Shea and Sarah Brewer, at left, and Doug and Sup Fravel each won $500 in Meltdown Mania at Hogan Family YMCA. (RECORD PHOTO/GREGG PARKER

Emily Krause, left, and Julie Detlor each won $50 for “Most Participation” in Hogan Family YMCA’s Meltdown Mania. (RECORD PHOTO/GREGG PARKER

MADISON – The ‘biggest losers’ at Hogan Family YMCA actually were the biggest winners in the Meltdown Mania.

All YMCA association locations opened the contest for 15 teams to compete to lose the greatest percentage of body weight from Jan. 27 to March 21.

“This year was the first time for the Hogan Family YMCA to conduct the contest,” YMCA senior program director Kelli Phillips said. “We plan to make it an annual event.”

The ‘Big Reveal’ ceremony was held March 21 at Hogan Family YMCA. Weight loss for all the contestants totaled more than 400 pounds, Phillips said.

Shea and Sarah Brewer, along with Doug and Sup Fravel, each won $500 for Meltdown Mania’s Group 1.

As individuals in Group 2, Emily Krause and Julie Detlor each won $50 for “most participation. They garnered the most points and recorded the most workouts,” Phillips said.

These competitors racked up points for group exercise classes, weight training, using cardio equipment, lap swimming and for exercising at the same time as a team.

Phillips had entered an identical contest when she worked at Petal Family YMCA in Mississippi. “I was pleased with the turnout in Madison, especially after learning about the other contest with Scale Back Alabama,” she said.

“It’s a world of difference when you’re holding yourself accountable to other people,” Phillips said about joining a team for weight loss. “If my teammates were working out, I knew I better work out. I thought about everything I put in my mouth to eat.”

“You can talk yourself out of anything of your own,” Phillips said. “Teammates gave each other lots of encouragement.”

Phillips soon will transfer to her new position as branch executive director at the Downtown YMCA.

Hogan Family Y amenities include strength training, free-weight centers with individual televisions on equipment, indoor track, sauna and steam rooms, spinning studios and natatorium.

Hogan Family YMCA’s address is 130 Park Square Lane. For more information, call 256-705-9622 or visit ymcahuntsville.org