Veggie Food. Workout. Travel. Repeat.

Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?

That first line sums me up pretty well. You already know great vegetarian food and travel are two of my biggest passions. And, in order to indulge here and there and feel good, I gotta get my booty to the gym.

Two years ago I joined Flywheel (indoor cycling classes) and one of the greatest by-products has been meeting some of the best of the best in the fitness industry. Seriously, the cream of the crop. These fine folks are motivators, passionate, hard-working and most of all, FUN! And, the absolute cherry on top is that I can now call each one of these amazing people my friends. It’s really because of each one of these rock stars that I even show up to workout and work hard at that.

In no particular order, I present to you my favorite fitness instructors in Chicago and which studio you can find them at (many teach at other studios as well):

Erin Schirack at Studio Three– I’m pretty sure Erin and I had an instant friendship from the first time I took her Tuesday morning Flywheel class. I just remember absolutely loving her energy, dance moves and the fun she brought to each class. But, there was something more to her that I picked up on as I became a regular; it was her aura and inspiration on that bike. It’s actually kind of tough to pinpoint and describe, but there was just something about her that was so engaging, it was hard not to become her groupie. Erin now teaches Peloton spin classes at Studio Three, and has somewhat of a limited schedule since she moved to Michigan. She does come back every other week or so to teach here in Chicago and I literally stalk the schedule in advance to make sure I’ll be able to make it to her classes; yes, I’m a little crazy like that. Take her class and you’ll understand why.

Will Haley at Flywheel– I knew from my first class with Will that he was going to be a favorite purely based on the songs from his playlist. We definitely like the same kind of music and that for me is a huge motivator when it comes to any kind of group fitness class. It really does boil down to both the instructor AND the music. But, what I also really liked about Will is that he keeps you on your toes. On many occasion I’ve found myself in a focused zone with Will’s insightful messages about being true to yourself or winning at your own game, and then Will blurts out something so random and hilarious, I’m literally cracking up out of no where. He’s got a great sense of humor but keeps it real while getting you to give it your all on that bike. It’s truly never a dull moment with Will around, so sign up for his class and see for yourself.

Angie Starz at Yoga Six– I’m including Angie on this list even though I didn’t meet her through Flywheel (I actually met Angie at a rooftop yoga class through the Trump Health Club almost two years ago). We’ve bumped into each other now and again, but I was super excited when I was offered to come try out Yoga Six and Angie was one of the instructors there. In case you didn’t already know, not all yoga instructors are created equal. And, I personally think Angie is one of the best yoga teachers I have come across in a long time…dare I say ever?! Her calm demeanor, awesome energy and all-around fantastic classes are a testament to her practice of yoga and teaching. Not to mention that every class I have ever attended of hers is always jam-packed. Word has definitely gotten out about how amazing she is. And here’s a fun tidbit; Angie teaches special yoga classes and workshops, for example, at the top of the John Hancock building, 94 floors above the city or at the beach of Lake Michigan. Check out Yoga Six to see what special workshops she’s teaching and make sure you attend; I promise you won’t be sorry.

Alicia Miller at Flywheel– Alicia just rocks. It’s as simple as that. Alicia is also one of the nicest, most laid-back people I know and she’s got such a great spirit. I have brought many friends (and even my brother) to her classes and every single person has loved it. Alicia is truly a master at Flywheel and very well-respected within the community. I’m so bummed to say that Alicia is leaving us here in Chicago and moving to Seattle in December where she will continue her legacy with Flywheel. My best friend just happens to live in Seattle, so I know I will be taking Alicia’s classes when I visit. You have less than two weeks left to ride with Alicia here in Chicago, otherwise, make sure to scope her out if you find yourself in Seattle.

Gideon Akande at Studio Three– I’m fairly certain that Gideon does not sleep. Here’s my understanding of some of the things he does; teach spin and HIIT (high-intensity interval training) classes at Studio Three, lead boot camp classes in the park, was named Men’s Health Next Top Trainer and released Riptensity (an at-home workout series on DVD that Gideon created and led), is a fitness expert on TV shows as well as hosting workshops around the city. How does he do it all? No, seriously, how does he do it?! I mean, I’m excited when I get one workout in for the day…ha ha.  That list truly sums up the dedication Gideon has to helping others and his passion for fitness. He is such a kind-hearted person and just a true champion all-around. I haven’t tried his boot camp classes yet, but maybe that will be my next endeavor to switch things up. Truthfully, I’m a little scared, but know I’ll be in good hands with Gideon leading the way.

Candy Morales at Trump Health Club– I first met Candy at Flywheel (where she is still an instructor), but more recently have begun personal training sessions with her. I knew how intense she was in the Flywheel studio, so I won’t lie, I was beyond freaked out for our first training session together. But, here’s the thing I did not expect; to be laughing the entire hour while working hard, and more so, being truly inspired as Candy told me about her own personal fitness journey. Sometimes you look at these strong, dedicated instructors and think they were just born like that. But, Candy revealed how she poured her blood, sweat and tears into getting to where she is today and I was truly touched by her story. And, don’t think because we had such a fun time in our training session that it was a breeze in the park; I pretty much couldn’t walk the next three days. Instead of being mad or sad about it, it was a reminder that I need to switch up my game and get more strength training in throughout the week. The good news is that now when I train with Candy, I’m not sore anymore the next day and I can feel I’m getting stronger each time. Ready to train with Candy (the answer is yes)?

Dani Muckley at Studio Three– Dani will always hold a special place in my heart because it was at her Flywheel class that I achieved my best PR (personal record). It was less about my score as much as it was achieving something greater than myself and seeing my improvement week after week on that bike. But, I know I could not have done any of that without the coaching and guidance of Dani (and all the other instructors along the way). I still take spin classes with Dani at Studio Three and I have yet to attend one of her HIIT classes. I know Dani will give me a run for my money while I’m on that row machine and treadmill, but if she could help me achieve such success on a bike, I know she will get me to another level of fitness trying out something different. I’m ready for the challenge! Who wants to join me at Dani’s HIIT class?

There you have it. If you are looking to change-up your workout routine or are just looking for some of the best instructors in Chicago, then I hope I have helped steer you in the right direction.

 

P.S. This post was not sponsored in any way. I wrote this to share my thoughts on the best fitness instructors in Chicago, but also purely out of my gratitude to these unbelievable people who help me every single week in ways words can’t describe.