Day 12 - Let's Talk About Food

Okay, if you know me, you know I LOVE to cook. Here lemme show you some of my favorite things to make:

It's one of my favorite ways to spend my time. I know for a lot of people it's daunting to do, especially when it requires lots of time, but there's just something about being able to say "yeah, I made that".

Anyways, I know that with Dedicated comes a bigger emphasis on having consistent days. We rely heavily on feeling the same and having the same energy consistently and food has a lot to do with that.

I'd love to say my food habits haven't changed and that I still cook all the time during Dedicated but it has changed quite a bit.

Let me explain how it's changed first, and then why.

How It Changed

Before, I used to make a recipe any time I was inspired by seeing something online, craving something particular, or just wanting to try something new. I didn't give a ton of thought to how it was going to affect my energy or when I was going to make it, and as a result, my energy levels during the day would go up and down a lot.

My average day would consist of an occasional breakfast, medium/big lunch, medium/big dinner. Essentially, two medium/large meals in a day. (Occasional fruit)

Now, I've forgone breakfast altogether, and my lunch is usually an easily repeatable sandwich. (Turkey, whole grain bread, cheese, etc.) I rely heavily on snacking throughout the day, and reserve "nicer" meals for dinner.

Why It Changed

The reason I changed my meals are twofold:

1) Time:

Making a nice meal in the morning sounds great, but for me, I've recognized that I have the most energy and drive in the morning. Spending it on cooking, while still great for making nice meals, was using the energy that I needed for studying.

Because I can spend more of my morning doing my "high energy" work (i.e. studying), I can use the remaining day post studying to make a meal I can enjoy.

Again, I'm not letting go of making meals – I'm just prioritizing them differently.

2) Energy:

I never really considered how meals affected my energy levels throughout the day in the past. But with a more tightly regulated schedule, and routine, it's ESSENTIAL for me to understand how food influences this.

Although it may not seem like it, studying is an intense workout. You might have heard this statistic before

I think it's reasonable to assume that when engaged in more intense mental activity (i.e. studying for Dedicated), that percentage will increase. So while single meals have worked for me in the past, snacking has become my savior.

This is recommended by many people as something you should do on the day of the exam as well. It's vital to keep your brain supplied with adequate carbohydrates in between your sections, it only makes sense that you replicate that during studying.

My Go-To Snacks

• Peanut Butter Pretzel Nuggets: $12
• Babybel Cheese: $8
• Maple Pecan Granola: $6
• Peanut Butter: $4
• Lots of fruit

My Results

Honestly, my results have been great so far.

I haven't noticed any crashes which was the main goal, and it feels like a pace I can keep up with. By allowing myself to be more spontaneous with my meals for dinner, I let myself continue to enjoy food while not risking the crash post-meal.

Snacking has been the best addition to my schedule. My study routine now revolves around having 50 minutes of focus followed by 10 minutes of rest. Very similar to how the day of Dedicated will go too. The small meals in between focus sessions are without doubt the reason I don't crash.

Final Thoughts

If you're struggling to maintain your energy levels during the day, or notice yourself crashing. I'd highly recommend you start tracking what meals you're eating and when. While this routine has worked for me, I can't say it will work for you, but I guarantee that tracking it will be a great way to find a way that does work.

Good luck ✌️