RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Laughing for 10-15mins can burn up to 50cal. For a good laugh watch this short YouTube clip from the The Situation workout DVD. No proper form, no real explanation of why you're doing the exercises you're doing and what they're actually working on ("gluteum maximus" LOL!), and the same exercises over and over and over. The guy is hilarious though! Don't waste your money on this DVD. P90X & Jillian Michaels DVDs are a much better investment.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

To get back into shape we need to keep things simple. One of the easiest things we can do every day to jumpstart getting back into shape is cardio. Especially if we can do it as soon as we wake up before consuming any calories which is one of the two best times to do cardio (after strength training is the other). The correct way to do cardio to burn more body fat is simple as well. Only 25mins of 60sec high/low intensity intervals. Here's an example for a machine, but the principle of up & down intensity every 60sec can be used for anything (running/walking outside, swimming, doing actual stairs, etc).

Cardio example (treadmill):

Warmup 60sec @ 3.0 speed
Minute 1 - Speed 5.0
Min 3 - Speed 5.0
Min 5 - Speed 5.0
Min 7 - Speed 5.0
Min 9 - Speed 5.0
Min 11 - Speed 7.0
Min 13 - Speed 7.0
Min 15 - Speed 7.0
Min 17 - Speed 7.0
Min 19 - Speed 7.0
Min 21 - Speed 9.0
Min 23 - Speed 9.0
Cooldown 60sec @ Speed 3.0

That's it just 25mins of cardio to burn more calories from body fat! All the even numbered mins (2,4,6, etc) you come down to Speed 3.0

Side note, doing more than 30mins of cardio will burn just energy calories (glycogen) not body fat. Over an hour, glycogen runs out, and so the body will burn muscle tissue, which will slow down our metabolism = gaining body fat quicker.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

2012 is just a few days away, and you might be researching diets to begin helping you get in shape. Diets don't work. They're just quick fixes that only help you lose "weight" not body fat. Losing "weight" means you'll eventually gain it all back, and maybe plus some. Exercise & eating healthy are NOT 4-12wk programs that we just stop doing, it's an every day lifestyle change that helps see REAL results like losing body fat and keeping it off. Here are the TEN Nutrition Commandments that if you follow 100%, you are guaranteed to see results in a HEALTHY, long lasting way.

1) You have to burn more cal than you're consuming. Ask a health & fitness professional to calculate your daily calorie limit and start staying within it. Nobody should ever eat under 1200cal/day, because that lowers metabolism which means holding onto and storing more body fat.

2) Eat every 2.5-3hrs = 4-6 SMALL meals/snacks per day to keep your metabolism (rate at which you burn cal) fast. Eating 1-2/day slows your metabolism = body fat gain.

3) Avoid bad trans/saturated fat foods, because they lead to artery clogging, cellulite, and keeping your body fat cells full. Eat healthy unsaturated fat foods (ex: fish/nuts/flax) that help to burn body fat.

4) Eat high glycemic carbs (ex: bread/pasta/rice/oat) ONLY after you exercise, because they digest quickly. Eating them all day long = body fat gain because they're not burned quick enough. Eat low glycemic carbs (ex: fruits/veggies) the rest of the day because they digest slowly.

5) Eat lean protein foods (ex: chicken/turkey/fish/nuts) that are not high in saturated fat. Consume a whey isolate protein (ex: ISOPURE) that is low cal/carbs after every time you exercise (weights & cardio). This will build lean muscle which help you burn more cal all day long.

6) Limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol increases levels of body fat production hormone cortisol and lowers body fat burning hormone testosterone.

7) Limit sodium intake to no more than 1200mg/day. Sodium carries water which will make you look & feel bloated, and can lead to high blood pressure. Eat high potassium foods to lower sodium levels.

8) Drink 80-120oz of water everyday. Prevents overeating, reduces soreness after exercise, and keeps your skin looking healthy.

9) Limit sugar consumption because excess sugar is turned into body fat. Avoid "sugar free" foods/drinks because artificial sweeteners are not properly metabolized by the body and are turned into body fat.

10) Get rest every night! Lack of sleep increases levels of body fat production hormones and decreases growth hormones that help us recover from day/exercise.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Are you an expecting Mommy or know someone who is? The best way to lose the "baby weight" is to not only eat healthy during the pregnancy, but most importantly to stay active. It IS okay to exercise up to the third trimester. Only a few precautions though: 1) Wear a heart rate monitor while you do, because your heart rate should not exceed 140 for a long period of time to minimalize your body's internal core temperature. 2) No exercises that involve any laying flat on the back and no prolonged standing ones. Both pool blood around the fetus which is dangerous. 3) No jumping/bouncing exercises. 4) No using unstable equipment like stability balls/BOSUs/etc unless under the direct supervision of a certified fitness instructor.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Millions of people make New Years resolutions to get in better shape, but don't have a plan of how to. One great way to get/stay lean in 2012, is to cut out alcohol. Alcohol is the one of three quickest ways to GAIN body fat (overconsuming calories & stress are the other two). Alcohol not only has calories, but it causes increased levels of the body fat producing hormone cortisol, and it also lowers levels of the body fat burning hormone testosterone. With that triple whammy of ways to gain body fat, it's hard to stay in shape. Cutting it out might not be easy for some, but doing so will guaranteed make us look & feel (no hangovers) 100 times better.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

A great way to make exercise easier so we can keep up the intensity we need to see quick results, is to get our breathing correct. Perfecting shallow breathing by taking in a breath through mouth and out through our nose, not only helps prevent our mouth from getting dry; but most importantly it helps regulate our heart rate by keeping it from getting too high too quick. Not easy to perfect breathing, but practice, practice, practice makes perfect.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you stretch AFTER you exercise? We always should if we want to see quick results from exercise. Stretching after exercise puts our muscles in recovery mode by elongating the muscle, which means better blood flow. Better blood flow means once we take a whey isolate protein (Ex: Natural ISOPURE Zero Carb) after exercise, the protein will digest & absorb quicker = building more LEAN muscle tissue quicker. The more lean muscle tissue we have, the more calories we will burn all day long = the more body fat we will burn. STATIC stretching is the type of stretching you want to do after exercise, NEVER before. DYNAMIC stretching/warmup is what we should do before exercise.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

We do NOT recommend becoming scale obsessed and weighing yourself daily; but with all this holiday food, cookies, drinks, etc, hop on a scale so you can catch a 10-20lb body fat gain. The body can only can take in so many calories (approx 500) before it starts to store the rest as body fat. Enjoy your holidays, but keep food/drink in moderation and get in serious daily exercise. Your waistline/hips/thighs/butt will thank you January 1.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

50% of the people who make a New Year's resolution to get in shape quit after just 6wks. If this is gonna be your resolution:

1) Don't wait until Jan. 1 to start being active & cautious with what you consume, start TODAY!

2) Find the correct strength & cardio exercises for your specific goal. So many will just walk in a gym, and get on machines cause that's what they see everybody else doing. Do your research!

3) Find an exercise buddy that is already living the healthy lifestyle you desire to have.

4) Status it, tweet it, tell everybody you know about your goals, so that EVERYBODY can keep you accountable if you start to slack.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

We're never too young or too old to live a healthy lifestyle. Daily exercise & good nutrition are NOT a 4-12wk program that we stop, they're something we have to live every day. Watch this short video of this 60yr old man with a 20yr old's body, and then ask yourself, "what's my excuse for not being as healthy as I can be?"

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Did you have breakfast this morning? As it gets closer to bedtime, the body knows we won't be consuming calories, so it slows down how fast we burn calories (metabolism) while we sleep. If we skip breakfast it stays slow, so once we do finally eat, what we consume will be stored as fat. Not to mention, if we're starving, that's when we tend to make bad choices and overeat. Great breakfast options are ones that have LEAN protein in them, because protein keeps us feeling full longer. Examples: two eggs with fresh fruit, plain Greek yogurt with fresh fruit mixed in, natural Casein protein shake (www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/naturalcas.html).

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

"It's cold outside, I don't want to get sick." FALSE. The weather has nothing to do with getting sick. Viruses & bacteria are what make us ill. Wash your hands regularly, especially before eating; and especially when leaving the gym, so you don't spread the major bacteria that's in the gym to your car & home. Also, do NOT touch your eyes (quickest entry for bacteria/viruses), nose, ears, or mouth without washing your hands first.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

You don't need expensive home equipment or a gym membership to get in some intense exercise. Do you have stairs, a bed, a couch, chairs in your home? The stairs you can use for cardio by jumping up & down, or walking/running/crawling up & down. The bed, couch, and chairs can be used to do many strength training exercises like pushups, dips, planks using the best weight ever = your own body weight.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

"I don't have time for exercise/to eat breakfast/to eat during my busy day/etc." Truth is, we DO have time. It's just a matter of making the effort to change, to get healthier, and to see the results we want. Get up 30-60mins earlier so you can exercise & have breakfast. Wake up earlier also, or the night before to prepare your snacks for the following day so you're not starving. For every excuse, there's a solution, so less talking about what you're going to do and DO IT! Answer this, "TODAY, I am going to _________________________________ to get healthier and look & feel better."

