I've got the MCAT coming up on Saturday, and I'm trying to figure out what I should be eating. I'll be eating breakfast before the test. I get two ten minute breaks and one hour for lunch. I get there at 8:00am and leave at 5:30pm. Anybody got any advice?
[quote]milhouse472 wrote:
I’ve got the MCAT coming up on Saturday, and I’m trying to figure out what I should be eating. I’ll be eating breakfast before the test. I get two ten minute breaks and one hour for lunch. I get there at 8:00am and leave at 5:30pm. Anybody got any advice? [/quote]
Heh brings back memories (well last was oral boards) anyway…protein and low carbs (not none) or low glycemic carbs. Bring some kinda bar with low glycemic carbs for snack.
Don’t forget to get plenty of sleep and don’t stress over it.
To quote Mr. Shugart, “I’m an idiot, but…” got any specific ideas? Oatmeal, omellete, sandwich, etc. Sorry, I have just never spent 9.5 hours testing, and I don’t want to run out of fuel in the end. To your advice though, I’m not really stressed about it. I feel confident, but success is the result of opportunity and planning. I’m trying to get the latter covered.
Bring some Spike, for sure. Most of my friends crammed down tons of time released adderall or ritalin, but Spike would probably be even better.
As for nutrition, slow released carbs and protein seem to make sense. I would munch on Metabolic Drive bars or the equivalent all day.
[quote]milktruck wrote:
Bring some Spike, for sure. Most of my friends crammed down tons of time released adderall or ritalin, but Spike would probably be even better.
As for nutrition, slow released carbs and protein seem to make sense. I would munch on Metabolic Drive bars or the equivalent all day.[/quote]
Your friend’s are cowards. I find it disgusting that people have to take drugs to gain an advantage in a standardized testing enviroment.
[quote]milhouse472 wrote:
To quote Mr. Shugart, “I’m an idiot, but…” got any specific ideas? Oatmeal, omellete, sandwich, etc. Sorry, I have just never spent 9.5 hours testing, and I don’t want to run out of fuel in the end. To your advice though, I’m not really stressed about it. I feel confident, but success is the result of opportunity and planning. I’m trying to get the latter covered. [/quote]
Specifics? Steak and slow cooked oatmeal (should keep you full for awhile). Beef (or other jerkey for snacks). I’m no protein bar expert but not sure I would choose Metabolic Drive for this purpose. If you have them, try it ahead of time.
I would suspect perhaps not the best choice. Ahh stalone makes some kind of prepacked protein pudding (instone I think) you could take with you. People like it though I’ve never tried it.
As fars as Spike, etc. depends on how you do under stress and how you’ve done in past. I’m not sure I would do Spike for that long a test, but again if you have some you could try it. I confess I tend to like Power Drive type stuff more then Spike. If you have it, try it. If not, not sure I’d bother getting it.
Hope that helps.
i didn’t know about this site when i took the test. but i do remember that the days preceding it involved daily cardio, plenty of blueberries and some salmon. those blueberries are definitely brain food.
on test day, i remember eating some oatmeal and eggs (and blueberries) for breakfast. prob had a sandwich for lunch, and i definitely had a candy bar before the BioSci section. eat plenty of carbs – they won’t make you drowsy.
My advice would be not to do anything out of the ordinary for you. It would be horrible to change your diet the morning of the test and not be used to it. Eating too heavily in the morning (compared to what you are used to) will make you more sluggish. Taking a good amount of caffeine is also NOT a good idea. Caffeine is a diuretic, and nothing is worse than having to pee 10 minutes into a science section.
If you want to change what you eat for any effect, you have to start now to acclimate to the change. I run best on a regular sized bowl of oats, some nuts, a little fruit, and a few whole eggs. Its not too filling, but it will keep you going through lunch. Full when testing is not your friend.
Clarification: By all means check out ahead of time whatever meal you’re going to do the day of the test. You want whatever will keep you not hungry and your blood sugar the stablest the longest. I did not mean to have a huge meal and wind up groggy.
Take that hour you get for lunch and try to nap.
I ate an egg sandwich with bacon and then McDonalds for lunch and I got a 38…go figure!
Good luck on the test…The day of the MCAT is not the day to experiment with your diet or any supplements…just do what you normally do.
All of the aforementioned foods should not be a problem, as I’ve eaten all of them, and never had any food-allergy or plain bad reactions from them. As for breakfast, oats, nuts(almonds), blueberries, and a scoop or two of Metabolic Drive, maybe a banana. Yeah, I’ll be hungry by lunch, but it should keep my blood sugar level and safe.
For lunch, I was thinking some kind of meat sandwich. Turkey on Wheat, apple, handful of blueberries. I think for a snack, I'll grab a bar..but I've got no MD bars, so any non-Biotest reccomendations??
