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Food and the LSAT
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.
Comments
Hahahaha carrots in the rice. I recently went to a Mexican restaurant and the fajitas had carrots and cauliflower...? I'm going to send you a message.
Hi there, @alyhobbs,
Thanks for sharing. I've been overweight most of my life (there have been some years where I am in extremely good shape, and some where I just gain all my weight back due to my addiction to unhealthy foods). I can tell you that, from my personal experience, a healthy diet improves my mood and my "brain power".
Think about it, nutrient dense, and fresh foods are great sources of fuel for the body. Fantastic fuel for physical and mental work.
On the other hand, If I'm scarfing down a whole pizza, 2 boxes of cookies, and a milk shake, then I'm probably going to feel like trash.
Refined carbs and sugars spike the insulin and make a person feel sluggish and in need of a nap. So my advice is: healthy= variety, and stay away from excess amounts of sugar
Try to incorporate rice (brown is a great source of carbs), proteins like chicken, fish, steak (don't be too afraid of fat, your family is right, it is flavor and a little fat is OK), fruits and vegetables (bananas, apples, berries are great)
Exercise has many benefits in life, but this goes unsaid.
Full disclosure that I am NOT a registered dietitian.
@lsatgodjk 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..
@alyhobbs great post. That's been on my mind too. I also grew up eating latino food - lots of rice, stews, fat and well, its just delicious! It wasn't until my husband needed to change his diet because of his diabetes that I now cook less carbs and more protein. Giving up my white bread and white rice for even a few days is hard but I can't help to admit that the less carbs I eat the better I feel and I do think there is some correlation to what we eat and how we perform during our PTs and studying. I once gave in and had some delish Chinese food and wouldn't you know it, a few hours later I had a huge headache, was bloated and basically couldn't study the rest of the day
.
I agree with @"samantha.ashley92" and @lsatgodjk and would follow their advice. For my two cents, I would say to slowly start eliminating carbs or replacing with other items such as brown rice and quinoa. You may also want to try salmon or another type of fish you like. See how you feel and hopefully you'll find something that is not too radiacal of a change and that works for you.
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!
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)
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!
First of all I want to say, I hope you don't feel like everyone eats healthy all the time while studying for the LSAT. I mean... it's ideal, absolutely. But I'm right there with you. I'm not a healthy eater, and I try but it's difficult. The LSAT is also a lot of added stress so it's hard to throw a lot of energy toward another area of your life too.
For me personally, I've struggled a lot in the last few years because I have an autoimmune disease. I have way less energy than I used to and varying levels of daily pain. If I come home from work and cook a full meal, I'm pretty much wiped out and start getting pain in my hands and back. You can imagine it's really tough to study after that. So I ended up feeling like I had to pick between cooking for myself and studying. I decided studying was the most important thing, so resigned myself to eating pretty much anything that either doesn't require cooking or can be microwaved.
The others are right that fat isn't bad. And protein helps to fill you up. My favorite work day breakfasts are simple: 2 hard boiled eggs and a couple of small breakfast sausages. That keeps me full until lunch time. Trader Joe's has some awesome frozen stuff that is relatively healthy and microwaveable, if you're like me and aren't into cooking. A really simple dinner I used to make a lot is sauteed kale, mixed in with some rice and seasonings, and topped with a protein of some sort. I like to buy their chicken sausages and slice them up in it, or put a poached egg on top. With a grain in it like either rice or quinoa, and some protein, it's pretty filling and really delicious. Trader Joe's also has seasoning grinders that I love, really good fresh flavor. And they also have a greens mix called Cruciferous Crunch that's pre-shredded and awesome in smoothies or sauteed like the kale. If kale doesn't sound very exciting to you, the cruciferous crunch is a good substitute.
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
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?
