Breakfast and Snack, June 11th, 2012 Forum

[LexLeon]

Fellow Juners, what do you guys plan on eating?

This is what I've been considering and am trying today:

At around 10:00am:
1. Oatmeal made with water; flaxseed meal, coconut oil, honey, maple syrup, and salt added
2. A banana, some organic strawberries and blueberries, and walnuts put in there
3. At least 3 large glasses of water

At around 12:00 noon, in the car at the test center:
1. A hardboiled egg
2. Chamomile green tea with honey

Break:
1. An organic apple
2. Some mouthfuls of trailmix
3. A bottle of water

[shifty_eyed]

I was planning on eating a big sandwich at around 11... something like chicken, cheese, avocado, tomato, and spinach. Nothing too greasy, but still filling. Maybe with a side salad or fruit. I'll be taking the test out of town, so a sandwich is easiest to make in a motel room. Alternately, I may go out to eat and get seafood.

Probably bringing a snickers bar and maybe jalapeno chips or trail mix for a snack.

[princeR]

Hydrate the days leading up to the test. I wouldn't drink too much during the break.

[Mr. Pancakes]

Fellow Juners, what do you guys plan on eating?

This is what I've been considering and am trying today:

At around 10:00am:
1. Oatmeal made with water; flaxseed meal, coconut oil, honey, maple syrup, and salt added
2. A banana, some organic strawberries and blueberries, and walnuts put in there
3. At least 3 large glasses of water

At around 12:00 noon, in the car at the test center:
1. A hardboiled egg
2. Chamomile green tea with honey

Break:
1. An organic apple
2. Some mouthfuls of trailmix
3. A bottle of water

You're going to piss yourself during the test.

[rinkrat19]

Oh, good lord. You are not running a marathon, crossing the Sahara or orbiting the earth in the Apollo space capsule. You're sitting in a chair, with breaks, for a total of less than four hours of testing. Eat whatever the hell you want, as long as it won't give you indigestion. I had a Starbucks chai and a doughnut. My snack--which I only nibbled on because I was bored, not hungry--was vitamin water, a granola bar and some golden oreos. Worked fine.

Seriously. Your score will not be affected by whether you had organic flaxseed oil (yuck, by the way) in your oatmeal or not. Your score will, however, be affected if you are having a neurotic freakout over your oatmeal toppings.

Chugging 3 large glasses of water is going to make you have to pee like crazy. (See above: not crossing the sahara.)

[shifty_eyed]

Fellow Juners, what do you guys plan on eating?

This is what I've been considering and am trying today:

At around 10:00am:
1. Oatmeal made with water; flaxseed meal, coconut oil, honey, maple syrup, and salt added
2. A banana, some organic strawberries and blueberries, and walnuts put in there
3. At least 3 large glasses of water

At around 12:00 noon, in the car at the test center:
1. A hardboiled egg
2. Chamomile green tea with honey

Break:
1. An organic apple
2. Some mouthfuls of trailmix
3. A bottle of water

You're going to piss yourself during the test.

Yeah, I didn't notice this before, but that is WAY too high of a fluid intake, unless you have enough time to take a pee break during EACH section.

[Mr. Pancakes]

basically what PrinceR said. You need to hydrate the day before, and then don't drink much the day of the test. I only had a cup of coffee and a can of diet soda before the test last time, and I had to pee so bad even though I peed right before I went in the door.
Once you get in your chairs it could be 2 hours before the break.

[JamMasterJ]

the ONLY important thing is not having the runs or needing to pee during the test. OP, you're fucked on both counts

[MrPapagiorgio]

This truly is a new level of over-thinking it. Also,

You're going to piss yourself during the test.

[flem]

Oh, good lord. You are not running a marathon, crossing the Sahara or orbiting the earth in the Apollo space capsule. You're sitting in a chair, with breaks, for a total of less than four hours of testing. Eat whatever the hell you want, as long as it won't give you indigestion.

lol this

[03152016]

.

[rbkl]

What should we eat for dinner the night before? PASTA?

[LexLeon]

I replicated this routine and took test 62 at my test center today.

I went, a lot, before I began; and by the end of the third section, I really had to go. Though this did not really get in the way. I think if I drank a little bit less beforehand (I also drank a coconut water with the egg and tea), then I would have been hydrated optimally with regard to the circumstances.

