This PrivatGym Trainer Food Diary Is Proof Even Fitness Pros Sneak Candy

PrivatGym trainer and owner Hector Bones shares his week. Photograph courtesy Hector Bones.

Who I am: Hector E. Bones (@hectoreb), 32,  from East Passyunk.

What I do: I’m the founder of The PrivatGym, an integrated care facility with personal training, physical therapy, dietitian, and therapeutic massage.

What role health and fitness plays in my life: Exercise has always been my joy and escape to life. I was hyperactive as a child, and caused my parents many headaches with my inability to stay still. My parents put me in every sport possible just to get my energy out – basketball, baseball (first Puerto Rican to suck at it!), tennis, soccer, track, football, you name it. Not until high school did I learn how much I enjoyed the weight room. Health and fitness has become an even more important part of my life as I have taken on the beautiful struggle of entrepreneurship. When I first opened, even though I’m in the health and wellness industry, the stresses of day-to-day tasks could easily bog me down, and not make the best choices or energy to workout. My wife, Frida, has been an integral part in helping me eat better, and get three to four workouts in a week. Now I need to be more discipline (still not 100%) to have the energy to motivate clients, manage my team, and continue running the business.

Health memberships: I do not have any health memberships, but periodically I like to take classes that take me out of my facility — Balance Studios, Ripped PHL, and even hot yoga. And believe it or not, I even purchase sessions (at half price) from my own business to train with my trainers. A couple reasons: it’s nice to not have to think, I learn from my colleagues, and also putting money behind it makes me that much more accountable and to be present in the moment.

Monday

PrivatGym trainer and owner Hector Bones waits until 8 a.m. to drink his first coffee of the day. Photograph courtesy Hector Bones.

5:45 a.m. — I immediately get up and try to be as quiet and efficient to get out of the apartment by 6 a.m. I jog into work, taking me about 15 minutes. It’s a good way to start the week, and I have my first client at 6:45 a.m. I’m able to get myself situated, and do any minor tasks before seeing him.

8 a.m. — I don’t have my first cup of coffee until now. I once read a study that it’s pointless to have coffee immediately after waking up because cortisol levels are still up, and to maximize caffeine effects it’s best to have it about two hours after being waking. Does it work? Not sure, but it’s become part of my routine. We serve Elixr coffee at our facility, so I’m fortunate that I don’t have to go anywhere for great coffee.

8:30 a.m. — I work out on my own, some posterior chain work, i.e. deadlifts, pull-ups, and lower back. I keep it to 45 minutes. I shower and eat overnight oats and yogurt.

9:30 a.m. — I keep my schedule open Monday mornings to get ready for the week and support the team anyway I can. Along with facility management, I also do all management tasks of bills, meetings, and inquiries.

12:30 p.m. — Frida makes me, what I call “three-hour salad.” It’s so fibrous, and filled with so much healthiness, it takes me three hours to eat! Quinoa, spinach, sweet potato, broccoli, asparagus, beans, red peppers, topped with avocado, and if I’m lucky some olive oil. Then it takes me another two hours to clean up all the quinoa that has gone all over the place.

1 p.m. — I work with a client for an hour, then have fika — Swedish for coffee and pastry (My wife being Swedish, we must have coffee with something sweet, in this case a protein ball that she makes for The PrivatGym). I go for a 15-minute walk leaving my cell phone behind just to clear my head.

PrivatGym trainer and owner Hector Bones takes his dog Zion for a walk. Photograph courtesy Hector Bones.

3 p.m. — Over the next four hours, I put clients through rigorous workouts, then do my final round of the place getting it ready for the next day.

7:30 p.m. — Frida and I eat dinner at home. We eat salmon, asparagus, and sweet potatoes.

9 p.m. — I walk my dog Zion, give him dinner, and start to get ready for bed. We read and are hopefully asleep by 10 p.m.

Daily total: $0

Tuesday

Crackers and avocado for dinner for the PrivatGym trainer. Photograph courtesy Hector Bones.

5:30 a.m. — I leave the house early with my first client at 6 a.m.

8 a.m. — My first break of the day, I have my coffee and three hard-boiled eggs.

10:30 a.m. — I drink a cold-press juice from Iovine Brothers that we provide for clients and patients. I go around the facility picking up and refilling anything that looks out of place, or seeing where I can be of help to my team.

12:30 p.m. — I go to the team room, and enjoy grilled chicken and leftover asparagus and sweet potatoes, while listening to Up First podcast just to get an overview of what’s been happening in the world today.

2:30 p.m. — I meet with my partner at Rival Bros. for our weekly marketing meeting. I buy our iced coffees and then we do a walk and talk ($9).

4 p.m. — I get ready for the afternoon with three more clients to finish off the work day. My team and I prep the facility for Wednesday and we leave.

8 p.m. — I get home, and Frida and I have the most simplest but my favorite dinner, avocado crackers! I eat about four Wasa crackers with avocados, sea salt, and crushed red pepper. Then we have a lot of berries and grapes, and Frida needs her dark chocolate for dessert!

