RIO Fitness Chicago® Exercise & Nutrition Blog

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

Happy YOU Year! To see the happier & healthier you in 2013, we must eliminate things from your life. Today's elimination is CAFFEINE.

Many recommend it for metabolism, but there's serious side effects to caffeine (stress on your heart/liver/kidneys/central nervous system, it's an addictive substance, and it also pulls calcium out of our bones). Calcium depletion leaves bones weak & more susceptible to injury. This is especially dangerous for women who are already at higher risk for osteoporosis than men.

Here are TEN healthy ways to sleep better, feel calmer, and NATURALLY boost your energy levels without caffeine:

1) Get 1,000mg/day of calcium from foods (low-cal cheese/yogurt, almond milk, collard greens, spinach) to counteract the caffeine. Taking a calcium supplement daily is also another great idea to prevent bone density loss/injury.

2) Make a serious effort to get enough sleep every night. Lack of sleep causes the body to not secrete growth hormones which help us recover from the previous day & feel rejuvenated the following day.

3) Eating something SMALL every 3hrs to keep your metabolism fast.

4) Increase B6 intake. This helps improve mood, appetite, sleep, and helps the nervous system function properly. It can be found in bananas, sweet potatoes, and chicken.

5) Increase B12 intake. Helps improve alertness, fights fatigue, and helps produce more hemoglobin (a protein in red blood cells). It can be found in Greek yogurt, sirloin, and eggs. *Vegans should be a taking a B12 supplement daily.

6) Iron. Crucial for proper brain function, boosts energy levels, and prevents anemia. It can be found in lean steak, chickpeas, shrimp. *Vegetarians should be taking an iron supplement daily.

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

8) GINGER TEA soothes digestion and fires up your energy

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

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