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

There is a huge difference between looking "skinny" and actually being lean with a low body fat %. It IS possible to look "thin," but still have a high body fat %. Having a low %, not only will decrease our chances for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer, but also reduces cellulite, and makes us look and feel better, especially in our clothing. Women 18-35yrs old should be 18-20%, 35-50yrs old 20-22%, 50+yrs old 22-24%. Men 18-35yrs old should be 12-14%, 35-50yrs old 14-16%, 50+yrs old 16-18%. If you don't know know your number, have a qualified health and fitness professional calculate it for you ASAP!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

All this holiday eating/drinking can make us look & feel bloated. To change that, limit your daily sodium intake to 1200mg, drink more water to flush out the excess water, and eat more high potassium foods (unsalted beans, unsweetened dried apricots, spinach, squash) because potassium helps to lower sodium levels in the body. Google "high potassium foods" for a more detailed list.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

This holiday season, when you go holiday shopping in some extra activity by doing simple things like: parking further away from the entrance and walk, always use the stairs instead of elevators/escalators, and avoid the thigh & waist expanders at the food court by bringing your own small snacks like a banana, apple, or a cup of unsalted/raw nuts in a baggy. These are just simple steps to help avoid the holiday body fat gain.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

We all eat/drink from plastic containers/bottles. Next time you do, flip it over to see which recycling number(a number between 1 and 7 enclosed in a triangle of arrows) is on it. 1, 2, 4 and 5 are considered to be the safest. 3, 6, and 7 leach chemicals that may be harmful. These chemicals disrupt hormone/reproductive system function & prevent body fat loss because these chemicals mimic estrogen. To stay safe avoid: heating or freezing plastic by heating up leftovers in plastic containers in the microwave, putting leftovers in plastic containers in the freezer, putting plastic dishware in the dishwasher, or leaving plastic bottles of water/juice/soda in the car during extreme heat/cold.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How many times have you heard someone say, "I lost 10, or 30lbs doing the HCG, Atkins, Legumes, or Mushrooms & Gatorade diets?" RARELY, if ever, do we hear them say, "I lost 5% or 10% body fat!" That's the REAL, long lasting result. It IS possible to lose on the scale but not lose any body fat. That's when we become yo-yo dieters that lose lbs, then end up gaining it all back and maybe plus some. Diets do NOT work. They're quick fixes, but good nutrition is a lifestyle change that we must live EVERY day. Here are the TEN NUTRITION COMMANDMENTS that if you follow 100%, guaranteed you will see long lasting results in a healthy way.

1) You have to burn more cal than you're consuming. Ask a health & fitness professional to calculate your daily calorie limit and start staying within it. Nobody should ever eat under 1200cal/day, because that lowers metabolism which means holding onto and storing more body fat.

2) Eat every 2.5-3hrs = 4-6 SMALL meals/snacks per day to keep your metabolism (rate at which you burn cal) fast. Eating 1-2/day slows your metabolism = body fat gain.

3) Avoid bad trans/saturated fat foods, because they lead to artery clogging, cellulite, and keeping your body fat cells full. Eat healthy unsaturated fat foods (ex: fish/nuts/flax) that help to burn body fat.

4) Eat high glycemic carbs (ex: bread/pasta/rice/oat) ONLY after you exercise, because they digest quickly. Eating them all day long = body fat gain because they're not burned quick enough. Eat low glycemic carbs (ex: fruits/veggies) the rest of the day because they digest slowly.

5) Eat lean protein foods (ex: chicken/turkey/fish/nuts) that are not high in saturated fat. Consume a whey isolate protein (ex: ISOPURE) that is low cal/carbs after every time you exercise (weights & cardio). This will build lean muscle which help you burn more cal all day long.

6) Limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol increases levels of body fat production hormone cortisol and lowers body fat burning hormone testosterone.

7) Limit sodium intake to no more than 1200mg/day. Sodium carries water which will make you look & feel bloated, and can lead to high blood pressure. Eat high potassium foods to lower sodium levels.

8) Drink 80-120oz of water everyday. Prevents overeating, reduces soreness after exercise, and keeps your skin looking healthy.

9) Limit sugar consumption because excess sugar is turned into body fat. Avoid "sugar free" foods/drinks because artificial sweeteners are not properly metabolized by the body and are turned into body fat.

10) Get rest every night! Lack of sleep increases levels of body fat production hormones and decreases growth hormones that help us recover from day/exercise.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

With days like yesterday and whenever we overeat, most people think to not eat the rest of the day. That's the worst thing we can do. The body can only take in approx 500cal at one time before it starts storing the rest as body fat; so then if we don't eat the rest of the day, we slow down our metabolism even more which will store more body fat. Best thing to do, is to have another SMALL snack (plain Greek yogurt mixed with fresh fruit, 2tbsp of low cal  PB with an apple, a banana, or hummus with fresh veggies, etc) every three hours after that huge meal to keep our metabolism fast so that we don't keep storing more body fat.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

With tomorrow being Turkey Day, it's important to remember that from October 1st thru January 1st, because of all the holiday eating, drinking, and partying, is when a lot of people gain 10-40lbs. Don't be one of them. If you're going to indulge, get in your daily activity. Get in the mindset, that you need to EARN those holiday treats, not that they're a right to have them no matter what. Also, from now until Jan 1, weigh yourself weekly, so you can catch a 5lb gain before it turns into 30lbs.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How are your energy levels from morning to night? Do you take a multi-vitamin every day? With all the processing produce goes through before it gets to the store and when we put a flame to something to cook it, it gives away most of it's vitamins and minerals. To get our proper daily dosage of essential vitamins & minerals we should take a multi-vitamin. What kind is best? Soft-gel ones, because they digest easier than hard pills. Best time to take them? No matter what type, ALWAYS AFTER you've eaten. NEVER on an empty stomach. The best time of day? After breakfast, because we've just gone 5-8hrs during sleep without any nutrients, so to get a quick boost take them after breakfast.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

To get tone and lose body fat quickly, we must burn a considerable amount of calories during exercise, but most important is to keep burning a lot of calories the entire day (metabolism). We can do this by:

1) Eating something SMALL every 2.5-3hrs. Think of your metabolism as a fire. We have to keep throwing a log onto the fire so it keeps going. Once we train our body/metabolism, the body will know to burn what we consume and not store it as fat; because it knows it's getting something in another 2.5-3hrs.

2) Strength train 3x/wk in addition to cardio 3x/wk. Cardio is essential to stay lean & tone, but strength training burns FOUR times more calories, and keeps our metabolism high for 24-36hrs (cardio does for only 2hrs).

3) ALWAYS consume a whey isolate protein after any kind of exercise. This will help to create more lean muscle tissue. The more lean muscle tissue we have the more calories we'll burn all day long. Even at rest, 1lb of muscle burns 50cal/day. So, 10lbs of LEAN muscle will burn an extra 500cal/day on top of what you burn during exercise.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you have an exercise routine you follow day after day or week after week? If so, FORGET IT! DELETE IT from your brain, because muscles memorize patterns, and that's when we hit plateaus and stop seeing results. EVERY time we exercise it should be something different. If you did cardio today on machines, next time run/walk up & down a flight of stairs or swim laps. Did strength training on machines today, next time use free weights/medicine balls/BOSUs or take a martial arts class or rock climbing lesson. Did P90X DVD for your abs today, next time try yoga or Pilates. Constantly doing something different, shocks our muscles into creating new lean muscle tissue. That helps us burn more calories all day long = seeing results faster.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you know what free radicals are? Free radicals are oxidizing molecules that are a leading cause in making us look older faster and gain body fat faster. They emerge when we eat, but they're especially prevalent when we consume junk food like candy bars, chips, and other processed simple carbohydrates. Free radicals damage the cells that tell us we're full. With every passing year, these fullness signifiers suffer wear and tear-causing the "stop eating!" signal to get weaker and appetites (and possibly our waistlines) to get bigger. The best way to fight back is to avoid the junk and load up on colorful, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Cereal, breakfast bar, or oatmeal for breakfast. Pasta for lunch. Fish or chicken with rice, bread, and salad for dinner. Is this close to how you eat daily? If so, you're eating high glycemic carbs (bread, pasta, rice, oats) all day long. Carbs are sugars, and high glycemic carbs are sugars that digest quickly. Since we can't be exercising 24/7, if we're eating them all day long, they're not burned and the body turns them into body fat. *Eat them ONCE per day, and that time should be ONLY AFTER exercise.* If we don't exercise, then we don't have them that day. EARN THEM! Fruits & veggies are low glycemic carbs, so since they digest slowly they're okay to eat all day long.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you find it hard to fight temptation when it comes to food or drink? A nice little trick to help you fight, is to brush your teeth when you get that sudden craving. Cause if you're like most people, nobody wants to taste toothpaste in their mouth then have a cookie. Gross. Also, drinking a big glass of water helps too.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

