Most full-time personal trainers assist 7 to 10 clients per day. Sometimes they only have enough time to eat quick, smaller meals in between training sessions. Those meals must keep their sugar levels constant, cravings for fat low and metabolism high.
Trainers typically prepare their foods the night before a busy day, and they make a little extra just in case they need additional calories for a last-minute booking.
Below is a list of foods that I eat as a personal trainer during my busy days.
Quick Breakfast
- Brown rice tortilla, egg whites or Egg Beaters, fresh tomato slices, Tapatio hot sauce and a dab of guacamole
- Finish with a glass of water and vitamins
More: 12 Fast and Easy Breakfast Ideas
Beverages
- Black coffee and water
- 2 to 3 cups of coffee throughout the day and about 3 liters of water
- If I add in a separate workout during the day, I drink an extra 1 to 2 liters of water
Snacks Eaten Throughout the Day
I eat these snacks every 2 to 3 hours. If there are leftovers, I eat them the next day.
More: 9 Portable Protein Snacks
This may look like a lot of food, but when you break it down calorie-wise, it's less than eating a whole meal at a restaurant. Remember: these are small portions. The goal of a personal trainer's food plan is to keep their internal metabolism consistent throughout the day and this can be accomplished by feeding their bodies the correct amount fuel all day.
- Small containers of low-fat or low-calorie Greek yogurt with almonds
- Small container of low-calorie cottage cheese with berries and a few Wheat Thins for crunch
- Small fresh fruit cup (e.g., apple, grapes, pineapples, melon)
- Small cup of oatmeal with almonds or a heaping scoop of peanut butter
- String cheese with apple slices
- A protein bar
- Plain banana with peanut butter and organic, local honey
- More apple slices (no cheese)
- One slice of whole-wheat or whole-grain bread with peanut butter and organic, local honey
- Small container of brown rice, cottage cheese and fresh blueberries
