THANK YOU, PRESIDENT LINCOLN

All Americans should be thankful that President Abraham Lincoln successfully preserved the Union (although at great cost) .  Today, I am (sort of) thanking President Abraham Lincoln (five dollar bill version of him) as only $5.00 will allow me to utilize a local fitness club in Clare, Michigan (an extremely low cost)

Yesterday I left Chicago and travelled to Clare, Michigan.  Clare, Michigan is centrally located in northern Michigan and it is not exactly a large metropolis.   The nearest YMCA is a approximately 40 miles distant.  Clare, Michigan has no national fitness chains within miles.  What the town does have is exactly one privately owned fitness center with a very friendly policy for out-of-town guests or anyone that simply wants to use the facility.  For just $5.00 one can have access to CLARE FAMILY FITNESS.    Although this is a small town, the fitness center is open 24 hours per day!   So as soon as I 'publish' this post to the blog - I will travel the half mile from my hotel and get in a good workout to start my day.

CLARE FAMILY FITNESS, where my day will start on Tuesday

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 Monday MENU

breakfast   THREE APPLES                                                              240 calories
lunch         SALAD BAR, granola trail mix                                     1085 calories
dinner       SUBWAY double chicken spinach salad, w/croutons       280 calories
SNACK   BULK FOODS: granola, dried fruit, chocolate                  829 calories

total calories consumed 2434 calories

calories burned

HOME STAR TRAC ELLIPTICAL 45 minutes, level 20                     1072 calories

CALORIES BURNED 1072 CALORIES

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Monday net calories 1362 calories

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This following passage lifted from the Clare Family Fitness website is from the about me page of Clare Family Fitness.... It is a brief history of the business told by the owner, Kim Denton.    One has to admire a small business success story run by a typical American.  It is people like this that make America great (y'know when America was great before the Leftists did everything they could to destroy it - they have not completely succeeded yet - but they will never give up.)   Therefore either can we!

I am so proud and excited to be the new owner of Clare Family Fitness.  I thank Randy Hale for the opportunity - he has created an environment where I have personally thrived with his killer X-Fit class for 3 years and now on a professional level.  Stepping into the gym as the owner is completely exhilarating.  I am anxious to bring new programs and fitness opportunities to the Clare area.

My fitness journey begins with Jane Fonda…for real!!!  In high school I worked out with a neighbor lady in tights and a body suit…YIKES.  I ran cross country in high school, but wasn’t very good thanks to shin splints.  Then in college I started swimming and eventually competed in a few sprint triathlons.  I really loved step aerobics and water aerobics and taught a few classes.  Truthfully, I was never an athlete, but always wanted to be fit and healthy.  Then came marriage and babies and I put my fitness quest on hold.  

About 10 years ago, I needed to burn some “baby fat” and worked out in two health clubs in Mt. Pleasant daily and eventually got kicked out of both…because of their rules about children.   (That’s not going to happen at Clare Family Fitness.)  At that point, I took my fitness pursuit into my own home and did workouts with neighbors.  Then, we realized that we wanted to get the kids involved and brought Girls on the Run to Clare.  This was when I realized my passion to help young girls realize their unique beauty, make healthy choices, exude confidence, and reach their fullest potential.  

Ok, so I do have a competitive side too…I have loved coaching Clare Middle School Cross Country with Kyle McKown for the last 5 years and intend to continue with “my girls”.   Personally, I competed with a team of “MissFits” in Clare’s Toughest Contest and we earned second place to a guys’ team…but we had much better form thanks to Randy’s coaching.  I am a sports booster, a board member for Girls On The Run, and the ultimate fan for my kids’ teams.

Speaking of my family, they are also invested in my new endeavor as a gym owner.  My husband of almost 25 years, Jeff Denton, is thrilled to have a membership at CFF!   It would have been easier for him to work out a deal while Randy was the owner because now he has to lay rubber flooring and handle my constant flow of ideas for improvement.  Gabe is a sophomore at Clare High School and luckily got his dad’s athletic mind, body, and ability.  His brute strength is also an asset to the gym…thanks Gabe!  Leah is in 8th grade and enjoys the gym for running club and the cozy couch for naps after school.  My eldest, Abigail, is attending Calvin College in Grand Rapids and would like me to install a climbing wall…not sure about that…how about the water tower!  My parents are also roped into the new business…my mom works at The Studio (old Curves is now Clare Family Fitness) in the early morning and my dad runs errands and they both check on me to make sure I’m taking care of myself! 

I graduated from Mason High School in 1986.  In 1989, I earned a Bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in Business Administration from Alma College.  We have lived in Clare for almost 17 years, but this is Jeff’s home town, he graduated in 1983. As a stay-at-home-mom for 2 decades, I was restless for a professional endeavor.  

Clare Family Fitness is where I will pursue a life-long dream of business ownership that started as a little girl in Lansing selling lemonade by the road at my card table station!

At Clare Family Fitness, my goal is to provide a fitness opportunity for all ages, shapes, and situations (even moms with kids in tow).  I have surrounded myself with an amazing team to meet your needs.  We are here to help you reach your fitness goals…so join our family at Clare Family Fitness!

Be healthy and be happy!

KIM DENTON