I did score one point higher than any of my previous practice tests, TBTG.

[chem!]

basically what PrinceR said. You need to hydrate the day before, and then don't drink much the day of the test. I only had a cup of coffee and a can of diet soda before the test last time, and I had to pee so bad even though I peed right before I went in the door.
Once you get in your chairs it could be 2 hours before the break.

I got up at 6:15 am, had my usual 2 cups of coffee and a small glass of ice water, peed about a million times before I left and twice at the test center before the test and I seriously had to pee again before the test even started. I was like a cheetah after an antelope out the door when the break hit I had to go so badly.

My point: I'm hydrating up in the days prior and not drinking an assload of water before the test. If I don't have my morning coffee the situation would be hopeless, so that's not even an option.

My snack: a box of coconut water, a Balance bar and Planter's nut/fruit/granola mix. I might even take a Greek yogurt. We'll see.

ETA: my breakfast will be two eggs, whole grain toast, and fruit. I'll probably eat a light lunch on the way to the testing center.

[rinkrat19]

basically what PrinceR said. You need to hydrate the day before, and then don't drink much the day of the test. I only had a cup of coffee and a can of diet soda before the test last time, and I had to pee so bad even though I peed right before I went in the door.
Once you get in your chairs it could be 2 hours before the break.

I got up at 6:15 am, had my usual 2 cups of coffee and a small glass of ice water, peed about a million times before I left and twice at the test center before the test and I seriously had to pee again before the test even started. I was like a cheetah after an antelope out the door when the break hit I had to go so badly.

My point: I'm hydrating up in the days prior and not drinking an assload of water before the test. If I don't have my morning coffee the situation would be hopeless, so that's not even an option.

My snack: a box of coconut water, a Balance bar and Planter's nut/fruit/granola mix. I might even take a Greek yogurt. We'll see.

ETA: my breakfast will be two eggs, whole grain toast, and fruit. I'll probably eat a light lunch on the way to the testing center.

Is there a brand of coconut water that doesn't taste like what you wring out of the dishcloth? I've only tried one kind, but it was NASTY.

[chem!]

basically what PrinceR said. You need to hydrate the day before, and then don't drink much the day of the test. I only had a cup of coffee and a can of diet soda before the test last time, and I had to pee so bad even though I peed right before I went in the door.
Once you get in your chairs it could be 2 hours before the break.

I got up at 6:15 am, had my usual 2 cups of coffee and a small glass of ice water, peed about a million times before I left and twice at the test center before the test and I seriously had to pee again before the test even started. I was like a cheetah after an antelope out the door when the break hit I had to go so badly.

My point: I'm hydrating up in the days prior and not drinking an assload of water before the test. If I don't have my morning coffee the situation would be hopeless, so that's not even an option.

My snack: a box of coconut water, a Balance bar and Planter's nut/fruit/granola mix. I might even take a Greek yogurt. We'll see.

ETA: my breakfast will be two eggs, whole grain toast, and fruit. I'll probably eat a light lunch on the way to the testing center.

Is there a brand of coconut water that doesn't taste like what you wring out of the dishcloth? I've only tried one kind, but it was NASTY.

VitaCoco is probably my favorite portable version and Zico is okay. I like this big ass can to pour over ice at home:



I've been drinking this stuff since I was little, though, so I don't notice any funky flavor.

[rinkrat19]

basically what PrinceR said. You need to hydrate the day before, and then don't drink much the day of the test. I only had a cup of coffee and a can of diet soda before the test last time, and I had to pee so bad even though I peed right before I went in the door.
Once you get in your chairs it could be 2 hours before the break.

I got up at 6:15 am, had my usual 2 cups of coffee and a small glass of ice water, peed about a million times before I left and twice at the test center before the test and I seriously had to pee again before the test even started. I was like a cheetah after an antelope out the door when the break hit I had to go so badly.

My point: I'm hydrating up in the days prior and not drinking an assload of water before the test. If I don't have my morning coffee the situation would be hopeless, so that's not even an option.

My snack: a box of coconut water, a Balance bar and Planter's nut/fruit/granola mix. I might even take a Greek yogurt. We'll see.

ETA: my breakfast will be two eggs, whole grain toast, and fruit. I'll probably eat a light lunch on the way to the testing center.

