Suggestions for meals prior and during MCAT

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pmpharmtech

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Okay, maybe this is planning out things to meticuoulsy but I was wondering what are some good things to eat as well as avoid the evening before the test, for breakfast the day of the test, as well as for lunch during the lunch break between the verbal and writing sections. I had a friend take it and I think he slammed a Red Bull for breakfast and then one for lunch, he's in med school now so it must have worked for him. Of course eating a good breakfast is a must (backed by scientific research) but as far as lunch, should I go for a full meal or just do something light like some fruit or a bottle of fruit juice (OJ)? I know alot of the study manuals say to avoid fatty meals so I think that's going to be a definite must for dinner the day before and the following breakfast. I know this sounds kinda crazy but I was just wondering what anyone who is planning on taking the test and/or anyone who has taken the test already think. Thanks! 😀
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Eat carbs the night before (pasta, pasta, pasta). On test day, during breaks and at lunch eat potassium (banana) and protein (my personal favorite is peanut butter). Stay away from mayo and turkey.
 
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The night before, I would just make sure to eat something that's pretty sure to agree with you. And no beans 🙂

The morning of, get some protein and some carbs - I think I had an omelet and fruit.

For lunch, you want balance - roast beef sandwich, apple, baby carrots is my staple. Don't eat a ton of carbs or sugar that will make you feel sleepy.

I recommend bringing juice boxes with you. I normally snack pretty often, and sucking down some apple juice at breaks helped me keep my blood sugar up, which is a big deal for me.
 
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Personally, i like to keep with routine, so this may not work for you but it definitely helps.

The night before any diag i try to limit my intake, eat some fruit, maybe some dessert...but nothing that will overdo it so i will want to sleep more than i should. Obviously, the most important thing to do is get a good nights sleep (unforunately, that has always eludded me).

As for the day of the test or diag. I usually wake up an 1 to 1.5 hours before the test time. Drink a BIG cup of coffee (i mean big, like a huge thermos full) and some carbs (like a nutrition bar). Nothing that will overdo it, but enough that will keep me going.

The break between PS and VR, i usually just go have a cigarette and splash some water on my face to cool off from all of the physics crap.

Lunch, I go and get some Pho (for those who dont know, its a vietnamese herbal soup...really, really good stuff...basically a rice noodle soup with pieces of beef in a beef broth). It fills me up but nothing that will put me to sleep...it usually recharges me.

Break between WS and BS, another smoke.
 
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the night before the test i had sushi and beer.

for the day of... you should remember that it's a long test. you're going to need some nourishment. for breakfast do something fairly filling... egg and toast, yogurt and granola, or maybe something like oatmeal. i drank a big ice coffee, which worked fine for me, but just make sure you pee right before the first section, and potentially in the breaks as well. bring a bottle of water, but take the label off, just in case it's an issue (i heard rumors). i brought nuts and dried fruit, plus a couple of balance bars for in between sections. i would eat a REAL lunch... i.e. sandwich and beverage, so you have energy for the second half... esp. since the writing bit is so boring. 🙂
good luck!
 
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sorry if you had to read that...

Now regarding meals, I heard someone say oatmeal has a low glycemic index, so it's a good breakfast choice.
 
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I've been relatively healthy for a long time (can't remember the last time I was sick)..

The last thing I need is for my body to just break down under the stress and be bedridden for that week/weekend!!!


As for food, I am planning on glycogen loading the 2 nights before.. pasta, etc. and then a light, carbohydrate meal the morning of the MCAT. Lots of coffee throughout the day to keep me going, fruit, etc.


Usually during stressful tests I get really bad stomach cramps towards the end from the nerves..
 
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firebird69guy said:
As for food, I am planning on glycogen loading the 2 nights before.. pasta, etc. and then a light, carbohydrate meal the morning of the MCAT. Lots of coffee throughout the day to keep me going, fruit, etc.

Usually during stressful tests I get really bad stomach cramps towards the end from the nerves..
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if you have stomach cramps from the nerves, i would advise against all that coffee... just have one cup in the morning to get you started, then eat energy food (nuts/fruit) for the rest of the day.
 
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if you drink lots of coffee, you will urinate your way through every section when you should be bubbling in your correct answers instead
 
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MeowMix said:
if you drink lots of coffee, you will urinate your way through every section when you should be bubbling in your correct answers instead
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I have an extra large bladder.. but yeah, I think I will limit myself to some coffee in the morning and..

according to either the placebo effect or that extra burst of glycogen breakdown, I have to have coffee before verbal to do OK.


I'm not one of those freaks that gets 12s and 13s on every verbal test..
 
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lorelei said:
The night before, I would just make sure to eat something that's pretty sure to agree with you. And no beans 🙂

The morning of, get some protein and some carbs - I think I had an omelet and fruit.

For lunch, you want balance - roast beef sandwich, apple, baby carrots is my staple. Don't eat a ton of carbs or sugar that will make you feel sleepy.