"I'm too busy to eat healthy/eat often enough because of my job/school/family/etc." Solution: This weekend go to the store, and get some small, healthy snacks that don't take a lot of time to prepare/eat and are still yummy. Examples: unsalted/raw nuts (high in protein/fiber), plain Greek yogurt (high in protein) and mix in some fresh fruit, hummus(high in protein/fiber) and dip with some fresh baby carrots or celery sticks, low-sodium lentil soup (high in protein/fiber). When we go hours & hours without eating, our metabolism & insulin levels begin to drop, both equal body fat GAIN. Having snacks preplanned and with you make all the difference in staying/getting in shape.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How many calories a day do you consume? If it's under 1200, it's making you, hold onto the body fat you already have, store more fat once you do consume something, and if it's a daily routine, burn muscle tissue as a fuel source which slows down how fast we burn calories (metabolism). Have a qualified health professional calculate your specific daily calorie limit, so most importantly you're not consuming too many calories, but also so not too few which has the same effect.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you brush your teeth every night before bed? Sounds trivial to ask, but if we want to keep our heart healthy we should never miss. Plaque & bacteria builds in our mouth overnight, and if don't brush before bed, all of that enters into our bloodstream and then into our arteries causing buildup. That can eventually cause heart disease, stroke, or heart attack.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

A great way to burn more calories with strength training is to do COMPOUND MOVEMENTS = using upper & lower body together. Examples: squats with a free weight or med ball chest or shoulder press, or walking lunges with a free weight or med ball bicep curl. Any time we can use upper & lower body at the same time it'll be more intense & elevate our heart rate higher which burns more calories.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

When a person is trying to lose body fat & tone up, the first thing most people think of is just doing cardio. Cardio is necessary, but strength training burns FOUR TIMES more calories than cardio, and keeps our metabolism high for 24-36hrs while cardio only keeps it high for 2hrs. The best way to strength train to lose fat and tone up is HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (doing two different exercises with no rest in between, then resting 60sec and repeating for three sets). Examples: doing 30-60sec of walking lunges, then 30-60sec of side to side crawling pushups, then rest 60sec and repeat; or 30-60sec of wide leg squats, then 30-60sec of jumping jacks, then rest and repeat. Google/YouTube HIIT for more info/examples.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Should we exercise if we're sick? If it's just a regular, common cold, then YES. The exercise can give us an endorphin burst to boost our immune system to fight it. While at the gym make sure to wipe down everything you use, and make sure to wash your hands before leaving. If it's a fever or flu, then NO. When we have a fever we're contagious to others, and more open to picking up bacteria at the gyms which are breeding grounds for germs.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Diets don't work. They're just short term solutions to life long problems. We don't need to be extreme like all protein, zero carbs, or an all lemon juice diets. Nutrition and healthy eating needs to be and is simple. Here's the TEN NUTRITION COMMANDMENTS, that if you follow 100%, you'll see healthy, long lasting results.

1) You have to burn more cal than you're consuming. Ask a health & fitness professional to calculate your daily calorie limit and start staying within it.

2) Eat every 2.5-3hrs = 4-6 SMALL meals/snacks per day to keep your metabolism (rate at which you burn cal) fast. Eating 1-2/day slows your metabolism = body fat gain.

3) Avoid bad trans/saturated fat foods, because they lead to artery clogging, cellulite, and keeping your body fat cells full. Eat healthy unsaturated fat foods (ex: fish/nuts/flax) that help to burn body fat.

4) Eat high glycemic carbs (ex: bread/pasta/rice/oat) ONLY after you exercise, because they digest quickly. Eating them all day long = body fat gain because they're not burned quick enough. Eat low glycemic carbs (ex: fruits/veggies) the rest of the day because they digest slowly.

5) Eat lean protein foods (ex: chicken/turkey/fish/nuts) that are not high in saturated fat. Consume a whey isolate protein (ex: ISOPURE) that is low cal/carbs after every time you exercise (weights & cardio). This will build lean muscle which help you burn more cal all day long.

6) Limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol increases levels of body fat production hormone cortisol and lowers body fat burning hormone testosterone.

7) Limit sodium intake to no more than 1200mg/day. Sodium carries water which will make you look & feel bloated, and can lead to high blood pressure. Eat high potassium foods to lower sodium levels.

8) Drink 80-120oz of water everyday. Prevents overeating, reduces soreness after exercise, and keeps your skin looking healthy.

9) Limit sugar consumption because excess sugar is turned into body fat. Avoid "sugar free" foods/drinks because artificial sweeteners are not properly metabolized by the body and are turned into body fat.

10) Get rest every night! Lack of sleep increases levels of body fat production hormones and decreases growth hormones that help us recover from day/exercise.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

The three quickest ways to gain body fat are: overconsuming calories daily, drinking alcohol, and stress. Solutions: have a qualified health professional calculate your specific daily calorie limit and then start staying within it; eliminate/limit your weekly alcohol intake to 1-2 drinks/wk; and to help regulate the hormone imbalance caused by stress, get 30-60mins of rigorous exercise every day. Identify which of the three is preventing you from seeing results and break the cycle TODAY!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Most Americans drink about 30% of their daily calories. That is a leading cause of obesity in this country because of all the sugar & calories in soda/juice/sports drinks. Sugar is now a major food group, and sugars in soft drinks are now the largest single source of calories in the American diet. Let's break the cycle with a 30 Day Challenge of ZERO soda/juice/sports drinks! Replace those with water & decaffeinated tea. Not only will you see a major difference in your waistline, but your skin will look better, and you will feel more energy.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Did you hit the junk food & booze hard partying this past weekend? Best way to detox, since our body is 75% of it, and our brain 90% of it, is WATER! Not only for flushing out impurities, but also to clear up your skin, and to improve energy.

How much should you have?

At least half of your body weight in fluid ounces every single day. Don't wait until you're thirsty, because then you're already dehydrated.

What kind of water is best?

Tap water has so many toxins these days, prescription medications and chlorine. The chlorine alone increases your chances of getting cancer by 93% over your lifetime, according to the EPA. Bottled water is not great either. The plasticides from the bottle itself leach into the water over the weeks the bottle sits on the shelf. Go to Walmart, spend the $30-$50 for a filter and BPA free water bottle. Your long term health is worth the cost.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

From Halloween 'til Jan 1 is when some people gain 10-40lbs. Don't be one of them. Hiring a personal trainer can be costly, and some times not worth the expense. A good one though, can help you reach your goals in a fun, progressive, and safe way while teaching you how to maintain & improve on your own. Read this article and ask a lot questions before handing over any money.

www.bodybuilding.com/fun/5-reasons-to-hire-a-personal-trainer.html?mcid=training

A great trainer, can be life changing and one of the best investments you'll ever make! For some of the most experienced & educated trainers in Chicago visit:

www.RIOFitnessChicago.com/contact_us.html

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

In case we need another reason to be active every day other than looking & feeling better, latest studies show that just 60 minutes of exercise each day can add two hours to our life expectancy. Living longer is always a good thing.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Be honest, how many pieces of Halloween candy have you had so far? When the trick or treater bowl of Snickers (80cal), Twix (50cal), and/or Butterfingers (85cal) is around way before Halloween, you're going to snack on them throughout the day. Those calorie totals were for the mini snack size, and they're all close to 100cal! From Halloween til Jan 1, is when most people gain anywhere from 10-30lbs! Don't be one of them! Put the candy in the cabinet on the highest shelf, so it's out of sight, out of mind, until the kids come on Monday.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Halloween weekend is this coming weekend! Are you stressing about fitting into your costume? Most people think starving themselves is the best option, but that will only cause us to gain the weight back plus some. The best healthy option we can start doing TODAY is to completely cut out all high glycemic carbs (bread, past, rice, oat). This will help us not retain not so much water; because every 1g of carbs carries 4oz of water in the body. Less water in the body = less bloated look.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:




Last night on the Miami show 'Miami Moms' this trainer was asked about the best exercise(s) for the booty. Her answer: squats & lunges. FALSE. Yes, those exercise work on the glutes, but there is NO "best" exercise for any of our trouble areas. We must strength train from head to toe 3-4/wk, do cardio properly to burn majority cal from fat (25mins of 60sec high/low intervals) 3-4/wk, and watch our nutrition so we're most importantly not taking in more calories than we consume every day. Just focusing on your trouble spots, without doing the three mentioned above will just compound the muscle tissue under the fat tissue giving you a bulky appearance.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:




Dilemma = I'm a bodybuilder, I'm out of town, and this is my gym (three plastic chairs & five pieces of cardio which three don't work). Solution = use my own body and the chairs as a weight to get a serious shoulders/triceps routine in! I used chairs to do: tricep dips, overhead shoulder presses, overhead tricep extensions, lateral shoulder raises, upright shoulder rows. Then lastly the wall to do diamond tricep pushups. All 3 sets of 15-30reps. There are NO excuses not to be active! You don't need an expensive gym membership or equipment. Get active TODAY!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Whether you have cable or satellite, you should have ON DEMAND. Go on it, and find ExerciseTV. ExerciseTV has exercise after exercise routine programs for anything you could imagine (abs, booty, arms, cardio, interval cardio, boot camp, yoga, etc). It's motivating, you don't have to leave your home to get an intense session in, and the BEST part, it's FREE!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you cook? If so, what kind of oils do you use? The oil you may be using might be causing you long & short term negative health effects like body fat gain or even cancer, depending on type, how you store it, and how high of a heat you're using. Continue reading for the break down on good & bad cooking oils.

