With five days a week on air, NBC-5’s Chicago Today host-producer Cortney Hall has to juggle work duties with her wellness routine. “I’m not a person who loves going to a gym, but I’m down for a class,” she says. “I love the social element and learning a new sport.” Born in Beverly, the 43-year-old Loop resident always wanted a job that had an immediate impact. She found her calling on 9/11 while hunkered down in her Georgetown dorm “watching Peter Jennings and seeing the visual of the Pentagon on fire.” That ultimately led her to study broadcast journalism at Northwestern. Now she has five years under her belt on the local midday lifestyle show. On December 31, she and Chicago Today partner Matthew Rodrigues switch to prime time for A Very Chicago New Year — but Hall sets life-improvement goals year-round.
Coming out swinging
“I love boxing. I have my own gloves and everything. It’s like a rage room, right? You just get it all out. The class at Body Shot in Pilsen is an incredible full-body workout. You warm up jumping rope and doing interval exercises, then move into boxing — first on the bags, then you might spar. It’s drip-sweat exhausting. The funny thing is, as a concept, I hate it. I have zero desire to watch any type of fighting on television. But it’s a thrill.”
No shade
“I’m religious about sunblock. I like Cotz Flawless Complexion for my face. It’s darker, so it doesn’t make my skin look ashy. I appreciate that some companies have finally acknowledged there’s more than one skin tone in the world.”
Hydration goals
“I’m a bad hydrator, which is why I try to have a water bottle with me at all times. It just reminds me, so I’ve gotten better at that.”
Phone hiatus
“I’ve accepted that I might have an addiction to my phone — social media in particular. I know it’s rude to always be on your phone, so I won’t look at it at the dinner table. I wasn’t raised in a barn. I have to use social media for my career, but for my own mental sanity, I’m going to designate an hour every day to make my posts and scan, then be done with it. I haven’t quite nailed it yet.”