For Donoghmore man Rory Kenneally, what started as a personal weight loss journey turned into something much bigger. After losing 15 kilos, finding his confidence again and discovering a new passion, he made the brave decision to walk away from his hospitality career, despite his parents thinking he was mad to follow what he had started to love. Four years after qualifying as a personal trainer and two years after opening his own gym in Blackpool, he’s built a thriving community in Blackpool and Donoghmore where people can train safely, feel supported and enjoy themselves.
“My whole journey really started with losing the weight myself,” Rory says. “I never planned to work in fitness, it just happened because I felt so good after I lost 15 kilos. Back in 2014 I was working in hospitality. I was a general manager in a restaurant and I used to have a three course meal on my break most days. I wasn’t exercising at all, the only movement I got was walking the restaurant floor, as anyone working in restaurants will tell you, you do get the steps in, but not enough to undo the damage of what I was consuming,” he laughs.
Looking back, Rory recalls when he decided he wanted change. “After a while I just started feeling sluggish, so I joined a local gym near where I was working. I was 24, never been inside a gym before, but straight away I loved it. I got a personal trainer, learned about food and training, and I lost around 15 kilos. The confidence I got from that was unbelievable. I went from a 36 inch waist to a 31 and from large t-shirts down to mediums or smalls. I just felt good in myself again.”
That feeling of confidence changed everything. “Once I felt that way, I knew I wanted to help other people feel it too. I’d been ten years in restaurants at that stage and I could feel my hospitality candle flickering. I had come to realise that I didn’t want to do it forever. I had found something new that made me happy and that was fitness.”
So, he took the leap. “When I told my parents I was leaving my steady job, they thought I was cracked,” he laughs. “I was in a good job, earning well, and they couldn’t understand why I’d walk away from that. But I told them I wanted to create something special, a community. Four years later, after qualifying as a PT and opening my own gym two years ago, they can see it now. They can see how happy I am and how much people get out of it. It’s been really worth the journey.”
When Rory first qualified, he started small. “I was doing classes in my home parish in Donoghmore, with just a handful of people. Then I started online training and eventually opened the gym in Blackpool. I called it Powered by Rory because it’s about more than just training, it’s about mindset, energy and mood.”
From the start, he knew what kind of place he wanted to build. “My motto has always been ‘a safe place to train,’ and that’s exactly what I wanted. I remember what it’s like to walk into a gym for the first time and feel awkward or judged. So when someone new comes in, I make sure they feel comfortable. I’ll always say to people, you’re here for yourself, not anyone else. Everyone’s at their own level. After a few weeks, I love seeing people who used to hide in the corner start owning their space and walking taller. That’s the best part for me.”
Most people, Rory says, come in because they want to lose weight. “They’ll say they want to tone up or lose a bit around the belly, that’s usually the main goal at the start. But after a while, they realise it’s about more than that. It’s about feeling fitter, healthier and happier in yourself.”
His approach is simple but effective. “We make a meal plan, a fitness plan, and the big thing is consistency. I’m not just your trainer, I’m your coach. You’re accountable to yourself but you’re accountable to me too. And when someone comes back after a few weeks saying, ‘Rory, I’m fitting into jeans I never thought I’d wear again,’ that’s what it’s all about. That’s the win for me.”
A lot of people, he says, don’t really understand how calories work. “You can actually be eating more food than before but still lose weight if it’s the right food. I always say there’s no reason to be starving when you’re trying to lose weight. If a fella is on 2,000 calories, he’s still eating loads, just better stuff. I don’t believe in banning chocolate. Life isn’t all or nothing, it’s about balance. If I tell someone to have 170 grams of chicken for lunch and they weigh it out, they usually say ‘I didn’t realise that’s what a proper portion looks like.’ People go heavy on pasta and rice, but if they pull that back a bit and go higher in protein and greens, they’ll be full and happy.”
Rory doesn’t have time for fad diets either. “You might cut out carbs and lose a pile of weight fast, but you’ll rebound worse when you stop. You’ll drop two stone and then put it straight back on when you start eating normal again. You’ve to go slow and steady. One meal at a time and learn as you go.”
He’s big on small, sustainable changes. “People say, ‘I don’t eat breakfast, just coffee,’ and I’ll ask what kind and they’ll say cappuccino. That’s 120 to 150 calories a go and they’re sometimes having two! That’s breakfast right there. Or some people drink five cans of Coke a day and don’t see that as calories. I’d never say stop instantly. We cut it down bit by bit. Same with sugar and sauces. Over time your taste buds change and you start to enjoy the food for what it is.”
And with Christmas coming, Rory says it’s about finding balance. “People ask if they can lose a stone before Christmas, and yeah, you can. There’s ten weeks to Christmas so if you lose a pound or a pound and a half a week, you’re grand. Counting calories at the start helps you learn and soon you won’t have to be counting them anymore. I tell people to enjoy Christmas Day! Eat the dinner, have the dessert, but you don’t need to eat the full box of Roses while sipping hot chocolate with Baileys and eating crisps while watching the TV. Enjoy yourself, don’t ruin all your progress, and if you do go mad for the one day, don’t beat yourself up. It’s one day, just don’t do it the twelve or twenty-four days of Christmas! Get out for a walk, get some air. I’ll be training on St Stephen’s Day because I love it, but that’s just me.”
Rory trains about four times a week himself. “I’m on maintenance now, I’m not trying to lose or gain. I just like to keep myself in check. Even as a coach, I check in with myself the same way I do with clients. How’s the food? How’s the training? How am I feeling? If I’m going on holiday, I might pull back a bit because, same as everyone, I want to feel confident with my top off at the pool or the beach. But I’m never starving or overeating. It’s all about balance! I’ve kept the weight off for years because once you start feeling good, you don’t want to go back. It becomes a way of life that you enjoy.”
He also loves having something to train for. “I’m doing a Hyrox in Killarney soon. Having something to work towards keeps me motivated. I love learning too, I’m always trying to keep up with what’s happening in the fitness world. But the main thing I’ve learned since I opened the gym is about people. Everyone’s got their own reason for walking through that gym door. My job is to make sure they feel supported and safe while they’re there.”
At Powered by Rory, he offers eight 30-minute sessions and a free onboarding session that lasts an hour. “That’s where we go through everything, measurements, meal plan, health issues, what foods you like or hate, your lifestyle. We do an induction so I can see what you’re capable of. Then we check in weekly and tweak as needed. Some people come for weight loss, others for strength or mobility. It’s all tailored, and it has to be fun too if you don’t enjoy it, it won’t last.”
Looking back now, Rory’s glad he took the risk. “I’ve created exactly what I wanted, a real community. A safe place for people to train, laugh and feel good. I’ve put in the work and it’s been so rewarding. When someone messages me saying they’re happier, healthier, more confident, that’s what it’s all about. I started this by trying to change my own life, and now I get to help others change theirs. Life couldn’t be better.”
To book PT sessions or join classes see:
Instagram:poweredbyrory
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