The worst type of oil is an ingredient in packaged foods including some stick margarines, baked goods, chips, crackers and candy. I’m talking about partially hydrogenated oils—or trans fats, which is how they’re listed on Nutrition Facts panels on labels. Partially hydrogenated oil is vegetable oil that has been chemically altered so it’s less likely to spoil. Food manufacturers often add it to their products because it can help foods stay fresh longer.

Even in very small amounts, partially hydrogenated oil can wreak havoc on your heart health. It lowers levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol and raises LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and it even increases your risk for diabetes. The American Heart Association recommends that no more than 1% of your total daily calories come from trans fat. This translates to less than 2 grams for women, who typically need fewer than 2,000 calories per day. If a food contains trans fat, it’ll be listed below Saturated Fat in the “Total Fat” column.

Oils may be “fattening” in the sense that they’re pretty high in calories compared with other foods. All oils have around 120 calories per Tbsp, so you can easily gain weight if you use too much. Even butter has fewer calories than oil (100 per Tbsp of butter) because of its water content. What’s more, “whipped” butter sold in a tub has even fewer calories—about 60 to 70 per Tbsp, thanks to the air that’s been incorporated into the mix. And tub “light” margarine spreads have only 30 to 50 calories per Tbsp.

But since oils contain fats that are good for you, you’re better off getting that 120calories from a healthy oil rather than stick or tub butter. By the way, if you’re inclined to cut out fats entirely, don’t: We do need some fat to be healthy. Without it, our bodies can’t absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K, and we miss out on fatty acids that are essential for the health of your skin, hair, heart and brain—and just about every other part of your body.

When storing oil, heat, light and oxygen degrade oils, which makes them turn rancid more quickly and actually promotes the formation of cancer-causing compounds called free radicals. The more polyunsaturated fats an oil contains, the more susceptible to rancidity it becomes.

Oils rich in PUFAs, such as walnut and flaxseed, are best stored in the fridge in tightly capped containers. MUFAs, such as those found in olive oil, are a bit more hardy, but you should still protect oils that contain them by keeping the lid on tightly and storing them in a dark place far from the stove or other heat source. Saturated fats, such as butter, can withstand more heat, light and oxygen, but you should still refrigerate sat-fat–rich butter, because it contains milk solids, which can go rancid. If you store oils correctly, most will last about six months to one year.

When you’re shopping for oils, reach for bottles at the back of the shelf, since that’s where they are more protected from harsh lighting that can make them go bad. Check the bottle for an expiration date (most oils have one), and every time you open a bottle, give it a whiff to make sure it doesn’t smell rancid.

In short, when it comes to healthy oils choose: olive oil, safflower oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How much sleep are you getting every night? If not enough, it may be the reason you're not seeing any results from exercise/nutrition. Lack of rest causes:

1) Increased levels of body fat producing hormone cortisol.

2) Decreased levels of human growth hormone which helps us recover from exercise & our day.

3) Increased levels of ghrelin hormone which increases appetite.

4) Decreased levels of leptin which suppresses appetite.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

To see faster results from exercise, burning a lot of calories during exercise is important, but most important is burning calories at a faster rate the rest of the day = metabolism. Here's three simple things we can do every day to speed up our metabolism naturally.

1) EXERCISE. Especially strength training. It keeps our metabolism fast for 24-36hrs. Cardio only 2hrs. Also, the larger the group (i.e. the back & lower body) the more calories it will continue to burn all day long. So, strength train from head to toe, and don't neglect those two areas.

2) AFTER EXERCISE. Always consume a whey isolate protein after exercise. This help to create more lean muscle tissue. The more we have, the more calories we'll burn all day long. For example, 1lb of muscle burns 50cal at rest, so 10lbs would burn an additional 500cal/day on top of what we burn during exercise. Perfect ISOPURE Zero Carb (http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/nb/perfectisopure.html) is the best whey isolate because it's only 110cal, 0 fat/carbs/sugars/lactose/artificial sweeteners, and high in protein with 26g. The ONLY ingredient is the protein. All you do is mix ONE scoop with 8-10oz of cold water, after you do weights or cardio.

3) EAT. Eat a SMALL meal/snack every 2.5-3hrs. This trains our metabolism to burn immediately what we consume because our body knows it's going to get another meal/snack in 2.5/3hrs. Think of it as throwing another log on the fire to keep it burning. Also, NEVER skip breakfast. During sleep we go 5-8hrs without any nutrients, so to jump start our metabolism, eat breakfast.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

When it comes to exercise, the word CORE gets thrown around A LOT. What is it? It's the abdominals (obliques/transverse, upper, and lower), the lower back, and the glutes aka booty. Why is it important to have a strong core? 1) Strong abs & lower back help protect our neck/back/spine and strong glutes help protect our knees from injury. 2) To help improve our balance & coordination which helps us in every day life. Did you know there's a difference in ab exercises? There's core defining exercises like crunches, and then there's core strengthening (MOST IMPORTANT!) like planks & elevated leg holds. We have to do both kinds for optimal results.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

The majority of the health & fitness industry is just out to get our $. DVDs, magazines, "weight loss" supplements, and the new trend of celebs like Kim K. and Snooki are all trying to profit off of people's desires to look & feel better. Especially with these "weight loss" pills which are nothing more than caffeine pills; taking them can cause serious side effects like irregular heart beat, liver/kidney damage, weak bones because caffeine pulls calcium out of our bones, etc. Quick fixes are just that quick fixes, that will just lead to gaining the weight back plus some. There is NO substitute for being active & eating healthy every day.

To read the ABC article on the Snooki diet pill scandal click here:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/snookis-zantrex-diet-pill-promo-poo-pooed-diet/story?id=14623421

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Another weekend is here! But, this is when a lot of people stop exercising & watching what they eat/drink until Monday. One easy thing we can control this weekend is portions. All you need to do is look at your hand. Make a fist, that should be the size of the protein on your plate. Open your hand and look at your palm, that should be the size of the carb on your plate. Look at your thumb, from knuckle to the tip of your nail should be how much fat is on your plate. Making smarter choices & portion control are the keys to healthy eating.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

***ATTENTION ANY WOMAN WHO BOUGHT THESE REEBOK "EASY TONE" SHOES, READ THIS ARTICLE TO GET YOUR REFUND!*** The unfortunate truth is the majority of the health & fitness industry is nothing but scams meant to prey on our desires to look & feel better. These shoes were a prime example; but everything from magazine covers to exercise DVDs to certain supplements that promise "lose 20lbs in 7days" or a "six pack in 3wks," it's all untrue. People get desperate to see fast results, and these scammers know this, so they'll say anything to get us to buy their product. PLEASE ALWAYS remember these two things: 1) THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE for daily exercise & healthy eating. 2) NOBODY gets out of shape overnight, so nobody gets in shape overnight. Be determined, disciplined, and patient, and you will see results!

Click here to read an article on the Reebok refund:

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/reebok-paying-to-settle-charges-over-shoe-claims-2571097/

Click here to get your refund:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/cases/reebok/index.shtm

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

It's officially Fall. Summer drinking events of neighborhood fests, BBQs, parties are done, and so three weeks ago we issued YOU a 30 day NO ALCOHOL challenge to help YOU rapidly look and feel better. If you're a woman, there's some serious long term effects more than one drink a day/more than seven drinks a week can cause other than the immediate body fat gain. Remember, being healthy is not an 8-12wk program that we stop, it's a daily lifestyle of being active & eating right.

The real problem with drinking, even just two drinks a day for women, is the toll it takes on the inside of your body, not the outside. If you have more than seven drinks per week, it actually reduces bone mass. Since women are already at a higher risk of osteoporosis than men, reducing bone mass even more makes a woman more prone to falls and at higher risk for fracture/injury.

Studies clearly show, too, that more than one drink a day makes you more prone to breast cancer. The European Cancer Conference recently reported that the risk rises 10 percent for women who have between one and two drinks a day, compared with women who have less than one, and the risk increases by 30 percent at more than three drinks per day. And don't think you lower the risk by drinking wine instead of beer or something harder. The same research says any kind of alcohol ups the risk. Uterine-cancer risks go up at two or more drinks per day, as well.

Alcohol lowers testosterone levels in the body. When testosterone is lowered, estrogen levels increase, which in some cases cranks up cancer risks.

Alcohol does have some health benefits, such as wine lowering risk for dementia, heart disease, and certain cancers. Moderate drinking also seems to raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, while decreasing blood pressure. It may even cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by improving the body's sensitivity to insulin.

BUT, if you're worried about the risk of diabetes and you're eating right, for example, adding alcohol won't do much more for you. The same goes for cancer: Ditching cigarettes, eating more fruits and veggies, avoiding too much sun exposure, keeping your weight under control, and getting regular exercise pack a lot more prevention than a bottle of wine.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

When we burn calories with exercise, they're not all the same. There's calories from fat (stored calories) & calories from energy (glycogen). The way we exercise (intensity) & the amount of time we do it for determines which one will be more. For example, after thirty minutes of cardio, the body burns ONLY calories from energy NOT fat. After an hour of cardio, glycogen eventually runs out, and now muscle tissue will be burned for fuel. This is bad, because the more lean muscle we have the more calories we'll burn all day.

