FFC News and Blogs on Fitness,
Nutrition, and Inspiring Success Stories

Latest Stories

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…
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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,…
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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…
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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,…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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5 Tips for Getting Your Pre-Baby Body Back

Well, my little baby girl recently turned five months old and I cannot stress enough that exercise and sleep are what will get you through those first few months. I know it sounds crazy… new moms, you’re probably thinking something like,…
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How To: Use the MyFitnessPal App to Lose More Weight

So you've made the decision to track your nutrition. Congratulations! Meal tracking can improve one’s diet, promote more mindful eating behaviors, provide lots of new information for your benefit as well as for your doctor or dietitian and…
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