I like the idea of a candy bar/high carb source before the biosci section. I’m sure I’ll be dragging by that point. However, could a few others weigh in on this candy bar/high carb option before the test is over. I don’t want to be crashing before the section is over (100 minutes) 3
Also, I will be avoiding caffeine like the plague as it makes me very jittery when combined with my astronomical adrenaline levels during big tests. On a similar note, I agree with the drug comment above. This is often illegal, and shady. I don't want a doctor who can't commit himself enough to study for a test, nevermind mastering extremely complicated medical procedures. .
Lastly, what does everyone else think about this nap idea?? I had this considered this as well, but was worried I would be groggy after waking up. Thanks a lot for the help
[quote]Mithrandir wrote:
I ate an egg sandwich with bacon and then McDonalds for lunch and I got a 38…go figure!
Good luck on the test…The day of the MCAT is not the day to experiment with your diet or any supplements…just do what you normally do.[/quote]
38…impressive. I eat a clean, varied diet, so none of this will be a shock to my system, nor an experiment of any sort. The only reason I post is because, as I said, I’ve never experienced that kind of mental drain. An endurance runner doesn’t take a sip of water and run 26k, just because he could do that with a mile. He plans.
Could I probably eat a McDonald’s Big Breakfast and make it through with scores that are fine? Sure, I agree. I would just like avoid all possible pitfalls and make an attempt to have my mind peaking.
[quote]Mithrandir wrote:
I ate an egg sandwich with bacon and then McDonalds for lunch and I got a 38…go figure!
Good luck on the test…The day of the MCAT is not the day to experiment with your diet or any supplements…just do what you normally do.[/quote]
by the way…where do or did you go to medical school. Scores like that would open just about any door.
[quote]BoxBabaX wrote:
milktruck wrote:
Bring some Spike, for sure. Most of my friends crammed down tons of time released adderall or ritalin, but Spike would probably be even better.
As for nutrition, slow released carbs and protein seem to make sense. I would munch on Metabolic Drive bars or the equivalent all day.
Your friend’s are cowards. I find it disgusting that people have to take drugs to gain an advantage in a standardized testing enviroment.
[/quote]
its a dog eat dog world man, dont take offense but i hope your ideals do something for you that a few extra points wouldnt.
Im a naturally phenomenal test taker (not to boast but its true and it shows you im not some drugged up boarding school retard), so i havent ever resorted to using anything. but you cant really dis supplementation on T-Nation or fault somebody for trying tofind an edge.
[quote]milhouse472 wrote:
Lastly, what does everyone else think about this nap idea?? I had this considered this as well, but was worried I would be groggy after waking up. Thanks a lot for the help[/quote]
unless you usually take a thirty-minute nap around 12:30pm, it’s not a good idea. just eat your lunch leisurely and get some fresh air.
and milhouse, you’ll be fine on saturday. unless you only ate candy and soda, you won’t crash during the test. your preparation (and test-day adrenaline) will carry you through just fine. good luck man.
[quote]milktruck wrote:
BoxBabaX wrote:
milktruck wrote:
Bring some Spike, for sure. Most of my friends crammed down tons of time released adderall or ritalin, but Spike would probably be even better.
As for nutrition, slow released carbs and protein seem to make sense. I would munch on Metabolic Drive bars or the equivalent all day.
Your friend’s are cowards. I find it disgusting that people have to take drugs to gain an advantage in a standardized testing enviroment.
its a dog eat dog world man, dont take offense but i hope your ideals do something for you that a few extra points wouldnt.
[/quote]
Thanks for your insight, I am truly enlightend. My ideals have payed off in the past, and as a pre-med student (taking the mcat next year) they will pay off again. I have enough confidence in my abilities to not have to resort to taking drugs.
[quote]milktruck wrote:
Im a naturally phenomenal test taker (not to boast but its true and it shows you im not some drugged up boarding school retard), so i havent ever resorted to using anything. but you cant really dis supplementation on T-Nation or fault somebody for trying tofind an edge.
[/quote]
Find an edge? by illegal means? So our future doctors should be individuals who try and find an edge no matter the cost? moral or not? I could’nt disagree with you more, and we arent talking about “T-Nation supplementation” here, you mentioned ritalin and adderall: drugs used to treat ADHD.
I dont know about everyone else, but i certainly dont want my doctor to be someone that popped some ritalin in order to gain an edge on his peers during his schooling. Where the hell is the integrity?
Eat an apple for sure.
oh give me a break people. good luck on your tests, whatever you deem fit to put in your body that day.
I don’t know what planet you’re on BoxBabaX, but taking Adderall and things of that nature for college tests if fairly common.
Modern chemistry for the win.
No, I don’t take them, but I wish a I had a prescription for them sometimes.
I think they’re all bullshit, fuck, I could score better if I had doctor prescribed speed.
For the originall poster, Spike is pretty good, but my somewhat legal cocktail of choice is redbull+ephedrine has about a 4 hour life.
Like the other posters said, high protein, low GI carbs, you don’t wanna crash but you’ll need some.
Plenty of sleep, no matter what sort of focusing pills you’re taking they can only do so much if you’re low on sleep.
Don’t stress it too much and good luck, bro.