To do cardio properly to burn majority fat calories do just 25 minutes of 60 second high then low intensity intervals of cardio.

Cardio example (treadmill):

Warmup 60sec @ 3.0 speed
Minute 1 - Speed 5.0
Min 3 - Speed 5.0
Min 5 - Speed 5.0
Min 7 - Speed 5.0
Min 9 - Speed 5.0
Min 11 - Speed 7.0
Min 13 - Speed 7.0
Min 15 - Speed 7.0
Min 17 - Speed 7.0
Min 19 - Speed 7.0
Min 21 - Speed 9.0
Min 23 - Speed 9.0
Cooldown 60sec @ Speed 3.0

That's it just 25mins of cardio to burn body fat! All the even numbered mins (2,4,6, etc) you come down to Speed 3.0

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Thankfully football season is back! What that usually means though is an entire Saturday and/or Sunday of nothing but drinking monster mugs of beer and eating everything that's super high in calories/saturated fat/carbs/sodium/sugar. Here's a few tips to lessen that feeling of complete self disgust Monday morning.

1) Get in some exercise before the action starts. Best option would be to do some cardio as soon as you wake before having any calories. By doing that your body will use your body fat (stored calories) as it's primary source of fuel.

2) Have a good breakfast of lean proteins (eggs, fish, chicken, turkey). The protein will jump start your metabolism (how fast you burn calories) & keeping you feeling full longer. If the games are in the late afternoon/evening make sure you eat before you go. Don't go to watch them starving, because that will lead to bad choices & overeating because of your hunger. Have some healthy snacks of lean protein (Greek yogurt, unsalted/raw nuts, unsalted beans) & low glycemic carbs (fruits, veggies with hummus).

3) Have your first drink be water. This will help to hydrate you prior to consuming too much sodium and also before you consume any alcohol. Also try to drink a glass of water between alcoholic drinks to slow down your consumption rate and reduce calories.

4) Use SMALL plates. If your plate is the size of a folder, you're going to eat every buffalo wing. Take what can fit on a small plate, and when you finish that, that's it. PORTION CONTROL is the key!

5)Self-control is a hard task when so many delicious options are placed in front of you, but JUST STOP. Tell yourself that tomorrow you have to wake up and face yourself. If you don’t want to overeat then don’t let yourself get wrapped up in the excitement of the party and over indulge. Parties and group gatherings create problems for many people trying to get in/stay in shape. Plan ahead to help create a barrier between you and the unhealthy food/portion sizes you will encounter at a party. Don’t eliminate everything, but plan ahead to have a good time without too much food/drink. Just make smarter choices, have fun, and enjoy the games!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How much plastic do you eat/drink daily? Sounds crazy, but it's not, because if you: heat up or freeze plastic by heating up leftovers in plastic containers in the microwave, put leftovers in plastic containers in the freezer, put plastic dishware in the dishwasher, or leave plastic bottles of water/juice/soda in the car during extreme heat/cold, you are causing the plastic to leach chemicals into your food/drink. These chemicals disrupt hormone/reproductive system function & prevent body fat loss because these chemicals mimic estrogen. To stay safe avoid doing these four things, and 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.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Two weeks ago, to rapidly look & feel better we issued a 30 day no alcohol challenge to YOU! If you've had trouble avoiding/limiting the booze, here's three simple tips to lessen the effect it has on your body. 1) Choose clear spirits over dark = less toxins & less of a hangover. 2) Instead of soda/juice fillers, have your alcohol on the rocks to avoid all the unnecessary cal/fat/sugar. 3) In between each drink, have a water, so you're not consuming too many cal at once. Alcohol is one of the three quickest ways to GAIN body fat, so if you want to see drastic results, cut it out!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Even personal trainers have excuses why they don't want to exercise. Today's excuses for not wanting to do morning cardio was: 1) too tired from a fun & long weekend & 2) didn't have the heart rate monitor with us. BUT, 25 minutes & 273 calories burned later, we felt amazing! What's your excuse for not being active TODAY? There's a 1000of them, but you have to push through! Once you do, you'll feel so much better that you did! Go for that walk or run tonight! Bring family/friends for more motivation!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Tired of feeling & looking bloated? There's two solutions. 1) Limit your daily sodium intake to no more than 1200mg. The more sodium you consume the more water your body retains. If you don't know how much sodium is in the food/drinks you consume go to sites like www.LiveStrong.com to start tracking it for FREE. Once you do, you'll be surprised how quickly 1200 adds up. 2) Start eating more high potassium foods (bananas, kiwis, spinach, beans) because potassium helps kick out excess sodium in the body.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Want to burn more calories with your cardio routine? Do an activity that jumpstarts your lymphatic system, like running, jump rope, and rebounding (jumping on a mini trampoline). These activities boost your circulation to help release built-up toxins, which in turn speeds up your metabolism. Speeding up metabolism = burning more calories all day long + what we burn during exercise.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Last week we at RIO® issued a 30 day no alcohol challenge to YOU! In case you haven't started, here are the effects of drinking & the benefits of not drinking on your mind, body, energy levels, cardio & strength performance, etc. May not seem easy to go without it, but if you want to see a drastic improvement in how you look & feel, YOU can do it!

Hydration

1-2 Days After Drinking


Since alcohol consumption is very hard on the kidneys, drinking will have a negative impact on your body's hydration. Your body's water will go to the kidneys to metabolize the alcohol when it should be used to help process other substances!
Hydration is key to performance in sports or weight lifting because water is needed in all energy-creating reactions. It can take the body awhile to become re-hydrated, so I suggest if you are out drinking, have a glass of water as well, to maintain proper hydration.

1-2 Days After Not Drinking


Since you have not consumed alcohol for the past 1-2 days, you are not seeing any of the negative effects of dehydration. Processing all of the substances in your body is easy, because alcohol is not limiting this at all.
Your performance in your sport or weight lifting routine is steadily improving because you are not hitting any roadblocks due to dehydration.

Mind function

1-2 Days After Drinking


Alcohol diminishes the function of the mind through various processes. It affects many of the hormone functions in the brain within 1-2 minutes of consumption. Besides that, alcohol intake slows glycogen metabolism. This means the brain receives less glycogen, so it doesn't have much energy.
Since the mind plays a large role in any exercise to aid in motivation and focus, decreased mind function due to alcohol should be avoided!

1-2 Days After Not Drinking

Since you have not had any alcohol in your system in the past day or two, your mind function is at its normal level. Your workouts will probably feel much better than they did coming a day or two after drinking!

Protein Synthesis

1-2 Days After Drinking

Anabolism, or protein synthesis, is negatively affected by alcohol. Alcohol hurts the absorption of protein in the body, just like it hurts the absorption of any other substance. Because less protein is being turned into muscle tissue, you are not growing to the fullest! This decrease in protein synthesis doesn't just slow down growth, it also hurts recovery, because less protein is going to repair muscle tissue.

1-2 Days After Not Drinking

With improved recovery and protein synthesis, you might not see a sudden change, but in time the increased growth and recovery will really make a difference!

Cardiovascular Performance

1-2 Days After Drinking

Alcohol's blood thinning effects might help the heart somewhat, but don't be mislead - alcohol's negative effects on the heart are more numerous than its positive effects.Decreased cardiovascular activity can make recovery in lifting and sports more difficult in between sets or drills.

1-2 Days After Not Drinking

Since you have not been drinking in the past day or two, you should feel like you're in better shape. This is because the heart is functioning better!

Strength Performance

1-2 Days After Drinking

Because of many of the aforementioned processes that alcohol can have a negative impact on, strength performance takes a hit as well. When you are not properly hydrated and recovered, how can you expect to perform at optimal strength levels?
Diminished mind function can also be a very bad thing when it comes to strength performance- you might not have the same level of mental focus, as you did while not on alcohol.

1-2 Days After Not Drinking

Since you haven't had any alcohol in your system for the past few days, all of these effects can be avoided. You can finally realize your full potential since alcohol is not hiding it.

Energy Levels

1-2 Days After Drinking

Alcohol tends to limit the metabolism of other substances in the body. One of these substances is the carbohydrate. By limiting carbohydrate metabolism, muscle glycogen levels are limited. This means that fatigue sets in earlier and endurance, strength and speed are compromised.

As I mentioned before, the negative impacts on cardiovascular function also have a negative impact on the body.

1-2 Days After Not Drinking

Without having consumed alcohol over the past 1-2 days, you should notice an improvement in energy levels. Those long sports practices or workouts will probably seem shorter, and of better quality!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you shovel your food in as fast as you can? If so, slow it down. It takes the body appox 20mins to signal to the brain that it's full; so the faster we eat the more we'll overeat. That's a problem, because to lose/gain body fat is all about burning more calories than we consume daily.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

HUGE reason some don't see results quickly/at all is because they don't take protein after exercising. Google "basic biology." We need protein to build muscle. The more LEAN muscle we have, the more cal we'll burn all day long plus what we burn during exercise. To be lean & tone the protein we want is Perfect ISOPURE. For one scoop it's only 110cal, 0g fat/carbs/sugar, nothing artificial just 26g of the highest quality whey isolate protein. Mix with 8oz of cold water & consume.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/nb/perfectisopure.html

"Can't I just get protein from food?"

