RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you have trouble sleeping, start adding these foods to your dinner/evening snack.

1) Unsalted/raw ALMONDS reduce muscle/nerve function while steadying your heart rhythm.

2) HONEY has glucose which tells your brain to shut off the chemical that triggers alertness.

3) CHERRIES increase melatonin which regulates the sleep cycle.

4) BANANAS have magnesium & potassium which are muscle/nerve relaxants.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you're going to do cardio & weight training together, first do weights then cardio. Doing weights first will deplete your energy calories (glycogen), so that all that's left to burn with the cardio is body fat calories. Doing cardio first, you'll still have energy calories to burn so you won't burn as much fat.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Exercising outside in this brutal Chicago winter weather is NOT going to make you burn more calories overall. You do torch a few extra cal during the first few minutes, but once you get warmed up, the caloric expenditure is the same as if you did it inside. If you want to burn more cal during exercise, do high/low intensity intervals every 60sec.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

It's almost resolution time. For most people it's to get into shape, so let's clear up some myths.

MYTH 1: "Muscle turns into fat/fat into muscle." No. Muscle & fat are two completely different tissues. If you stop exercising, your muscles atrophy, so you lose the tone; and if you eat more calories than you burn, you'll gain fat.

MYTH 2: "Lifting weights make women bulk up."No. Women don’t have enough muscle-building hormone testosterone to get bulky, even if using heavy weights. Some people gain muscle faster than they lose fat, so they may look bigger until they shed the flab and reveal the slim, toned muscles underneath.

MYTH 3: "When your body gets used to an exercise, you'll burn fewer calories doing it."Yes. After five to six times doing the same routine, you'll be smoother in your movements, but you'll start expending fewer calories then when you started. That's why you should do different exercises EVERY time you exercise to constantly shock your muscles into creating new lean muscle tissue.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Want to burn more body fat with your cardio? Then do HIGH/LOW INTENSITY INTERVALS. Do 60sec where you go fast, then 60sec slow. Repeat this for just 25mins & you'll burn more calories from fat than if you did an hour at a constant speed which burns more calories from energy.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you often get strong cravings for carbs like bread/sweets/etc? One main cause is the imbalance in your blood sugar (insulin) levels. The imbalance is caused by, skipping meals & going hours on end without eating, consuming alcohol/juice/caffeinated drinks which spike then drop levels to extreme lows, and not getting enough sleep at night.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Starting at the age of 25, we lose half a pound of lean muscle tissue every year. Losing that tissue causes a drop in metabolism (how fast we burn calories), which then causes body fat gain. This is why it's important to strength train (3x/week) & consume a whey isolate protein (Ex: ISOPURE Zero Carb) after exercise so that we maintain/create new muscle tissue = burning more calories/day.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Are you looking for a new & fun way to get some exercise? If you have a Nintendo Wii go get the game Michael Jackson: The Experience. It has ALL of his classic songs & music videos for you to dance along with Michael trying to match his signature moves. You'll have so much fun while getting some decent cardio! Try it!

Here's the official game website http://theexperience-thegame.ubi.com/michael-jackson/en-US/home/index.aspx

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Are you so busy because of the holidays/work/school/life that you have no time for exercise? Here's two lists of high/low intensity exercises that you can get done in just 30mins a day (and how many calories they'll burn).

HIGH
aerobics: low impact 170
aerobics: high impact 238
elliptical trainer: general 213
calisthenics: vigorous, jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, pullups 272
weight lifting: light/moderate 108
weight lifting: vigorous 207
running: 6.7 mph (9 min/mile) 374
walk: 4 mph (15 min/mi) 170
stretching: mild, hatha yoga 85
ice skating: moderate intensity 238
sledding, toboggan, bobsled 238
skiing/snowboarding: downhill, moderate effort 204
operating a snow blower: walking 153
shoveling snow: by hand 238
vacuuming 119
cleaning house: general, light 87
decorating Christmas tree 85
food shopping: with cart 78
christmas shopping 78
playing w/kids: moderate effort 153
baking and food preparation 136
Unloading car 102

LOW
reading: sitting 44
standing in line: light, holding items 68
sitting, watching TV 34
writing Christmas cards 61
wrapping gifts 51
socializing, standing 61
playing cards 51

Stop making excuses! Take 30mins a day to do these activities, so you avoid the holiday season weight gain.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Weighing yourself daily is not recommended, as it can lead to weight obsession. During this season of overindulging in food/drinks though, you should weigh yourself weekly so you can catch weight gain before it's 10-20lbs later on January 1. Increase your daily activity if you're going to increase calorie intake.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

With this bitter Chicago cold most people stay in. Staying in is usually accompanied with major snacking on the couch. If you bring the bag of chips/bucket of holiday cookies with you to the couch, you may end up subconsciously devouring the whole thing (500-1000cal) while watching TV. To prevent this pour your snack in a SMALL bowl & leave the rest in the kitchen. Once the bowl is done, you're done.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you have trouble sleeping at night? One cause could be the foods you're eating close to bedtime. Here's some foods that could be the culprit.

1) AGED CHEESE. Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, and other hard cheeses have high levels of the amino acid tyramine which is known to keep you up.

2) SPICY FOODS. Hot wings may taste good during the football game, but they aren't going to feel so great come bedtime; especially if you're prone to heartburn, since lying down only amps up its side.

3) PROCESSED/SMOKED MEATS. Processed meats contain high levels of tyramine and makes the brain release a chemical that makes us feel alert.

4) ALCOHOL. Many people use alcohol to help them relax, but it actually prevents your body from entering the deep stages of sleep.

5) MILK CHOCOLATE. The average milk chocolate bar contains tyrosine, which is converted into dopamine, a stimulant. This causes alertness and restlessness, which can keep you up at night.

6) TOMATO SAUCES. Tomato-based foods have a tendency to cause acid reflux and heartburn, which will prevent you from having a good night's sleep.

7) GINSENG TEA. Herbal teas are great for sleeping, but steer clear of ginseng. It acts as a stimulant, and some may experience insomnia and hypertension.

8) SOY. Fermented soy products have some of the highest amount of tyramine. Meaning soy sauce, tofu, miso, and even teriyaki sauce should be avoided hours before snoozing.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Nutrition is about identifying daily habits. Part is recognizing if your friends/family/coworkers/significant other are preventing you from healthy eating. Always going for food/drinks? Anything active together? A group/person who enable you to eat unhealthy will keep you in that rut. Talk to them about your fitness/nutrition goals & suggest you do more physical activities/make healthy meals at home.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Eating healthier is about making smarter choices. One key is making healthier substitutions without losing flavor. For example, instead of using butter/mayo/dressing/cheese add HUMMUS to your favorite sandwich/salad/etc. Hummus comes in so many great flavors, is full of protein & fiber which will keep you feeling full, and has about 70 less calories per tablespoon than butter/mayo.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

We here at RIO Fitness have been saying for THREE YEARS via our MySpace/Facebook/Twitter/Blog/ect what this recent Yahoo article says. You have to change up how you exercise EVERY time you exercise. Not every 4-6wks, but EVERY time you do cardio & weights do it differently. This forces your muscles to adapt to the changing variables. Which creates more lean muscle tissue = the more calories you'll burn daily = the faster you'll be lean & tone.

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/fitness/p90x-workout-program-really-best-boosting-muscles-burning-fat

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Depression, high stress, heavy sadness, all cause increased levels of the body fat producing hormone cortisol. These feelings often eliminate desire for exercise; and coupling that with unhealthy eating to cope, will lead to serious weight gain. Don't neglect exercise. The endorphin burst from even just 30mins of cardio on a machine each day, might be just what you need to lift your spirits.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you have holiday shopping planned this weekend with no time for the gym? No problem! Here's what to do.

1) DRESS WARM, and park far away from the store entrance instead of looking for the first spot.

2) Shopping Downtown? Walk, walk, walk! No cabs.

3) ALWAYS take the stairs instead of elevators/escalators.

4) Carry your shopping bags to the car instead of using a cart. The added resistance while walking burns even more calories.

5) Bring small, simple snacks (unsalted/raw nuts, fruit) with you, so you are not tempted to hit up the food court.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

A question we often get at RIO Fitness is, "what exercise is best for toning/losing body fat for my abs/thighs/butt/hips/arms?" The answer is, there is NO magic exercise that is going to tone/burn body fat from a specific area. It's more about how you exercise than the actual exercises.

The answer is, HIGH INTENSITY INTERVALS. For example, doing lunges/squats/machines for lower body is better than doing nothing; but if you do just one set then rest, that's bodybuilding and the least effective way to get lean & tone. Doing HIGH INTENSITY INTERVALS means, doing one set of say 15 walking lunges, then immediately following up the lunges with 60sec of jumping jacks or side-side pushups. Once you finish the second exercise, you rest 60sec, and repeat for three sets. HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING, is the most effective way to tone up & lose body fat quickly. YouTube it, Google it, all the SCIENTIFIC research is proving it to be FACT.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

We're currently in the season of overindulging on drinks & food. Here's a simple chart to show you what it will take to burn off those glasses of wine or slices of pizza. Remember, gaining/losing body fat is about calories burned vs calories consumed. Most people gain anywhere from 10-20lbs during this season, don't let it be you! You can have the holiday treats you enjoy, just in SMALL portions; AND you must stay active during the holidays.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we need to stop the overeating to avoid the 10-20lb holiday weight gain. Here's three simple ways to feel full in a healthy way.