Haha what kind of Mexican restaurant does that?? I can practically hear my ancestors rolling their graves
Yes this is something that I have the least struggle with. I've learned so much about sugar and it still has me in awe sometimes when I read a label and realize how much sugar is in so much food. The types of food that I used to eat but have been able to switch to either sugar free, natural or even sometimes just cutting out the food completely. For example spaghetti sauce, why in the world does a red sauce need sugar? It's just easier now to make it from scratch by adding all natural, maybe even organic tomato sauce, some chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic and italian seasoning. I even get a little crazy sometimes and add jalapenos lol.
Yes definitely!
Thanks so much for your reply. Yes I am not looking to change my diet completely as that would actually make things harder at this point. Plus I have been down that road and drastic diet changes lead to failure for me pretty much every time. I do better with balance and patience. But I do want to start incorporating healthier foods. Especially on PT days because I want to make sure I am not feeling foggy or sluggish.
Yes I completely agree. That is not my goal at all. I just want to know what are the ideal foods that will put me in a better mindset than when I have a carb-filled meal. Also you are completely right and I have struggled with water sooo much. Not because I don't like water. That is actually all that I really drink. I am not into sodas or juice or anything. My problem is drinking enough water, I tend to be dehydrated more often than not and that leads to headaches and legs cramps and only increases the foggy brain feeling. I take adderall and it acts like a diuretic which is so not ideal while taking a PT. Still haven't figured out how to increase my hydration without having to get up to use the restroom every 10 minutes grrrr.
I tried keto twice and it wasn't too bad but I found myself not eating or drinking enough and that is what caused me to not do well on it. Plus it is a lot of work to constantly be mindful of what you're eating especially when you eat out. I need to check out the miracle pasta. That is interesting. When it comes to fruit does it matter what kind? I personally prefer pineapples, apples, oranges, strawberries, grapes etc. I know fruit is fruit but I don't know if some have higher sugar content than others. Haha ditto on the potatoes, cake not so much. I'm telling you I'm that weird girl that bypasses the desert table and goes straight for the salty and spicy.
Haha same!
I have heard of those and want to try them! Is there much difference to use unsweetened almond milk instead of flax seed?
Yes I used to do that but I get too excited and make more food than I need and end up throwing so much out. I really do need to sit down and work on a list and be honest with myself about what I will and won't eat. Thanks so much for all of your advice!!
So I'm going to message you back tomorrow because I'm exhausted, but what @"Leah M B" said is just so relatable right now. I struggle with chronic illness, and cooking takes everything out of me. I am 0% Mexican and Mexican food is my favorite. I always have salsa, avocados, shredded cheese, and baked Scoops chips/tortillas. I would make fajitas but I usually don't have the energy to start chopping up vegetables, put away the leftovers, and babysit the stove. I know it sounds so easy for the average person, but the rest of my life just drains me so much that I live on things that I can microwave or stick in a bowl/blender without much effort.
Smoothies are always a good choice, and you can throw in greek yogurt, milk or almond milk with protein powder, granola, spinach (I prefer to eat it), flax seeds, PB2 (powdered peanut butter-- it's great, high in protein, and easy to clean off of the blades) etc. I usually go with the almond milk and protein powder/PB2. I also use frozen fruit because it's cheaper and I think better. I'm also going to endorse the glory that is overnight oats.
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!
Haha actually yes I do. There are so many people on here that talk about healthy eating and their jogging routines while I am sitting there on my couch with my chocolate milk and breakfast taco
I really do need to eat more boiled eggs. I want to try and alternate my breakfast with smoothies one day and the other eggs and toast or something like that. I will check out the mix. That sounds very interesting. There are soooo many smoothies mixes and types of protein it can be a bit overwhelming. I do like Trader Joe's and will definitely check out their frozen meals that are healthier than pizza but still quick to make lol. Thanks so much for all your advice!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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.
Great post OP!
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.
Can you please publish it?
@sami, I think this idea is awesome! And people could add more recipes over time, maybe.
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.
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.
@Sami dooo iiiittttt
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!
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.
@LCMama2017 and I will buy it
I want it autographed
@alyhobbs 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.
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.