MOVE | How she did it
By Micah Bader
Secret to weight loss: commitment When Nyla Anderson, 29, was in high school at Albert Lea, she was an athlete who played volleyball. That’s how most people knew her. In her fifth year of college, she was blessed with a baby girl. As a busy mother, she’d go out to eat often. It became hard to keep that athletic physique. “McDonald’s is by far the easiest place to go,” she said. “They’re everywhere. Big Macs still make my mouth water. They’re delicious.” With fast food, midnight snacks and minimal exercise, Nyla weighed 255 pounds.
The change
“It’s nice and quiet,” she said. Exercise and a diet without many processed foods helped Nyla lose 60 pounds.
The lifestyle
Because she does not eat out as much, Nyla hits up the grocery store. Hy-Vee in Albert Lea suits her best because it’s between Brookside Education Center and her home in Clarks Grove. “I always start with the produce section, and I like to get organic food,” she said. “Then I’ll go through the middle sections if I have to.” Not only does Nyla like the way she looks, she likes the way she feels.
Nyla’s brother and mother started the Candida diet to cut out processed foods. So last June, Nyla, a 10ththrough 12th-grade math teacher at Albert Lea High School, decided she’d take a 10-day vacation and start the diet immediately when she returned. “I started it that summer,” she said. “Then I decided to walk a lot — three to five miles a day, four days a week.” Before Albert Lea has an 255 lbs. After abundance of parks with lakes 195 lbs. and trails. Nyla said her favorite place to exercise is the walkway around Fountain Lake.
Nyla’s tips • Surf the web. “I collected a few workouts on Pinterest so I can do a different list of jumping jacks, squats and side lunges each day and not get sick of them.” • The more the merrier. “Try to lose weight with a friend or 28 | ALBERT LEA | MARCH/APRIL 2014
Nyla Anderson before, right, and 60 pounds less, above.
family member. It also helped when I started posting my weight loss to Facebook because I felt more accountable.” • Everything in moderation. “I’ll still go out to eat with friends, and I’ll have whatever I would’ve had before, but my stomach has shrunk so I don’t eat as much. If I eat a ton, I know I’ll feel miserable.”
Let’s get physical! • Indoor Cycling, 5:15-6 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 5:30-6:30 p.m. Mondays; 9:30-10:15 a.m. and 5:30-6:15 p.m. Wednesdays; Albert Lea Family Y, $28 for nonmembers per session (one day a week) • Kettlebells, 12:15-1:15 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Albert Lea Family Y, $28 for nonmembers per session (one day a week) • Boot Camp, 5 a.m. Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays; 5:15 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, Anytime Fitness, free to members, $5 per class for nonmembers; 7:50-8:50 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays, March 10-April 30, Fab Z Fitness at Carnegie Event Center, $56 • Cardio Combo, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Mondays, Albert Lea Family Y, $28 for nonmembers per session (one day a week) • Body Strength and Tone, 7-7:50 p.m. Thursdays, April 2-May 22, Brookside Gym A, Albert Lea Community Education, $23 • Pilates Mat Class, 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays, March 17-May 5, HeartWaves Studio, $48 • Zumba/Zumba Toning, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, March 10-April 30, $56; Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 4-May 1, Fab Z Fitness at Carnegie Event Center, $63 • Nia, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, March 19-May 7, HeartWaves Studio, $56 • All About Abs!, 5:05-5:25 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, March 10-April 30, Fab Z Fitness, $34 • Fitness For You, 5:15-6:15 p.m. Wednesdays, Albert Lea Family Y, $28 for nonmembers per session (one day a week) • Cycle Kettlebells, 4:15-5:15 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Albert Lea Family Y, $28 for nonmembers per session (one day a week) • Yoga, noon to 1 p.m., Tuesdays, March 18-May 6, HeartWaves Studio, $61; 6:45 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays, Carnegie Event Center, $5 each class for nonmembers of Snap Fitness; 6:45-7:45 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays, March 10-April 30, Fab Z Fitness at Carnegie Event Center, $56; 6:35-7:35 p.m., Mondays, Albert Lea Family Y, $28 for nonmembers per session