1) Make sure every meal has a lean protein (white meat, fish, unsalted/raw nuts, eggs, beans) in it. Nuts like almonds, especially are a superpower to feeling full without overeating; because they're loaded with protein, fiber, and the healthy unsaturated fat that makes you feel full.

2) Removing all the fat from your diet will actually make you fatter. Your body needs unsaturated (a.k.a. “good”) fats to function properly and stay energized as well as absorb certain vitamins. Unsaturated fat found in avocados and olive oil is converted into a compound that curbs your hunger. Just be careful not to overdo it. Make sure that only 30% of your daily calories come from fat.

3) Drink more water. The average person needs at least 80oz daily. If you exercise, 80-120oz daily. That hungry feeling we get isn't always our bodies telling us we need food, it's saying we're dehydrated. When you get the feeling, drink a glass/bottle of water.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

There's a 1000 excuses not to exercise, but for every excuse there's a solution. Here's three of the most common excuses and how to overcome them. Find yours.

1) "I can't, I have kids." Make them a part of your routine by taking them to the park & running around with them. Or put on an exercise DVD, and make it like a video game where they have to do the movements on the TV with you.

2) "There's no time because of work/school/etc." When you wake up, do 10mins of 30sec pushup/rest intervals. At Lunch, find some stairs, and walk up & down for 10mins. If several floors of stairs, go up three floors & then back down three for 10mins. Before bed, do 10mins of core (side/lower/upper abdominals & lower back.) That's 30mins spread throughout the day and you've done total body exercise.

3) "I'm too tired to do it." Go to bed at a reasonable hour so you can wake up a little earlier and exercise. By waiting til the end of your day to exercise, makes your whole day revolve around when you do it = less likely to do it. Getting it done as soon as you wake up is the best time to burn the most body fat, because your body will use fat (stored calories/energy) as its primary fuel source.

**There's always going to be something going on in your life that will be an obstacle to you staying active & healthy, that's life. You just have to deal with it by making adjustments which aren't always comfortable AT FIRST; but soon enough you'll be back on track.**

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you often feel/look bloated? Do you pay attention to how much sodium you're consuming daily? Start reading the nutrition facts on what you eat/drink; because the more sodium you consume the more water you retain. Limit your sodium intake to 1200mg/day. Once you start paying attention, you'll be surprised how quickly 1200 adds up. Also, start eating high potassium foods which help lower sodium levels in the body.

List of high potassium foods: http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/food/potassium-foods.htm

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Countless products out there guaranteeing perfect abs, but often underdeliver. Here's some tips to really get nice abdominals.

1) If your body fat % is not low, you will NOT see a "six-pack." To get it low, you need to do cardio properly to burn fat not energy/muscle which means high/low inten...sity intervals every 60sec for just 25mins. You need to stay within your daily calorie limit, avoid high saturated fat foods, eat high glycemic carbs (bread/pasta/rice/oats) ONLY after exercise, and avoid/limit alcohol consumption.

2) Do NOT exercise you abs every day. Your abs are muscles like any other so they need time to recover & rebuild. Give them at least 48hrs rest. So if you did it on a Monday, next day would be Thursday.

3) Train your entire core: Side (twisting/side bends), lower (knee ins/straight leg raises), upper abdominals (crunch movement) and lower back.

4) Breathing is important, because if you're not breathing properly you're constricting the muscle at the wrong time. Always exhale at the contraction (going up into the crunch) and inhale at the extension (going down from the crunch).

5) You must tighten the abs every time you exhale in order to have a flat midsection. If you don't tighten you're training your abs to stick out.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Have you taken a "mental health day" lately? Mental health is just as important as physical fitness; especially since the more stressed you are, the more the body fat producing hormone cortisol will increase. Whether it's a full day off, half day off, or 15mins each day, take time to breathe & relax.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Losing body fat is about consuming less calories than you are burning daily. Here's four simple ways you can cut 150cal daily.

1) Sit on the floor and stretch for one hour during your favorite TV show.

2) Use mustard instead of mayo on sandwiches.

3) Avoid soda and drink water or unsweetened/uncaffeinated tea.

4) Skip the grande Caramel Macchiato at Starbucks for a small cappuccino with skim milk.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you enjoy going out for sushi? Next time try the seaweed salad instead of edamame/miso soup. Seaweed salad is packed with iodine, a chemical that helps maintain sufficient levels of the thyroid hormone which regulates weight gain/loss, energy level, and mood. Adults should get 150mcg of iodine daily. Other food sources include fish and yogurt.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Have you ever thought of helping your older loved ones (parents, grandparents, etc) be fit/eat healthier? The older you are, the less bone density you have, the quicker you lose muscle tissue, and the more at risk you are for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. Talk to them about getting healthier together; even if it's just going for a walk/cooking healthy dinners with them several nights a week.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you want help to be eating healthier you have to start using this FREE website. All you have to is sign up for a FREE account, then begin tracking what foods/drinks you're consuming throughout the day. Keeping a daily log of what you're consuming is critical to being successful in reaching your health & fitness goals, because body fat loss = calories consumed vs calories burned. LiveStrong helps you track if you're eating too much/not enough, if you're overeating at high stress times, what nutrients you're too little/too much of, and how to find the balance. Using LiveStrong will make a huge difference for you, so USE IT! By the way, did we mention, it's FREE!

http://www.livestrong.com/myplate/

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you have a personal trainer, there's some things you should be aware of to make sure you're getting the most for your money.

1) A trick some trainers will use to make the session go by faster is to move all around the gym. That way it appears you've done so much, cause you've moved around a lot.

2) Another trick is to get you talking. That way you spend most of the session talking, and like #1 not doing much exercise.

3) Is your trainer leaning against/sitting down on something while you exercise? If so, how are they monitoring your form from every angle, thus preventing you from injury?

4) Does your trainer have you use weight machines often/always? Unless you are coming back from a major injury or are over 80yrs old, you should NOT be using machines. It shows your trainer has no idea on designing specific programs for individuals, and more than likely trains everybody the same no matter age, gender, goal, etc.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How many meals/snacks a day are you eating? How often are you eating? Eating 1-2 times or having huge gaps in time between, you are slowing down your metabolism (how fast you burn cal); when you finally do eat your body stores it as fat for an energy reserve. Eat a combo of 5-6 SMALL meals(350cal max)/snacks(150cal max) every 2.5-3 hours. This keeps your metabolism fast & insulin levels from spiking.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

The key to healthy eating is knowing exactly what you're putting into your body. Reading the nutrition facts on the label is the first step. There are tricky words you need to watch out for:

1) "WHOLE WHEAT" can mean it's just the skin of grain. Unless it says 100% whole grain it's not whole grain.

2) "NATURAL." The U.S. FDA does not define nor regulate this term. If the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors or synthetic substances it may be labeled natural. Synthetic substances have been linked with hyperactivity in children and cancer.

3) "ORGANIC" means a farm must have been pesticide/herbicide free for at least three years. An organic label indicates 95% of the product is organic. A food with at least 70% organic ingredients can be labeled “made with organic ingredients.” Organic does not guarantee that it was produced on a small farm, is healthy, or that animals were treated humanely.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Halloween parties start tomorrow! If you're still not fitting into your costume, don't resort to starving yourself. Starving will result in loss in scale weight, but in the long term it will cause weight gain; because your body will hold onto your fat (energy reserve), anything you do consume is stored as fat, and eventually muscle will be consumed for fuel.

Healthier steps you can take right now is to:

1) Completely avoid all high glycemic carbs (bread/pasta/rice/oats) for the weekend. Fruit/veggies are low glycemic and the carbs ok to eat.

2) Avoid high sodium foods which cause you to retain water = you look/feel bloated. Eat high potassium foods (banana, beans, spinach) to lower water levels in the body. List of other high potassium foods http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/food/potassium-foods.htm

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Between now & Jan 1, is when most people gain 10-20lbs. Don't wait til Jan 1 to make that resolution to get healthy & in shape. START NOW with simple things like:

1) As soon as you wake up before consuming calories, do cardio. It's the best time to burn fat with cardio.

2) Eat breakfast each morning. Skipping keeps your metabolism slow, and makes you more likely to overeat/make bad choices at lunch.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Is your attitude towards exercise negative? Do you dread it? Do you ever change up what you do? If exercise for you is nothing but an hour on cardio machines and just doing machines for weight training, that does sound awful & really boring. Exercise should be challenging, fun, and interesting. The key to that, is to always change it EVERY time you do it.

Instead of weight machines use free weights, medicine balls, and BOSUs to mimic the same movements. Instead of cardio on a machine like a zombie, take advantage of this decent Chicago weather before we're buried under snow and go outside. Find a sledding hill and run the hill, go rollerblading/bike riding, take a kickboxing class. Find something you enjoy. It can be anything, as long as it gets your heart rate pumping & that sweat pouring.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Next time you exercise bring these three friends.

1) WATER (80-120oz/day). Sweating during exercise makes you dehydrate. This makes you tired faster and less likley to finish with intensity which is the key to body fat loss. Drinking H2O also helps prevent overeating, because that "hungry" feeling you often feel, is not always for food, it can be your body telling you you're dehydrated.

2) WATCH. Having a watch on while you exercise helps you monitor how long your sets & rest periods are. This helps you cut down on the wasted time you spend in the gym or wherever you exercise and give you more time to live & enjoy your life!

