People getting fit in Ashby

Lake Club Center has nearly 70 members

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Now into its fifth month of operation, Lake Club Fitness of Ashby is a place where people come to exercise and do their best to stay healthy. Close to 70 members come to the fitness center — at different times of the week — that’s located on the main street.

Owner/operator Nancy LaRue and her husband, Scott, purchased what was formerly Thompson Sales & Service. It took them from May to August to renovate the building into a fitness center.

“We were confident that a fitness center would go over well here in Ashby,” Nancy said, “and we’re appreciative of our new members. It’s satisfying to know that people really do want to maintain good health.”

Members have a variety of options when they come for their exercise routines at Lake Club Fitness in Ashby. Included are cardio machines, treadmills, bikes, ellipticals and free weights, to name a few.

“We also have stability balls and keep on top of new products used by other fitness centers all across the country,” LaRue said. “It’s good to see people here encouraging one another as they work to stay fit and stay healthy.”

LaRue has a four-year degree in Exercise Science and is an ACE (American Council on Exercise) certified personal trainer. She offers personal training for those who want help learning exercises that will accomplish their specific fitness goals.

The Centers for Disease Control says an obesity epidemic threatens the health of millions of Americans. A recent CDC report says one-quarter of all Americans get virtually no exercise.

Experts say regular exercise is a key to keeping weight under control. For many people that means a stop at the health club. However, it’s not quite as easy for those living in small towns where no fitness centers exist.

“Fortunately for Ashby area residents, we fill a niche,” LaRue said.

In Ashby and other towns similar in size, many residents are senior citizens who need regular exercise regimens. In Ashby many of them come to Lake Club Fitness.

“Our senior citizen members know that discipline is the key to maintaining healthy lives,” she said. “They know that when they exercise they feel better — both physically and mentally.”

LaRue agrees with Marion Kershner of the Otter Tail County Health Department who says that exercise is the simplest and most effective way to combat the obesity epidemic. The challenge is to get people moving.

“No matter what age, or your body shape, exercise always is good,” LaRue said. “Some people exercise more vigorously than others — but that’s all right. As Marion says, the challenge is to keep moving.”