Health, not weight loss, the goal, people at gym say

The key to keeping that New Year's resolution of getting fit shouldn't be a short-term goal to shed all that post-holiday padding.

Instead, it should be all about embracing a healthier lifestyle, say a trio of people working out at the Centre of Elgin on Saturday afternoon.

"Don't put losing weight as your priority, make that your side goal," said Heidy Valles, 17, of Gilberts.

Valles says she gained weight over the holiday while visiting extended family in Mexico for two weeks.

While there, Heidy chowed down on traditional Mexican food, adding between five and six pounds to her slender frame.

Saturday, the Jacobs High School student said she was in the gym to get back into a health routine that will also involve playing tennis.

If she loses weight, that will be cool too, she said.

"I'm just trying to stay healthy," Heidy said.

Centre officials report that traffic so far seems to be pretty robust during New Year's resolution time, even with the economy going south.

"Traditionally, we do see a spike in the number of people using the Centre," said Wayne Carlstedt, the facility's operations manager.

Those numbers begin tapering off a couple of months later once the personal health kick has died down, officials said.

Motivation to stay the fitness course can be tough.

But Valentin Zaldivar, 17, of Elgin, says the warm months ahead are the only push he needs to build muscle tone and get rid of some of the pounds he gained over the holiday break noshing on pumpkin pie.

"I don't have too much to lose," said Zaldivar, a former Elgin High School soccer player who also is a lifeguard at the Centre.

Others say there is more work to be done.

After two years of working out at the Centre and eating right, Allynn Kairis, 58, of South Elgin, admits she "fell off the wagon" over the holidays.

She drove down south to visit family in Florida and stopped at fast-food eateries on the way.

When she finally reached her destination, she spent the entire week eating restaurant food.

Kairis said she is working out to get healthy and build her endurance.

She also has an eye on tightening her abs.

"I just want to keep going," Kairis said between sit-ups. "I kind of fell off the wagon in December and - I'm trying to get back on the wagon here."