3) HEART RATE MONITOR. Heart rate sensors/calorie counters on cardio machines are inaccurate. The machines calculate heart rate by how fast (revolutions) the machine is going & by a preset math equation. You do not enter any of your specific stats (gender, age, height, body fat %, BMI) except age & weight into the machine. Age, gender, and body fat % being what really determines calories burned. Plus with all of the electronical interference in the gym (TVs, cell phones, ipods, computers) the sensors are off even more. With a HR monitor you enter all those stats in when you turn on the watch, so you always know you have an accurate reading of your heart rate, if you're in your "heart rate fat burning zones" or if you're burning more energy (glycogen) than fat. The HR monitor, we here at RIO Fitness Chicago recommend is called Polar (www.PolarUSA.com).

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How you shop at the grocery store may be one of the reasons you can't lose that body fat. Here's FIVE simple ways to shop better.

1) Stick to the edges & venture strategically into the aisles. The edges of the supermarket are the healthiest food (dairy, produce, meats, seafood). The aisles are junk-food central (processed-food & the nutritional dead zone).

2) Use the self-checkout. The more exposure to temptation, the more likely you'll give in. You’re more likely to buy a candy bar when you’re stuck in a line flanked by candy racks.

3) Bulk up. Discount clubs like Costco and Sam’s Club are great, but only for things that won’t spoil and foods that won’t be too tempting. Frozen chicken/vegetables are great to buy in bulk. A 15lb bag of oranges/pallet of Oreos is not.

4) Ask when next shipment is. Most stores receive shipments of fish or meat on certain days of the week. Buy on that day for the freshest product.

5) Shop on less busy day/times. Try to go grocery shopping on Wednesday (slowest day) or after 9pm (slowest time). For the same reason as doing self-checkout.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Latest statistics show that high profile athletes make up only about 15% of Americans who take steroids. The other 85% is your average person who goes to the gym and takes steroids strictly for a cosmetic purpose; which is dangerous because many are uneducated. This could be your family members, friends, co-workers, anyone, and you may not even know it.

What are steroids?

Steroids are synthetic versions of the hormones our bodies produce naturally. Cortisone is a steroid. It signals the body to break down inflammation. Birth control is a steroid. It’s made from the female sex hormones estrogen & progesterone. Then there are the most known steroids, anabolic steroids. They are made from the male sex hormone testosterone. Anabolic steroids tell the body to increase in muscle size and strength; it also helps the body to recover from workouts faster and helps lower body fat % rapidly.

Can steroids harm you?

Doctors have been using steroids to treat patients since the 1930s. They’ve been used to treat cancer patients, burn victims, and most recently HIV/AIDS patients. Under medical supervision they can be taken safely. Although there are NO studies that have been done to show the long term effects of steroid use. Yes, NONE. There’s NO proof to show that it causes cancer or kidney damage. Only in cases with the abuse of oral steroids has it been shown to cause liver damage.

Side Effects?

Men may experience acne, hair growth/loss, increase in the bad cholesterol LDL, joint stress, testicle shrinkage, decreased sperm count (abuse can make you sterile), and gynecomastia (the increase of fatty breast tissue, aka “bitch tits”). “Roid rage,” occurs in 5% of the population. Only if you’re already an angry person, steroids may make you even angrier. *Acne (back, neck), mood swings, and sudden development of fat tissue in the chest are the main signs of steroid use.* Fortunately, once you are off the drugs most of these symptoms in men are reversible.

Women who take anabolic steroids may suffer acne, abnormal hair growth, deepened voice, joint stress, menstrual problems, and an enlargened clitoris. Unfortunately for women, most of these side effects are irreversible.

***RIO Fitness Chicago® DOES NOT endorse nor promote the use of steroids unless prescribed and supervised by a licensed medical professional!***

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Instead of reaching for booze or Ben & Jerry's after a stressful day reach for these:

1) MILK. It contains tryptophan, which as it is metabolized is converted to mood-boosting serotonin. Plus, its calcium, magnesium and potassium content help keep blood pressure down.

2) GREEN TEA (Uncaffeinated). Packed with theanine, which increases the brain’s output of relaxation-inducing alpha waves and reduces the output of tension-making beta waves.

3) COLD WATER. Drink a glass, then go for a walk outside. The water gets your blood moving and the fresh air invigorates by stimulating the endorphins that de-stress you.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Late night info-mercials promise their product will give you those sexy abs you've always wanted. Bottomline, no machine or doing 1000s of crunches a day will help you see that "six-pack" if your body fat % is not low. How do we get our body fat % low:

1) Have a quality health & fitness professional calculate your daily calorie limit and start staying within it. Body fat loss = buring more calories than you consume; but not to the point where you're starving yourself, because that will have the opposite effect (your body will start storing fat).

2) Do cardio properly to burn majority calories from fat not energy/muscle. Doing cardio for more than 30mins burns majority energy calories (glycogen) & NOT fat. You need to do you cardio in high-low intensity intervals every 60sec for just 25mins if you want to begin burning body fat quickly. Getting your cardio in as soon as you wake up before consuming any calories will speed up the fat loss even more.

3) Strength train. Resistance training burns 4x more calories than cardio. And keeps you metabolism (how fast you burn calories) high for 24-36hrs, cardio is only 2hrs.

4) Limit high glycemic carbs (bread/pasta/rice/oats) to ONLY after exercise. These are carbs which digest quickly so if you're eating them all day long, they're not being burned and turned into body fat. Fruits/veggies are low glycemic and are the carbs that are ok to eat throughout the day.

5) Limit alcohol consumption. Overconsuming calories, stress, and alcohol, are the three quickest ways to gain body fat. Alcohol triggers the body fat production hormone cortisol to begin storing body fat.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How many calories are you drinking daily? Don't just think of calories in terms of food. If you drink that entire bottle of Gatorade/juice/pop it can add up to 200-400cal. Couple that with a meal that's 400-600cal or higher, you've just consumed 600-1000cal in one sitting = overconsuming cal = body fat gain. The nutrition facts listed are usually only 8oz of a drink not the entire bottle (16-32oz).

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Healthy eating for most people doesn't come easy. It's not an 8wk program or something that happens overnight, it's a complete lifestyle change. Best way to get started is to begin writing down what you're eating & the times. This will help you identify habits; like if you use food to deal with stress or if social events are always food/drink centered.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Best way to reach your exercise & nutrition goals is to have a support system who encourages you. Ideal is to have an exercise buddy & accountability partner with your nutrition. Find a friend/family member/co-worker who shares your goals & begin conquering them together. Even if it's doing cardio together or calling eachother at the end of day to go over nutritional choices made throughout the day.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How many times have you eaten bread/pasta/rice/oats today? Those are high glycemic carbs which digest quickly, and if not burned immediately are turned into fat. Eat them only after exercise, or only once per day if you can't do that. Fruit/veggies are low glycemic and are the carbs ok to eat throughout the day because they digest slowly.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Can't lose those last ten pounds? It may not be because of your exercise & nutrition, but chemicals you're eating & drinking unintentionally. They’re called endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and many of these chemicals work by mimicking estrogen; the hormone that doctors DON’T want women taking anymore due to increased risk of heart disease, breast cancer, stroke, blood clots and abnormal mammograms. Three simple ways you can avoid eating/drinking a lot of EDCs:

1) GO ORGANIC. Organic foods can be expensive. But not all organics are created equal; many foods have such low levels of pesticides that buying organic just isn’t worth it. High pesticide foods are celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries (domestic), nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale/collard greens, cherries, potatoes and grapes (imported). Low pesticide foods are onions, avocado, sweet corn (frozen), pineapples, mango, sweet peas (frozen), asparagus, kiwi fruit, cabbage, eggplant, cantaloupe (domestic), watermelon, grapefruit, sweet potatoes and honeydew melon.

2) GO LEAN. Always choose pasture-raised meats, which have less fat than their confined, grain-fed counterparts and none of the weight-promoting hormones. Plus, grass-fed beef contains 60% more omega-3s, 200% more vitamin E and two to three times more conjugated linoleic acid (a nutrient that helps ward off heart disease, cancer and diabetes, and can help you lose body fat). For fish, avoid ahi or bigeye tuna, tilefish, swordfish, shark, king mackerel, marlin and orange roughy. Focus on smaller fish like anchovies, Atlantic herring and mackerel, and wild-caught Alaskan salmon. When you cook the fish, broil, poach, grill, boil or bake instead of pan-frying; this will allow contaminants from the fatty portions of fish to drain out.

3) FILTER YOUR WATER. The best way to eliminate EDCs from your tap water is an activated carbon water filter. Available for faucets and pitchers, and as under-the-sink units, these filters remove most pesticides and industrial pollutants. if you have perchlorate (a component of rocket fuel!) in your water (you can find out by asking your municipal water supplier for a copy of its most recent water-quality report) you’ll need a reverse osmosis filter. These filters range from $28-$60.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

When was the last time you went to the doctor/had a physical? If you can't remember, you definitely don't know what your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides, or thyroid levels are; all which could be leading to health problems in the near future.

1) BLOOD PRESSURE - Healthy number is less than 120/80 mmHg. High blood pressure is 140/90mmHg or higher. High BP often has no symptoms and, left untreated, can lead to stroke, heart disease, kidney damage, and vision and memory problems. To lower your numbers, consume a low-fat/sodium diet, limit alcohol, don't smoke, and exercise 4-5/wk.

2) BLOOD SUGAR - Healthy number of a fasting blood-sugar level is 99mg/dL or less. A level of 126mg/dL or higher indicates diabetes. Diabetes more than doubles your risk of heart disease and increases your chances of kidney disease, vision loss, and other health issues.

