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<\/p>\nA man who had “accepted his fate” after years of declining health has shed almost 90 pounds with the help of his Gen Z son, transforming not only his weight but his outlook on life.<\/p>\n
Niall Deehan, 65, from New Zealand, weighed 288 pounds at his heaviest and was struggling with mobility issues caused by osteoarthritis and excess weight. <\/p>\n
“I accepted that I was a major risk of stroke or a heart attack,” Niall told Newsweek. “I was prediabetic and taking medication daily.”<\/p>\n
Read More on Wellness & Fitness<\/p>\n
“Over the years, I have given up on exercising,” he said. “I accepted my fate.”<\/p>\n
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For much of his life, Niall remained active. But in 2012, a mountain biking accident left him requiring three surgeries on his arm, changing the course of his fitness journey.<\/p>\n
“After that, I fell out of love with biking and swapped it for the TV remote,” he said.<\/p>\n
As exercise became less frequent,<\/a> unhealthy habits crept in. Niall said he would often snack throughout the day and could eat an entire packet of biscuits (cookies) daily.<\/p>\n In June last year, he underwent a right hip replacement and has also been battling osteoarthritis for years.<\/p>\n His turning point came after a candid conversation with his son, Kian Deehan, 23, an online fitness coach, during a family trip to Sydney in August last year.<\/p>\n For Kian, who was bodybuilding at the time, the conversation was a wake-up call.<\/p>\n ‘I Feel 20 Years Younger’ A month after the trip, father and son began training together every Sunday. Kian also helped overhaul his father’s diet, replacing his daily biscuits with healthier alternatives.<\/p>\n What started as a weekly commitment soon became a regular routine.<\/p>\n “We used to talk and train,” Kian told Newsweek, explaining that his father became increasingly motivated as the weight began to come off.<\/p>\n As the months passed, the sessions increased in frequency. Today, resistance training has become a non-negotiable part of Niall’s routine, and he now trains five to six times a week.<\/p>\n The results have been dramatic.<\/p>\n He now weighs 200 pounds and is no longer taking medication, aside from temporary medication following a recent knee replacement.<\/p>\n “I feel 20 years younger,” he said.<\/p>\n Kian said the physical transformation has been impressive, but the emotional changes have stood out even more.<\/p>\n “It is so good to see my dad is happy and feels excited again,” he told Newsweek. “He looks great, but the best part is his happiness.”<\/p>\n ‘It’s Not a Diet’<\/p>\n Kian documented his father’s progress throughout the journey and shared the transformation on Instagram <\/a>(@kiandeehanfitness<\/a>) when Niall reached his goal weight in May.<\/p>\n “At one point he was lighter than me!” Kian said.<\/p>\n For Niall, the experience has never been about following a short-term fix. Today, he doesn’t track his food, but he focuses on whole foods and has cut junk completely out of it.<\/p>\n “It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change,” he said.<\/p>\n Kian said his father’s mindset shifted dramatically as he gained confidence and began setting new goals.<\/p>\n “I am very proud. It’s incredible. My dad went from him not wanting to speak about health and fitness<\/a> to becoming completely obsessed.”<\/p>\n Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Charlotte Nisbet <\/a>and Gray R. Thomas<\/a><\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Copy-of-32-Split-Screen-2026-08-07T144327-105.png\"\/)
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