As the Easter basket full of candy sat in front of Christopher Welty when he was a sophomore in high school, he was disgusted with himself knowing he was planning on eating all of it, despite already being an unhealthy weight.

That day was a pivotal moment for Welty when he decided to change his lifestyle.

Change followed when he gave up sweets and carbonation immediately.

"I pushed the basket aside, deciding that I would eat it slowly, but I never touched it again," Welty said.

Within a short amount of time, he noticed a big difference in how he felt.

"I didn't see a huge difference in weight, but I felt good knowing that I was taking care of myself," Welty said.

He joined Gold's Gym shortly after quitting sweets, and by his junior year of high school had lost 100 pounds.

Recently Gold's Gym featured Welty's inspiring story in its "Know Your Own Strength" competition. Unlike other weight-loss challenge contests, Gold's Gym wanted to hear member stories and see changes they have made in their lives.

"It takes strength and willpower to accomplish your goals," said Casey Nelson, vice president of operations for Gold's Gym in northern Utah. "We wanted to find out what motivates you to want to lead a healthier lifestyle."

Each story was unique, but Nelson was impressed with Welty's story because he has maintained his healthy lifestyle through the years and used the gym to stay thin.

Welty came in third place in the competition and said his time spent at the gym is a must to keep the weight off his body.

The Gold's Gym contest had an effect on Welty's outlook of himself.

"When I lost the weight, I still felt large because you're used to being made fun of, but doing this has helped me see that I must not be large if they are going to recognize me," Welty said.

Dealing with weight is a constant struggle for him knowing he must work for it by regularly going to the gym.

Gold's Gym also wanted to learn more about its members through the contest and reward them for working hard.

First-place winner Hollie Warlaumont from Syracuse reluctantly began working out at a Gold's Gym when her husband wanted to get a better family discount rate.

After learning how to lift weights and attending some classes at Gold's Gym, she lost 51 pounds and later became a bodybuilding champion.

Second-place winner Tamera Catto of North Ogden lost 146 pounds after learning her sister was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and Catto was the only stem cell donor match.

She wanted to be a healthy donor for her sister, so she lost the weight and has kept it off.

The contest also helped Gold's Gym see how many members come to the gym for their sanity.

"I have hundreds of moms that appreciate the gym for its nursery and help them mentally and physically release for an hour," Nelson said.

Nelson is a father of three, and his wife uses the gym to get a break as well.

"I like going to the gym because it makes me feel better about myself, and when I feel good, I feel like I'm a better person because I have taken the time for myself," said Bobbie Jo Nelson. "It has definitely been a life-saver for me."

Gold's Gym's management likes seeing members' health improve.

"We have a couple people who have been diagnosed with severe diseases, so they have used fitness as a way to work through that," Nelson said.

Going to the gym has become a habit for many Gold's Gym members.

For Welty, some people have coffee in the morning to wake them up, but he goes to the gym and then feels good about himself the rest of the day.

He has come a long way since he was a 250-pound high school sophomore, but ever since staring down his Easter basket full of candy, he hasn't looked back and looks forward to a healthy future.

Know Gold's Gym

» Joe Gold opened the original Gold's Gym - "The Mecca" - in 1965 in Venice Beach, Calif.

» Today, Gold's Gym is the largest global co-ed gym in the world spanning more than 40 states across the United States and more than 30 countries.

» Gold's Gym has more than 3 million members who train at 600-plus gyms worldwide.

» The gyms offer health and fitness programs, including personal training and customized conditioning programs and a wide array of heart-pumping group exercise classes.

» Gold's Gym is a caring corporate citizen in each of its local communities. On a national level, it works with the American Diabetes Association and serves as a national sponsor of the "Tour de Cure."

Source: www.goldsgym.com/golds/pressroom/index.php.