3) CHOLESTEROL - Healthy number is total cholesterol (LDL & HDL) under 200mg/dL. The higher your cholesterol levels, the greater your risk of heart disease. LDL cholesterol should be under 100mg/dL. Elevated LDL levels cause the formation of plaque in the artery walls, which leads to atherosclerosis and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. HDL cholesterol should be 50mg/dL or higher.

4) TRIGLYCERIDES - Healthy number is less than 150mg/dL. Triglycerides are a type of fat in the blood, and elevated levels increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Elevated triglycerides are a greater risk factor for heart disease in women than in men, another good reason to get your level into the target zone. To do that, lose body fat, quit smoking, consume no more than one alcoholic drink a day, and exercise 4-5/wk.

5) THYROID - Healthy number is a thyroid-stimulating hormone level under 4.0mIU/L. Besides helping regulate your metabolism, body temperature, and heart rate, thyroid hormones affect skin, hair, muscle strength, mood, and mental functioning. If your level is high, above 4.5mIU/L, your thyroid isn’t producing enough hormones to help your body function efficiently.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you always feel tired, even if you get eight hours of sleep? Here's two common mistakes (then solutions) you may be making which could be causing that.

1) Skip the alcohol before bed. Once your body begins to remove it from your system, it acts as a stimulant. Instead start a nighttime ritual that promotes sleep like a warm shower (when you step out, your body begins to cool off, a process it goes through before sleep) or sip a cup of decaf chamomile tea.

2) Don't exercise before bedtime. Exercising before sleep (especially cardio) can leave you staring at the ceiling in bed, since it can take 3-4hrs for your body to cool itself. Try to get it in the morning (best time to burn the most fat) or at lunch; you'll feel the energy-boosting effects for hours.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Forget about BMI, forget about the scale (to an extent), all you need to know is your body fat %! Body fat is where all your disease risks (heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer) are coming from. A LOT of doctors go off of BMI, but that's just height over weight. A muscular bodybuilder who is only 5'7" & 220lbs, his BMI will say he's obese, so BMI is irrelevant. The scale will say you've lost 10lbs, but it is possible to lose on the scale, but not body fat % = you've lost water/muscle weight. So the scale is irrelevant.

For WOMEN: 18-35yrs old body fat % should be 18-20%, 35-50yrs old should be 20-22%, 50yrs old + should be 22-26%

For MEN: 18-35yrs old body fat % should be 12-14%, 35-50yrs old should be 14-16%, 50yrs old + should be 16-20%

Have a qualified health & fitness professional calculate your body fat % TODAY, so you can begin tracking REAL (getting healthier) progress!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

You don't need an expensive gym membership to get your G in GTL on. Here's FIVE simple ways to get extra activity in throughout your day.

1) Walking with extra weight like carrying a book bag with something heavy in it or a bottle of detergent in your hands going up & down the steps at home.

2) Park farther from the entrance of your destination.

3) Pace the floor instead of sitting. We spend a lot of our life waiting for appointments or talking on the phone. Don't just sit around, GET UP!

4) Take up hiking. Hiking outdoors is a great way to burn stress, enjoy the outdoors, and get some exercise. A GORGEOUS place to go is www.chicago-botanic.org/

5) Yard work in the hot sun is a great way to burn calories. Raking leaves, mowing grass, pulling weeds, planting flowers are all good exercise to work up a sweat. No yard? You must have an elderly family member/neighbor that needs help.See More

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you want flawless skin, it's not just about what you shouldn't eat but what you should eat. Add the following to your daily nutrition to help cure & prevent complexion woes.

1) Foods high in ZINC (almonds, baked beans, beef, chickpeas, oysters, pumpkin seeds) reduce inflammation to shrink bumps, and it also slows sebum production to reduce shine and prevent more breakouts from forming.

2) Foods high in CAROTENOIDS (mango, cantaloupe, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes) attack blemishes in three ways: reducing inflammation, encouraging cell turnover (aka natural exfoliations) and strengthening your skin’s defense against bacteria.

3) Foods high in FIBER (everything that is 100% whole wheat grain). Eating unhealthy carbs (white bread, cookies, pastries) signals the pancreas to send out a surge of insulin. This triggers a hormone-level change in your body that increases oil production and tells cells to multiply, all of which jams pores. Whole grains helps your body absorb and burn carbs more slowly, which keeps blood sugar and insulin levels steady.See More

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you have a gym membership, but you don't go? You're paying what people in the fitness industry call the "fat tax." If feeling & looking better is not motivation enough, think about all the money you're wasting by not going. Even if it's doing just 30mins of core or some cardio on a machine, GO TODAY!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How much junk food did you take in this weekend? Not only do treats add calories & fat to your daily tally, but they also cause your body to store more fat. Junk food stimulates a gene that makes your body store excess fat, causing you to gain weight over time. Stop that sweet craving with berries or an orange. They’re high in vitamin C, which helps you sizzle up to 30% more fat during exercise.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you're exercising and want to see fast results there are three BASIC supplements you should be taking: MULTI-VITAMIN, WHEY ISOLATE PROTEIN, and GLUTAMINE.

1) MULTI-VITAMIN because we don't get enough essential vitamins & minerals from our foods. All the processing it goes through before getting to the store, and when we cook our food it releases most of it's vitamins & minerals.

2) WHEY ISOLATE PROTEIN because it's the highest quality of protein and when we take it after exercise it will help build LEAN (NOT bulky) muscle tissue which helps us burn more calories all day long. Take it after you do cardio and/or weight training. Without it, your muscles will just recover/repair and NOT build any more.

3) GLUTAMINE because it's an amino acid (what protein is made of) that when we mix it with our after exercise protein will help reduce soreness. Reducing soreness = our muscles recover & rebuild faster = we can exercise more = faster results.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Two simple ways to get rid of your cellulite: Cellulite is fat deposits under the skin, so the more saturated/trans fat (bad fat) you eat the more cellulite you'll have. Next is your exercise. You need to be doing cardio properly (25mins of high/low intensity intervals every 60sec) to burn fat & not energy/muscle. Also, weight training burns 4x more cal than cardio.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Does life have you STRESSED OUT? If so, you’re likely to sleep less/eat more, which affects your thyroid, a gland that produces hormones which regulate metabolism (how fast you burn calories). If your thyroid’s not producing enough hormones it can slow your metabolism, leading to weight gain, depression and fatigue. Take a 10-15min break for yourself daily to breathe, relax, and clear your mind, to keep thyroid and metabolism humming at optimal levels.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How much sleep do you get at night? Not sleeping enough causes decreased levels of growth hormones that aid in muscle recovery/building & it increases levels of the hormone cortisol which causes body fat gain. Lack of sleep also leads to increased stress & exhaustion during your day. If you can't get enough each night, try to catch up with a nap during the day/weekends.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Drinking tea has some great health benefits. Bottled tea contains very low levels of antioxidants; so boil some water and brew your own at home to get all the antioxidant benefits at a fraction of the cost.

1) GREEN TEA increases mental acuity and protects against heart disease; Choose one with NO caffeine and just add a twist of lemon to help absorb the antioxidants into your bloodstream.

2) MINT TEA settles the stomach and alleviates gas.

3) GINGER TEA soothes digestion and fires up your energy

4) CHAMOMILE TEA calms the nervous system and relaxes the muscles; drink an hour before bedtime to get a good night's rest.

5) TAO TEA is a set of healing bagged teas for internal cleansing, calming your emotions, and promoting balance.

Add a twist of lemon, a sprig of mint, rosemary, or a handful of fresh basil for an aromatic flavor burst. To add sweetness, use a little pure honey, agave nectar, or a stick of cinnamon.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Chemicals in our plastic containers and other dishware may leach into our foods/drinks. This can disrupt hormone/reproductive system function and prevent body fat loss because these chemicals mimic estrogen. Five simple steps to avoid eating/drinking PLASTIC unintentionally:

1) KNOW THE CODE. Look on the bottom of your plastic to find the recycling symbol (a number between 1 and 7 enclosed in a triangle of arrows). 1, 2, 4 and 5 are considered to be the safest. 3, 6, and 7 leach chemicals that may be harmful.

2) DO NOT HEAT PLASTIC IN THE MICROWAVE. Heat can increase the rate at which chemicals like BPA leach from plastic. Containers labeled "microwave safe" have been tested by the U.S. FDA and found to leach extremely small amounts.

3) IF IT SAY ONCE USE, USE IT ONCE. Plastic breaks down over time and some aren't designed to withstand heating and cooling.

4) WASH BY HAND. Only put plastics into the dishwasher if they have a dishwasher safe label. If you want to be extra-cautious, wash all plastics by hand. In the dishwasher, plastics are exposed to detergents and heat, which may accelerate the leaching of BPA from food containers.

5) DO NOT FREEZE PLASTIC. Only put plastics in the freezer if they have a freezer-safe label. Freezer temperatures can cause plastics to deteriorate, which increases the leaching of chemicals into the food.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Protein is the best nutrient for jumpstarting your metabolism (how fast you burn calories), squashing your appetite, and helping you eat less at meals (body fat loss = consuming less calories than you burn). Have a LEAN protein (white meat, fish, eggs, beans, unsalted/raw nuts) with every meal! Since protein leaves you feeling more full, if you start in the morning, you'll eat less throughout the day. A perfect breakfast instead of cereal/bagel would be two eggs scrambled with cherry tomatoes & 1/2cup fresh strawberries on the side.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

With the recent temperature drop here in Chicago, many people are suffering with a cold/allergies. Taking just 15milligrams of ZINC a day (amount found in a multivitamin) will motivate your immune cells to produce more of a protein that fights off bacterial infections.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Stuck in a rut and can't find the motivation to get your exercise & healthy eating going again? Two SIMPLE things you can do are:

1) In the morning before you consume any calories, do just 25mins of cardio. Do high/low intensity intervals every 60sec for just 25mins. Doing cardio as soon as you wake up before consuming any calories, will make your body use your fat (which is stored energy) for a fuel source to do the exercise.

