Members Dominate The 2015 Gold's Gym Challenge; Lose An Estimated 216,678 Pounds And 226,527 Inches In Just 12 Weeks

$100,000 in Cash Prizes Awarded to 30 Most Inspiring Body Transformations; Demand Prompts Fall Challenge with Sign-Ups Starting in August

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Gold's Gym

Jun 23, 2015, 08:58 ET

DALLAS, June 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In January 2015, as Gold's Gym kicked off its 50^th Anniversary year, nearly 20,000 Gold's Gym members from across the U.S. enrolled in the Gold's Gym Challenge – a 12-week total body transformation competition to help people achieve their potential through fitness. The results showcased the incredible efforts of 19,698 total participants from 326 Gold's Gym locations nationwide – with a total of 216,678 pounds and 226,527 inches lost. The average participant lost at least 11 pounds and 11.5 inches.

The Gold's Gym Challenge is a collaboration between Gold's Gym and the Gold's Gym Franchise Association (GGFA). As part of this year's event, cash prizes totaling $100,000 – provided in part by sponsors Met-RX, PowerCrunch and Microsoft – were distributed to the most impressive transformations from around the country to recognize their incredible accomplishments. A national panel convened for several days to review thousands of entries and award first, second and third place winners ($6,500, $2,500 and $1,000 respectively) in five age categories (18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59 and 60+).

Winners were chosen based on total body transformations including the following criteria: before and after photos, amount of weight lost, muscle tone, inches lost, percentage of body weight lost and personal testimonials.

The 1^st place winners of the 2015 Gold's Gym Challenge include:

18-29 age category
1^st Place Female Winner: Johnelle Burnett from Issaquah, WA (Gold's Gym Redmond)
Lost 49.5 lbs., 21.5 inches, 14.7% body fat

1^st Place Male Winner: Adam Lucas from Knoxville, TN (Gold's Gym Farragut)
Lost 77.6 lbs., 28.5 inches, 19% body fat

30-39 age category
1^st Place Female Winner: Maribel Contreras* from El Monte, CA (Gold's Gym West Covina)
Lost 47.2 lbs., 17.5 inches, 15.7% body fat *Overall Female Winner

1^st Place Male Winner: Dwayne Woodard from Crofton, MD (Gold's Gym Crofton)
Lost 65 lbs., 13 inches, 12.1% body fat

40-49 age category
1^st Place Female Winner: Julie Sullivan from Newhall, CA (Gold's Gym Valencia)
Lost 38 lbs., 25.5 inches, 7.1% body fat

1^st Place Male Winner: Gary Urie** from York, PA (Gold's Gym Dundalk)
Lost 43.2 lbs., 20.5 inches **Overall Male Winner

50-59 age category
1^st Place Female Winner: Annette Anderson from Issaquah, WA (Gold's Gym Redmond)
Lost 17.4 lbs., 13.25 inches, 5.4% body fat

1^st Place Male Winner: David Moore from Greensboro, NC (Gold's Gym Brassfield)
Lost 34 lbs., 14.5 inches, 10% body fat

60+ age category
1^st Place Female Winner: Heather Faubert from Oak Park, CA (Gold's Gym Thousand Oaks)
Lost 41 lbs., 17 inches, 6.2% body fat

1^st Place Male Winner: Duane Stone from Brookeville, MD (Gold's Gym Olney)
Lost 28.7 lbs., 25 inches, 7.3% body

Each winner shared moving stories about their transformations in personal essays and testimonials, including Overall Female and Male Winners, Maribel Contreras and Gary Urie:

"In a desperate attempt to gain control over my life, I scheduled surgery to staple my stomach!" said Overall Female winner Maribel Contreras. "I needed a change even more drastic than surgery. I needed an attitude adjustment! I canceled my stomach surgery and the very next day, I walked into Gold's Gym, I committed to getting healthy the right way," said Contreras.

"I've lost 43 pounds, eight pant sizes, and am now full of energy," said Overall Male winner Gary Urie. "I dedicate all my success to my late father who passed away two years to the day of my final weigh-in. I know he was looking out for me," continued Urie.

To continue its commitment of helping people achieve their potential through fitness, Gold's Gym is hosting a Fall Challenge in 2015. Sign-ups will begin in August with initial weigh-ins in September. For more information about the Fall Challenge, visit www.goldsgym.com/challenge.

For more information on Gold's Gym visit www.goldsgym.com or to find a Gold's Gym near you, visit http://www.goldsgym.com/find-gym/.

About Gold's Gym
Since 1965 Gold's Gym has built a Legacy of Strength − a legacy that goes back to the very first Gold's Gym in Venice, California. Fifty years later, Gold's Gym is the most recognized gym chain in the world with more than 700 locations in 38 states and 23 countries. Gold's Gym offers the latest equipment and services, including group exercise, personal training, cardiovascular equipment, group cycle, Pilates and yoga. With nearly 3 million members worldwide, Gold's Gym helps all kinds of people achieve their potential through fitness.

For more information please visit www.goldsgym.com, www.facebook.com/goldsgym or www.twitter.com/goldsgym. To learn more about how Gold's Gym is celebrating its 50th Anniversary, visit http://www.goldsgym.com/50th-anniversary/.

SOURCE Gold's Gym