In My Mind’s Zen Garden

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. By a small sample we may judge of the whole piece.—Miguel de Cervantes

Since I’m on a bit a roll from my last post, Boost Your Energy Level With Raw Foods, I’m going to share with you my eating experiences and how it has translated into a high-energy output, or lack thereof.

The Problem With Extravagant Dining

Have you ever dined out and ate a huge dinner? Especially at those all-you-can-eat establishments? Typically, everyone is ready to take a long nap afterwards because they simply ate too much. Well, your taste buds might be singing in heavenly bliss over the bountiful array of foods, but your digestive system might not feel so good later. But, this is a good example of how not to eat if you’re trying to maintain a higher energy level.

How My Eating Habits Have Affected My Performance

First off, over the years I’ve studied how my eating habits have affected my drumming performance. As many know, drumming requires a lot of energy. Not just physical energy needed to move hands and legs in order to create rhythms, but drumming takes an awful lot of mental energy too.

For instance, drummers have to know how to start a tune. They have to be intimately aware of tempos and how to count-off a song. They need to be aware of breaks and transitions in a song. And many times, drummers are responsible for ending a song… and this responsibility carries through to 4 to 5 hours of songs in a gig.

Especially in Jazz music, the drummer is definitely a vital part of the music, and if the drummer is lacking in energy, inspiration and vitality… it most definitely shows.

That said, I think the secret to maintaining a higher energy level throughout the day, would be to eat several smaller meals, 5 to 6 times a day.

The Fine Art of Grazing

My experiences in the past have brought me to this pretty important conclusion, as I surely know that my eating habits greatly affect my performance. If I skip a meal or two, I definitely can feel it. My blood sugar starts getting low and I notice my energy and stamina gets lower too.

But if I ate smaller portions for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and had a few snacks in-between, then I definitely felt more energy and well-being. I believe this term has come to be called “grazing”.

Boost Metabolism By Eating Smaller Meals

By eating several smaller meals throughout the day, one will find more energy to get through the day, and especially for a parent like myself who is also a musician who works nights, it helps to find ways to boost one’s energy level throughout the day and have enough energy to get through a gig at night.

So, in conclusion, I’ve found it beneficial for me as a drummer to eat smaller meals throughout the day. Three smaller square meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus 2 to 3 snacks to keep blood sugar balanced and not going up and down like a rollercoaster. Try keeping that energy going stronger throughout each day with several smaller meals, and see if that improves your energy level.

Other Sources On Eating Smaller Meals

For more insight into this way of eating, here are some interesting articles:

Small Meals: Grazing and Weight Loss

Healthy Snacking

3 Meals A Day, Or 6 Smaller Meals?

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