I recommend bringing juice boxes with you. I normally snack pretty often, and sucking down some apple juice at breaks helped me keep my blood sugar up, which is a big deal for me.
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Just make sure that you wont have to do the #2 (or #1 for that matter) during the testing.
 
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were do people put all these things, can we bring our backpack? What can we actually bring to the test?
 
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pico61 said:
were do people put all these things, can we bring our backpack? What can we actually bring to the test?
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if you go to http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/registration.htm - i think MCAT essentials tells you what you can bring and what you can't.

regarding PEEING. this was a huge issue over the summer when i was studying... don't freak out! that is what breaks are for! if you're unsure... just GO. pee between EVERY section if you want. you just don't want to have to go in the middle of the exam... no time for that. BUT you don't want to dehydrate yourself by limiting your fluid intake either.
 
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and remember, always....ALWAYS...pee with the wind, not against it.
 
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Can I have a water bottle next to me during the test? I know it says no drinking, eating, or smoking during the test...but still...I want my water ;0
 
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ack!
SO unnecessary!
and i think you can have water... i would take off the label and keep it on the floor, not on your desk.
 
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just avoid any foods that may potentially make you sick. even foods that normally are okay may turn watery in your bowels on the day of the exam, courtesy of a nervous stomach.

i avoided: sushi, anything with milk/cream/cheese in it, anything spicy, anything processed (i.e. boxed macaroni and cheese), anything greasy (no mcdonald's)

i did eat a lot of salmon (for omega 3's) the week beforehand. lunch was a sandwich with grapes.

you can only drink your fluids between sections of the exam (not during the exam). my proctor was strict though - so there may be some wiggle room on this.
 
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😀 Alright the entire day of the MCAT and the day before, I'm gonna eat chocolate and drink coffee

Dinner the night before: chocolate steak w/ coffee

Breakfast: coffee beans in milk w/ chocolate

Right before test: coffee

Between PS and VR: coffe w/ chocolate in it

Lunch break: coffee flavored chocolate w/ chocolate coffee sandwich and a side of coffee

b/w WS and BS: cocoa powder and coffee bean trail mix

After test: I'm gonna go get some sushi and mongolian grill...... 😀
 
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I'm not so sure about carbo loading. I had pasta the night before FL 3 and i was very groggy and sluggish the next morning. Does anybody know why??? I normally don't eat bread or pasta, so maybe this was the reason.

I don't plan on deviating from my normal diet. For breakfast a cup of starbucks coffee, heavy on the cream, and for lunch a power bar and another cup of coffee. I had a lot of energy for bio when I added a banana, so I might do that again. That, or a handful of that power bar trail mix in between sections.
 
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I'm really worried about the 'pee' factor. I have a small bladder and it seems like i can't go 1 hr without having to go to the ladies room. If I drink coffee, omg, forget about IT. BUt the problem is, I need coffee to jumpstart by brain. I'm addicted and I know I'll be a wreck without it on exam day.

I've been practicing with red bulls lately to see if those diminish my need to go pee while simultaneously providing me with the 'kick' i need. I was debating for exam day the possibility of also taking a caffeine pill, which i haven't done since studying for AP exams in high school. I figured that while it would still trigger my bladder atleast I wouldn't have all this water/liquids to pee (sorry for getting graphic).

Does anyone know if they actually do let you go to the bathroom during the middle of a section for those that absolutely must go?
 
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marimiyaz said:
I'm really worried about the 'pee' factor. I have a small bladder and it seems like i can't go 1 hr without having to go to the ladies room. If I drink coffee, omg, forget about IT. BUt the problem is, I need coffee to jumpstart by brain. I'm addicted and I know I'll be a wreck without it on exam day.

I've been practicing with red bulls lately to see if those diminish my need to go pee while simultaneously providing me with the 'kick' i need. I was debating for exam day the possibility of also taking a caffeine pill, which i haven't done since studying for AP exams in high school. I figured that while it would still trigger my bladder atleast I wouldn't have all this water/liquids to pee (sorry for getting graphic).

Does anyone know if they actually do let you go to the bathroom during the middle of a section for those that absolutely must go?
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sure they'll let you go, but you'll lose time. why don't you experiment with eating some salty snacks? before taking a practice test, and see what happens?
 
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chicagomel said:
sure they'll let you go, but you'll lose time. why don't you experiment with eating some salty snacks? before taking a practice test, and see what happens?
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that's a good idea. as far as the night before i was thinking of having sushi because i feel like sushi is good brain food- lots of vitamins, good fish oils, etc.
Definitely salmon. and maybe brown rice, which i think is better than white rice b/c its complex carbos.

i know they say simple carbs give you energy immediately but then after a bit your energy plummets or something like that. Maybe that's why you had a bad experience with your pasta thing. But then again after an entire night of sleep, one would think you would recover.

