Shaquille O'Neal, the legendary NBA superstar, has embarked on a remarkable journey of health and fitness transformation in recent years. Open about his health journey for years, the Hall of Famer has been documenting his fitness journey on social media. From shedding pounds to smashing fitness goals, Shaq has been inspiring fans with his dedication and openness. This article explores the various facets of Shaq's weight loss journey, including his motivations, strategies, and the challenges he overcame.
From Rookie Bulk to Recent Transformation
Back in his NBA rookie days, the assignment was the opposite. In a recent conversation with Tom Brady and Jim Gray on the Let's Go podcast, Shaq explained that while he weighed around 285 pounds when he left college and began his NBA career with the Orlando Magic, he was soon required to pack on some weight, leading to a "130-pound bulk" over his first season. "They started Hack-a-Shaq with me early," he said. "So I was lifting weights, and I was 300, and then 315. Phil Jackson came in, the first championship I was 345, then I had a great summer, came back 385 for the second one." He added that by the time he had left Orland for the LA Lakers, he weighed 415 pounds. But that changed when he signed with the Miami Heat. "And then when I got traded away, Pat Riley had me doing army drills, and I got back down to 325," he continued. "It was up and down."
Motivation for Change
Several factors contributed to Shaq's decision to prioritize his health. "I was getting chubby and couldn’t even walk up the stairs," he said. "I didn’t like the way I looked in the mirror." This realization, coupled with a doctor's wake-up call, served as a catalyst for change. “I got some blood work done. A friend of mine called me and said, ‘You’re fat,’ and she gave me this guy’s name, and he did some blood work." The doctor's advice and blood work results highlighted the need for dietary adjustments and a healthier lifestyle.
Adding to his motivation, O’Neal said, “So I said to myself, I want to take my shirt off on Instagram one last time. I saw this 70-year-old guy on there, and he had muscles everywhere.”
Dietary Changes
Shaquille O'Neal made significant changes to his diet, focusing on healthier food choices and portion control. “Because I was the athlete, I wasn’t a salad eater," he said. "I didn’t know what the difference was between a carb and a protein. At 50 years old, I never knew. So, he was saying you can’t do this, you can’t do that, more vegetables, my iron’s low. And once I just started changing those certain things, it dropped.” He completely cut out bread, late-night lemon Oreos, and Entenmann’s cakes.
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These days, at age 51, he's more likely to be eating salmon, lean chicken or turkey than a club sandwich… albeit in pretty huge volumes. The guy is still 7'2", after all.
Exercise Routine
In addition to tweaking his diet habits, the 15-time All-Star also adopted a strict gym routine. Shaquille O’Neal says he lost between 25 to 30 pounds. “I do 20 minutes of cardio, I’ll do some chest, bis, tris, sit-ups, back and then I’m gone. Thirty to 45 minutes a day, plus cardio - so about an hour a day. I still got the bad hips and the achy joints, so I can’t be jumping and running around,” O’Neal said.
O'Neal also had a hip replacement surgery in March.
Addressing Emotional Challenges
Shaquille O’Neal, here in Feb. 2020, says he lost his motivation for fitness following the deaths of those close to him, including his sister and former Lakers teammate, Kobe Bryant. “My sister passed away before Kobe. And then Kobe passed away and then I had 28 other people pass away. [2020] was a really bad year and I didn’t want to do anything. So, when you don’t want to do anything, but you need to stay out of trouble, there’s two things you can do: eat and Netflix,” he said. “My problem is, I’ve always been a sandwich guy. Sandwich for lunch, sandwich for dinner, sandwich for snack."
Current Status and Future Goals
The retired superstar told Entertainment Tonight that he has shed 55 pounds to get down to 351 - just six more pounds than he said he weighed when he helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA title in 2000. The "NBA on TNT" star added that his goal is to get down to between 315 and 330 pounds on his 7-foot-1 frame.
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Advice for Others
He also offered some advice for others trying to get in shape: “Start off, if you can, by walking 30 minutes a day. A lot of people can’t do that because … you got the kids, you've got to get to work. But if you can, start off by walking 30 minutes a day,” he said. “Put your headphones on, put on your favorite song, 30 minutes a day.”
A Touch of Humor and Motivation
The playful jab from Shaq was vintage Inside the NBA. For Shaq and Chuck, the back-and-forth teasing is nothing new. “An hour a day will keep the Charles Barkley belly away,” he said. “Chuck was fat last year,” Shaq declared mid-show, grinning from ear to ear. “Now look at him. “Shoutout to my doctors at Ro.co,” Barkley said, referring to the telehealth company that prescribes GLP-1 medication. “I’m working out too now. You’ve got to work out." “My doctor told me I was fat,” Barkley recalled at the time. “She said, ‘There’s no fat old people, only fat young people." That moment pushed Barkley to make serious lifestyle changes.
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