A Cazenovia man has a new feel for life after dropping more than 100 pounds thanks to diet and exercise.

Adam Herringshaw, 40, runs almost every day and swapped cheeseburgers for a plant-based diet. Adam is proof that anyone can accomplish their goals when it comes to getting healthy.

What You Need To Know

  • A Cazenovia man and Herkimer native has a new feel for life after dropping more than 100 pounds due to diet and exercise

  • Adam Herringshaw, 40, runs almost every day and swapped cheeseburgers for a plant-based diet

  • Adam wants to continue improving his health and would like to continue helping others with weight loss and health goals

“To start or warm up, one of the things I do is leg swings,” said runner Adam Herringshaw.

Staying physically fit is an important part of Herringshaw’s life. You can commonly find the avid runner braving the cold to put in five to 10 miles each day.

“If you dress accordingly, the Central New York winter isn’t as awful as everyone thinks it is,” said Herringshaw.

But five years ago, Adam wouldn’t have told you that. In 2016, at 36 he hit his heaviest weight which was just over 300 pounds. He realized he needed to get healthier and decided to go for a run.

“I had an app at the time and I recorded the run so I was able to see what my heart rate was and how far I went and that for me was just a starting point. It was not pleasant at all,” he said.

He increased his mileage and eventually lost more than 100 pounds. Now he has a full marathon under his belt and is taking on virtual races during the pandemic. That includes a run across the state of Tennessee last summer.

“There were sixteen guys in my run club who participated give or take, I was the only one to make it across Tennessee and then started back. I made it across in about 80 days so it was about eight miles a day,” Herringshaw said.

Switching to a plant-based diet has also been important. He starts his day with a smoothie and eats a lot of fruits and veggies.

“I think about food for the most part as a fuel. What is it going to do to energize me? What is it going to do to keep my immune system in a good place?" he said.

Adam said the combination of diet and exercise changed his life. He also implemented weight training in his life but his passion continues to be running. He believes anyone can get healthy.

“If you got one percent better, over a year every single day, do the math where you’re at and that’s where significant change happens, it doesn’t happen overnight, and that’s where I say you really gotta commit to it,” he said.

Adam encourages anyone to follow him on his Instagram page @AJHerringshaw. He said sometimes a little encouragement on social media can make a significant impact