2) Have breakfast every day! When we sleep, our body knows to slow down our metabolism (how fast we burn calories); and when we skip breakfast it continues to stay slow. This is bad because we're now burning calories at a slower rate; and now when we get to lunch we're starving and more apt to making bad choices & over consuming calories which leads to body fat gain.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Can't lose those last ten pounds? It may be because you're eating too much PLASTIC. Chances are you’re among 93% of Americans with detectable levels of bisphenol-A (BPA), and that you’re also among the 75% with detectable levels of phthalates. Both are synthetic chemicals found in plastics that mimic estrogen. These plastic-based chemicals trick our bodies into storing fat and not building/retaining muscle. Decreasing your exposure will maximize your chances both of losing unwanted flab & of building lean muscle mass.

Here’s how to decrease exposure:

1) Never heat food in plastic containers or put plastic items in the dishwasher, which can damage them and increase BPA leaching.

2) Avoid buying fatty foods like meats that are packaged in plastic wrap because EDCs are stored in fatty tissue. The plastic wrap used at the supermarket is mostly PVC, whereas the plastic wrap you buy to wrap things at home is increasingly made from polyethylene.

3) Cut down on canned goods by choosing tuna in a pouch over canned tuna. Eden Organic, is one of the only companies that doesn’t have BPA in its cans.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

The BEST fat burner is NOT Hydroxycut or any other artificial stimulant which can harm you (liver/kidney damage or irregular heartbeat), it's a WHEY ISOLATE PROTEIN. With a whey isolate protein after you exercise (weight training AND cardio), you'll build more LEAN muscle tissue. The more lean muscle tissue you have, the more calories your muscles will burn a day.

**The only way to lose body fat is to burn more calories than you consume,** so the more lean muscle tissue you have the faster you will burn body fat. **Women should choose a low calorie/low fat/zero carb/zero sugar protein like ISOPURE Zero Carb.**

If you're wondering why you're not seeing results as fast, it's probably because you don't have protein post-exercise. Without protein after exercise, your muscle fibers just tear apart & repair, they don't build any more muscle tissue. Whey Isolate is the highest quality of protein there is, so start taking it, and watch how much quicker you'll see results!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Now that Summer is over, are losing your motivation to exercise for that Summer body? Be careful how much time you take off, because as hard as it was to make progress, it'll be easy to lose it.

1) After two weeks off:
We already start to see a decline in muscular and cardiovascular fitness levels. At this point, it's safe to jump back in at the same intensity you were at before the break. Cardio levels decrease faster than strength (the magic of muscle memory). To take advantage of this, during busy work weeks, do just one set of five strength exercises.

2) More than two weeks off:
The longer that is taken off, the more we need to scale back volume and intensity of exercise once we come back to it. To jumpstart your routine at this point, and to preserve heart/lung strength and prevent waistline creep, do 5 to 7 days of 20 minutes of cardio.

3) A break from exercise can be good:
If you've been going all-out, exercising HARD for months, you probably need a training vacay. This allows your muscles to recover fully so you can continue making strides whether you're training for a race or trying to lose those last stubborn ten pounds.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Looking to lean & tone the booty & thighs? *You can't reduce a specific area of the body, other than lipo suction,* but keeping it basic with lunges & squats will help you get there.

The key is how you do the lunges/squats. Just doing one set & resting is body building, and the least effective way to get lean & tone (which is what most women want). So for example, do a set of 15 walking lunges holding a moderate weight (2 8lb dumbells) at your sides. Once you've finished the lunges, you need to follow it up with a completely different exercise with no rest in between. So do the set of lunges, then 60sec of jumping jacks or 30sec of side-side pushups. That's how women should resistance train. It's called High Intensity Interval Training.

For inner thigh you can do squats with a really wide legged stance. Again holding a moderate weight at your sides. For outer thigh, your feet need to be completely together and squat holding weights at your side. Then follow the set of squats up with another completely different exercise to get the intensity up.

Do 3sets of each pair of exercises, resting only 60sec in between sets.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Here's a body fat shredding cardio challenge!

1) Enjoy this remaining beautiful Chicago weather and find a local football/soccer field. There are hundreds all over the city & suburbs. Google search one near you.

2) Do 25mins of intervals where you sprint 100yds (entire field) in under 30sec, then you walk 30sec to the 50yd line (half line). Repeat for 25mins.

3) If you're not fit enough to sprint, jog the 100yds, then walk to the half line. Repeat for 25mins. Don't worry about beating the 30sec limits, just do it for 25mins total.

When you do high/low intensity intervals you'll burn more calories from fat (stored calories) because with the high intensity 30sec your heart rate will be toward your max, then with the low intensity 30sec it'll come down, not into resting heart rate (80-90 bpm) but 125-145 bpm which is the fat burning zone.

Try it today! Incorporate interval training weekly into your own exercise routine, and watch the quick results you get; kicking up the intensity is the key to rapid fat loss!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do your plans for this weekend include dinner and/or Sunday brunch? Healthy eating is about making smarter choices no matter where you are. Here's how you can do dinner & brunch and avoid the fat trap:

Dinner
1) Try logging onto the restaurant's website ahead of time and decide what to order, including your special drink. You'll be less likely to spontaneously place a gigantic order when the waiter arrives at your table.

2) Order something you like, but limit your portions to keep calories to less than about 600. At the steakhouse, try a petite fillet with steamed vegetables and half a baked potato. Out for Mexican? Try two fish tacos with guacamole. Sushi night? Go for edamame and 8 to 10 pieces of sushi. And rather than order a calorie-filled specialty cocktail, indulge in a 100-calorie drink, such as a small glass of wine or light beer.

3) Always have the waiter remove any bread/chips.

Brunch
1) Order the eggs Benedict. The eggs are poached, so there's no oil; Canadian bacon is less fatty than its American cousin; and the English muffin has fewer calories than two slices of whole-wheat toast.

2) Try a made-to-order omelet (ask for two egg whites and one whole egg) with spinach, tomatoes and a sprinkle of feta cheese, with a side of fruit salad and unbuttered rye toast (596 calories); you'll get protein from the eggs as well as a healthy dose of fiber from the spinach.Have a great weekend!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How sore are you after exercise? Do you think that if you're really sore after exercise that means what you did worked? Soreness is lactic acid that has built up in the muscle. The more that acid builds up, the slower your muscles recover, rebuild, and regenerate more muscle. We don't want to slow that process down, because the more LEAN muscle tissue you have, the more calories you will burn daily = faster results!

Two great ways to reduce soreness are:

1) Consume a WHEY ISOLATE PROTEIN (Ex. ISOPURE Zero Carb) after every time you exercise (both cardio & weights). Mix 1 tablespoon of the amino acid GLUTAMINE in your protein to speed up the muscle recovery/building process even more. Amino acids are what proteins are made of, so it's all natural and will not harm you. Limit 10g/day.

2) Consume 80-120oz of water daily. The more water you drink the less build up of lactic acid.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/glutamine.html

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Chicago nightlife isn't just Fridays & Saturdays, it's Sunday to Sunday! And if you're one of those "Happy Hour" pros, all those calories from alcohol can really add up and may make you more prone to storing fat in your middle. Just one margherita can be around 400cal. So rather than reward yourself after a tough week with 2-for-1 drink night, treat yourself to spa time, movie or other non alcohol/food fun time; you'll feel pampered without packing on pounds. If you must have a drink, try choosing a bubbly toast, like Champagne or Prosecco, which you'll be inclined to drink more slowly than a noncarbonated drink. Recent studies also show that loud music makes you drink more, so if the sound system is thumping, put down the glass and start dancing!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

The fitness industry is a multi-BILLION dollar industry, and unfortunately much of it is meant to scam you out of your money by over-promising & under-delivering. One such scam, is the Belly Burner or anything advertising by adding extra clothing you'll burn more fat. All these items will do is make you sweat more. Sweat has nothing to do with body fat loss. Sweating more just dehydrates you faster. Dehydrating faster makes you tired faster, and less likely to finish your exercises with high intensity (which is the true key to fat loss!). By sweating more you'll lose water weight, but as soon as you drink/eat something you'll immediately gain it back. Sweatsuits/belts are only beneficial to fighters who need to drop quick weight to qualify for a weight class for a fight. If you're not a fighter, save your money!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akHYZZkR0lo

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Are you going to the movies this weekend? You can still go and emerge without having consumed 1000cal in snacks, and here's how:

1) Before the previews, fuel up with a healthy high protein snack such as raw/unsalted nuts so you aren't hungry and dive into your pal's M&Ms or greasy popcorn.

2) For a s...weet treat, Twizzlers are a relatively low-calorie choice, and you can split them with a friend.

3) If you absolutely must have a salty snack and don't want to share, order a child size popcorn.

