When he’s not sweating it out at his studio, Tony Bria is spending time with his family and having silly dance parties with his kids.
Anthony “Tony” Bria, owner of Bria Method. | Photograph courtesy of Tony Bria.
Welcome to Sweat Diaries, Be Well Philly’s look at the time, energy, and money people invest in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle in Philly. For each Sweat Diary, we ask one Philadelphian to spend a week tracking everything they eat, all the exercise they get, and the money they spend on both. Want to submit a Sweat Diary? Email gtomaine@phillymag.com.
Who I am: Anthony “Tony” Bria (@Briamethod), 36
Where I Live: Doylestown
What I Do: Owner and head trainer at Bria Method. Husband to Rachel Bria and father of two little girls: Giana (4) and Jordyn (18 months)
What role healthy living plays in my life: In 2015, I married my beautiful wife, Rachel, and the year after that, my first daughter, Giana, was born. I had been working as a private fitness trainer over the last 10 years, but the hours were long. I wanted to be around to watch Giana grow up and make memories. I knew it was time to accomplish my second dream of starting my own gym. Since making that decision, Rachel, Giana, and our 18-month old daughter, Jordyn, have been by my side every step of the way cheering me on. I’ve always loved motivating people and becoming a father has only affirmed my love of helping people and guiding them to be the best they can be: my studio, Bria Method, has become a place where people come to feel inspired, build confidence, and get results.
Health memberships (and what they cost): Edge Fitness ($29.99 per month) and free as the owner of Bria Method, a boutique fitness studio in Warminster which offers top fitness routines and trainers, including dumbbells, TRX, bodyweight, aerodyne bikes, and treadmills, barre, dance, and yoga.
Anthony “Tony” Bria, owner of Bria Method, at his fitness studio. | Photograph courtesy of Tony Bria.
Tuesday
3:50 a.m. — Good morning! Early wake up on the Tuesday after Labor Day for a full day of teaching classes at Bria Method. Most of my days consist of waking up between 3-4am to teach early morning classes at the studio.
4:30 a.m. —I am the first one to arrive at the studio to open up the studio and get ready to teach the first HIIT class at 5:00am at Bria Method. Today the HIIT class is Full Body with a mixture of interval training with weights, treadmill and (aerodyne) assault bikes.
4:40 a.m. —Early mornings call for coffee! At the studio we have a complimentary coffee machine for all our members. 20 minutes prior to the first class I am finished my first cup of coffee I am and a gallon of water down. Members are starting to show up for class, I get ready to check all the members in and check their temperatures.
5:00 a.m. —Bria Method members are early risers, I teach three Total Body HIIT classes starting at 5 a.m.
8:20 a.m. — Right after I teach three classes in a row, time to eat breakfast. At Bria Method, we offer healthy meal prep options from Aussie’s Kitchen. We promote a healthy lifestyle so that also includes fuel that is good for you. Today for breakfast I am having a Protein Bowl with eggs, sweet potatoes and sausage ($6) and healthy Cinnamon French Toast ($6) from Aussie’s Kitchen.
8:20 a.m. —My other HIIT trainer, Justin Rubin clocks in to teach the 8:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. classes. During this time, I am in my office working on the class schedules the following few weeks and paperwork for the studio.
10:30 a.m. — Justin’s HIIT class ends, I go out into the lobby to chat with the members and see how the class went. I also have an Iconic Protein Shake ($3) available in our refrigerators for sale at Bria Method.
11:30 a.m. —Mid-morning snack I packed an RX Bar from home for a quick fuel fix.
12:10 p.m. —Final morning Bria Method HIIT class until this afternoon.
1:30 p.m. —Today, NBC10 Philly Live is filming for National Yoga Month at Bria Method and highlighting our yoga options. I do a quick interview about Bria Method with the host and one of our yoga instructors’ Chloe teaches an express yoga class for 30 minutes, which I take for the segment.
2:15 p.m.—The NBC10 Philly Live filming wraps up.
