Food and the GRE: lessons to live by.

James_Bergin

Hi all,

Today was a tough day. I have a calc mid term tomorrow and was studying all day. Hit the gym in the evening after my epic study session, and although I felt good afterwards as always, I was more tired than usual. I wondered what it might be, and came to the obvious conclusion that my nutrition today had sucked... terrifically. Over the course of the day, I'd only had a breakfast bagel and copious amounts of coffee.

Having taken the GRE a few months ago, I remembered the words of my prep course instructor - "if you want to perform well, not just on the GRE but in everything, preparation is key. For this test that means plenty of study, but for this test and everything else it means proper nutrition and rest." During that course the instructor emphasised practising your mid-exam "snack" so that you would have a nutritious, energy full, routine in place by the time the test rolled around. If today is anything to go by, I'm still in the process of learning that lesson.

I've only recently gotten back into MFP, and today's nutrition disaster raised an important question; the question of what a good diet should look like. Not one intended to lose weight alone, but also intended to be a viable long-term eating plan. I don't know about the rest of you, but when its come to developing my own nutrition plans in the past, I've always defaulted to what I've read online and in books. In other words not necessarily what my body was telling me it wanted and needed.

As I get back into the swing of MFP, fitness, and nutrition, I'm determined to get the nutritional balance right this time. I won't throw everything I've learned to the wind, but I do want to make more of an effort to eat properly, regularly, and healthfully. So everyone, now comes the fun part (well fun imho anyway). How do you guys keep a regular eating pattern going when the stress builds up? How do you make time to cook, or what awesome quick dishes do you make. What are your favourite personal culinary creations that are off the beaten track of nutrition, but still get the job done when it comes to eating right?

- James