Amaya wins Meltdown for March without going hungry

Audrey Amaya has lost 75 pounds since October, but she hasn’t done it by starving herself.

‘I’m not eating less, I’m eating better,’ said Amaya, who is the March winner of USA Gym’s McMinnville Meltdown contest co-sponsored by Southern Standard. ‘I’m drinking low-fat milk. Now I eat turkey instead of hamburger meat, and I eat lots of fruit and vegetables.’

Amaya lost 14 pounds in March to become the monthly Meltdown winner. The overall winner will be determined at the end of the year.

For her efforts, she gets a $50 gift certificate to USA Gym, a manicure, pedicure, cut or style at Georgia Career Institute, and her picture in the newspaper.

Amaya is determined to not just go on a diet, which usually results in the weight coming back as soon as the diet ends, but to make a lifestyle change. In addition to eating better, she is also incorporating exercise into her daily routine.

She works out five days a week at USA Gym and does cardiovascular work, body sculpting, and weight training.

The Standard and USA Gym want to praise Amaya for her weight-loss accomplishments. We all benefit from a healthy, active community.