RIO Fitness Chicago® Exercise & Nutrition Blog

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

*Nutrition is 60% of seeing results with your body.* The first step is knowing what you're putting in your body by reading the nutrition facts on the labels of what you eat & drink. Tricky phrases to watch out for:

1) Foods claiming to "support your immune system." A food can carry this claim if it contains certain levels of vitamins C and A; that doesn't mean that adding those nutrients to an already adequate diet will supercharge your immunity or protect you from the flu.

2) Sugary foods that advertise their virtues and tout the presence of other nutrients. It's not that sugar is evil, but it is caloric. For example, 37 percent of Fruity Pebbles' calories come from sugar. Juices are also famous for this.

3) Treats that are "made with real fruit." To find out how much actual fruit the snack really has, check the ingredients, which are listed in descending order by weight.

4) Food "made with whole grains." Right now, foods can bear a Whole Grains Council "stamp" on the packaging if they have at least half a serving of whole grains (three full servings per day are recommended).

5) Products claiming they're "natural." Ignore this the claim entirely. "Natural" is virtually meaningless; not everything made in a lab is harmful, not everything that pops up in the natural world is beneficial