Step 1 Food

[BlindWillieMCT]

Anyone have suggestions for what breakfast/lunch/snacks to use for the exam?

I have a large appetite and seem to get test induced hypoglycemia after a couple hours which seriously affects my concentration ability. I do best with a hearty meal before (nothing too big obviously) and several snacks.

(Since you all started to diagnose me right there: No family history of diabetes, low body fat, and normal fasting glucose levels.) It must be the combo of caffeine, concentration, and adrenaline that rolls through my glycogen so fast.

So I'm looking for some suggestions for good test meals and snacks (whole grains, protein) that won't let me down. Anybody got any?

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[ipizzy]

-Breakfast should be whatever you're used to eating in the mornings. I wouldn't deviate too far from that; it might mess with your mojo

-Lunch: peanut butter and banana sammich on whole grain bread. If you are a carnivore, go for a hearty sammich with meat & cheese (and veggies!)

-Snack: if protein is what you want, consider babybel cheese or other cheese snack (cheese is my favorite food ). Some people like protein bars or odwalla bars, but if you don't like sweet things you may not like them.

 

[lrkoehle]

Anyone have suggestions for what breakfast/lunch/snacks to use for the exam?

I have a large appetite and seem to get test induced hypoglycemia after a couple hours which seriously affects my concentration ability. I do best with a hearty meal before (nothing too big obviously) and several snacks.

(Since you all started to diagnose me right there: No family history of diabetes, low body fat, and normal fasting glucose levels.) It must be the combo of caffeine, concentration, and adrenaline that rolls through my glycogen so fast.

So I'm looking for some suggestions for good test meals and snacks (whole grains, protein) that won't let me down. Anybody got any?

I have always had the same issue with rapid-onset hunger that pretty much kills anything I'm doing. I knew that one lunch break just plain wasn't going to cut it. I also wanted to make sure I took something that I knew would have almost zero potential of messing up my stomach. In the end, I went with the good ol' PB n J. I made 4 the morning of and had one for breakfast. I figured the sugars in the jelly would power my brain and the fats in the peanut butter would help keep me full for a like 2 hours. I also knew the bread would get a little soggy and make the sandwich go down quickly and easily (crackers would've just dried out my mouth and taken forever to eat).

Usually my diet consists of a pretty good amount of protein, but I don't think the lack of it for a few hours during the exam negatively affected me. Sometimes my protein shakes can upset my stomach and a chicken sandwich sitting in my locker all day didn't seem like a smart idea either.

Also, I had been low carb dieting during my study period (dropped like 8 lbs ), but the night before I made sure to have some carbs to help fuel my brain. Not sure how much carbo-loading before step-I really helped, but it was delicious and my brain felt less fatigued than during a lot of the practice exams I took (though that may well have been the adrenaline).

Basically, use your best judgement and make sure to avoid anything with potential to jack up your GI system during the exam...that carne asada burrito may sound delicious the night before, but the last thing you need is to be dropping something nasty during your breaks...

I love that you started this thread by the way. I thought about starting one before I settled on my magnificent PB n J's.

 

[illegallysmooth]

Anyone have suggestions for what breakfast/lunch/snacks to use for the exam?

I have a large appetite and seem to get test induced hypoglycemia after a couple hours which seriously affects my concentration ability. I do best with a hearty meal before (nothing too big obviously) and several snacks.

(Since you all started to diagnose me right there: No family history of diabetes, low body fat, and normal fasting glucose levels.) It must be the combo of caffeine, concentration, and adrenaline that rolls through my glycogen so fast.

So I'm looking for some suggestions for good test meals and snacks (whole grains, protein) that won't let me down. Anybody got any?

I pre-assemble breakfast sandwiches (toasted whole wheat english muffin, deli ham browned a bit in a pan, slice of cheese) and nuke them in the morning. One of them keeps me going from 5:15am until 12-1 when I can grab bite at the office. For exam snacking, I brought a homemade trail mix (lots of nuts, dried fruit, small pieces of beef jerky). It's a good blend of protein, complex carbs and a little sugar for a quick rise in blood glucose.

 

[RedSoxSuck]

I have always had the same issue with rapid-onset hunger that pretty much kills anything I'm doing. I knew that one lunch break just plain wasn't going to cut it. I also wanted to make sure I took something that I knew would have almost zero potential of messing up my stomach. In the end, I went with the good ol' PB n J. I made 4 the morning of and had one for breakfast. I figured the sugars in the jelly would power my brain and the fats in the peanut butter would help keep me full for a like 2 hours. I also knew the bread would get a little soggy and make the sandwich go down quickly and easily (crackers would've just dried out my mouth and taken forever to eat).

Usually my diet consists of a pretty good amount of protein, but I don't think the lack of it for a few hours during the exam negatively affected me. Sometimes my protein shakes can upset my stomach and a chicken sandwich sitting in my locker all day didn't seem like a smart idea either.

