Fitness motivation videos: 5 essential fitness YouTube channels you should know

Fitness Motivation Videos: 5 Essential Fitness YouTube Channels

If you're like me, you may spend some nights deep in a YouTube rabbit hole, going from one topic to another until you've wasted hours you could've used to catch up on sleep. The amount of content out there can be hard to sift through, especially…
The Unlikely Apprentice: An Exercise in Futurity Through Pilates Teacher Training

The Unlikely Apprentice: An Exercise in Futurity Through Pilates Teacher Training

FFC employee Caitlin Preminger shares her account of going through the FFC Pilates teacher training program, and what she learned along the way. I detest running. It aggravates both my shins and my asthma and has only ever been inflicted…
How to shop organic - must-have organic grocery list items

How to Shop Organic: Must-Have Items on Your Grocery List

Are you someone who's wondering how to shop organic? Or even wondering if you should? Even if you're not ready to commit to buying EVERYTHING pesticide and additive-free, here is a quick guide on how to shop organic - plus some must-have items…
Healthy mushroom soup recipe with barley and leeks - great for a post or pre-workout meal!

Healthy Mushroom Soup Recipe With Barley & Leek

From Lion’s Mane mushroom tea to Shiitake mushroom broth, mushrooms are quickly becoming one a favorite for both nutritionists and chefs. A healthy source of iron, protein, B vitamins, and antioxidants like selenium, it’s no wonder they’ve…

How I Used Compromise to Create a Sustainable, Balanced Lifestyle, Lost Weight and Changed My Life

I had to make a change. I’d known I had to for quite some time, but never fully committed. I made countless New Year’s resolutions, “starting January 2nd I’m limiting drinking, eating healthier, and working out.” I would commit to…
Image of hands giving the okay sign

Positivity Perspective: Body Positivity & How to Prioritize Healthy Habits

FFC Union Station personal trainer Tyler Sutphen shares a perspective on the body positivity movement and a reminder to prioritize health habits above all. As you read this, please know that I do not condone bullying of any kind. However,…
Gluten-free vegan bread recipe with no yeast - Irish Brown Bread

Vegan Bread Recipe: No-Yeast Irish Brown Bread

If you want to try baking bread, this easy vegan bread recipe is a great place to start! This Irish brown bread doesn’t require any yeast so you don’t have to wait around to bake it. Traditionally using white flour, this healthy, vegan version…
Hotel room workout: a simple bodyweight workout for when you're traveling

Hotel Room Workout: A Simple Bodyweight Workout for When You’re on the Go

FFC-exclusive group fitness instructor and trainer Austin Head shares a simple 15-minute bodyweight workout for when you’re on the go. Needing no additional equipment (just yourself!), this hotel room workout will ensure you’ll be able to…
A Delicious Veggie Recipe and 10 Tips for Fitting More Vegetables in Your Diet

A Delicious Veggie Recipe + 10 Easy Ways to Increase Your Vegetable Intake

Vegetables have SO many amazing benefits. They can help boost our moods, help us fight off illness, and of course, feel better and deliver all the necessary nutrients our bodies need to function. Check out these 10 easy ways to increase your…
Member Stories: How FFC helped me overcome a devastating sports injury and find a new life purpose

Member Stories: How FFC Helped Me Recover From a Sports Injury & Find a New Life Purpose

How FFC member Ian LaBelle overcame a devastating sports injury, found a new passion and life purpose raising funds and awareness for an amazing cause. I was a pretty average kid growing up in New England. I had a supportive family, was decently…
Pilates Chicago: Stories from Pilates Teacher Training Program Students
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Pilates Chicago: Stories from Pilates Teacher Training Program Students

Created by Joseph Pilates as a method of exercise to strengthen the body AND mind, Pilates has been growing rapidly in popularity since the early 20th century. Now practiced by fitness enthusiasts, those looking to overcome chronic pain and…
Member Stories: Myzone in Mexico - How Laura V Got Involved With FFC & Myzone, Found a Weight Loss Community and Lost Over 70 Pounds

Member Stories: Myzone in Mexico – How Laura V Got Involved With FFC & Myzone, Found a Weight Loss Community and Lost Over 70 Pounds

FFC Old Town fitness director and master trainer Eric Alexon shares the story of family member Laura, how she got involved with Myzone and FFC (which functioned as a sort of weight loss community) and lost over 70 pounds – while in Mexico,…
How FFC member Gary became a stroke survivor and changed the course of his life.

Member Stories: How I Became a Stroke Survivor and Turned My Life Around

FFC Oak Park member Gary shares his experience with fitness and wellness, becoming a stroke survivor and how it altered his course of life. In the fall of 2007 I was 56 years old, tired, overweight and my back hurt. My job involved a lot…
How to overcome fear and accomplish the things

How to Overcome Fear and Accomplish The Things It Might Be Keeping You From

“I can’t run. I don’t do group fitness classes. I won’t lift weights.” Are these statements true for you? But why? Many times, the answer involves fear. Fear can take the form of many lines – such as “I’m afraid of my knees hurting.”…
Why matcha is having a moment: how to prepare matcha, recipes, benefits and more.

Why Matcha is Having Its Moment: How to Prepare Matcha, Recipes, Benefits and More

Nowadays, just about every coffee shop, smoothie bar and bakery features their own creative offerings using the trending superfood matcha. This green tea powder is not new to the scene, however. In fact, its use in Japanese tea ceremonies dates…

Member Stories: The Decision That Changed The Quality of My Life

Countless movies, books, and fairy tales feature magic mirrors of one kind or another. Some are portals to another world. Others have a spirit living in them, or can show the past, or reveal events far off but important to the mirror’s user.…
Seasonal Affective Disorder treatment through massage therapy

Seasonal Affective Disorder Treatment Through Massage Therapy

Whether you believe winter starts the second water freezes or more officially on December 21, we can all agree the changing of the seasons can create moodiness. Believed to be related to the decrease in sunlight and amount of chemicals our brains…
An Interview with World Champion, Paralympic Swimmer & FFC Endurance Coach Tucker Dupree

An Interview with World Champion, Paralympic Swimmer & FFC Endurance Coach Tucker Dupree

Tucker Dupree is a professional swimmer. Not only that, he has been swimming professionally for 12 years, has swum for Team USA at the Paralympics, has won medals and World Championships, and is also one of FFC’s newest endurance coaches. FFC…
Swedish massage - why you need one plus types of massage and their benefits

The Benefits of Swedish Massage: Why You Need One, Plus Other Types of Massage and Their Benefits

FFC Union Station massage therapist Aaron Gunn shares the benefits of Swedish Massage, plus other types of massage and all of their benefits. Today is the day. You’ve made the decision to take that next step. You’re going to book a massage!…

RMR Calculator vs RMR Test: Why You Should Get a Resting Metabolic Rate Test Done

A dream of mine? To be told I should eat more food – by data, no less. That dream came true during my recent resting metabolic rate test at Fitness Formula Clubs in Chicago. What’s a resting metabolic rate test, you ask? In the simplest…