Eating healthy doesn't have to be complicated or something to stress about, it's just about making smarter choices no matter where you are.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you have a stressful job, it may be the culprit for your weight gain or inability to lose body fat. High stress levels lead to higher levels of the body fat production hormone cortisol; and if you deal with the stress with alcohol/food you're only compounding the problem. Here's a great article with 50 tips to productively deal with a bad work day:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/50-Tips-for-Surviving-Your-usnews-650024601.html?x=0&mod=pf-career-work

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

For those who "have no time to exercise," next time you go to Jewel Osco you can get some in! Here's how:

1) Carry a basket as you shop. After your groceries are bagged, carry them to your car. A gallon of milk almost weighs 10lbs!

2) When reaching for an item on a lower shelf, squat. Repeat two to three times to work your calves, thighs, glutes, and abs.

3) Reach for items high on shelves & hold for 10 seconds. Repeat this five times. If you feel self-conscious, pretend you can't decide whether to buy the product. Stretching on your toes with your arms above your head strengthens the legs, back, arms, and also improves balance.

Three simple ways to increase your daily activity while getting your errands done!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Are you or someone you know trying to quit smoking? Here's ten tips to help you through the first two weeks:

1. Get rid of all cigarettes! When temptation is around you'll succomb.
2. Put away all ashtrays and any other smoking-related objects.
3. Ask people you live with not to smoke in your presence for 2 weeks.
4. Spend as much time as possible with nonsmokers.
5. Keep busy, especially at night and on weekends.
6. Spend free time in places that nix smoking, such as stores, libraries, and theaters.
7. Drink plenty of fluids.
8. Use healthy alternatives to cigarettes: Sip ice water, chew sugarless gum, rinse your mouth with mouthwash, brush your teeth, snack on high-fiber, low-calorie foods (apples, oranges, whole-wheat pretzels). Don't substitute high-sugar snacks for cigarettes.
9. Begin regular activity, such as walking. If you already exercise, spend 10% more time doing it.
10. If you have withdrawal symptoms:

-Remind yourself why you're doing this.

-Remind yourself that this discomfort is only a tiny fraction of the discomfort you'll likely have if you keep smoking (painful diseases, surgery, chemotherapy).

-Do some deep breathing.

-Practice another relaxation technique (slow stretching, visualizing yourself in a favorite, soothing place).

-Take a walk. When you have a craving, even 5 to 10 minutes can get you past it.

-Coach and encourage yourself: You can be free of this unhealthy, expensive, messy habit and become a nonsmoker!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Eating healthier just means making smarter choices. Which means if you have to have a treat, make it a SMALL portion. You can eat healthy anywhere! Even places like McDonalds. All you have to do is cut out the unnecessary extras like the bread/cheese/cream/oil/dressing that really add up the calories/fat/sodium/sugar.

Some smarter choice examples:

Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich (600cal) by throwing out the bun & ordering it without mayo, you bring it down to approx 250cal.

When eating Italian, skip all cream based dishes and stick with marinara and no extra cheese on your pasta.

Always have your entree grilled instead of breaded & fried.

Sub out all fried side dishes like fries for fresh fruit or veggies.

Sub out soda for water.

Just by making these simple smarter choices you'll start to see a difference in how you look & feel. Especially, if combined with regular exercise.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you're an expecting Mom or know somebody who is, there are things you can do right now to quickly bounce back to pre-baby shape once you've delivered.

First, exercise during the pregnancy. There are just some precautions you need to take: don't keep your heart rate above 140 for a long period of time so your internal core temp doesn't get too warm, do not lay on your back, do not stand for prolong periods so blood does not pool near the womb, and nothing involving jumping or uneven surfaces.

Next is nutrition. Though you may crave a pizza with meatballs & twinkie toppings, you need to still watch what you're eating. Stay within the daily required calories as recommed by your physician. Eat fruits/veggies instead of saturated/trans fat loaded treats. Find lean sources of protein (white meat, unsalted/raw nuts, beans). Just some simple steps you can do to drop that baby weight.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you know what your body fat percentage is? You should know, because the higher the % the more at risk you are for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.Males 18-35yrs old should be between 12-14%; 35-50yrs old 14-16%. Females 18-35yrs should be between 18-20%; 35-50yrs old 20-22%. You can be lower than these percentages, these ranges are just where you should be to be healthy. Have a qualified health & fitness professional calculate your body fat % today!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Don't be mislead by magazines/DVDs/etc that promise if you do a certain ab routine you'll have a sexy six-pack. Bottomline, *if your body fat percentage is not low, you won't see a six-pack no matter how many crunches you do.* Your nutrition is the most important factor with your abs than any other muscle.

Read the May 12, 2010 tip from our RIO blog to see what your nutrition & exercise should be to have a nice midsection.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

There are two principles when doing abdominal exercising, breathing & keeping your abs tight.

If you're inhaling/exhaling at the wrong time, you're constricting the muscle at the wrong time, which isn't working it. You need to exhale at the contraction. For example, oblique side bends you exhale when you're bent, lower ab straight leg raises you exhale when your legs come toward you, upper ab crunches you exhale when you're going up into the crunch.

If you don't keep your abs tight when you do ab exercises they will develop & always stick out. Since we all want a nice FLAT firm tummy, that's a bad thing. To avoid that, you need to keep the abdominal muscles pulled in toward your spine. That does NOT mean holding your breath! Practice keeping your abs tight right now by repeatedly saying "Ssshhhh," like you're telling somebody to be quiet. It takes some getting used to, but you'll get it.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Next time you injury yourself & have a tear/bruise/sprain/strain, just remember RICER (Rest-Ice-Compression-Elevation-Referral).

REST: Immediately stop what you are doing! Without rest, continual strain is placed on the area, leading to increased inflammation, pain, and possible further injury.

ICE: Proper usage of ice can reduce the destruction over-response which can result from inflammation. A good method is ice 20 minutes of each hour.

COMPRESSION: Aims to reduce the edematous swelling that results from the inflammatory process. A cloth Ace bandage works well because it should be a snug fit, but still allow expansion for when muscles contract and fill with blood. Avoid neoprene bandages because the heat they generate will cause more inflammation.

ELEVATION: Aims to reduce swelling by increasing venous return of blood to the systemic circulation. This will not only result in less edema, but also aid in waste product removal from the area.

REFERRAL: When in doubt as to the severity of the injury ALWAYS see a physician immediately!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Don't let injuries be an excuse not to exercise. If you hurt your upper body, there's no reason not to do a killer core/lower body routine or cardio. If you've hurt lower body, there's no reason not to do core/upper body. If you give up exercise entirely you'll have a higher mountain to climb to get back into shape, than if you had just worked around the injury.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

A great place to go if you're in a hurry & want some healthy choices is 7-11. That's right, 7-11! There is a lot of garbage there, but in their "Fresh-to-Go" section, they have such items as fresh already sliced fruit, plain pastas with sun dried tomatoes & grilled chicken (perfect post-exercise meal!), still in the shell hard boiled eggs, low-cal yogurt, and healthy salads (skip the dressing), etc. Skip the sandwiches which are processed meat & full of mayo. Everything is sealed to preserve freshness. Eating healthier doesn't have to be complicated, it's about making smarter choices, so check out the "Fresh-to-Go" section at 7-11.

http://www.7-eleven.com/Category.aspx?CategoryId=3001000

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

The Principle of Specificity means how you exercise is what you'll get better at. For ex, if you always use machines for weight training, you'll get better/stronger at pushing/pulling while seated. Do you ever push/pull in a seated position in everyday life? No. Start exercising how you move in everyday life, so you can get better at living and avoid injuries!

YouTube "functional training" for more info!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Everybody (even personal trainers) has obstacles to getting/staying in shape. Whether it's poor nutritional habits, lack of physical activity, exhaustion, stress, etc. Identify what yours are & begin overcoming them. It won't be easy, but you will be successful! Start right now!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Not seeing results with exercise/nutrition? How stressed out are you? High stress raises levels of cortisol which is the body fat production hormone. Start paying attention if there is a pattern each day of when you get most stressed. That way instead of dealing with the stress by eating/drinking alcohol/smoking, you can go for a walk/go get a drink of water/go to a quiet place to gather yourself for 10-15mins. Fitness is not just a lean & tone body, but it's also a healthy mind.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

What did you eat yesterday & already today? How much protein was on your plate? Starting around age 30, we all begin to lose approximately 3-8% of our muscle mass per decade. As well as bone density. Strength training can help preserve muscle, as can protein. 40% of your daily calories should come from healthy protein sources: LEAN meats (white), seafood, legumes, low-cal dairy products, tofu, beans and unsalted/raw nuts. Protein also promotes cellular repair/growth and boosts your immune system.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you want to see results faster, you can't be guessing what to do. Especially not with your nutrition which is 60% of seeing results. You need to know everything you're putting into your body, from calories (most important!), fats, carbs, protein, sugars, sodium, etc. A GREAT website to do that for FREE is LiveStrong.com

They have a database with every food/drink & restaurant menu you can imagine! You don't have to, to use it, but you can create a FREE account which will get even more specific to you & your habits; showing you what foods you're consuming too much/too little of and how you can improve. Check it out if you're serious about making a change in your life!

http://www.livestrong.com/diet-and-nutrition/

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Want to get rid of your cellulite?First thing is your nutrition. Cellulite is fat deposits under the skin, so the more saturated/trans fat (bad fat) you consume the more cellulite you will have. Start consuming unsaturated (good) fats contained in fish, unsalted/raw nuts, olive oil, flaxseed, etc, which help you "burn" bad fat.