Also, I had been low carb dieting during my study period (dropped like 8 lbs ), but the night before I made sure to have some carbs to help fuel my brain. Not sure how much carbo-loading before step-I really helped, but it was delicious and my brain felt less fatigued than during a lot of the practice exams I took (though that may well have been the adrenaline).

Basically, use your best judgement and make sure to avoid anything with potential to jack up your GI system during the exam...that carne asada burrito may sound delicious the night before, but the last thing you need is to be dropping something nasty during your breaks...

I love that you started this thread by the way. I thought about starting one before I settled on my magnificent PB n J's.

I would also add some nuts such as peanuts or almonds. Since they are rich in omega 3 and are digested slowly. So PBJ (for slow digesting carbs with some simple sugar for rapid energy and some persistent energy) will be great. I would try to refrain from protein bars etc because most of them, not all, are full of CRAP.

Also, make sure to make some aspirin. Last thing you want is a headache.

So coffee, PBJ, almonds, aspirin and water =

 

[illegallysmooth]

I would also add some nuts such as peanuts or almonds. Since they are rich in omega 3 and are digested slowly. So PBJ (for slow digesting carbs with some simple sugar for rapid energy and some persistent energy) will be great. I would try to refrain from protein bars etc because most of them, not all, are full of CRAP.

Also, make sure to make some aspirin. Last thing you want is a headache.

So coffee, PBJ, almonds, aspirin and water =

+1. I got a serious headache during block 6 and it never went away. Would have killed for ibuprofen.

 

[lrkoehle]

I would also add some nuts such as peanuts or almonds. Since they are rich in omega 3 and are digested slowly. So PBJ (for slow digesting carbs with some simple sugar for rapid energy and some persistent energy) will be great. I would try to refrain from protein bars etc because most of them, not all, are full of CRAP.

Also, make sure to make some aspirin. Last thing you want is a headache.

So coffee, PBJ, almonds, aspirin and water =

+2, except substitute Diet Pepsi Max for me, cuz I can't even force myself to choke down coffee if my life depended on it.

The aspirin/NSAID idea is great too. Though I must say I didn't get a bad head ache until the day AFTER my exam when I was having caffeine withdrawals after weeks and weeks of high daily doses of caffeine to force myself to keep studying. So far today, the caffeine withdrawals haven't been too bad.

Maybe grab a beta blocker too, so you can stop the heart palpitations after loading up on caffeine to avoid fatigue during the exam...I'm kidding of course, but I did get some minor palpitations after my 4th can on Diet Pepsi on the day (no 2:30 feeling for this guy though!).

 

[BlindWillieMCT]

Ok here's my plan so far

Caffeine: White tea in the morning (I'm a caffeine light weight so that's good enough to get me out of bed mode) then take up to 2 5 hour energies in small even quantities between blocks (I love that stuff for tests)

Breakfast: still a ?, I might just do something similar to lunch
Snacks: Oatmeal Raisin Granola (some decent sugar but also whole grain)
Emergency glucose: Peanut M&M's used sparingly unless on the verge of a sugar crash late in the day
Lunch: probably a big turkey sandwich on some substantial multigrain bread split up between two breaks

Thoughts on vitamin water (or something similar) compared with plain bottled water? I'll probably bring some of both and see how they feel at the time.

And I'll just bring way too much of everything since low blood sugar is my big fear

 

[startoverat40]

carb load the night before, and have pancakes for bkfst. take some boiled eggs along for snacks, plus chocolate/protein bars and raisins. don't eat a big lunch so you don't get food coma. spread it out over all the breaks.

 

[RedSoxSuck]

Ok here's my plan so far

Caffeine: White tea in the morning (I'm a caffeine light weight so that's good enough to get me out of bed mode) then take up to 2 5 hour energies in small even quantities between blocks (I love that stuff for tests)

Breakfast: still a ?, I might just do something similar to lunch
Snacks: Oatmeal Raisin Granola (some decent sugar but also whole grain)
Emergency glucose: Peanut M&M's used sparingly unless on the verge of a sugar crash late in the day
Lunch: probably a big turkey sandwich on some substantial multigrain bread split up between two breaks

Thoughts on vitamin water (or something similar) compared with plain bottled water? I'll probably bring some of both and see how they feel at the time.

And I'll just bring way too much of everything since low blood sugar is my big fear

Breakfast...perhaps something rich in protein and some carbs..But try it for a week or so. My breakfast has been consistent for last few months. 2 slice of whole wheat bread, 2 boiled eggs and 2 egg whites..

 

[lrkoehle]

And I'll just bring way too much of everything since low blood sugar is my big fear

Definitely do this. People looked at me like I was crazy carrying in an overflowing bag of food and drinks, but the last thing I wanted to have happen was get hungry. Even if you end up throwing it all away at the end of the day, this is not the time to get cheap on your food budget.

 

[scaredoflife]

There is a taco bell near my center. I was planning on just eating like 2- 1/2 bean cheesy and rice burritos for lunch. Breakfast I was thinking Ihop or waffles and some turkish coffee!

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