets or fried chicken fingers, I’d do baked chicken breast coated in breadcrumbs. Instead of fries, I tried cauliflower and seasoned it with breadcrumbs and the flavors I like. It was similar enough to what I was used to that I could gradually transition. And I just kept pushing the envelope as I got comfortable. I tried asparagus wrapped in bacon to get used to the flavors so now I can eat it just seasoned.
Second, I made sure when I was trying new things I would make it myself so I was less nervous to try it. I would try it at home so I was comfortable.
So my tips are to find some recipes for things that remind you of the things you like about your favorite foods, but are healthier. Make them yourself in the comfort of your own home. Do it gradually so it’s not overwhelming, but do keep nudging and pushing yourself as you get comfortable. And obviously as far as what to eat, it just is about balance. Vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, etc. Most importantly, be kind to yourself! If you are stressing yourself out, that’s going to hurt you the most when it comes to your score.
@a342 said:
@leahbeuk911 said:
Oh FYI, if you haven’t done greens smoothies before, spinach is the best starter green. It blends super easily and has a mild flavor. Kale can be tough with standard blenders. The cruciferous crunch is a little better because it’s only part kale. But spinach is awesome for smoothies! And nice because it’s so versatile. Great for salads, on sandwiches, lots of things!
Yes I have put it in my fruit smoothies before but I haven't tried Kale. I do wonder do you put anything like apples as a sweetener? I have seen some smoothie places do that and I wonder if it helps with the flavor.
I’ve never done apple (I also have some weird food allergies, including a lot of fresh fruits/veggies :() but banana is awesome and makes smoothies creamier. Mango too. I love bananas and always have them handy so that is my go-to. Kale is more a problem because it’s so tough, not every blender can really handle it. And then you end up with chunks of unblended kale which is not pleasant lol. The more expensive, better blenders do a better job with it. Spinach blends super smooth though.
@leahbeuk911 said:
Oh FYI, if you haven’t done greens smoothies before, spinach is the best starter green. It blends super easily and has a mild flavor. Kale can be tough with standard blenders. The cruciferous crunch is a little better because it’s only part kale. But spinach is awesome for smoothies! And nice because it’s so versatile. Great for salads, on sandwiches, lots of things!
Yes I have put it in my fruit smoothies before but I haven't tried Kale. I do wonder do you put anything like apples as a sweetener? I have seen some smoothie places do that and I wonder if it helps with the flavor.
@mariecavery809 said:
Sweets are my weak spot so I’m very careful with how I start my day. During the work week I make a veggie smoothie that is rich and super satisfying and I truly enjoy it (I know it sounds wierd) Unusually consists of:
•one peeled cucumber
•1/2 cup of steamed then frozen chopped cauliflower or zucchini
•1/2 cup of frozen spinach
•1/2 an avocado
•2 tbs chia seeds
•1 tbs ground flax seeds
•1 tbs collagen powder (does not add any flavor)
•crap ton of cinnamon powder (for balancing blood sugar and the flavor is phenom)
•if you must have fruit in it, 1/2 cup of blueberries
Add water and blend (I use the large Nutribullet). This smoothie adds a ton of veggies straight off the bat, and if you don’t add the blueberries has basically no sugar, plenty of healthy fats & fiber, and the collagen even adds some protein. Checks off all the boxes!
Wow thanks for the recipe I will have to try this! I have used collagen, chia seeds and spinach but the rest are all new to me in terms of smoothie ingredients. Thank you!
@leahbeuk911 said:
Oh, forgot the most important thing I was going to say. Don't get down on yourself for eating what you do. There's nothing to be ashamed of or explained away. We're all different and have different tastes. I know the guilt about it... I wish I was one of those people who thought fast food was gross. I don't. I think it's delicious and honestly I could eat it every day haha. I would still live off mac and cheese and chicken strips if my old body could handle that like I did in college. hahaha. But we need to learn to not live in guilt or shame over these things. Yes, we could all stand to eat a little healthier and discipline is hard. But we all just do the best we can, ya know?
I really really love this and you're absolutely right! That's exactly why I decided to write this post because I don't want to be embarrassed. I wish I could do better of course but I am tired of feeling guilty for not having it all together because in reality none of us do. I know I can do better and I will get there over time but at the moment I think advice on better options for food before a PT, during the break and even dinner the night before can lead me in that direction. I wanted to find a balance between realizing there is an issue and how to resolve it. Sure it sounds easy to just stop eating unhealthy and focus on the fact that food is fuel for our body and just like we wouldn't put trash in our cars we shouldn't put trash in our bodies but, that is not reality and it's not easy. This forum to be completely honest has really helped me learn about balance. I am so hard on myself about everything from not studying enough to not trying hard enough. On the outside it can appear that thousands of people take this test and get into to school no problem. Having this community and helping through the hardships really puts things into perspective and allows me to have patience with myself. Sometimes you need a break and sometimes the question that took you hours to figure out was just as hard to others. So thank you everyone! :smile:
@wwijaya1190566 said:
Interesting post! You could try making green smoothies from kale and other vegetables mixed with fruit. I've substituted my usual breakfast (or lack thereof) with green smoothies and have really noticed a difference. And they are pretty easy to make if you have a blender. If you google "green smoothie recipes" you'll find tons of recipes to try. My go to is usually kale, frozen banana, peanut butter and a couple dates
Thanks for your response. I actually need to get back into smoothies. I have heard a lot about dates but I have never tried them. I need to check them out!