Looking at Adam Keighran, you’d never know that just a few years ago he was knocking on death’s door. At 291 pounds on a 6’2’’ frame, with health issues including high blood pressure and gout, Keighran was playing with fire—but now, he’s down to a 182 pounds, and all it took was a doctor wagering him $100,000 that he wouldn’t make it to his 40th birthday.
“Throughout my twenties, I was a heavy drinker and smoker,” Keighran shared with Men’s Health. “I was working in the wine tasting and wine sales industry and my hours were flexible, which enabled a very unhealthy lifestyle that included late nights and late mornings.”
At the time, he had no partner and no children—really, “nothing to worry about except for myself, and it turned into a pretty destructive routine of some seriously unhealthy habits.”
By his early twenties he stopped playing sports and began “watching them on television instead, beer in hand and pub meal, no doubt, in front of me.”
Adam Kreighan
But in September 2010, Keighran got a staggering assessment from his doctor. Not only did his medical professional diagnose him with gout and high blood pressure, but he also said that Keighran “looked pregnant.” He also bet him $100,000 that he’d be dead before he hit his 40th birthday.
“Quite obviously this stinging assessment really struck a note,” Keighran said.
But that wasn’t all. You see, Keighran was born at just 27 weeks. And it just so happened that at the same time his doctor was telling him just how much he was shortening his life, Keighran himself came across a charity foundation in Australia called The Miracle Babies Foundation.
“I started reading up on the babies that did not survive their premature start to life, and also those that had survived, but continued to suffer from massive health issues,” he said. “It really sunk in that I had been super lucky. Not only did I survive, but I suffered zero bad health issues except for the self-induced ones.”
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I run to forget my past but to remember my roots.
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It was then, Keighran said, that “a large sense of guilt crept in, and I felt like I owed it to both myself and my family to turn my life around.”
To do so, Keighran had to take a deep dive into nutritional science as he was both “too broke and too nervous” to join a gym or order any food delivery system. So, he began by counting calories. Then, he added on a few days a week of walking and riding his stationary bike. (Want to start calorie counting too? Here’s everything you need to know about calories in calories out.)
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Brisbane 12months apart! #transformation #shirefitness #brisvegastimewarp #fattofit
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Each week he had small victories, like adding distance to his jogs and walks or losing an extra pound.
“It was super motivating to see these things improve,” he said. “Everything worked together.”
Soon enough, Keighran lost 109 pounds to hit his goal of 182. And, as a bit of icing on this nutritious cake, he was so motivated by his own success that he became a personal trainer to help others like him taste the same sweet victory he did.
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My office these days! Livin the dream!!! 🙂
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Beyond the new nutrition and workout routine, Keighran said having someone keeping it real for him, like his doctor, was paramount to his success. As was social media.
“I talk to my current clients a lot about having an ‘accountability guy.’ Someone that can dish out the tough love but also nurture you through the tough times,” he shared. “I decided that my friends at the time were all ‘haters’ and out to sabotage my mission, so they were no good for this job. And I decided that my family were seemingly too nice for this job and not willing to hand out the tough love. So I, therefore, decided that social media was going to be my ‘accountability guy.’”
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The moment I received my buckle after running what can only be described as the race of my life!! @brendanjdavies at @upcoaching has coached me to produce a result that I never could have dreamed of! With a goal of running a sub 14hrs over the 100km course through the Blue Mountains, to return in 12:43 and place 91st in a field of 900- I could not be happier! A lot of hard work has definitely paid off!! #TNF100AU #motivation #running #endurance #exercise #ultra #ultramarathon #insporation #trailrun #transformation #fitspo #fitsporation #silverbuckle #marathon
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Sure, he was self-conscious to share what he called his “fat photos” online, and felt the sting of the harsh words that came from commenters. But, rather than let that defeat him, he used it as fuel to keep going. “That shift in mentality was crucial,” he said.
And now, with his success, Keighran said, “I’m happy. I wake up happy with myself. I’m proud of my life. I’m proud of who I have become. I found a lifelong love for running which has taken me to amazing places around the world and allowed me to meet some amazing people, too.”
As for what others can learn from his story, Keighran shared this: “Start small. Baby steps. Identify the issue at hand. Find your accountability guy. Commit to a system. Give it time.”
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