Vegetables on cutting board for healthy meal and food prep

Food Prep Tips to Help You Eat Healthier

As a registered dietitian, I'm often asked, "What's the best thing that I can do right now to eat healthier?” The short answer? Food prep! But today’s dizzying pace of life leaves all of us wishing we had a few extra hours in the day as…
Benefits of adding weight in your fitness routine

8 Benefits of Using Weights In Your Fitness Routine

It’s Monday night (or Tuesday, or Wednesday, or Thursday...) and you’re about to hit the hotel gym. What are your options? Well, you’ve got the treadmill or dumbbells. You don’t know what to do with dumbbells, so treadmill it is! Again.…
Try this 30-minute travel workout the next time you're on the go!

Try this Travel Workout: Travel-Sized Exercise for Your Next Trip

Whether you’re taking one last seasonal trip, planning for holiday travel or jet setting for business reasons, traveling provides excitement and a new perspective. However, all that time spent getting to and from the airport, exploring new…
Pilates: the cross-training powerhouse workout you should try - Chicago's Pilates studios

Pilates: The Cross-Training Powerhouse Workout

It's no secret that Pilates and dance have a long history together. Although Joseph Pilates worked with and developed cross-training exercises specifically for many different types of athletes, including boxers, soldiers and circus performers,…
My Journey with Massage Therapy and Asian Bodywork

My Journey with Massage Therapy and Asian Bodywork

The space we share with one another is defined by the space we create. It may not be something you would think about on a day to day basis, but space is a part of everything we do. Some of us need large spaces and may not enjoy crowds, while…
Benefits of Pilates after pregnancy

Benefits of Pilates After Pregnancy

You’ve read articles and seen the news – Pilates is one of the best workouts you can do. With benefits ranging from increased mental strength and improved attention and motivation to a better golf swing, a stronger core for running and more,…
Try this recipe: healthy 5-minute Asian Noodle Bowl with protein!

Try this Recipe: 5-Minute Asian Noodle Bowl

When it comes to getting healthy, eating out can sabotage our efforts. Whether it's takeout, delivery, or even a fancy restaurant, much of the food prepared in these establishments tends to be heavy in salt and fat. After all, the goal of any…
How to evaluate vitamins and supplements - nutrition information

How to Evaluate Vitamins and Supplements

Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs, botanicals, sports supplements, amino acids, or combination of the above ingredients. Vitamins and supplements are growing in popularity among Americans, with approximately 68% of the population…
FOMO of Food? Here's how to eat with more mindfulness
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FOMO of Food? Here’s How To Eat With Mindfulness

A friend of mine recently told me she thinks I have FOMO, a fear of missing out. I thought about it, and the concept resonates: I do often feel conflicted when I want to have some downtime but an interesting activity or event comes up. I also…
The amazing health benefits of adding spices to your diet - nutrition

The Amazing Health Benefits of Spices in Your Diet

As a generally healthy individual, I eat my daily greens, stay away from added sugar and include protein and healthy fats in my diet. This, we have learned, is probably the most important aspect of living a healthy lifestyle. Beyond that, though,…
Nutrition how to - low sugar diet

Nutrition How-To: Low Sugar Diet

We’re bringing you a mini-series to introduce and examine some of the top nutrition trends. We’ll explore what’s hot, where we’re seeing it, why it’s gaining popularity, and what’s in store for the future. In this post, we'll go…
Why you need to incorporate martial arts into your workout routine

Why You Need To Incorporate Martial Arts Into Your Workout Routine

You probably know of martial arts, but do you know why they are important? Or how they relate to fitness and wellness? Martial arts require an understanding of the properties of balance, stability, strength and mental discipline. When we exercise,…
Try this recipe: pre-workout fuel PB & J Oat Bites

Try This Recipe: PB & J Oat Bite Pre-Workout Snacks

“Don’t try to drive on an empty tank of gas.” This essential advice is something I remind my FFC members of all the time. When I teach Motiv8 at 6 AM, I’m pushing you to dig deep and give 100% in your workout. In order to get stronger,…
How to train like Chicago professional soccer player Sam Johnson

How to Train Like Chicago Professional Soccer Player Samantha Johnson

One hour of torture or 35 minutes of effective work? When it comes to working out, slogging it out on the treadmill is not my idea of a great workout. As a professional soccer player, I do enough running as it is. I personally never recommend…
Group Pilates class at FFC.

Find Out If You Have a Muscular Imbalance & How Pilates Can Help

Joseph Pilates believed that we are only as young as our spine. That makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Joe Pilates created a complete system of exercises that, along with your Pilates trainer’s eyes and years of experience, can…
Try this kettlebell workout now - fitness workouts

Miracle Workouts Don’t Exist, But This Kettlebell Workout Comes Pretty Close

My name is Sam Gonzalez and I am an Elite Trainer with FFC. After 8 years of experience and hundreds of clients and students, I understand the challenges that most people face when they decide to start a new training program. For most, the question…
Man stretching his legs

Yoga For Guys 101: As Told By An Inflexible, Weight-Lifting Dude

Many of us dudes have been there. Peeking through those glass doors, observing the mysticism that is a yoga class as we finish our last set of curls. Yoga for guys? Not a chance. A class full of side bending, head standing, lotus-posing girls…
4 benefits you can get from an outdoor workout

4 Benefits You Didn’t Know You Could Get From An Outdoor Workout

Sunlight, fresh air, the city skyline – an outdoor workout sounds kind of like a vacation, doesn't it? We promise your indoor spin bike won’t get offended if you ditch the gym and head outdoors during your next workout. Check out these…

How to Prevent a Cortisol Crash & Why You Need To

I’m sure you’ve seen it all over the web: “unbalanced cortisol levels lead to weight gain.” This can be incredibly frustrating if you are in a deficit-related program trying to lose weight for a healthier lifestyle, or even if you have…
Image of personal trainer at FFc club

Common Misconceptions About Personal Trainers – There’s More Than Meets the Eye

When you enter the fitness area at the FFC West Loop club, you may get the instant impression that there are a lot of personal trainers. They seem to occupy much of the open space available and at times, can have their clients doing some…