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Welcome Amanda Angelopoulos, Registered Dietitian, to FFC!

Please join us in welcoming Amanda Angelopoulos, MS, RDN, LDN, CNSC, to FFC as a Registered Dietitian! As a Registered Dietitian of 6+ years, Amanda has a variety of experiences under her belt. Three of those more recent years were spent…
Group of people smiling and standing together in front of a pickleball net.
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What Is Pickleball? Learn Why This FFC Employee Loves The Sport

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America, and the pickleball craze has hit FFC! FFC Creative Director Josh Beaton shares his experience learning the sport and explains why it's a great way to stay active and connect with fellow Chicagoans.…
Employee Spotlight: Corynne Cooper
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Employee Spotlight: Once A Gymnast, Always A Gymnast by Corynne Cooper

Corynne Cooper is the General Manager of 111 S. Wacker Fitness Center, managed by FFC. In part three of this three-part series, Corynne shares how her Olympic dreams lead her to collegiate athletics and how the sport of gymnastics has influenced…
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Employee Spotlight: Training With The “A” Team by Corynne Cooper

Corynne Cooper is the General Manager of 111 S. Wacker Fitness Center, managed by FFC. In part two of this three-part series, Corynne shares how her career as a gymnast began and the tough love training that accompanies the sport. Related:…
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Employee Spotlight: How My Upbringing Shaped Me by Corynne Cooper

Corynne Cooper is the General Manager of 111 S. Wacker Fitness Center, managed by FFC. In part one of this three-part series, Corynne shares her family's history and describes how her parents were early supporters of her love of sports. As…
Woman unrolling yoga mat on floor

Perfectly Imperfect: How The Idea Of “Fitness” Has Evolved Throughout My Life

When I sat down to write a blog post about fitness, I had such a long list of topics. I could write about the physical, mental or mechanical aspects of exercise. I could write about all of the different categories of exercise: cardio, strength,…
Image of friends drinking beer together in a bar.

My Dry January: An Ugly Truth and A Beautiful Lesson

Dry January seems easy enough: no alcohol for the month of January. Coming off of Thanksgiving, followed by all the holiday festivities, one would think the last thing on anyone’s mind is more indulging. With any new year comes the resolutions,…
Behind the scenes with a trainer - Mike Meyers at FFC Park Ridge

Get to Know Your Trainer: An Interview with FFC Park Ridge’s Mike Meyers

How many of you walk into a Fitness Formula Club to meet with a trainer? One. Three. Five. Okay, let’s cut to the chase. There are a handful of members who seek out a personal trainer when they join a Fitness Formula Club. Every member has…
Employee spotlight: Steve Parkin

Developing a Passion for Fitness & The Passport for Success It Became

FFC group fitness instructor Steve Parkin has a pretty incredible story – and relationship with fitness and wellness. Check out this account below! I was born and raised in Jamaica. As a boy, I took up running at the age of 10 and…
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…
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…
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…
Working on Wellness: The Ups & Downs Of Finding Moderation in Fitness and Wellness

Working on Wellness: The Ups & Downs Of Finding Moderation in Fitness and Wellness

I was never a healthy and active kid growing up. Instead of being outside running around or participating in sports, I’d rather sit myself in front of the TV for hours. My parents (my mom, in particular) noticed the bad eating and exercise…

Fidget SPINner: How Spinning Helped Me Overcome Anxiety, Depression and PTSD

I walked into my first spin class a very depressed woman. I’m not exaggerating—just a week before accepting my new position at FFC’s Oak Park location, I was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress…
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About a VO2 Max Test & Why You Should Get One
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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About a VO2 Max Test & Why You Should Get One

I love data. Being in marketing, I love being able to make smart decisions based on numbers and know that the route I’m taking my work has a good likelihood of succeeding. I also am a big fan of nerdy stuff when it comes to fitness and wellness…
Employee spotlight: my love-hate relationship with spinning and giving back to a greater good

Employee Spotlight: My Hate/Love Relationship with Spinning & Giving Back to a Greater Good

Several years ago, after ruining my knees from a lifetime of running and martial arts, I took up spinning to keep my cardio up while I rehabbed.  I hated it…  but not for long.  After a while, I started putting together playlists and decided…
A Farewell Letter To My Fitbit

A Farewell Letter To My Fitbit

FFC personal trainer Marylou Tawney pens a humorous breakup letter to her Fitbit, explaining that her fitness goals have evolved and become too complex for the step counter. Dear Fitbit, I'll never forget the first time we met. After a…
How FFC Helped Me Lose 11% Body Fat and Reshape My Perspective on Nutrition
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How FFC Helped Me Lose 11% Body Fat and Reshape My Perspective on Nutrition

Fitness is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. I have read this mantra many times in different forums and articles. While I don't know if the ratio is 100% accurate, what I do know is that nutrition is an extremely vital part of a good fitness plan.…
How Exercise Saved My Life

How Exercise Saved My Life

We've all been there. Searched good ol' WebMD, typed in a few common symptoms, and get the news we're knocking on death's door. This is the one time I took it seriously, and boy, am I glad I did. I first realized something was off when, two…

How Physical Therapy Helped Me With Hip Surgery Recovery

My name is Erin Sneed and I have been in the fitness industry for almost 10 years. I played sports all through high school and went on to play college soccer. While in college, I grew to love group fitness and began teaching classes at my college…