Member stories: avoiding surgery through nutrition and exercise

Member Stories: Avoiding Surgery Through Nutrition And Exercise

My family and I joined FFC as Charter Members last summer. I couldn’t wait for the Park Ridge facility to open. I had been going to another gym; however, I knew that FFC was going to fulfill all my needs. Little did I know, though, that it…
Where should my gears be? The basic Spinning 101 guide - fitness tips

What is RPM? Where Should My Gears Be? The Basic Spinning 101 Guide

According to research from Duke University, exercise is as effective as antidepressants. That means you can consider spinning your way to a good mood! People who exercise perform better at work and have been shown to increase their memory and…
How FFC helped me get back into a fitness routine

Member Stories: How FFC Lincoln Park Got Me Back into a Fitness Routine

Adulting is hard. No one can prepare you for the challenges the real world brings. And I’m not just ranting about the fact that my actions may now have heavily-weighing consequences if made in haste, or that I have long-term retirement savings…
How FFC helped me with my weight loss journey

How FFC Helped Me With My Weight Loss Journey

I have wrestled with my weight for most of my life. I've been on every diet program. I mean every program. I joined Weight Watchers when it was just Weight Watcher (Jenny Craig). I’ve tried Slim Fast… and something called the Beverly Hills…
How FFC helped me make a doctor-recommended lifestyle change

How FFC Helped Me Make a Doctor-Recommended Lifestyle Change

On June 6, 2016, I joined the FFC West Loop gym. At that time, I was very bulky and I had no motivation to work out or go to the gym daily. I needed a lifestyle change. When I began my membership, I was provided a trainer from the FFC front…
10 best types of pushups and how to master them FFC fitness tips

10 Best Types of Push-Ups and How to Master Them

The push-up is commonly associated with military conditioning, gym class, and some martial arts. For many, they can feel like an impossible or even gruesome exercise. If you feel similarly, we hope you will feel empowered to incorporate this…
Master your metabolism - common myths about metabolism, debunked.

Master Your Metabolism: 5 Common Myths About Metabolism Debunked

Put most simply, metabolism is the term used to describe the chemical processes responsible for maintaining life. There is a lot of information surrounding this subject - especially when it comes to exercise and nutrition. With that, of course,…
Try this now: tips on foam rolling for fitness recovery

You Have to Try This Now: Foam Rolling

Perhaps you've seen some members at the gym rolling around on long black cylinders and wondered what they were doing. Or you have been foam rolling for a while now and wonder if you are doing it right or what the science is behind it all. I’m…
5 easy steps to make meal planning a regular part of your life

5 Easy Steps to Make Meal Planning a Regular Part of Your Life

Meal planning. The concept seems so simple, yet can be very daunting when you’re up to your ears in Tupperware and can’t possibly seem to find the time to make a grocery store run. It may appear easier to revert back to the old ways…
Why cheat days are a bad idea and easy ways to eat healthy anyway

Why Cheat Days Are a Bad Idea and Easy Ways to Eat Healthy Anyway

We’ve made it past the holidays, but we’re not out of the woods yet! The time of year that we become inundated with opportunities to overindulge on sweets at work, at office parties, and family gatherings continues into this month – especially…
Get better fitness results with this resistance training efficiency hack

Get Better Fitness Results with This Resistance Training Efficiency Hack

Resistance training is an essential part of any workout program, regardless of whether you want to lose, gain, or maintain weight. However, most people are either doing way more resistance training than they need, or are doing exercises that…
Exercising pregnant - the fine line between doing too much and too little for expecting moms

Exercising Pregnant: The Fine Line Between Pushing Too Hard And Doing Too Little

Being a fitness instructor and athlete, I knew exercising would be safe while pregnant. While I've been able to stay very active, and still exercise every day, there are definite modifications that I wish I would have known about when I first…
Member Stories: What Happened When I Made My Health a Priority

Member Stories: What Happened When I Made My Health a Priority

Recently, after the New Year, I had a realization that it was time to do something about my weight. I had tried before but I was always so busy with school and work that it made it almost impossible to get into a routine. I needed to make health…
Trying to lose weight? Science says try HIIT.

Trying to Lose Weight? Science Says Try HIIT

At FFC, performance training refers to a type of workout that employs high intensity, heart monitor-based routines in a small group setting. By utilizing a heart rate monitor, our coaches are able to advise each participant when to rest and…
Tips to reduce inflammation in your diet and the diseases it may cause.

Tips to Reduce Inflammation in Your Diet and the Diseases It May Cause

"Inflammation" is the new buzzword, and for an important reason - it’s often a good indicator to us that something is going on we need to attend to. For example, inflammation can happen as a result of injury. Additionally, if it’s happening…
Burn a ton of calories with this mom-friendly 45-minute workout

Burn a TON of Calories with This Mom-Friendly 45-Minute Workout

To say Kristin Strom, regional Pilates manager at Fitness Formula Clubs, has a busy schedule would be an understatement. She has little time to sleep, let alone burn a ton of calories! In addition to managing the Pilates program and teaching…

3 Best Registered Dietitian-Written Nutrition Books

In response to our readers' suggestions, we put together a list of more of our favorite resources - a list of some of our favorite nutrition books written by the nutrition experts themselves. Add these RD-written nutrition books to your must-read…
Weight training vs cardio - which achieves greater fat loss?

Weight Training VS Cardio, Which Achieves Greater Fat Loss?

How many people do you see at the gym riding the same stationary bike, gliding up the same treadmill incline, churning away at some other piece of cardio equipment or taking the same step or cycling classes? If you look at the rest of the…
Are you performing one of these potentially unsafe exercises?

Are You Performing One of These 9 Potentially Unsafe Exercises?

Exercises are like music; there are a million options to choose from, but not all of them are good. I've put together a list of some of the most common exercises found in peoples’ fitness programs that are inefficient, and often times, not…
Why intuitive eating is important and ways to practice eating mindfully.
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Why Intuitive Eating Is Important And 4 Ways To Practice Mindful Eating

Have you ever sat down in front of the TV screen with a big bag of popcorn and before you know it, you’ve reached into the bag and discovered the entire thing has magically disappeared? If you are like most people, this is something that…