8:45 p.m. — I walk Zion, but tonight I make a pit stop at CVS. After a long day, I secretly buy a Take 5 candy bar (yes, even personal trainers hide secret treats from their significant others!). I make sure no evidence around my mouth, go up and get ready for bed! ($1.25).

Daily total: $10.25

Wednesday

PrivatGym trainer and owner Hector Bones likes to get work done at Rival Bros. Photograph courtesy Hector Bones.

5:30 a.m. — Same drill as Monday and Tuesday morning. I have my first client at 6 a.m.

7:15 a.m. — I need a push to workout today! I scheduled my colleague Tom to train me ($40). We do some squats and shoulders. Tom is a body biomechanics guru. He corrects every single movement and makes sure I’m doing it correctly.

8 a.m. — I eat instant oatmeal and a banana.

8:30 a.m. — I like to get out of my facility and go through emails, do payroll, and continue any manager tasks. I always choose Rival Bros. because it’s the best coffee shop to get work done in during the week ($3 for a cup of coffee and tip).

10 a.m. — I’m back at the facility. Managerial duties and two clients.

1 p.m. — I have a “three-hour salad” for lunch. I can’t complain, it gets the job done!

1:30 p.m. — I help our physical therapist, Josh Sabol, with some patients and paperwork.

4:30 p.m. — I have one more client before the end of the day. I do my rounds, and I must admit I’m pretty exhausted and don’t feel like walking home. I take an Uber ($7.34).

6:30 p.m. — Wednesday nights, Frida likes to do hot yoga and gets home a little later. Tonight I’m left to my own devices! My partner in crime Zion and I walk to Fountain Porter where we enjoy the best $5 burger (and a beer!). It’s easy for me to steer away from healthy eating when I’m tired and my wife isn’t home ($13).

8:30 p.m. — Frida and I chat for a bit and have some berries. Then we start to get ready for bedtime. Fell asleep around 10 p.m.

Daily total: $63.34

Thursday

PrivatGym trainer and owner Hector Bones does an upper body workout. Photograph courtesy Hector Bones.

7:30 a.m. — I’m able to get a later start today. I wake up and have coffee and breakfast with Frida. She makes herself a green smoothie, and I make an omelet and have some of her leftover smoothie.

9:15 a.m. — I walk into my facility, saying hi to everyone, and get ready for my clients. Three clients in a row. I have the best clients in the world!

1 p.m. — I brought my lunch, it was a chicken breast and some grilled veggies. I feel like I need some carbs, so I run downstairs to Real Food Eatery and get a side of rice ($1).

1:30 p.m. — I like to do some walking around marketing, getting people to know who we are, and where we’re located. It’s such a nice day, it’s a pleasure to go out.

2:30 p.m. — Back in my facility, I have my afternoon coffee and an apple. That helps me control my sweet tooth cravings. I go over paperwork and do some more managerial duties.

4 p.m. — I get a quick workout in. Mostly upper body. Feels good to get a sweat in.

5 p.m. — I have my final client of the day. On Thursdays we tend to do take-out. Tonight we choose Real Food Eatery. Frida loves the sweet potato hummus, and I can’t get enough of their chicken ($18.09).

7 p.m. — After eating dinner, Frida, Zion and I go for a walk. Where did the week go?!? It feels like our first time to finally catch up and be at a normal pace. We always call Thursdays “Happy Friday Eve.”

Daily total: $19.09

Friday

PrivatGym trainer and owner Hector Bones celebrates Friday with a doughnut. Photograph courtesy Hector Bones.

5:30 a.m. — Early morning as usual. Walking in to the facility with a spring in my step! Greeting everyone saying “Happy Friday!” I set the coffee, fill some water bottles up, and get ready for my clients starting at 6:45 a.m. and go back to back until 10 a.m.

10:30 a.m. — I need to be pushed today for my workout! I train with my colleague Tim ($40). We do some high intensity interval training (HIIT). Box jumps, burpees, TRX rows, sprints, and really work up a sweat! Just what I needed to start the weekend off right.

12 p.m. — After taking a shower, I feel the need to carb up! And not even in a “healthy” way. I go to Dizengoff and eat some hummus, grab an apple from our juice bar, and feel super satisfied with lunch. The pita is so delicious it doesn’t make me feel guilty. Because it’s Friday, I also treat myself to a hot fresh donut from Federal Donuts ($14).

1 p.m. — I go back to the facility and do some administrative duties, then go for a walk and talk with Josh, our physical therapist, and catch up for the week. Always good to get out and catch up.

3:30 p.m. — I finish off the week with three more clients. I have truly been fortunate to have the clients that I have, and always look forward to seeing them. They are the ones that energize me!

6:30 p.m. — Frida and I don’t feel like making dinner, or even going out. Fridays are pretty sacred for us.  She brings home sushi from Whole Foods, and we open up a bottle of wine! Life is good!

Daily total: $54

Weekly Totals

Money spent: $146.68

Training sessions taught: 31

Workouts done: 3

Cups of coffee: 9

Three-hour salads: 2

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