RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip: 

Do you have "love chub?" Love chub is the gaining of body fat due to your relationships (significant other, family, friends, coworkers, etc.) centering around eating & drinking alcohol. Break the cycle! Be more active with your loved ones. Suggest you go dancing instead of dinner out. Do fun exercise video games like Michael Jackson Dance Experience together. Take Zumba, yoga, or kickboxing classes together. Plan, shop, and prepare healthy meals together. Bundle up & then talk a walk together after that meal. So many things you can do to improve your lifestyle & that of those you love. Or you can stay inactive. Keep ordering out. Keep sitting on the couch watching TV together. Gaining more & more body fat, getting unhealthier, year after year. Choice is yours. Break the cycle!

Tonight for dinner or tomorrow for lunch try our RIO Fitness Chicago healthy fat, lean protein, low glycemic carb Italian sandwich: 

•rBST-free buffalo mozzarella

•Organic beef steak tomatoes

•Organic spinach leaves

•Organic diced asparagus

•Organic diced avocados

•Drizzle some organic EVOO & balsamic vinegar

•Season with organic black pepper, garlic & onion powder

•Assemble as shown in picture

•Buon appetito!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip: 

The battle to be in-shape & healthy is more psychological than physical. Here's FIVE easy ways to be victorious in that battle! 

1) Figure out what your goal is: to be lean & tone? to be around longer for loved ones? to run that 5K without passing out? Etc. 

2) Find a strategy for success. Get a trainer or research nutrition & training programs online. Failure to plan is planning to fail. 

3) Get on a schedule! Exercising & eating healthy at random times daily is the best way to lose motivation quickly. Creating a set regimen daily is the best way to succeed. 

4) Get inspired! Find an attainable health role model whether friend, family, coworker, stranger. Ask them questions, find out what they do to be healthy & motivated and do the same! 

5) Always be ready! Have your iPod charged (music makes exercise easier), gym bag packed before you leave the house, and water with you. Then get ready to look & feel your best ever! Don't settle for a second rate version of yourself!

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip: 

With these below freezing temps we're having in Chicago do NOT leave anything plastic (bottles, food containers, etc.) you plan on eating/drinking from in your car or outside. When we freeze or heat up plastic (microwave, dishwasher, etc.) the chemicals in the plastic containers and other dishware leach into our foods/drinks. This can disrupt hormone/reproductive system function, prevent body fat loss, and cause cancer because these chemicals mimic estrogen.
Here's five simple steps to avoid eating/drinking PLASTIC unintentionally:

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

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

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

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

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

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip: 

The battle to be in-shape comes down to math & biology. As for biology, know that every time we give in to cravings by indulging in food & alcohol we create more dopamine receptors in our brain. The more receptors the more dopamine ("pleasure" chemical) they require, which increases cravings thus leading to addiction. Break free of this vicious cycle! Fight the cravings, replace the junk with healthier snacks (fruit, veggies, plain Greek yogurt, unsalted/raw nuts & seeds, quinoa, hard boiled eggs, etc.). The more we fight the temptations, the less our brain's will crave them. 

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip: 

Here's some EASY instructions on how to look & feel your better in 2014: