Michael Kenney is a father of two, and Daddy Mike is cut! It’s hard to believe that 90 pounds ago, he was pre-diabetic and experiencing crippling migraines. With hard work, miles of spinning under his smaller belt, and tracking portion sizes, Mike says he feels better than he has in years. This Father’s Day, he’ll celebrate with daughters Jamie and Jordan, and continue to set a healthy example for his girls.
We love his mantra: Eat clean and train dirty.
More from Mike in his own words –
When did your weight struggles begin? I have always struggled with my weight. I played sports in high school, and this kept it under control but after I stopped playing sports, over the years my weight just kept increasing.
What habits specifically led you to gain weight? Definitely overeating. Portion sizes played a huge factor. It was not unusual for me to eat a whole pizza by myself. I really didn’t know how many calories I was consuming, or how many I was burning.
What caused you to realize you needed to change? Health issues. I had a routine checkup with my doctor and when my blood work came back, I was pre-diabetic. I was also suffering from frequent ocular migraines.
How did you lose the weight? I took control. Instead of sitting in front of the television after work, I committed to one hour at the gym each evening. I took a spinning class and I showed up every day. I also use an app on my phone called MyfitnessPal. I determined how many calories I needed to maintain my weight, and the app created a calorie deficit to guide me. I set my goal to lose two pounds per week. I tried to eat 90% clean – no pre-packaged products, just fresh food.
What diet and exercise methods did you employ? Eating Clean. Sticking to all-natural and organic choices. Exercise was mainly spin class and cycling.
Did you have any “ah ha” moments along the way? My biggest aha moment was realizing that if I stuck to the program, I would see rapid results. The human body is amazing and thankfully, very forgiving to all the abuse that I put it through. I’ve also been migraine-free since I started my journey, which was a huge motivating factor to keep going.
Biggest triumphs? My biggest triumph was becoming a certified spinning instructor. I have a regular class at a local gym so that I can help motivate others. It’s also very important that my two daughters see me as a role model for a healthy lifestyle.
Biggest struggle in your journey? The biggest struggle is that our culture, like many cultures, revolves around food. When I went out socially, I had to shift my focus from food to the people that I was with. Now when I go out, I am prepared. I preview the menu and I know what I am having before I get there.
Current/future goals? I have two! The first is to compete in the 2024 Cross-Fit Open, and the second is to become a certified personal trainer.
Advice you’d give to other people struggling to lose weight? Be consistent, show up everyday and give it your best. If you lock down your diet you will see amazing results.
Also Read:
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