2:30 p.m.—After spending the morning teaching and taking yoga, I go on a four mile run near the studio and burn up to 400 calories. After a quick 4-miles, I leave the studio to go pick up by four-year-old daughter Giana from preschool and we head home to my 18-month old daughter, Jordyn.
4:50 p.m.—A quick pre-dinner snack of an apple and two slices of Marathon Bread toasted with peanut butter.
6:00 p.m.—My wife Rachel gets home from work; she is a pharmaceutical sales representative. I cook up a healthy dinner of chicken, spinach and veggies and the whole family eats together and catches up after a long day.
6:30 p.m.—After dinner, we have a family dance party to the girl’s favorite artist—Pitbull.
7:00 p.m.—We get the girls ready for bed and unwind before we head up to bed.
Daily Total: $15.00
Healthy and balanced meals like this delicious salad, are important to Bria. | Photograph courtesy of Tony Bria.
Wednesday
7:00 a.m. — Wednesdays are the days that I don’t teach the early morning classes, I get to “sleep in”.
7:30 a.m. —Since I don’t have to be in the studio super early, I make breakfast at home which today consists of a homemade egg and cheese burrito, coffee at home and a green protein shake. I also make my wife Rachel a burrito and coffee to-go for when she heads out to work.
8:00 a.m. —After making breakfast, I head to the studio which is about 20 minutes from my house in Doylestown.
8:20 a.m. —I get to the studio to teach the 8:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. HIIT classes for the morning, today is Full Body Double Floor where we are using dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls and the TRX.
10:35 a.m. —I finish up teaching my second HIIT class of the morning.
11 a.m. —After teaching two classes, I worked up an appetite for an early lunch. For lunch today I have two meals from our food preparation company, Aussie Meal Prep. For lunch today I choose a Cauliflower Pizza ($7) and Buffalo Chicken Meatballs ($7). So good!
12:00 p.m.—I am done teaching HIIT classes for the morning. So, at noon I head to EDGE fitness for an hour of strength training in the gym. At Bria Method, we focus on group fitness, so I also belong to EDGE to allow me to have access to a full gym.
1:00 p.m.—Right after my workout, I pick up a chocolate peanut butter and banana protein shake ($5.99) before I head back to Bria Method to teach two more HIIT classes of the day.
4:00 p.m.—Wednesdays are the nights that I teach the late classes at Bria Method, we have a 4:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. HIIT classes.
5:30 p.m.— Class wraps up and I chat with a few members about the class. After, I deep clean the studio to prepare for the early morning classes tomorrow starting at 5:00am.
6:00 p.m.—After a deep clean of the studio, I packed two turkey sandwiches from home that I quickly eat for dinner before heading home.
8:00 p.m.— Teaching four classes and an hour of strength training leaves me feeling hungry still. At home I pour myself a bowl of cereal and a peach and head up to bed.
Daily Total: $19.99
Bria keeps track of his steps and total distance and health activity on a watch. | Photograph courtesy of Tony Bria.
Thursday
4:00 a.m. —Back to my early morning schedule! I wake up and make myself a large coffee, got to wake up and get ready to bring energy to teach our “Hurricane” classes today.
4:50 a.m. — The members are arriving for the first Hurricane class of the day, right before we get into the studio, I drink an Iconic Protein Shake ($3) that we offer at Bria Method.
5:00 a.m. —It’s time for the first Hurricane class of the day which is Bria Method’s signature workout. It is a 50-minute workout session that consists of four 12-minute rounds, each including six minutes of cardio (either the treadmill or assault bike) and six minutes of strength.
6:10 a.m. —I teach two more Hurricane classes in the HIIT room.
8:30 a.m. —Breakfast time, another meal from Aussie’s Kitchen. Today I am having protein waffles ($6) and a protein bowl ($6), complimentary coffee from the studio and a Bang Energy Drink ($5).
12:10 p.m.—Today I am teaching the early afternoon Hurricane class today in the HIIT room.
1:15 p.m.—Lunch time after a morning filled with Hurricane workouts. For lunch today I am having a grilled chicken wrap ($8) Café Ole in Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania.