I'm going to have to discover some power bars that i can stomache for in between sections (i find most power bar type snacks nastY!). Maybe i'll try luna bars - those seem to taste better than most power bar type snacks.
 
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I think the snickers marathon bars are pretty good, as are the balance high protein peanut butter bars.
 
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luna bars and cliff bars are good. i also really like balance bars - esp. the peanut kind (though they're made with high fructose corn syrup... ugh). sometimes i feel like you might as well eat a snickers bar - it gives you just as much energy...
 
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I would eat some brown rice with fish or something along those lines.. a low glycemic index carb food for more nourishment. Avoid milk if you are lactose intolerant even midly or occassionally.

Don't eat high fat foods. It might make you sleepy. Fresh fruits would be nice too. Not too much to drink.. but stay hydrated.
 
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thanks for all the advice, y'all!!!

keep them coming!

last time i took it, i prepared the breakfast so I can take it in the car (testing center's 30 min from my house)... and i FORGOT both the breakfast and the lunch at home. so I drank quite a bit of oj, and thanks to that, I lost half my concentration during the physics and the verbal section 🙁
 
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for breakfast dont eat anything greasy...this morning i woke up at 730 and had a sausage biscuit and orange juice, took a warm shower and started to do my verbal test....i had trouble staying awake as a result...i think im gonna change to maybe a banana and 2 eggs...im scared to drink coffee because last time i had a star bucks frapucino i was too energized and couldnt concentrate thru verbal...
 
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Definitely eat two cans of beans and a whole head of brocolli the night before. Wouldn't hurt to scarf 3/4 of a frozen Tombstone Supreme Pizza. In the morning, swing by McD's and kill 2-3 sausage Mcmuffins (with egg), then hit the grocery store and pick up a big eggsalad sandwich and a half pound of joj-jos for lunch. Be sure to leave these in your bag (at room temp) until midday.

Also, put a pot of coffee in a thermos and chug that shizz on your way to the test center. Just make sure you know where the can is before that pizza starts moving. In fact, better go sit on it before verbal as a precautionary measure! :laugh:






















Joking people, joking! 😀 Good luck everyone!
 
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I'm wearing a pair of depants and will be urinating in my seat with pleasure. Once in a while i'll put it out mid test and change it. I hope people dont' mind. So, coffee or any other thing that makes me want to pee will not be a problem.
 
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chicagomel said:
sure they'll let you go, but you'll lose time. why don't you experiment with eating some salty snacks?
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this totally works for me. my salty snack of choice is beef jerky because its not fatty/greasy and its high in sodium and protein. plus it just tastes damn good (especially teryaki)! 😎
 
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chicagomel said:
I'm not so sure about carbo loading. I had pasta the night before FL 3 and i was very groggy and sluggish the next morning. Does anybody know why??? I normally don't eat bread or pasta, so maybe this was the reason.
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Carb loading is for running marathons, not mental marathons. It'll only make your insulin levels too high and make you feel ick. It's bad advice for the night before the MCAT. Balanced meals are always best for a steady blood sugar.

I don't plan on deviating from my normal diet. For breakfast a cup of starbucks coffee, heavy on the cream, and for lunch a power bar and another cup of coffee. I had a lot of energy for bio when I added a banana, so I might do that again. That, or a handful of that power bar trail mix in between sections.
Click to expand...

I advise you to eat more than a Powerbar and go easy on the coffee. That banana is a good idea.
 
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Drink should be gatorade, pH and concentrations similar to your blood so that you urinate less than with other liquid intakes... Also, Carbs night before... Banana, Bagel and protein(eggs) in the morning, and the same thing for breakfast... Power bars for breaks... Food for success!!!
 
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i wouldnt eat banana in the morning, since it is a laxative. an apple sound good.
 
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I've also heard that carbo loading is NOT a good idea. Fish and other lowfat protein sources are supposed to be good. Many of the natural oils in fish are supposed to be good brain food.

I'm eating a balanced dinner (including fish) tonight (Thurs) and tomorrow, and I ate fish tacos last night.

For breakfast I've eaten scrambled eggs (4 whites, 1 yolk) and toast before my practice tests. That has worked well and I'll stick with the routine.

I like the Nature Valley Oats n' Honey granola bars and bananas & apples for snacks.
I drink a little water and a little Gatoraid.

Tinker Creek said:
sorry if you had to read that...

Now regarding meals, I heard someone say oatmeal has a low glycemic index, so it's a good breakfast choice.
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I spoke with a nutrition professor and he said that whole grains are good. Oats especially are supposed to be more gradual on the "up and down" so you aviod the spike and crash sugar problem.
 
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For breakfast I am probably going to be eating cream of wheat/oatmeal...
Nice cup of OJ, and have some nuts to go with the oatmeal. For lunch I will have a protein bar, fruit, and some beef jerky. During breaks bannanas/powerbars, and of course the RED BULL!
 
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