A Kilkenny man is officially Ireland's strongest man, just ten years after he tipped the scales at 12 stone overweight.
Davy Jones' story is a true feelgood tale.
At 19, weighing 24 stone, he made the decision to shed weight and get into the shape.
He began to transform his lifestyle and eventually became a personal trainer and even opened his own gym.
Now, ten years later, he has beaten 20 of the strongest men in Ireland to the title of Ireland's Strongest Man.
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The grueling competition involved a series of extremely strenuous tasks, including a 770-pound deadlift, hauling a 350-pound sandbag over a distance and deadlifting a 660-pound weight for a minute.
It goes without saying that preparation for the competition was a task in itself.
Jones trained three hours a day for seven days a week to be ready for Ireland's Strongest Man in addition to regular physio sessions and ice baths.
The Kilkenny man had to eat over 7,00 calories every day to be ready for the competition and spent an average of close to $300 a week on groceries.
He ate over seven pounds of red meat as part of his daily meal plan.
"In preparation for Ireland's Strongest Man, I had to eat eight times a day, every two hours," Jones told Kilkenny Now.
Ireland's newly-crowned strongest man isn't resting on his laurels, however, and has his sights set on the international stage. He hopes his tale can inspire others struggling with weight problems to follow his example and shed their excess fat.
"I will continue training and look to compete in bigger international competitions from now on and focus on getting better with every competition," he said. "In the meantime, I'm delighted to be able to help my own clients with their weight loss and fitness goals. I'm proof that anything is possible."
Read more: What's your Irish County? County Kilkenny
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