Next is how you exercise. You need to be doing cardio *properly* to be burning majority calories from fat, NOT from energy. Jumping on a cardio machine for an hour is NOT the answer. Going on 5mile runs is NOT the answer. Doing high/low intensity intervals every 60sec for 25mins is! HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING is the answer to losing that jiggle. Both for cardio & weight training. YouTube it, and read the April 26, 2010 tip from our RIO blog for more.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Were you feeling/looking bloated after 4th of July weekend festivities? One likely cause, all the sodium you consumed, because sodium carries water in the body. How to avoid bloating:

1) Limit your sodium intake to no more than 1200mg/day.

2) Eat more potassium rich foods, because potassium helps to kick out excess water in the body. See the link for what foods are high in potassium.

http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/food/potassium-foods.htm

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How many calories do you consume at a time? The body can only take in so many calories (approx 400cal) before it starts storing the extra as body fat. Start limiting your meals to 300-400cal, and snacks to 100-150cal. Also, do you know your daily calorie limit? If not, ask a qualified health & fitness professional to calculate it for you, so you can start staying within it.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

To see results quickly you need to boost your metabolism (how fast you burn calories). How you can burn calories faster naturally:

1) Exercise: Doing cardio keeps your metabolism high for 2hrs, and weight training keeps it high 24-36hrs.

2) After Exercise: Consuming a WHEY ISOLATE protein (Ex: ISOPURE Zero Carb) after exercise will help to build lean muscle tissue. The more lean muscle you have the more calories you will burn each day. To give you an idea, 1lb of muscle burns 50cal/day, so if you add 10lbs of LEAN muscle (not bulky mass), your muscles will burn an extra 500cal/day on top of what you burn during exercise!

3) Nutrition: Going hours & hours without eating or eating only 1-2/day slows down your metabolism, and your body holds onto your fat (stored energy) for a future energy reserve. Eating a SMALL meal (~350cal max)/snack (~150cal max) every 2.5-3hrs, makes your body burn the cal you consume like an inferno, because it knows it's getting another meal/snack right away.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How to enjoy, but not ruin your nutrition this holiday weekend.
1) If you have to try everything, make it SMALL portions.
2) To help with small portions use smaller plates.
3) Have your alcohol on the rocks to avoid unnecessary cal with soda/juice.
4) Choose clear alcohol over dark to avoid toxins (less hangover).
5) Space out your drinks with water so you're not consuming too many cal at once.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

There are different ways to weight train: bodybuilding (gain muscle mass & strength, lean & tone (lose body fat & define muscles), athletic training, etc. Most people in gyms, even women, unfortunately do bodybuilding because of lack of knowledge. They'll do one set of an exercise, usually on a machine, then rest and repeat. That's bodybuilding, and the least effective way to lose body fat quickly & tone up.

For lean & tone: You have to do one exercise then a completely different exercise no rest in between. This will increase the intensity, and after the second exercise you rest 30-60sec & repeat for 3sets. Example: Doing 15lunges, followed by 60sec of jumping jacks with no rest in between; then after the jumping jacks resting & repeating for 3sets. It's called High Intensity Interval Training and it will accelerate you seeing results. YouTube it for more examples.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

When you do lunges/squats/run/use cardio machines push off your heels to get back into a standing position. This will activate your glutes & hamstrings. Not doing so will cause your quadriceps to be used more, get stronger, causing an imbalance in your legs which could cause injuries.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Get results faster by not doing the wrong things with exercise/nutrition. Ask yourself: Am I doing cardio properly to burn body fat cal & not energy/muscle? Am I properly weight training specific to my goal? Am I staying within my daily calorie limit? Am I eating a SMALL meal(350cal)/snack(120cal) every 2.5-3hrs? Major questions you need to answer if you're serious about seeing results quickly.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Look at the nutrition facts on everything you drink each day. Typically says 100-140cal per serving, but one serving is only 8oz not the entire bottle which could be 16-48oz. Thus, you could be drinking way more calories than you realize. Add that to what you consume with food and you're consuming more calories than you're burning, which equals body fat gain.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Most people have one arm/leg which is stronger than the other. By always using machines to strength train you will continue that imbalance in your body, which can lead to injury. Start using free weights/BOSUs/resistance bands/medicine & stability balls which allow your arms/legs to move separately, thus making them equally strong.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

1lb of body fat = 3500calories. Start aiming to burn at least 3500cal/week with exercise if you want to lose body fat. That does NOT mean doing endless cardio. If you do the machine will say you burned 1000cal, but after 30mins you are just burning cal from energy; over an hour you burn muscle. Calories are not all the same. It's the difference between skinny & flabby and lean & tone.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Staying/becoming lean is all about burning more calories than you consume each day. Unnecessary extras like breads, cheese, dressings, oils, etc, can really add to the calorie intake of your meals. The body can only take in so many calories before it starts storing the extra as body fat.

For example, a typical restaurant "healthy" scrambler breakfast (whole eggs, cheese, veggies, english muffins, butter, hash browns) can be well over 600cal.By substituting out the cheese for more veggies, by substituting whole eggs for egg whites, and by substituting the muffin & hash browns for a fruit cup you can bring that meal to around 300cal.

Eating healthier is NOT about eating lettuce & drinking water, it's about making smarter choices!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Every time you exercise do something different! Muscles memorize movements/patterns and that's when you stop seeing results. Instead of machines, for cardio do rollerblading/bike riding/running outside/jump rope; for strength training use free weights/BOSUs/medicine & stability balls/body weight.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you want to stay comfortable/only burn calories from energy and NOT fat, then keep doing your cardio for 45+mins on treadmills/elipticals.If you want to start seeing results quickly, you need to push yourself hard!

How RIO Fitness does cardio: STADIUM STAIRS!!!! 24 FLIGHTS of body fat burning STADIUM STAIRS!!!!!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you want to start seeing results faster, stop using machines to do your strength training (fixed position movements & low intensity). Start using free weights, BOSUs, medicine balls, resistance bands, stability balls, etc. They mimic your everday movements & get the intensity high which is the key!

*The only people using machines for weight training should be:
1) People who've never exercised a day in their life and need to get used to the movements.
2) Body builders looking to isolate specific muscle groups to build mass.
3) People recovering from major injury.
4) Elderly 80yrs old and up.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

No wrong time to do cardio, but the best two times to burn the most calories from body fat are: 1) As soon as you wake up before you consume any calories.
2) After you strength train.
Both times the primary source of calories your body will use to fuel itself will be fat calories (stored energy).

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

NEVER skip breakfast! While you sleep your body slows down your metabolism (how fast you burn calories), because it knows you're not consuming calories. When you skip breakfast it stays slow! Great breakfast choices: eggs with side of fresh fruit, low-cal yogurt mixed with fresh fruit, or for something quick a CASEIN protein shake.

CASEIN protein is great, because it's a slow digesting protein, so if you exercise in the evening, it'll feed your muscles throughout the day, preparing you for exercise. Taking it 1-2hrs before bed is also good, because the muscle recovery/building process happens only during sleep, so it'll help speed it up. It's a high quality protein (24g) that's low-cal (only 130cal), and low-fat (only 1g). Mix with 8oz of cold water and you're ready to go!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Isolating muscle groups like Day 1 (chest/biceps), Day 2 (legs/triceps), etc, is a body building schedule and NOT to be lean & toned which is what most women want.

To be lean & tone quickly your weekly exercise schedule should look like this:

Day 1: Lower body (quads/glutes/hamstrings/calves)
Day 2: 30mins of Upper Body (shoulders/triceps/chest/biceps/back) then 30mins of cardio
Day 3: 30mins core (side/lower/upper abdominals & lower back) then 30mins cardio
Day 4 Lower body (quads/glutes/hamstrings/calves)
Day 5 30mins of Upper Body (shoulders/triceps/chest/biceps/back) then 30mins of cardio
Day 6 30mins core (side/lower/upper abdominals & lower back) then 30mins cardio
Day 7: Rest

There should be 48hrs rest in between each muscle group. Also, in case you're not doing it already, weight training for lean & toned is not doing one set then resting. For your goal, you need to weight training using High Intensity Interval Training. HIIT means doing one set of an exercise then following it up with a completely different exercise no rest in between, then resting 30-60sec and repeating for 3sets. For example, doing one set of 15 lunges, followed by pushups for 30sec no rest in between, then resting 30-60sec and repeating for 3sets. Or one set of 15 bicep curls followed by 30sec of jumping jacks no rest in between, then resting 30-60sec and repeating for 3sets. YouTube HIIT to see more.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How much alcohol did you consume over Memorial Day Weekend? If you want to stay/get lean, limit the amount of alcohol (beer/wine/hard liquor) you're consuming because alcohol:

1) Triggers the body fat production cortisol to begin producing body fat.

2) Lowers levels of testosterone in our body which is the hormone that helps us burn body fat/build lean muscle tissue quicker.

3) Obviously has calories, and since losing body body fat is all about burning more calories than you consume daily, it can really hinder you seeing results.

Other than limiting how much alcohol you consume you can:

1) Space out your drinks by having a water in between. That way you're not over consuming so many calories at once.

2) Order your drinks on the rocks instead of with soda/juice fillers which add unncessary calories/sugars.

