Hottest Trainer Contestant #1: Gina Caifano

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Welcome to our search for Chicago's hottest trainer. Over the coming weeks, we'll profile eight smoking locals—fitness experts who not only look hot in spandex, but can make you look amazing, too. Once you've gotten to know everyone, we'll host a March Madness-style showdown, in which readers vote for their favorites. Let the games begin!

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Our first trainer is Gina Caifano, who runs her own fitness bootcamp at The Ray Meyer. But lest you think that's all Gina does in a given day, think again: she works as a CNA at Lurie's Children's Hospital, she's finishing up her last year of nursing school at DePaul, and she runs a fitness and health blog, gMotivate. Needless to say, she's got really great abs.

Gina fell in love with personal training as a freshman at DePaul, where the "energy and wellness" of group fitness classes really got to her. She takes a holistic approach to fitness—her favorite form of exercise is called Functional Training, which incorporates a variety of exercises. And her blog features not only workout motivation but healthy recipes and even fashion posts—which isn't surprising, given her work at the hospital.

"Taking care of sick kids and helping families cope through some of the toughest moments of their life really puts life into perspective," she says. "Health is such a gift."

Maybe that's why Gina stills works out, even on her days off. If she finds herself with time on her hands, she sweats it out (her exact words were "I treat myself") at a Hard Pressed class, in order to "build strength and allow another trainer to motivate me."

But if you told Gina that her day off couldn't include a single push-up, she'd still find a way to get moving. A perfect Saturday for Gina would start off "paddle boarding with my hot boyfriend at Chicago Paddle Boarding Co." She'd then "meet up with my amazing family for brunch, take a billion pictures of my adorable nephew, take a nap on a boat, and invite all our friends and family to come hang out for the day."

But Gina would still be up early the next morning, and so would her friends. "I get up at 4:30am every morning just to go to her 6 and 7am classes," says her friend Hazel. "Her energy transforms and inspires you."
· gMotivate [Official Site]
· All Hottest Trainer posts [Racked Chicago]