![\"Maher](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ilona-maher-healthy-eating-rules-mh-0520206-240f52.jpg\")
Maher is partnering with Muscle Milk to help people better understand their protein needs.Courtesy Muscle Milk, photographer: Jeff Mercado<\/p>\nIlona Maher\u2019s approach to food is refreshingly simple. She doesn\u2019t cut carbs, skip treats or chase perfection. Instead, she looks for the joy in food and uses it as fuel to support her active body.<\/p>\n
Those two ideas shape her eating style, from how she starts her morning to how she fuels for training.<\/p>\n
Find the Joy in What You Eat<\/p>\n
Maher says one small thing she does every day is try to find small moments of joy, and one of those is during her morning coffee routine.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was talking to my dietitian about how I really get a lot of joy from having coffee with milk and maple syrup in it,\u201d she says. \u201cI was like, \u2018Should I change it? Should I just go for the black coffee?\u2019 And she\u2019s like, \u2018No, that brings you a lot of joy.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a small choice, but it reflects a bigger mindset. Instead of swapping something she loves for the sake of being \u201chealthier,\u201d Maher leans into the happiness the food brings her. \u201cFood gives me a lot of comfort and joy,\u201d she says, adding that she enjoys trying new foods rather than eating the same meals on repeat.<\/p>\n
Maher is partnering with Muscle Milk to help people better understand their protein needs.Courtesy Muscle Milk, photographer: Jeff Mercado<\/p>\n
That perspective carries over into how she fuels as an athlete. Maher is intentional about eating enough to support her training, especially when it comes to protein, a nutrient she admits she\u2019s had to be more mindful about. <\/p>\n
After workouts, she prioritizes quick, easy options she can have right away, like Muscle Milk (she\u2019s a spokesperson for the brand). Beyond that, she gravitates toward staples like eggs, chicken and meat, along with snacks like cottage cheese and Greek yogurt.<\/p>\n
Food Is Fuel \u2014 and Comfort<\/p>\n
Carbs, too, have a clear place on her performance plate. Maher laughs when asked about her favorite pre-workout carb, admitting she has plenty, but one stands out. \u201cI think I\u2019m just a bread person,\u201d she says. \u201cSourdough bread and butter. My parents make a really good loaf of bread \u2014 I love it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maher\u2019s eating habits don\u2019t follow a strict set of rules or trends. There\u2019s no obsession with eliminating foods or optimizing every bite. Instead, there\u2019s a balance between structure and flexibility, intention and enjoyment. \u201cI\u2019m also real. I will enjoy a glass of wine. I need a treat at night.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a reminder that healthy eating doesn\u2019t have to mean giving up the foods you love or the rituals that make your day better. For Maher, it\u2019s about fueling well, yes, but also about making sure food still feels like something to look forward to.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ilona Maher\u2019s approach to food is refreshingly simple. She doesn\u2019t cut carbs, skip treats or chase perfection. Instead,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":451512,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,85,46,543],"class_list":["post-451511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-health","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-nutrition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451511","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=451511"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451511\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/451512"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=451511"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=451511"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=451511"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}