Kim Gagnier walked into the Niles-Buchanan YMCA in January with one mission: to improve her health.

Although she was persuaded to sign up for a membership by her daughter, Mindi Meek, she has since lost 44 pounds — 22.15 percent of her body weight — all on her own.

Gagnier is the winner of the YMCA’s annual weight-loss challenge; the final weigh-in was May 15. She won a 32-inch TV from Aaron’s.

The Niles resident joined the YMCA a couple of days before the initial weigh-in of the challenge. She started her regimen by walking around the indoor track, and then working her way up to 1.5 hours on the treadmill. She would get to the gym at about 5:30 p.m., after work at GE Capital Solutions in St. Joseph.

“I kept seeing weight go off,” she said. “I saw results.

“You just got to keep doing it,” Gagnier said of her motivation. “Some days you won’t see anything, and some days it’s like, ‘wow.'”

She also changed her eating habits, choosing the South Beach Diet, which is low in carbs and fats and high in protein, because she has family members with diabetes and heart disease.

She also faced challenges when she twisted her ankle in a fitness class and threw out her hip when slipping on ice, which prevented her from exercising.

Gagnier said she was more motivated this time than in her previous efforts to lose weight.

Her daughter, who did not stick with the challenge, “thinks it’s great,” Gagnier said.

“My husband said he got a whole new wife,” said Gagnier, who has three daughters and six grandchildren.

About 250 people signed up in January for the free challenge. Participants, who must be YMCA members, logged workout minutes and weight, and received points for minutes of exercise. Point incentives were also available for those participating in fitness classes.

“It gets them in the right direction,” said Stacie Mayes, fitness instructor and personal trainer. “We try to make it a long enough program so it becomes part of their daily lives.”

About 50 people qualified for T-shirts by tallying 5,000 minutes of exercise at the YMCA or YMCA-affiliated events. Participants had the option of utilizing a free personal trainer when signing up.

Mayes explained that the YMCA does not just offer a gym membership; it also includes unlimited fitness and aquatic classes. Personal trainers are available for a charge.

The YMCA will also have a weight-loss challenge beginning in October.