Yes, BUT for food to be digested, broken down, and absorbed takes HOURS. There's a critical 40min window that we have to get that protein in to begin the muscle repairing, rebuilding, and regeneration process. ISOPURE is best, because it's a whey isolate, which means it digests & absorbs immediately.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you're trying to get into shape, and you slip up on your healthy eating with junk food/alcohol, don't let it discourage you. Don't stress about it, just think about how you could've made a smarter choice, make your next meal/snack a healthy choice, and get in some extra activity that day.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Skinny is NOT the same as lean. For example, a 26yr old male could be 6'2" 180lbs looks thin; but his body fat % could be 30%, when for his age & gender it should be 12-14%. Forget the scale, forget "weight" loss, and start measuring body fat %. That's REAL results, because losing body fat is when you'll see definition, and how you decrease health risks (cancer, diabetes, heart disease).

Women: 18-35yrs 18-20%, 35-50yrs 20-22%, 50+yrs 22-24
Men: 18-35yrs 12-14%, 35-50yrs 14-16%, 50+yrs 16-18%

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Did you go crazy eating/drinking at BBQs, fests, beaches this Summer? Alcohol especially, is one of the quickest ways to gain body fat because it has cal, increases the fat producing hormone cortisol, and decreases the fat burning hormone testosterone. *We challenge you to 30 days without alcohol starting TODAY.* May be impossible for many, but by doing it you'll see major results in how you look & feel.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you stretch after you're done exercising (weights & cardio)? If you want to see faster results & avoid injury you should. Stretching helps elongate the muscle, which means better blood flow. Better blood flow means better protein absorption = faster muscle recovery/growth. Not stretching = sore, tight muscles that are easily sprained & strained. Click the link to learn how to stretch every muscle.

http://exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

The best way to get through an intense exercise routine is to keep drinking water. When we sweat, we pull water out of our cells which dehydrates us. The faster we dehydrate, the quicker we get tired. ALWAYS have water with you when you exercise. It's essential!

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:

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:

Getting into or out of shape, is about calories burned vs calories consumed daily. Do you know how many calories you eat/drink daily? How many in an apple? A yogurt? That Panera salad you had for lunch? That late night Portillos chocolate cake shake? To see quick results, we need to learn what we're putting in our body. The best way is with FREE sites like LIVESTRONG.COM that help us track every nutrient we consume.

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

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

What's the best exercise for abs/arms/butt/etc? The answer: there is no "best" exercise. If we have jiggly arms, or a booty that needs firming, just focusing on those areas is not going to work. There is no such thing as spot reduction, other than liposuction surgery. We need to strength train from head to toe, and do cardio properly to be burning majority calories from fat and not energy calories.

Start strength training three to four days per week. Strength training burns four times more calories than cardio, and keeps your metabolism high twenty-four to thirty-six hours. The most effective way to strength train to get lean & tone quickly is HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING.

HIIT Examples:

Do 60sec of walking lunges while doing dumbbell bicep curls, then with no rest in between do 60sec of side to side pushups. Then rest 60sec and repeat for three sets.

Do 60sec sit/stand on a chair/bench while doing dumbbell shoulder presses, then with no rest in between get in a pushup position and for 60sec do a jumping jack. Then rest 60sec and repeat for three sets.

Google/YouTube High Intensity Interval Training for more.


Four to five times per week start doing cardio properly to be burning majority calories from fat, not energy. Doing more than 30 minutes of cardio is going to be majority energy calories; more than an hour is going to burn muscle. To do cardio properly to burn majority fat calories do just 25 minutes of 60 second high then low intensity intervals of cardio.

Cardio example (treadmill):

Warm-up 60sec @ 3.0 speed
Minute 1 - Speed 5.0
Min 3 - Speed 5.0
Min 5 - Speed 5.0
Min 7 - Speed 5.0
Min 9 - Speed 5.0
Min 11 - Speed 7.0
Min 13 - Speed 7.0
Min 15 - Speed 7.0
Min 17 - Speed 7.0
Min 19 - Speed 7.0
Min 21 - Speed 9.0
Min 23 - Speed 9.0
Cool-down 60sec @ Speed 3.0

That's it just 25mins of cardio to burn body fat! All the even numbered mins (2,4,6, etc) you come down to Speed 3.0. This is just an example, adjust it to your fitness level.

There's no wrong time to do cardio, but the two best times are: as soon as you wake up before consuming calories, and after strength training.

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: 60mins of Lower body (quads/glutes/hamstrings/calves) & Upper Body (shoulders/triceps/chest/biceps/back)
Day 2: 30mins core (side/lower/upper abdominals & lower back) then 30mins cardio
Day 3: 30mins cardio as soon as you wake up before having any calories & 30mins of cardio in the evening.
Day 4: 60mins of Lower body (quads/glutes/hamstrings/calves) & Upper Body (shoulders/triceps/chest/biceps/back)
Day 5: 30mins core (side/lower/upper abdominals & lower back) then 30mins cardio
Day 6: 30mins cardio as soon as you wake up before having any calories & 30mins of cardio in the evening.
Day 7: Rest

There should be 72hrs 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. Google/YouTube HIIT to see more.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

"I exercise, so I can eat what I want." This mentality is proof of an unhealthy relationship with food/drink. Food/drink should NOT be rewards for exercising/eating healthy. If we need external motivation to reach fitness goals, rewards should be getting a massage, a new outfit, a mini weekend getaway. Remember, being active & eating healthy is NOT a 8-12wk program that we stop, it's a daily lifestyle.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Looking for something new & fun to do for cardio? Try trampolines! Many places in Chicago & the suburbs offer trampoline exercise (Ex: Xtreme Trampoline in Carol Stream). It's inexpensive, FUN (especially trampoline dodgeball), and can burn almost 200cal in just 30mins! We do not recommended it for people with knee/ankle issues tho. Changing up your routine daily is the key to seeing quick results!

http://www.xtremetrampolines.com/

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Machine cal counters are inaccurate. Cal burned is determined by age, gender & body fat %. Machines ask just for age/weight. It doesn't know if you're a 5'2" 160lb female or a 6'3" 180lb male. Math formulas & how fast the machine is going are also factors. Plus once a machine is put in a gym, it's almost never recalibrated. Most accurate way to know your heart rate/cal burned is with an HR monitor.

Polar is an excellent, quality brand, but you can also find quality, inexpensive ($20-$50) ones at Walmart.

www.polarusa.com/us-en

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Looking for a new way to stay active while also helping a charity? Every Friday night LTS Chicago from 530-9pm hosts volleyball games at the courts just South of Castaways at North Ave Beach. No registration is required, just a $9 donation for the charity. Each Friday night a different charity is honored.

http://www.livetosupport.com/leagues-events/beachvolleyball/

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

What's your inspiration to exercise? Ours is videos like this, of athletes who are at the highest levels of fitness & how hard they train to get there. What's your motivation for being healthier? Fitting in your old clothes? Being around longer for your kids/grandkids/family? Having a nice beach body? Having more energy? Lowering your health risks for diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke?

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Seems trivial, but stretching AFTER exercise does help us see faster results. Stretching elongates the muscle = better blood flow. Better blood flow means that when we have protein after exercise it will absorb faster into the muscle = faster muscle recovery/rebuilding/growth = burning more cal all day long. Stretching also prevents lactic acid buildup that makes us sore/slows muscle growth. Always take 5-10mins to stretch.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Quickest ways to GAIN body fat are over-consuming cal, drinking alcohol, and stress. We can only take in so many cal = energy, before we start storing the extra energy = fat. Alcohol has cal, raises body fat producing hormone cortisol, and lowers body fat burning hormone testosterone. Being stressed also raises cortisol & can cause over-consuming cal. By eliminating these three, we'll change how we look & feel.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you've gained weight, DON'T buy bigger sizes. Buy a size or two smaller & hang them up in a place in your home where you frequently are. Hanging up clothes that no longer fit too, will be a constant visual reminder to stop overeating & get active. If out of sight out of mind works, then in sight in mind applies too as a constant source of motivation.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

In most gyms week after week people will pack the gym Monday-Thursday, and then Friday-Sunday it's a ghost town. Just because it's the end of the week, doesn't mean we should end being active. If you're going to Lolla, a Cubs game or the beach this weekend, walk, bike, or rollerblade there. If going to the mall or other shopping, park further away from the entrance & take the stairs instead of elevators/escalators.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Don't exercise the same muscle group every day. Muscle tissue needs at least 72hrs to fully recover. So if you do abs on a Monday, next time you should do them is Thursday. Lower body on Tuesday, next day should be Friday. Cardio can be done daily, but after a sixth day in a row, take a day off. Also, if you do cardio after weights, don't do it after lower body.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

"I'm a woman, if I do weights I'll get bulky." FALSE. The only ways to get bulky are, 1) To strength train for bodybuilding, 2) Consume 100s of grams of protein, 3) Increase your testosterone levels, 4) Do little to no cardio. Strength training burns 4x more cal than cardio & keeps metabolism (how fast we burn cal) high for 24-36hrs (cardio only 2hrs) = getting lean & tone faster.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

One of the two best "fat burners" is healthy fat that has EFAs, Omega 3 & 6, CLAs, flaxseed oil, etc. LIPIDEX by San has all of that. Artificial stimulant "fat burners" like Hydroxycut aren't effective because there's a barrier tissue called adipose that blocks them from attacking fat tissue. LIPIDEX is fat so it breaks passed that barrier.