2:00 p.m.— I am finished teaching classes for the day, so I head to EDGE Fitness for a quick 45-minute gym session before I have to pick up my daughter Giana from preschool.
3:00 p.m.—I wrap up my gym session at EDGE with a protein shake ($5.99) and head to pick up Giana.
6:00 p.m.—Another homemade dinner meal in the Bria household. Tonight, we are having grilled chicken with pasta in Rao’s marinara sauce and broccoli on the side. A family favorite meal—Jordyn (18 months) loves pasta and sauce.
9:00 p.m.—Kids are asleep, and we are headed to bed.
Daily Total: $33.99
When he’s not at the gym, Bria loves having dance parties with his two adorable girls. | Photograph courtesy of Tony Bria.
Friday
5:50 a.m. —Friday is the other day during the week that I don’t teach the super early morning classes.
6:00 a.m. —The days I teach the later classes, I eat breakfast at home. Today breakfast consists of six eggs scrambled, two slices of toast, a banana and coffee.
8:00 a.m. —I arrive at the studio to teach the later morning classes, today is Strength Training with a focus on Arms/Shoulders along with cardio on the treadmills and bikes.
8:30 a.m. —I teach three HIIT classes in a row.
1:00 p.m.—Classes are all taught for the morning! On Fridays, we only have morning and afternoon classes available. For lunch today, I have two turkey sandwiches from Aussies Kitchen ($10) at Bria Method.
2:30 p.m.—I need another boost of caffeine, so I make a double espresso shot at home. I am really big into biking as well as Bria Method’s other trainer, Justin Rubin so we take a 30-mile bike ride around the Doylestown area as a warm-up to teach our 90-minute classes at Bria Method on Saturday morning.
5:00 p.m. —Get home from the 30-mile bike ride and I reward myself with a tequila shot.
6:00 p.m. —Friday night dinner we order from Select Bar & Grill a caesar salad and a cheese pizza ($35) for the kids, I have a slice.
Daily Total: $45
Bria stands in front of his Bria Method vehicle with a favorite shake. | Photograph courtesy of Tony Bria.
Saturday
6:00 a.m. —Saturday morning! Wake up and eat breakfast at home which consists of a chicken and egg burrito, oatmeal and coffee before heading to the studio.
6:45 a.m. —I arrive at the studio, this Saturday we are running classes a little bit differently. Today we are offering three 90-minute HIIT classes called “Dri-Tri”.
7:00 a.m. —Three 90-minute Dri-Tri classes taught with me and Bria Method’s other trainer, Justin Rubin.
10:30 a.m. —Right before the final Dri-Tri class of the day, I eat a quick RX bar that I packed from home.
10:30 a.m. —My wife Rachel and daughter, Giana and Jordyn stopped by the studio to show support for the special classes today.
12:22 p.m. —Saturdays at Bria Method we have limited classes, so now we are wrapped for the day for teaching. After the three classes I have amassed 14,700 steps and walked 7.15 miles.
1:30 p.m. —Back at home I have a tuna poke bowl ($13) from Poke Bros. in Warrington that I picked up on my way home.
2:00 p.m.—I take a quick 20-minute power nap to get through the rest of the day.
3:00 p.m. — I have a quick post-nap snack of an RX Bar before the family heads out to our friend Caitlyn’s house for a pool party.
3:30 p.m.—We arrive at the pool party, wife and kids in tow to enjoy a beautiful afternoon with our friends and all our kids.
5:00 p.m. —At our friends, they catered food for everyone, so I indulge and have two slices of pizza and 2 halves of a hoagie. My drink of choice today is tequila! I also have two margaritas with Anejo tequila to unwind.
7:00 p.m. —Another impromptu dance party with the kids and the wives to wrap up the night.
DAILY TOTAL: $13
WEEKLY TOTALS:
Money spent: $126.98
Workouts Taught: 18
Workouts Completed: 5
Total Steps: 85,300
Dance Parties Had: 2