Yorkville Man Tackles Weighty Issue

Eric Gwilt, 27, knew he had put on some weight since high school, but even he was surprised last year to see just how much.

“I got into a car accident and went to the doctor, and he weighed me,” the Yorkville resident said. “I thought I was a lot less than what they said.”

In March 2010, at 430 pounds, Gwilt decided he needed to shed some pounds.

He cut down on his calorie intake, and began going regularly to the to lift weights, walk on the treadmill and play basketball.

“I was always athletic so I used that to my advantage,” he said.

Gwilt’s hard work has paid off. These days, he is tipping the scales at 225 pounds.

Kathy Smith, one of the REC Center’s front desk staff, has been able to witness Gwilt’s 200-pound transformation.

“I have watched him come in day after day,” she said. “When you sign in and swipe your (member) card a picture comes up. If you didn’t know, you’d say, ‘That’s not him.’ His face is half the size it was. In the picture, he’s a great big lumberjack. Now he’s this tall, lean, fit young guy. It’s like night and day.”

She lauded his determination to get fit.

“He made a commitment to exercise and take control of his eating habits,” she said. “It’s not like he spent thousands of dollars with a personal trainer or all this money on Weight Watchers. He just gets up and goes to the REC Center every day and pays attention to what he’s eating.”

Gwilt is thankful for the facility.

“If it weren’t for the REC Center and their staff, I wouldn’t have been able to lose as much as I did,” he said. “I always felt comfortable and at ease when I was there working out. They have the right equipment and enough space to work out on my own but also had the resources I needed if I had any questions. The staff was always friendly and more than willing to help out.”

He has advice for others who would like to lose weight but feel like the situation might be hopeless.

“Find something that fits your lifestyle and your body,” he said. “And don’t give up.”