Diet and Exercise

What is this section doing on a physics education website?

Have you ever eaten a meal which made you feel sleepy? Perhaps during the feasting which takes place around Christmas or holiday times? Not for the sake of raising an awkward subject, but perhaps you carry a noticeable amount of extra weight? Do you suffer from insomnia or for cravings for sweet things or caffeine? If you have answered "yes" to any of these questions, then chances are that you are hurting your mental performance by failing to eat, exercise, or sleep properly.

I'm not a Doctor, and obviously you take my advice at your own risk, but I can read and research what Doctors say. All of the symptoms mentioned above (and more) are considered common results of failing to eat, exercise, and in some cases sleep properly. And it's not enough to simply write off these symptoms as a temporary "teenager something-or-other hormonal/growth thingymajig"!

Check out the links to the articles at the bottom of this page for more authoritative and detailed presentation of this info.

What to eat for a high performance mind

PRIMER: make sure that you know the difference between protein, carbohydrates, and fat. It is also useful to know the definitions of these words: vitamin, mineral, low-GI (useful to think of as 'slow-release') - get Googling if you need to!

It might make more sense to share what to avoid first. Here's the quick list:

sugar - sweet fizzy drinks, juice, lollies, chocolate, most breads and flour (which turns to sugar immediately in the digestive tract)

bad fats - spray on oils, vegetable oils, and polyunsaturated oil/fat

processed foods - the goodness has usually been so stripped from processed foods that all that is left is not worth consuming. You will be surprised at how much highly processed food is around us.

So what should you actually eat?
Protein - eggs, red meat, chicken, etc. It is almost imposible to get good protein, along with the range of nutrients that you need, without eating red meat. It is a myth that red meat is bad for you. Read more myths here.

Fats and oils - Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) which is high in the good mono-unsaturated fat, egg yolks (heaps of good vitamins and minerals there and the cholesterol worries are another myth which has been busted), thick pouring cream, butter, and fat from bacon/steak/etc. These fats are not bad for you and are in fact good for you. Eating fat helps your body learn to burn fat. This creates a better, more consistent and reliable, energy source for your body and mind. You can think better when using fat for energy because you don't have the highs and lows associated with fast release sugary carbs and processed carbs which act exactly like sugar (though they don't always taste sweet!).

One fat that deserves special mention is Omega-3 fats which come from fish oil. Omega-3 is responsible for reducing inflammation in your body so will make your sore bits feel great within a few days of adding this to your diet. Fish oil is also great for your brain. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to get enough Omega-3 in your diet (you would need to eat enormous quantities of fresh salmon). Instead I suggest supplementing with fish oil. Ethical Nutrients make a superb fish oil supplement (don't bother with capsules as the quantites are always far too low). Aim to get at least 1.8 grams of EPA per 5 millilitres in your fish oil supplement. I'm not affiliated with Ethical nutrients in any way and they did not ask me to mention their product - in case you were wondering.

Carbohydrates - Dr. Phil Maffetone suggests taking a two week break from carbohydrates to see how your body responds. Without fail, people find that they have more energy, lose weight, and feel much better without the carbs. You can get an adequate amount of slow release carbohydrates from the right vegetables (see the previous link for more). If you really must, add fruit bit by bit, day by day (after your two week test) and monitor your body for any symptoms of carbohydrate intolerance (fuzzy mind, loss of energy, weight gain, aches and pains returning, sleep quality deteriorating). Some people can tolerate a lot of carbs but most people don't work well with them. Usually, eating fast-release carbohydrates interferes with your fat burning. You will need to take a couple of weeks carb-free to reset your fat burning system after having too many carbs.

Some other useful tips for eating:

have a good mix of vitamins and minerals (which means eating your "rainbow" of fruit and vegetables

Aim to get 1/3 of your energy each from protein, slow-release carbs, and good fats

Consider portion control as a way to cut down the amount that you eat - actual amounts don't matter too much because eating a balanced diet results in hunger being properly satisfied

Guide your fat intake (which people often have too little of) by your hunger levels - you should be able to comfortably manage without food for 4 hours after a meal.

Beware of "psychological hunger" - when you are not really hungry but you think you are. This is a big trap for people who grew up eating a lot at meals in their family.

How to exercise for a high performance mind

Jogging, cycling, rowing, walking, swimming, and other relatively low intensity activities should be used regularly to develop a healthy body. Build your aerobic energy system by training these activities at a heart rate just below your maximum aerobic rate (180 beats per minute minus your age or 160 if you're under 18).

Your aerobic energy system is the fat burning energy pathway in your body and is more reliable and consistent at providing energy to keep both your body and mind going. The other main energy pathway uses sugar and results in more highs and lows when you use it, e.g. during high intensity activities. Over-training is also an easy problem to slip into if you are focused on anaerobic training without a proper aerobic base, but that is another story. Check out more in the links at the bottom of the page.

Get a heart-rate monitor to measure your heart-rate accurately. Polar are good and reliable but you can find cheap and semi-reliable ones around the Internet. Monitors usually have a chest strap which sends a signal to a watch unit. You can normally set alarms to go off if your heart rate goes too high. If you really can't afford one, you can run at a pace which allows you to breathe easily through your nose the whole while. The pace will definitely feel slow if you are not used to this type of training, but I can almost guarantee the benefits! Your speed at the low heart-rate will gradually increase until you are cruising quite fast.

If you go over your maximum aerobic heart rate you will be exercising anaerobically, at too high an intensity for your fat burning to work. This is the proper response from the body, but it is not our aim if we want to be functioning mentally at our peak. The only time you should train anaerobically is after several months of aerobic, when you have built a proper aerobic fitness base to help with recovering from anaerobic efforts. At this point, you can do a little anaerobic work to continue your advances. The right amount at this time will be good for your body and your mind.

For more on how to find the heart rate (or intensity) that you should train at I suggest visiting the Sock-Doc's website as he covers a variety of methods.

How to sleep for a high performance mind

8 hours per night of uninterupted sleep is essential (allow for up to 9 if you need it). Make time for this sleep. Set a consistent bed time and stick with it. Set a consistent time for getting up and stick to it. Don't nap during the day. Eat properly. Exercise properly. Try not to be too busy right before bed to help quiet your mind. Practice deep breathing as you wait to go to sleep.

Do these things and you will have great sleep which leaves you feeling refreshed and energetic when you open your eyes in the morning. Do I even need to highlight the positive benefits to your academic progress of being fresh and happy all day long? No, I didn't think so. Just get a good night's sleep consistently and you will be amazed at what your mind can do!

Further links for research

Dr. Phil Maffetone
The Two Week Test (for carbohydrate intolerance)
The Maffetone Method
Think You Know What Being Aerobic Is?

Dr. Steven Gangemi (a.k.a. the Sock-Doc)
Athletic Training Principles
Diet and Nutrition section of the site
Vitamin D
Fats

Dr. Peter Attia (from The Eating Academy)
Peter's Personal Nutrition Journey
Weight loss section
There is so much of use on Peter's website that I suggest just visiting and reading until you can't take in any more!