Your Road to Wellness: Randy Keim
Image of Randy Keim courtesy of Sara Hanna
Wellness is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. We all approach it differently. And I think we can all benefit from hearing one another’s stories and strategies.
The “Your Road to Wellness” feature highlights people from all walks of life and their thoughts on wellness. (Would you like to be featured or know of someone who would be a good fit? Let me know!)
This week, let’s catch up with Randy Keim, a global strategist at UCB (which is an international biopharmaceutical company).
Q: Who is your wellness inspiration?
My answer might surprise you, as my wellness inspiration isn’t a celebrity or someone who is the beacon of wellness or fitness. It’s my father. Watching his health struggles over the years before his eventual passing from liver cancer in 2017 has driven me to pause and take wellness more seriously. Whether its diet, exercise, or just finding time throughout the day to breathe, I’m working hard to avoid some of the health and wellness issues that plagued him.
Q: What is one piece of advice you’d give your younger self about wellness?
Wellness isn’t just focusing on being fit or being physically strong, you meathead! It means fostering a strong mind as well. Take the time to breathe, stretch, and center yourself. Quiet is a good thing!
Q: What do you typically do for exercise?
I usually do weight training six times a week with Sunday as my down day. It’s a mix of 15-20 minutes of cardio and then 45 mins to an hour of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) training.
Q: What do you consider your greatest wellness indulgence and why?
My greatest indulgence is kind of weird. It’s dry-needling trigger point therapy. There is a wellness studio in Nyack, NY, called Sundala Wellness that changed my life back in the day when I was doing CrossFit. Dry needling uses acupuncture needles to deactivate painful or knotted areas. I hold my tension in my back so this is a godsend and something I incorporate when I need it and have the time/money.
Q: What is your greatest self-care/wellness challenge, and how do you deal with it?
Getting away from technology to give my brain a rest. Covid-19 has resulted in more time staring at a computer for hours at home, while my iPhone seems like an extension of my arm now. One small change is that I’m working on not being on the phone so close to bedtime and keeping it physically away from my bed. It forces me to get up when that alarm goes off and not hit snooze endlessly. I’ve also invested in blue light glasses to take some of the burden off of my eyes.
Q: What resource (e.g., website, blog, book, etc.) do you look to for wellness/self-care and why?
Obviously, my fiancé and I are now using FRESHJUICE + bubbly! I also would advise people to consider a trainer/coach and meal prepping. Late last year, I hired a coach (Derek Fedo at Total Nutrition in Sandy Springs) to design my workouts and give me advice on managing my macros. What a great investment! I have lost 30 points in four months and feel great. He launched a pre-made food company called SAA Meal Prep Co. as well, so I didn’t have to cook. Having healthy meals at the ready helps me avoid some bad habits. My fiancé and I also follow Senada Greca on Instagram for creative workouts, especially ab routines. She is ripped and highlights moves I’ve never seen before.
Q: Which do you prefer — green juice or bubbly? Why?
Bubbly. I work hard during the week to enjoy my bubbly on the weekend!
Q: If you received $1 million to use for your wellness/self-care, how would you spend it?
With a million dollars I could do so much! First, I’d buy a Power Plate to optimize my home workouts (it’s like a giant Theragun). Then, I would have a sauna and steam room built in my house. I would get massages several times a week and dry needling trigger point acupuncture once a week. And every month, I’d use the FRESHJUICE + bubbly Wellness Concierge services to select a new spa or wellness retreat for me and my fiancé to visit.
P.S. Looking for a personalized approach to your wellness experience? I’ve spent a decade working as a wellness journalist — visiting more than 50 spas from Vail to Vienna — and 20 years in the fitness industry. Let me help you plan your perfect half or full day of wellness…