Adam Bartley, recognized for his portrayal of "The Ferg" in the acclaimed series Longmire, embarked on a weight loss journey that has inspired many. His story isn't just about shedding pounds; it's a testament to perseverance, mental fortitude, and the pursuit of a healthier, happier life. Bartley's transformation involved losing approximately 230 pounds through dedicated effort and lifestyle changes.
The Turning Point: More Than Just a Number on the Scale
Bartley's decision to lose weight wasn't driven by superficial desires or external pressures. Instead, it stemmed from a profound yearning to improve his overall well-being, both mentally and physically. He confessed in a social media post that he had spent most of his life believing he couldn't achieve this goal. However, a pivotal moment in his career served as a wake-up call, prompting him to take control of his health.
Unlike many celebrity weight loss stories marked by scandal or medical emergencies, Bartley's journey was a gradual process of self-improvement. There wasn't a single moment of awakening, but rather a series of realizations that fueled his determination. These included a shirt that no longer fit and the discomfort experienced during air travel. Ultimately, it was a desire for alignment - for his body to support the life he wanted to build, for movement without pain, and for roles that weren't solely based on body type - that propelled him forward.
The Pillars of Transformation: Diet and Exercise
Dietary Changes: Embracing Whole Foods
Bartley's weight loss journey began with a significant overhaul of his diet. He recognized that processed foods had become a staple in his eating habits and gradually replaced them with fresher, whole food alternatives. In an Instagram post, Adam emphasized that it wasn't about depriving himself. By focusing on whole grains, lean proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats, Adam began to see steady progress. He also incorporated intermittent fasting, restricting his food intake to an 8-hour window each day. “I don’t think about food the way I used to,” he said. “It’s no longer the center of my day.
Exercise: Consistency is Key
Exercise became an integral part of Bartley's daily routine. Rather than immediately engaging in intense workouts, he started with small, manageable steps, gradually increasing his strength and stamina. Adam posted several videos of himself working out on his treadmill, proudly showing his fans his progress. For Adam, consistency with movement became a mental as well as physical battle. He emphasized the importance of showing up and moving, even if it was just walking.
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The Mental Game: Overcoming Self-Doubt
While the physical aspects of Bartley's weight loss journey were undeniably challenging, the mental hurdles were equally significant. Adam often reflected on his previous struggles with self-doubt, which were tied not only to his weight but also to his sense of worth. Losing weight is never just about the number on the scale. For Adam, it became about mental strength, persistence, and learning to trust the process.
Bartley's transformation wasn't just about getting thin; it was about freeing himself from the identity he had inherited or accepted and from cravings that weren't true hunger. He speaks often of self-love-not as indulgence, but as honest care. He adopted practices like cold water immersion as a mental and physical tool in his routine.
The Power of Support
One of the most inspiring aspects of Adam’s weight loss journey is the support system he had behind him. His family, friends, and fans were incredibly supportive, celebrating every milestone with him. Kerri shared a heartfelt message on social media, writing, “I couldn’t be more proud of Adam. It’s not just the weight he’s lost, but the strength he’s gained.
A New Perspective on Life
As we all know, weight loss isn’t just about how we look-it’s about how we feel. For Adam, his 230-pound weight loss has completely changed his perspective on life. In his own words, “I feel amazing now. Not just in my body, but in my mind. Physically, Adam is more active and energized than ever. He’s now able to pursue his acting career with a renewed vigor, and he’s seen a dramatic improvement in his overall health.
Bartley's transformation has opened up new opportunities in his acting career. He noted that he was previously "cornered into a certain type of role" due to his physical appearance. His weight loss has allowed him to pursue a wider range of roles, as evidenced by his lead role in the film "Unholy Communion."
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Lessons Learned: A Relatable Journey
Adam Bartley’s weight loss journey is a testament to the power of dedication, consistency, and self-love. While he may be an actor on TV, his struggles, triumphs, and lessons learned are incredibly relatable.
Bartley's story isn't glamorous or fast, but it's real and relatable. It highlights the importance of daily work, embracing discomfort, and persevering through setbacks. He emphasizes that healing doesn't end when the weight is gone.
Bartley's Current Projects
For Eden Prairie native Adam Bartley, shooting the film “Unholy Communion” largely in and around St. Paul has been a unique experience. “I mean, I get to finish the day at work and then go have a beer with my brother,” Bartley said during an interview in February, just prior to the end of filming. “You know, I’m usually working in Atlanta or L.A. or Santa Fe or Chicago or Vancouver and I’m by myself.
“My dad’s a snowbird and spends half the year in Florida, so I’ve actually been staying in his house. My mom’s here, my two younger brothers, their six nephews and nieces. Usually, when I visit, I’m just here a couple of days. UPDATE: ‘Unholy Communion,’ a murder mystery shot in St.
