Eating Well For Better Writing

I’ve found what I eat makes a big difference to my productivity and creativity.  The brain takes a lot of energy, and the best energy for me to be at my best to fuel that brain is something protein heavy.  My energy death?  Sugar...sadly.

It’s important to start the writing session with enough fuel, and fuel is food or drinks such as smoothies.  Since the primary energy source is protein, there are a variety of different ways to do that.  I’m vegetarian, so I don’t use meat, but I do appreciate the nutritional boost eggs give me.  I have other possibilities, too, but I find a hot meal gets me going better than a cold meal.  Find what works for you and go for it.  Whatever I eat with my eggs, I make sure it’s nutritious and easy to make.

Part way through my writing I find I need a snack.  Usually I go for some fruit and a tea at this point.  Fruit sugars don’t bother me the way refined sugars do.  Any quick energy booster would work, as long as it’s actual food and not processed.  Sometimes a handful of raw nuts is a great addition to my snack.  If I want a sweet kick, I might include some dark chocolate chips with my snack.

After writing I’m also craving something more filling.  Often this could be some yogurt (I like goat milk yogurts) with fresh berries and nuts.  It might be something else like a smoothie with fruit and yogurt.  If I went late enough with my writing and post-writing workout/yoga, I might just go right to lunch.

Even through the rest of the day, I make every meal count.  Controlling my weight and fuelling my body keep me feeling good and writing well.  I tend to cook most of my meals, if not all.  There is no one diet that works for everyone.  I love being able to make foods from around the world.  Then I can enjoy a variety of flavours.  Many foods either take little time to cook or can be made in a slow cooker or pressure cooker. 

Now, you don’t need to go crazy with the protein, just make smart choices.  A handful of nuts and some fruit is typically less sugary than a store bought granola bar.  I’ve made home-made energy bars from pure nut butters and other simple ingredients that were tasty and low sugar.

Explore, experiment, and have fun.  Food can be flavourful and exciting as well as nutritious.  Some people have busy lives and need to find something easy to make that fits into their life.  That’s fine, too.  

I will share some recipes that I love as we go.  The first is one of my favourite snacks.  This is

Oven Baked Potatoes:

Take a potato or two, enough potato to equal about the size of a fist.  I peel them, but that’s optional.  Cut the potato into small cubes so they cook evenly, exactly how large is up to you.  Add extra-virgin olive oil and a spice blend of your choosing.  I like the Greek Spice mix.  Place it on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for between 18-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven, plate it, and enjoy!

You can do something similar with sweet potatos or carrots, too.  Many veggies roast well this way, for about the same cooking time.  Try a bunch and see what’s tastiest!

Home made Pad Thai. So yummy, and much healthier than take-out.