The bottle will say take 6 pills twice daily after meals = 6g of fat. Women don't need that much, so I recommend women take two pills after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

BUT, it's not a miracle pill or by any means a sub for daily exercise & healthy eating; just a supplement to those two.

For more info on the benefits of healthy fat click the link.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Exercise should be challenging, fun & something you enjoy. If it's nothing but cardio & weight machines day after day, then that is boring & like a chore. Whether it's kickboxing, a dodgeball league, rock climbing, pole dancing classes, Wii, whatever. As long as you like it, and it challenges you to get that heart rate up & sweat, DO IT! Constantly changing it up is the key to staying interested.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

The body slows down how fast we burn cal near bedtime, because it knows we're not consuming during sleep. So eating later at night is ONLY ok if we haven't reached our daily cal limit. If we haven't, we can have a SMALL snack (Ex: unsalted/raw nuts, raw veggies with hummus, fruit). Avoid high sugar drinks & bread/pasta/rice/oats late because they digest quickly & spike blood sugar = body fat gain.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Some say, "my problem is I love to eat everything!" Who doesn't love football size burritos, giant pasta bowls, or triple cheeseburgers? BUT-- eating those has a price (body fat gain, more cellulite, high blood pressure/cholesterol). We need to EARN THEM = 6days/wk of serious exercise & making good nutritional choices. Then we can have a treat Day 7. Before you eat a treat, ask, "HAVE I EARNED THIS?"

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

At every meal/snack we need a protein to build/maintain lean muscle & to keep us full longer. Proteins are not all the same tho. Some sources (red meat, bacon, most dairy) are high in cal & saturated fat (clogs arteries/adds to cellulite). Saturated fat also slows protein absorption = slow muscle growth. We need LEAN proteins (white meat, fish, eggs, unsalted/raw nuts, beans).

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Knowing about blood sugar is not just for diabetics. To lose body fat/stay lean we should too. Eating only 1-2/day or not eating for over 4hrs our blood sugars plummet. When we eat again they spike. This up & down, causes increased levels of the body fat producing hormone cortisol. A SMALL meal/snack every 2.5-3hrs keeps our blood sugar levels stable, and our metabolism (how fast we burn cal) fast.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

When was your last checkup/physical? Most people go to the doctor just when there's a problem, but taking preventative measures like a physical every 6mo could be life saving; as some illnesses have zero symptoms initially. Staying active & eating right daily we should look at for our health too & not just to have a rockin' beach body. Remember, it's better to do PRE-hab, so we don't have to rehab.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Stressed? Stress increases the body fat producing hormone cortisol. Stress also triggers the brain to crave sugars, which starts a vicious cycle of: stress-overeating-fat gain-depression-overeating. Stop the cycle! This weekend do something relaxing/fun (nap, massage, walk through botanic gardens, baseball game). Every day too take 10-15mins to be quiet, clear your mind, breathe, and decompress.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Doing 1000s of ab exercises each day is NOT the answer to having a nice abs. The abs more than any other muscle group are dependant on many factors. Furthermore, there is no such thing as losing fat from just one area, other than liposuction surgery. Here are the TEN AB COMMANDMENTS to a slim, tone tummy.

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) 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.

*Remember, bottomline, if your body fat % is not low, you won't see defined muscles.*

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Protein shakes made at the gym usually have whole milk (high in cal/fat), low quality whey protein concentrate (whey isolate is the highest quality), and smoothie mix (high in cal/fat/sugar) = 400-1000cal. THAT ERASES WHAT YOU DID FOR EXERCISE. Instead, grab a bottle of Zero Carb ISOPURE (160cal, 0g of fat/carbs/sugar, and 40g of whey isolate protein). Costs less than the shake & is better for you.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Gaining/losing/maintaining body fat = calories consumed vs calories burned. If you don't know your own specific daily calorie limit number, have a qualified health professional calculate it for you TODAY. To see REAL, healthy, long lasting results, we must know our number, so we're not eating too few or too many calories daily.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Pregnant & worried about losing the baby weight? Best way to do so is to exercise during the pregnancy. It's safe until the third trimester.

Just a few precautions:

heart rate should not exceed 140 for a prolonged period,

no exercises laying on the back,

no prolonged standing exercises,

no jumping/bouncing,

no using stability balls/BOSUs/other unstable equip unless with someone to keep you stable.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Another beautiful Chicago weekend has arrived, and many are headed to their favorite sushi house. Bad news is that delicious treat can DERAIL fitness goals. Most popular rolls are loaded with cream cheese/mayo & may be tempura-battered = 500-800cal/ONE roll! Add those cal to drink cal & we could easily gain one pound of fat (3500cal). Better choices are the sashimi or the veggie/seaweed wrap rolls.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

That hungry feeling we often feel isn't always our body saying it needs food, sometimes it means we're dehydrated & need water. When we confuse the two, we over consume calories = body fat gain. The average person who does not exercise needs 80oz of water/day. If you're active, 80-120oz. More water not only prevents overeating, but reduces soreness after exercise & helps our muscles to grow faster.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

We often forget to watch what we drink. Americans tend to drink 30% of their cal, because we don't realize that the bottle of soda/juice/sports drinks lists 100-140cal for only 8oz, not the entire bottle which could be 16-32oz. If we drink the bottle (3-400cal) & our meal is 4-500cal, that's almost 1000cal at once. Body fat loss/gain = cal consumed vs cal burned, so that's one way fat gain can creep up.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Do you have proper, quality gym shoes for exercise? Doesn't have to be a $100 pair, a $30-40 quality pair helps to absorb the force from exercise. Wearing the wrong shoes/old shoes, allows for that force to put pressure on your feet/knees/lower back/spine/neck = injury. Go to Fleet Feet or Human Race Sports to have your run analyzed & foot measured for FREE to find the perfect shoe to keep you safe.

Human Race Sports
www.humanracesports.com/

Fleet Feet Sports
www.fleetfeetsports.com/

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Your daily caffeine fix can have serious side effects (stress on your heart/liver/kidneys/central nervous system, it's addicting & draws calcium out of your bones). That's dangerous for women, because women are at a higher risk for osteoporosis (weakening of bones) than men. Get 1,000mg/day of calcium from foods (low-cal cheese/yogurt, skim milk, collard greens, spinach) to counteract the caffeine.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Should we exercise if we're sick? If common cold, YES. The endorphin burst from exercise helps to boost our immune system. If we have the slightest fever, NO. A fever means we're contagious. That means we're likely going to give it to others & we can easily pick up new viruses/bacteria from a germ infested place like a gym. Protein after exercise is another great way to boost our immune system.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

At the age of 25 we start to lose 1/2 a pound of lean muscle tissue every year = burning cal at a slower rate = body fat gain. At 30, our metabolism (how fast we burn cal) slows down more. At 40, we start to lose bone density, which leaves our bones weak & us more susceptible to injury. Start being more active & watching what you're eating/drinking TODAY, so you can have a healthier tomorrow.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Watch this 60sec video. Nothing really worth having comes easy. Healthy, long lasting, REAL results takes determination, patience and sacrifice. What are you going to do TODAY to be healthier?

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

To see quick, long lasting results from exercise/nutrition, we must be able to answer YES to these ?s.

Are we drinking 80-120oz of water/day, especially during exercise?

Do we consume a whey isolate protein after both cardio & strength training to create more lean tissue so we can burn more cal all day long?

Are we doing cardio properly to be burning majority cal from fat & not energy?

Are we strength training properly for our goal (bodybuilding, lean/tone, sports)?

Are we staying within our specific daily calorie limit?

Are we eating every 2.5-3hrs to keep our metabolism fast & our blood sugar levels stable?

Are LEAN proteins (white meat, fish, eggs, beans, unsalted/raw nuts) a part of every meal/snack so we help our muscles recover/rebuild/regenerate & keep us feeling full longer?

Do we limit bread/pasta/rice/oat carbs to only after exercise?

These are the basics to seeing guaranteed results.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

4th of July weekend! Here's how to enjoy yourself without 100% guilt. At BBQs, if you have to try everything, try it in SMALL portions by using small plates. When drinking, have alcohol on the rocks to avoid unnecessary cal from soda/juice, choose clear alcohol over dark to avoid toxins (less hangover), and space out drinks with water so you're not consuming too many cal at once. Have a fun & safe 4th!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

If you want to start molding a sexy midsection for the remainder of Summer 2011, follow our RIO Fitness TEN 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:

PROPER FORM is essential during exercise! Improper form is putting a lot of pressure on our spine, joints, and ligaments which eventually will lead to injury and chronic daily pain when we're older.

