By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
She’s been teaching ever since she first started learning. “I would learn something at school and go home and teach my siblings,” shared Renae Bentley. For 39 years she’s been teaching fitness classes. Her career as a fitness instructor began, believe it or not while she was pregnant and just after she completed student teaching for her secondary education degree.
“Student teaching was stressful, so I took an aerobics class to help release stress. Next thing I know, I was asked to teach the class,” explained Renae. She is from Lubbock Texas and married her high school sweetheart when she was just 19 years old.
Her husband, Howie Bentley took his young bride 1,000 miles away from Texas, the only place she had ever called home. “Both of our mothers were crying as we pulled out,” shared Renae. Howie and Renae were headed for Kansas where he had a job waiting for him with an automobile dealership.
From Kansas the young couple moved on to Illinois where she marched across the stage with her son in her tummy to receive her college degree. The family’s next stop was Florida. As her husband worked in the auto industry, she cared for their children which within two years of their son they added a daughter.
While being a mommy, Renae continued to teach dance fitness classes and she added teaching Sunday School, VBS, and was an ESL tutor. “When I was a little, I wanted to be a mother and a teacher,” shared Renae.
Texas finally won the Bentleys back and the two have built their niche with Classic Auto Dealership. All the while she was raising her children and watching them become adults and as her husband’s dealership was flourishing, Renae began conceptualizing a facility for physical fitness.
Renae wanted her facility to be more than just a place for people to work out she wanted it to be a center for wellness. Along her life’s journey she had discovered the benefits of essential oils in keeping herself and others healthy. She also discovered what we eat and what we put on our bodies can have a profound impact on our overall health.
Her center needed to incorporate many aspects of being healthy and of course physical fitness. First step was to find a building. “It took a long time. I needed a free-standing building with parking space, and it had to be 5000 square feet for my vision,” said Renae.
After many buildings not measuring up, her real estate agent surprised her with one that met all the specifications. Wouldn’t you know its most recent use had been as a day care center for about three decades.
Coming into the building for the first time, Renae saw the potential and she saw the kiddie plumbing fixtures which all had to go. She worked with an expert to draw up her design that included knocking out walls, removing little toilets, adding staircases, and uncovering some of the historic qualities of the building she had acquired.
Her new business is housed in what was once a stable for the horses from Fort Crockett.
Renae found ways to incorporate some of the equestrian items discovered in the renovation project. She had the original ceiling beams in what was once a hay loft brought out from behind drywall for her future clients to enjoy as they partake of the offerings at the center.
Keeping the rustic feeling as part of the overall building design while bringing in modern fixtures was part of what she accomplished.
Once her vision started shaping up, she was able to focus on the fine details of providing a wellness center. “All the things in the building are about fitness and wellness. Here, we start where you are and get you to a healthier place,” explained Renae the owner of Bent on Healthy Living Wellness Center.
What you will find when you pull up to the center is a very secure building. If the center is not open the gates are locked and, the building is locked at all times. Guests must first ring a bell if they are not seen in advance by a staff member. Keeping her clients safe is part of keeping them well, and Renae has not scrimped in this area.
Stepping inside, one does not sense they are in a gym or fitness center, rather it feels like a spa with the careful selection of a soothing color palate and essential oils in a diffuser, clients can begin to unwind the moment they enter.
On one end of the building is a cycling room which also serves as a Zumba, Pilates, Core & More, HIIT & Flow and yoga room. The other end of the building is a wide-open space where various physical fitness classes are held. The space can be rented for other purposes.
The second floor has space rented to an IV therapist, a physical therapist, and a massage therapist along with a low infrared sauna booth and a dry salt booth which is another technology for keeping the body healthy.
Bringing on staff for her center started with her fellow cycling instructor Hollie. The two ladies met at church and at cycling classes. Hollie is eager to share her short journey in physical fitness. “I stared working out at age 47. I know how good it’s made me feel and I want that for everybody,” shared Hollie.
Renae is working on getting her Personal Trainer certification as well as a Certified Raindrop Technique Specialist. She will be offering Raindrops and Vitaflex as part of her services. She is also in classes to become a certified aromatherapist. Currently she holds an ACE-certified group fitness instructor, sports nutrition specialist, YogaFit, and Schwinn Cycling instructor. She also teaches Zumba and other dance fitness formats.
All her instructors are certified in the areas they teach and must be certified in CPR. Keeping her clients healthy is her goal and she hopes to give them a sense of belonging when they show up for classes or other services.
“I want everyone who comes here to feel welcome and feel they are part of a caring group,” shared Renae who has gone from teaching to being kind of like the school principal over her own facility educating people on healthy living.
Bent on Healthy Living and Wellness Center is located just a few blocks from the seawall in Galveston at 2910 53 St. There is no membership fee. Renae and her staff hope anyone who is visiting or living in the area will feel welcome to stop in and avail themselves of their services.