Is there a brand of coconut water that doesn't taste like what you wring out of the dishcloth? I've only tried one kind, but it was NASTY.

VitaCoco is probably my favorite portable version and Zico is okay. I like this big ass can to pour over ice at home:



I've been drinking this stuff since I was little, though, so I don't notice any funky flavor.

Zico was the one I tried. Couldn't even finish the 12 oz container. Blech.

I guess I'll get my electrolytes in other forms.

[alwayssunnyinfl]

Whatever makes you feel the most prepared. I woke up super early, ate a bacon egg and cheese bagel and hash browns in the parking lot of a McDonald's in Little Havana and reveled in the self-hatred until the sun rose. Seems to have worked well for me. Also, avoid things that make you fart. You might like the smell, but no one else does.

[breadbucket]

basically what PrinceR said. You need to hydrate the day before, and then don't drink much the day of the test. I only had a cup of coffee and a can of diet soda before the test last time, and I had to pee so bad even though I peed right before I went in the door.
Once you get in your chairs it could be 2 hours before the break.

I got up at 6:15 am, had my usual 2 cups of coffee and a small glass of ice water, peed about a million times before I left and twice at the test center before the test and I seriously had to pee again before the test even started. I was like a cheetah after an antelope out the door when the break hit I had to go so badly.

My point: I'm hydrating up in the days prior and not drinking an assload of water before the test. If I don't have my morning coffee the situation would be hopeless, so that's not even an option.

My snack: a box of coconut water, a Balance bar and Planter's nut/fruit/granola mix. I might even take a Greek yogurt. We'll see.

ETA: my breakfast will be two eggs, whole grain toast, and fruit. I'll probably eat a light lunch on the way to the testing center.

Is there a brand of coconut water that doesn't taste like what you wring out of the dishcloth? I've only tried one kind, but it was NASTY.

Jamba Juice makes a strawberry flavored one that is quite pleasant. And although I have appreciated much of your advice on my own personal quandaries, and I do mean no offense, but I'm not sure you understand much about nutrition. It may not be a physical marathon but it is a mental one, why do you think when one is extremely malnourished they experience hallucinations? While this is an extreme example, the mind is inextricably linked to the body. OP has a fantastic eating schedule laid out that will provide him with a very good ratio of fats/carbs/proteins; to think your nutritional approach on test day is any less important than how much sleep you get is just foolish.

Personally, I had a sandwich on whole wheat bread, with ham (do not do turkey), lettuce, peppers, avocado, harvati cheese, and humus spread. A bowl of fruit salad and a banana, with a glass of pomegranate juice. For the break, I ate another banana and a nature valley oats and honey bar. I also timed a caffeine pill 40 minutes before test time.

FWIW, I scored 9 points higher on test day then I did on my proctored average, and 4 points higher than I did on my overall average.

[NoodleyOne]

FWIW, I scored 9 points higher on test day then I did on my proctored average, and 4 points higher than I did on my overall average.

Correlation = Causation? I've been doing the LR section all wrong.

[breadbucket]

FWIW, I scored 9 points higher on test day then I did on my proctored average, and 4 points higher than I did on my overall average.

Correlation = Causation? I've been doing the LR section all wrong.

Yes please ignore the FWIW and just make the most extreme assumptive conclusion possible, should shore up your 152

[VasaVasori]

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[rinkrat19]

I do mean no offense, but I'm not sure you understand much about nutrition. It may not be a physical marathon but it is a mental one, why do you think when one is extremely malnourished they experience hallucinations?

So don't take the LSAT malnourished.

There may be an incremental cognitive benefit to flaxseed oil, but my point is that the negatives of being completely fucking neurotic about the test are going to outweigh any possible benefits. Mental performance on a test might have a 0.1% correllation to breakfast that day, but it's a lot more closely linked to how someone handles adversity and nerves. If they go in with a completely rigid plan and expectation, any little bump is going to derail them. My philosophy is to prepare so that no matter what you eat and no matter how much traffic there is and no matter what kind of noise there is, you can say "fuck it, I got this."

I also outperformed my PT average. FWIW

[NoodleyOne]

Yes please ignore the FWIW and just make the most extreme assumptive conclusion possible, should shore up your 152

You just wait, I'll crack 160 yet.

[VasaVasori]

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