It is not a surprise that this month’s member highlight is not one, but five individuals! That’s right. We are proud to announce that the Rio’s Family as are our Members of the Month. This family has been a huge advocate for NorthFit, and it has really been a family affair all along. You most likely have seen the whole family working out at one time or another. They were nominated for their continued effort to work hard, have fun, show a super positive attitude, are always smiling, and carry a friendly attitude no matter what. You would never know they are having a bad day because the family carries a positive vibe wherever they go.

What is their story?

It all started when in February 2014 because Steph’s sister, who resides in Georgia, told Steph it was something she had to try. She has been dedicated ever since. Not long after, Jose Sr. joined in June 2014 and having both parents lead by example of what it means to live a healthy, active lifestyle, Jose Jr. signed up in 2015, most recently followed by his sisters, Tia and Elli. It truly is a family affair and we are so stoked to have them as members!

Steph and Senior have been together for 20 beautiful years. Senior is originally from Texas and Steph is from Waukesha. Fun fact, Senior does not know any Spanish (I know, right!) and Steph is not Hispanic! She actually is more European, being German and Norwegian (who knew!?). They decided to build their family in Jefferson so their kids can have a good education and eventually bring them to be members at NorthFit.

When asked what Steph and Senior like about the gym, they both agreed it is the

“community.”

The community that NorthFit has created has brought people together spanning all ages with one goal in mind, which is, to get sweaty and have fun. They have built a lot of great friendships with members from the gym and you can tell they truly enjoy being at NorthFit. Steph is a little more competitive than Senior, you may or may not have noticed this. Senior claims he is only competitive when he is working out with Steph, which must keep the love connection strong. Junior and the girls have always been athletic. Junior played football in high school, Tia took gold in her weight class for JV wrestling this past winter, and Elli earned her “Fitness Freak Award” in her freshman class! So awesome! The Rios Family has used NorthFit as a way to work through stress. It is an outlet that gives

“freedom to get away from everything.”

Have you ever been in a bad mood, come to class, focus on something else for an hour, and then you forget why you were stressed in the first place? This is true for most.

What are the favorite movements or exercises for this family you might ask? Steph’s is anything with a heavy barbell (didn’t see that coming), Senior’s is power cleans, and Junior’s is most likely muscle ups or a heavy barbell. The girls love being in the atmosphere and are willing to try anything, still finding which movement suits them best. Either way, being active and healthy is their ultimate goal.

Part of living an active, healthy lifestyle includes nutrition. When Steph first joined NorthFit, she weighed 215 pounds. Since then she has lost about 75 pounds. She has kick started her weight loss again seven months ago where she began eating between certain hours and pushing for more healthy greens whole grains, and lean meats. Now, she is down 30 pounds and continues to eat healthy greens and whole grains as her base and is now vegan. Her cholesterol level is amaze balls! Steph was able to rally a few family members recently, Senior and Tia, who have both been eating vega, and have stuck to healthier choices, minus a few Lays chips here and there. Senior mentioned that his 60-day vegan challenge is up soon and cannot wait to get some venison on the grill. Steph is going to continue with being vegan and would like to announce that “Oreos are vegan”, so eat up!

Other than working out in class and signing up for a bunch of local CrossFit competitions, the Rios Family has also developed a health lifestyle by utilizing the sauna this year. Steph has personally seen benefits from lessened muscle soreness to clearer skin. They tend to sit in the sauna 3 – 4 times per week for 25 – 30 minutes at a time.

The Rios Family is a beautiful family full of energy and positive vibes. We are so proud to have them as members of NorthFit and have loved to see each person grow and evolve into who they are today. Thank you for always being positive and willing to have a good time!

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