Filming began Monday, Jan. 22, 2024 in St. Paul on "Unholy Communion," based on the book written by Scandia resident and retired Forest Lake dentist Thomas Rumreich, shown here with his wife Ruth. It’s based on the novel of the same name by Scandia author Thomas Rumreich, who drew on his own experience of being sexually abused by a priest when he was a college student at St. John’s University as well as the 16 years he spent working as a forensic odontologist for the Ramsey County Medical Examiner.
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It didn’t take Bartley long to say yes to the role after local writer/director/actor Patrick Coyle first approached him through a family connection. “I read his script and I called him the next day and I’m, like, ‘Yeah, man. I’m in, I’m in.
“I sort of somehow got roped into doing a musical,” he said. “I can still remember very vividly the reaction from my performance, how it felt to have my parents and friends laugh and enjoy what I was doing and find it funny.
“My dad was an actor here in St. Paul at a theater called Chimera Theatre. He was a major part of that theater and gave it up after he met my mom and had me. I probably got some of it from him and some of it from my mom. He continued to act through high school and went on earn an acting scholarship at Southern Methodist University.
“I was in New York for four years, working,” he said. “And then personal circumstances kind of came to a head.
“I honestly could not tell you how I was going to make the transition,” he said. “I was nervous about it. But I just moved there with my dog, stayed on some couches and had a mindset that was, like, ‘Let’s go.’ I’m going to make this happen. Bartley eventually found an agent and began auditioning for roles.
“I went in for an audition and it was just like a beautiful thing happened,” he said. “It was this wonderful moment of knowing that this was my role, it was meant for me. Sometimes in Hollywood you feel like, wow, this is going to be a stretch to get this part. And then sometimes you feel like, wow, this is perfect for me. Like many cable and streaming dramas, “Longmire” seasons ran 10 to 13 episodes each.
“It’s funny, I remember when I got off ‘Longmire,’ I was, like, ‘I don’t think I’d want to be on one of those shows,’” he said with a laugh. “But after a year of waiting for a big job, it’s like I’ll be happy to do ‘NCIS: Albuquerque’ or whatever. It’s a different kind of TV, but it’s solid work and you make some good money. If there’s a little bit of job security for a while as an actor, you take it. You take it all day because you never know what’s next.
“I was up for one of the main characters,” he said. “It was me and this other guy, I had a 50-50 shot. That would have set me up to be in a good spot financially for a long time, with constant work. Amazon Studios cast the science fiction drama series “Night Sky” in early 2021 and Bartley was hired for the series, which starred Sissy Spacek and J. K.
Adam Bartley is one of the stars in the movie “Unholy Communion,” which began production Jan. 22, 2024 in St. Paul. “I had spent a long time watching myself on ‘Longmire’ and seeing myself on camera. I kind of got cornered into a certain type of role. The auditions coming in were all very similar kinds of characters. I was ready to put the time and energy in to show up on camera for ‘Night Sky’ as slim as I could and really change my body type so that I could have the ability to play all types of things.
“It took a big effort. I got a health coach, I got a trainer, I put everything into it. While I was in Chicago shooting ‘Night Sky,’ I actually kind of fell in love with (the process). I changed my diet, I work out six days a week, I eat a lot of protein and vegetables, I do fasting and cold plunges.
“Night Sky” premiered on Amazon Prime Video in May 2022, to generally positive reviews. “I thought, ‘Why would they ever cancel Sissy Spacek and J. K. Simmons? They’re legends, they’re Oscar winners.’ And boy did they shut that thing down quicker than anybody would have believed.
“But here I am playing a lead role in a film, which is not something I would have thought I’d be doing a few years ago. I’m not cornered into a type and that’s tough after you do that type, like I did for 12 years. But I did that. Writer/director Patrick Coyle discusses a scene in the film "Unholy Communion" with actor Adam Bartley. Taking the lead in “Unholy Communion” meant Bartley had to pass on the chance to finally work with Ryan Murphy. He was offered a role in “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” a fictionalized take on the infamous brothers who murdered their parents in 1996.
“I’ve been trying to get on a Ryan Murphy show for a while,” he said. “I got this one and we tried to make it work, but I’m in pretty much every scene (of ‘Unholy Communion’). It just wasn’t going to happen. But what are you going to do? Vincent Kartheiser (“Mad Men,” “Another Day in Paradise”) and Adam Bartley (“Longmire,” “NCIS: Los Angeles”) star in “Unholy Communion,” a murder mystery based on the book of the same name by Scandia author Thomas Rumreich.
“I think people are going to love it, I really do,” he said. “The actors coming through are just incredible and the quality of the crew, I’m wowed every day.
“The landscape is so original, so beautiful - in the winter, in the summer, all of it. There’s so much beauty here, so much to invest in and so many talented people.
“Minnesota is already on the map, but it’s going to grow into a powerhouse. I see it, I’m watching it in real time. I’d love to buy a house here and work here all the time. You can’t come close to the quality of people here. You can talk crap about us all day, it’s too cold, flyover this, flyover that.