HealthCheck: Losing weight for the New Year

January 4, 2012 (WPVI) -- With many people making New Year's resolutions to lose weight, one woman tells her inspiring story of how she shed 120 pounds and changed her life.

Elga Lyle looks like the picture the health, teaching a "piloxing" class at the Aquatic and Fitness Center. Piloxing is a combination of pilates and boxing.

Elga has endless energy, and is lean and strong.

"It's inspirational to all," said Lisa Lipschultz.

But she wasn't always like that. In her late 20's, she was more than 100 pounds heavier and uncomfortable.

"I was unable to move around physically a lot, I mean I could get around, but I had joint pain, ankles, knees and asthma," said Elga.

So how did she do it?

"I just made up my mind no matter how small my steps are, I know I will eventually get to where I'm going, and that's basically what I did," Elga said.

She started slow. First just walking and slowly she did more. She also made small changes to her diet; eating healthier and cutting portions.

"If I went out to eat, I would ask the wait staff to cut it in half and wrap it up and take it away from me so I would have half to eat," said Elga.

It took her a year and a half to lose 120 pounds. She says she not only transformed her body but also her mind and spirit.

"I started thinking about my thoughts about food and where they came from, and my thoughts about myself and where they came from," Elga explained.

Dropping the emotional baggage and comfort-eating has allowed Elga to keep the weight off. She's kept it off for more than a decade.

She now inspires others to live healthy, including her daughter Seana.

"She supports me to not gain weight or gain any more weight than I already have," said Seana.

And for anyone looking to lose weight and get healthy, she says if she can do it, anyone can. Start with small steps, and keep going.

"It may not happen when you want it to or how fast you want it to, but it will happen," said Elga.

For more on Elga's story and her fitness classes, visit: www.urbana99.com

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weight loss, healthcheck, ali gorman, r.n.

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