Food Diaries: Brian Maher of Philly Personal Training

As the owner of Philly Personal Training, Brian Maher, CSCS main focus is energy — his energy levels and those of his clients.

In order to help his clients obtain optimal results, Maher concentrates on both energy intake (nutrition) and energy expenditure (exercise).

"I'm really in touch with my energy levels," said Maher. "Food is energy, that's why we eat."

Along with personal training sessions, Maher also creates custom meals plans for clients.

"We don't create a diet, we create a lifestyle change," said Maher, who holds a degree in exercise sports science from Elon University. "It's not about cheat days, it's about healthy, portioned meals."

Maher's No. 1 tip for his weight loss-seeking clients? It's all about balance — even if that means eating more, instead of less.

"I think a lot of people who are trying to lose weight are shocked to find out that they aren't eating enough," said Maher. "They're literally starving their bodies and eating away at their muscles, so yes, they might be losing weight at first but in the long run its making things so much worse."

That sentiment hits especially close to home for Maher, who is what's referred to in the bodybuilding biz as a "hardgainer," or a person who has a hard time putting on muscle. That's why Maher follows a higher-caloric intake than most, striving to eat nearly 4,000 calories a day, depending on his exercise regimen.  (To give you an idea of an average caloric intake, the USDA recommends adult males consume from 2,200 to 2,400 calories per day on average.)

"I'm active and on my feet a lot, which means I burn a lot of calories, so I need to eat more calories to keep up with my fast metabolism," said Maher.

As a personal trainer, Maher needs sustained energy to get him through his sessions with clients.

"If I am low on calories that day, I really feel it, which is why I always have big breakfasts in the morning to keep me going throughout the day," said Maher.

Protein is a staple in Maher's diet, as you'll see in his food diary below. Lean protein sources like eggs, yogurt and fish are indispensable components of this personal trainer's daily meals.

"Muscle is made of protein, so if you're not getting enough protein in your diet, you're not going to make muscle; it's as simple as that," said Maher.

Below, in his own words, Maher shares his typical day of healthy eating:

Breakfast: 6 over easy eggs with 2 whole wheat pieces of toast with natural peanut butter, 1 banana, 3 cups of water and 4 cups of 1% milk.

"I wake up at 3:45 a.m. so I need something that won't take a lot of time to prepare. Typically, anything that's instant or prepackaged isn't healthy for you; if you look at the ingredients there's usually a lot of high sugar or sodium. So for me, eggs and toast are the perfect balance of healthy and quick."

Snack: 1 cup cottage cheese with ½ cup of raspberries and 3 cups of water.

Lunch: Tuna salad sandwich on whole-wheat toast, 1 avocado and 4 cups of 1% milk.

Snack: Yogurt Parfait from Pure Fare and 1 cup of water.

"Since I don't drink coffee, I need to get energy from other food sources and a snack with some fruit is great way to give me a natural boost."

Dinner: 6 oz salmon with 3 cups of peas, 1 cup of brown rice and 3 cups of water.

"I always try to have some sort of healthy carb with dinner like brown rice, or other grains, or sweet potatoes."

----------

Read more Goal Getter for healthy eating, weight loss and more.