3) Choose clear spirits such as vodka, because the the darker the color the more toxins it has.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Having strong abdominals, not just a "six-pack," is essential to protecting your spine & neck from injury. Do this not just on "ab day," but throughout the day by pulling your ab musles in tight with every exercise you do and all day long. This does not mean holding your breath, it means pulling your ab muscles toward your back/spine. It takes some practice to get used to, but you'll get it soon enough. One way to practice, is to keep saying "ssshhh" like you're telling someone to be quiet. You'll notice each time you "ssshhh" your ab muscles are pulled back. Keep your ab muscles tight on every exercise you do, while you're in the car, and while sitting watching TV/computer/at work and soon you'll have a strong midsection (i.e. which means less injury and better posture).

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Nutritional supplements WOMEN should NEVER take:

1) PROTEIN SHAKES/BARS loaded with calories/fat/carbs/sugars. Many women are afraid to take protein in fear of becoming "bulky." Certain protein supplements are designed to do just that, because they're meant for bodybuilders looking to build mass. Then there are ones specifically for women/those looking to be lean & toned (Ex: ISOPURE Zero Carb by Nature's Best). Consuming protein after you exercise (both cardio & weights) is essential to seeing results quicker because it helps build LEAN muscle tissue, and the more you have the more calories you'll burn daily on top of what you burn during exercise. Your protein drink should be no more than 160cal, less than 1g of fat, 0carbs, 0g of sugar.

2) CREATINE is a cell volumizer, which means the larger your cells the more water they require. Thus, you'll look and feel constantly bloated.

3) TESTOSTERONE/GROWTH HORMONES can make women sterile. Unlike in men, the side effects are irreversible for women. Such side effects include, loss of menstrual cycle, unnatural body hair growth, change in voice, loss of head hair, enlargened clitoris, etc.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Want to burn more calories when you exercise? Answer: COMPOUND MOVEMENTS. This means, instead of just doing squats, grab a pair of dumbells, and as you're coming up from the squat do a shoulder press with the dumbells. Instead of just doing lunges, do dumbell bicep curls as you're going down into the lunge. Incorporating upper & lower body movements will increase the intensity of your exercise and thus lead to more calorie burn. Kicking up the intensity is the key to seeing results faster!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Drinking water during exercise is essential for seeing results. The more you sweat the more water you draw out of your cells, which dehydrates you and makes you tired faster. By staying hydrated, you can exercise longer with more intensity, which means quicker results.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Might seem trivial, but how you breath during exercise is important. Breathing through your nose instead of your mouth helps stabilize your heart rate which will increase your endurance. The result? You can exercise longer, burn more calories and get results faster. Don't get discouraged if it feels unnatural at first; it takes about six to eight times exercising to perfect.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Start limiting the amount of caffeine you consume each day. Not only does it affect your central nervous system, but it draws calcium out of your bones. This is especially dangerous for women, because women are at a higher risk for osteoporosis (weakening of bones which leads to fractures) than men. Be sure to get 1,000mg of calcium every day from foods (low-cal cheese/yogurt, skim milk, collard greens, spinach) to counteract the caffeine.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Becoming/staying lean & fit is all about calories consumed vs calories burned each day. That means portion control with your meals & snacks, and it's as easy as looking at your hand. Make a fist, that should be the size of the LEAN protein (white meat/fish/eggs) on your plate. Next open your hand and look at the size of your palm, that should be the size of the carb on your plate. Finally, look at your thumb, from the the tip of your thumb to the center is how much fat (oils/cream/dressing/etc) should be on your plate.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

There is no better "fat burner" than taking a WHEY ISOLATE PROTEIN (Ex: ISOPURE Zero Carb by Nature's Best) after both cardio & weight training. With exercise, especially weights, you break down muscle tissue. To regenerate more lean muscle fibers you need to consume a whey isolate protein immediately after (no more than 30mins after!).

The more lean muscle tissue you have the more calories you will burn all day long on top of what you burn during exercise. To give you a better idea, 1lb of muscle burns 50cal at rest, so if you put on 10lbs of LEAN muscle (NOT mass ladies) your muscles will burn an extra 500cal a day! To lose body fat/get lean & tone you need to turn your body into a calorie burning machine. It's all about calories consumed vs calories burned each day.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you surround yourself with temptation, you'll be more likely to give into it. If your house has junk food, you're going to eat it. Fill your fridge/cabinets with healthy options instead. At restaurants, tell the waiter to keep the bread. If it's in sight, you're more likely to indulge. Out of sight out of mind!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration does NOT regulate nutritional supplements unless they find a product to be harmful to the public (i.e. they banned the previous formula of Hydroxcut 5.1.09 because they linked it to one death & heart/liver/kidney damage).

Since none of it is controlled by the FDA, these companies can make any "miracle body changing" claims about their products & can alter the nutrition facts on the label (i.e. Muscle Milk by Cytosport lists a lower fat content than what is really inside, and lists a higher protein content than what is inside).

Choose reputable companies (Nature's Best, Optimum Nutrition, BSN, EAS), and avoid bad companies (CellTech, MuscleTech, Cytosport, Gaspari).

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How many times a day are you eating bread/pasta/rice/oat carbs? These are HIGH GLYCEMIC carbs which digest quickly and if not burned are turned into body fat. Eat these ONLY after exercise to replenish your energy (glycogen) reserve. Eat fruit/veggie (LOW GLYCEMIC) carbs the rest of the day.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Want those sexy Summer abs? Follow our RIO Fitness "AB COMMANDMENTS" to help get you there:

1) Strength train your ENTIRE midsection (obliques, lower & upper abdominals), finishing with a lower back exercise to fully complete your core.

2) Do NOT work your abs every day. They're a muscle like any other so they need time to recover & regenerate. Give 48hrs in between, so if you did them on a Wed, next time would be Sat.

3) Do cardio properly so you're burning calories from fat & not energy (glycogen). This means no more than 30mins, and the cardio must be done in intervals (Ex: 60sec run then 60sec walk for 25mins).

4) Track how many calories you consume daily. Consuming more calories than you burn daily will increase body fat production.

5) Limit HIGH GLYCEMIC CARBS (breads/pasta/rice/oats) to ONLY after exercise. These are carbs which digest quickly, so if they are consumed throughout the day and not burned they'll be turned into body fat. LOW GLYCEMIC CARBS (fruits/veggies) are the carbs to be eaten the rest of the day.

6) Limit your sodium intake to no more than 1200mg/day. Sodium increases water levels in the body, making you look & feel bloated. Consume foods high in potassium (i.e. bananas/spinach/apricots/beans) daily to lower sodium levels in the body naturally.

7) Limit/avoid alcohol consumption. Alcohol triggers the body fat production hormone cortisol to begin production.

8) Limit your stress. Increased stress levels also increases levels of cortisol.

9) Get your rest. Lack of adequate rest each night increases levels of cortisol.

10) Remember, just focusing on your abs won't give you a nice midsection, you need to strength train from head to toe. Especially do not neglect large muscle groups (back/lower body), because developing those will help you burn more cal/day & increase testosterone production which is the hormone that helps us burn body fat quickly.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

The calorie counters & heart rate sensors on your cardio machines are inaccurate. The machine is calculating from a preset math equation and by how fast (revolutions) the machine is going. When you're doing all that cardio, and the machines says 832cal burned, it's probably more like 287cal. This is definitely a problem for those who will then indulge in food/alcohol because they think they burned so many calories.

The amount of calories burned is determined by age, gender, body fat % and you enter none of that into the machine except weight & age. Men burn calories faster than women, so the machine doesn't know your gender. You enter your weight, but how does it know if you're 160lbs but only 5'0", or 220 but 6'5", it doesn't.

The most accurate way to know exactly how many calories you're burning and where your heart rate is at is with a heart rate monitor. Another benefit of exercising with a HR monitor is to track your progression or degression. It's a helpful tool to show you if you need to kick up the intensity, because let's say last week you burned 510cal doing lower body, but this week only 346cal, that means you need to change it up & push harder!

They range from $20-$200, but you can find a quality one at Walmart/Sports Authority for cheap. Polar is a quality brand. Once you start exercising with one you won't want to without one!

Visit http://www.polarusa.com/ for more info!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you're trying to get back into shape, please please PLEASE don't get obsessed with the scale and weighing yourself every day. It is possible for the scale number not to move but you've lost body fat/inches (i.e. you've gained muscle which weighs more by volume). How you look/feel and how your clothes fit are better measures of success than the scale.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

You have to stretch after exercise! Not only will it make you more flexible & prevent injury, but it is critical to seeing results quickly. Stretching elongates, your muscle which means better blood flow through it. Better blood flow equals better protein absorption, which means better muscle recovery/building; thus the more calories you'll burn all day long on top of what you burn with exercise.

You should stretch after cardio and after weights. After cardio especially stretch your entire lower body (quadriceps, glutes, hips, inner/outer thighs, hamstrings, calves, etc.).
Here's a great site to see every muscle group of the body and corresponding stretches for that group: http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

To lose body fat you need to do "violence" to your body fat cells so they release their contents to be consumed by your muscles. Kicking up the intensity is the key to seeing results quickly! Change up your routine, get off your cardio & weight machines, and push yourself with something hard! Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, because it's only then you'll start to see real changes in your body.

How to train like RIO Fitness with your cardio:

(Beginners) Find a football field, and jog from goaline to goaline for 60sec, then walk from goaline to goaline 60sec. Do these intervals of run/walk every 60sec for just 25mins to burn calories from fat.

(Advanced) Find a football field, and sprint to the 50yd yard with either a parachute/weighted vest/ weighted backpack, then release the weight and sprint the remaining 50yds. Then walk from goaline to goaline 60sec. Do these intervals of sprint/walk every 60sec for just 25mins to burn calories from fat.