Proper form examples:

When doing squats/lunges, keep your upper body upright & your knees behind your toes. Also, always push off of your heels not your toes, when doing anything (running/walking/jumping/lower body exercises), to not overdevelop your quadriceps; which causes an imbalance in your lower body = eventual injury.

When doing crunches, don't put your arms behind your head = neck/cervical spine pressure. Instead, cross your arms over your chest, and as you come up, look up to the ceiling. This is so you don't come up neck first, but your upper body will come up as one piece.

When holding anything (free weights/machine handle/etc) make sure your thumb is relaxed. Don't wrap it over your other fingers, because then you will be putting more focus in your forearm instead of the muscle you're trying to focus on.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Successful results with exercise = being well prepared. Do you always have water? Sweating dehydrates us, dehydration makes us tired faster. Water prevents that. Exercising after work? Do you bring gym necessities (gym shoes, comfy clothing) before leaving in the AM? Going home first allows for an excuse to not go, because we're "too exhausted" to leave again. Basic prep makes all the difference!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Three quickest ways to GAIN body fat: overconsuming calories, stress, alcohol. Consuming more calories than we burn daily = body fat gain. Alcohol, has calories, raises levels of body fat producing hormone cortisol & lowers levels of the body fat burning hormone testosterone. Being stressed raises cortisol & leads to emotional drinking/eating. Which one is your biggest challenge? Make a step to change it TODAY!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

What is a calorie? A: amount of heat to raise 1kg of water by 1 degree Celsius. A food/drink's cal count comes from its carb, protein, and fat content; so technically we don't run off of cal. Every 100 carb cal, the body uses 5-10cal in digestion. Fats, slightly less. Every 100 protein cal, 20-30cal for digestion. To lose body fat, have a LEAN protein at every meal/snack; especially before exercise.

LEAN protein meal/snack ideas:

*white meat
*fish (especially oily-skinned fish = healthy fat that we need)
*eggs
*unsalted/raw nuts
*beans
*plain Greek yogurtSee More

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

1lb of fat = 3500cal. If we want to lose 1lb of body fat per week, our goal should be to burn 3500cal within a 7 day period. Each day we should aim to burn 400-500cal with actual exercise, then another 100-200 from daily activities such as always taking the stairs, walking instead of driving whenever possible, and parking further from the entrance of our destination, and walking around while we're on the phone.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Breakfast = eggs with toast/potatoes or a breakfast sandwich from DD/Starbucks/McDs. Lunch = pasta. Dinner = fish/meat & rice/pasta/bread. Close to how you eat daily? If so, that's high glycemic carbs (quick digesting sugars) all day. Since we can't exercise all day, they're not burned & stored as fat. Eat them ONLY after exercise. No exercise = you DON'T have them. Fruit/veggie are the carbs that are ok to have all day.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Six months ago, millions made a resolution to be more active & eat healthier this year. If you did, how's that going? If that went out the window long ago, TODAY is another chance to start again.

Fill in the blank: TODAY I will _____________________________ to be more active. TODAY I will _____________________________ to eat healthier. Now go do it!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration does NOT regulate nutritional supplements. Therefore, ANYBODY can make a product, and make ridiculous claims, like "you'll lose 20lbs in two weeks!" FDA only steps in when a product is proven harmful (i.e. Hydroxycut May 2009). Choose reputable supplement companies (Nature's Best, Optimum Nutrition, BSN, EAS, San) & avoid bad ones (CellTech, MuscleTech, Cytosport, Gaspari).

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Exercising with a partner is great if both have the same goal. For example, most males bodybuild (8-12reps, then rest). If a female does that with a male, it's the least effective way to get lean & tone, because it's low intensity & more suited for a male body frame. For cardio too, your partner may want endurance, but you want to get lean. For both weight & cardio training, to get lean & tone = HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

When we're trying to get back into shape, we can sometimes do too much too soon with exercise, because we're in a rush to see results. We lift more than we should & break proper form, which puts pressure on our spine/joints/ligaments. We go faster on machines than we should which makes us hunch over it & hold on for dear life. 3 P's! PROGRESSION, PROPER FORM, and PATIENCE are essential to avoiding injury & seeing healthy, long lasting results.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

After a huge meal, our instinct is to not eat again for the day. Worst thing we can do. Overconsuming calories was bad enough because the body can only take in approx 500cal before it starts storing the rest as body fat. If we don't eat again we slow down our metabolism (how fast we burn calories), which means we burn calories at a slower rate = storing more calories as body fat. Every three hours after that huge meal, have a SMALL snack (100-200cal) to keep your metabolism fast.

Small snack ideas:

One large banana 120cal
Yogurt 80-120cal
One apple with 1tbsp of peanut butter 190cal
2tbsp hummus with 1cup baby carrots 124cal

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Summer 2011 is here! With that comes swimsuits, Summer dresses, and more revealing clothing that if you're feeling/looking bloated, can make you feel really self conscious. Here's FIVE ways to avoid the bloat & keep you confident while having fun in the sun!

1) Sodium retains water in the body, making you look & feel bloated. To combat that limit your sodium intake to 1200mg/day. Start reading the nutrition facts on what you eat/drink; because you'll be surprised how quickly 1200 adds up. Also, start eating high potassium foods (dried apricots, spinach, beans, prunes, carrots) which help lower sodium levels in the body. For a list of more high potassium foods:

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

2) Avoid soda/diet soda. The carbon dioxide that supplies soda's fizz will continue to burble and expand in your stomach, priming you for serious bloat. That's the short-term effect. The long-term is even worse: The artificial sweeteners in diet sodas are not properly metabolized by the body, which means they're stored as fat.

3) Broccoli, like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, are very good for you, just not before the beach. Cruciferous vegetables like these contain a sugar called raffinose—the same sugar that gives beans their heavy-winded reputation. In your gut, raffinose is fermented by gas-producing bacteria, which can make you feel bloated and gassy.

4) Beware of "healthy" Summer drinks. For example, some smoothies pack as much sugar as 91 Nilla Wafers and more fat than a McDonald's Big Mac. If you drink something like this with any regularity, you might unknowingly be sabotaging your beach body all Summer long.

5) Skip the gum. All that chewing brings more air & gas into your stomach, making it expand and giving you balloon belly.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Eating healthy is about making smarter choices, and it can be done ANYWHERE! McDonalds breakfast? Egg McMuffin, toss the english muffin & eat the ham/egg (high protein). Chipotle lunch? Burrito bowl, instead of rice have a black bean (high fiber/protein) base, then salsa & meat of choice (protein) and guacamole (healthy fat). Wendys dinner? Spicy chicken, no mayo & toss the bun, with a small chili or fruit cup.

It's the unnecessary extras (breads, cheese, mayo, dressings, sour cream, etc) that make the calories, fat, sodium, carbs add up, which leads to body fat gain. Cut them out, and you can cut the calories/fat/sodium/carbs nearly in half no matter what you order.

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

How many diets/cleanses/"magic weight loss pills have you tried? How much "weight" did you lose from them, only to gain it all back and sometimes plus some. The reason is DIETS DON'T WORK! They're quick fixes that do not lower your body fat %. They just help you lose water weight in most cases, and in extreme cases have you lose muscle. Eating healthy is not an eight week program, it's a lifestyle change; which is mostly about making smarter choices. Here's the TEN NUTRITION COMMANDMENTS, that if you follow 100%, you'll see healthy, long lasting results.

1) You have to burn more cal than you're consuming. Ask a health & fitness professional to calculate your daily calorie limit and start staying within it.

2) Eat every 2.5-3hrs = 4-6 SMALL meals/snacks per day to keep your metabolism (rate at which you burn cal) fast. Eating 1-2/day slows your metabolism = body fat gain.

3) Avoid bad trans/saturated fat foods, because they lead to artery clogging, cellulite, and keeping your body fat cells full. Eat healthy unsaturated fat foods (ex: fish/nuts/flax) that help to burn body fat.

4) Eat high glycemic carbs (ex: bread/pasta/rice/oat) ONLY after you exercise, because they digest quickly. Eating them all day long = body fat gain because they're not burned quick enough. Eat low glycemic carbs (ex: fruits/veggies) the rest of the day because they digest slowly.

5) Eat lean protein foods (ex: chicken/turkey/fish/nuts) that are not high in saturated fat. Consume a whey isolate protein (ex: ISOPURE) that is low cal/carbs after every time you exercise (weights & cardio). This will build lean muscle which help you burn more cal all day long.

6) Limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol increases levels of body fat production hormone cortisol and lowers body fat burning hormone testosterone.

7) Limit sodium intake to no more than 1200mg/day. Sodium carries water which will make you look & feel bloated, and can lead to high blood pressure. Eat high potassium foods to lower sodium levels.

8) Drink 80-120oz of water everyday. Prevents overeating, reduces soreness after exercise, and keeps your skin looking healthy.

9) Limit sugar consumption because excess sugar is turned into body fat. Avoid "sugar free" foods/drinks because artificial sweeteners are not properly metabolized by the body and are turned into body fat.

10) Get rest every night! Lack of sleep increases levels of body fat production hormones and decreases growth hormones that help us recover from day/exercise.