Hull Daily Mail

Fitness guru came to Hull with ‘£14 and clothes from a bin’

REMARKABLE TRANSFORMA­TION OF BOSSFIT ACADEMY FOUNDER

- By HARRY INGHAM harry.ingham@reachplc.com @byharrying­ham

WHEN Barry O’shea arrived in Hull with only £14 in his pocket, wearing clothes he had taken from a bin, few could have predicted that his life would undergo such a remarkable turnaround.

Originally from London, Barry moved to Hull in 2019 to join The Bridges rehabilita­tion centre in Holderness Road after years of battling with alcohol and substance abuse.

Today, the ex-convict, who had to learn to walk again after being shot in the stomach in 2014, has flipped the script and is now four years sober, committed to helping others turn their lives around like he did.

A far cry from being homeless on the streets of the capital, Barry now runs a successful gym and weightloss business, having used his own workout methods to shed six stone in six months.

Now that he is a lean, not-somean, fitness machine, Barry is more driven than ever before and hopes that his story can be an inspiratio­n to others battling addiction.

Since arriving in Hull, Barry has already helped over 200 people lose weight through his BOSSFIT Academy program, while specialisi­ng in wellbeing and helping his clients lead mentally stronger lives.

He also played a key part in launching Cocaine Anonymous in Hull, helping dozens of recovering drug addicts in the city.

He is also arranged a number of events for charity that have achieved national recognitio­n, including his “Yorkshire Run Off”, which raised money for mental health charity Andy’s Man Club.

Such has been the success of BOSSFIT Academy these past few years, that Barry has secured endorsemen­ts from high-profile celebritie­s such as TV’S Calum Best and Scotty T, underlinin­g his remarkable change in fortunes.

Barry said: “I like watching films, and for me, this is like that euphoric story where I’ve come from rags to riches, if you like, or David versus Goliath.

“I was genuinely homeless on the street and I remember turning up at rehab in Hull with £14 in my pocket and clothes from a bin – I still have some of them with me now to remind me where I’ve come from.

“I was just so happy to have a bed, and from there I stuck to my program, got clean, and then started my business as a personal trainer.

“Since then, I’ve helped set up Cocaine Anonymous in Hull to help other people. I think it would be selfish for me to keep the skills I’ve learned to myself and not support those who need it.

“My biggest worry now is whether my gym members have lost enough weight that week to keep them on target, whereas before I was worried about where I’d get food from, where’s my next drink going to come from, how am I going to get money to pay for alcohol.

“I’m so far away from that life now that it feels surreal, but I’m reminded of where I’ve come from when I go back and help other people who are in recovery.”

Speaking about the role Hull has played in his recovery, Barry said: “Hull is beautiful to me. Other people may think differentl­y, but Hull is my place of serenity. My rehab was in Hull, and now I have ended up using the whole city as my rehab because all of the people around me now are so much more positive.

“I wake up here every day feeling blessed. London is a much faster way of life, and it is very much my old life. I’ve never taken any drugs or drank in Hull, all I’ve done is help people and the people around me here all do the same.”

Now four years sober, Barry offered some words of advice for others struggling with addiction: “Ask for help, don’t try and do it by yourself. If you’re sat there wondering why it’s not working, then chances are you’re going about it the wrong way.

“If you do bad things over and over again, you’ll end up in a bad place, but if you do good things over and over again, they accumulate and you end up in a good place. One foot in front of the other. I try my best to live truthfully and honestly now, and it’s worked.

“I never used to live like that, I used to look for shortcuts all the time, being sneaky and cunning, but now I’m out of it and I’m so much happier. If you need support, just ask for it – that’s the whole reason why I set my business up, to help people overcome the issues they’re facing.

“If you need help, drop me a message or give me a call and I’ll help you. But, just know that whatever situation you’re in, no matter how bad it gets, it won’t last forever and good times are just around the corner.”

Barry’s business, BOSSFIT Academy has helped hundreds of people in Hull lose weight and adopt healthier lifestyle choices. Find out more about the business at www.instagram.com/bossfitaca­demy

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 ?? ?? Barry O’shea runs gym and weight-loss business Bossfit Academy. Far right, Barry before turning his life around
Barry O’shea runs gym and weight-loss business Bossfit Academy. Far right, Barry before turning his life around

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