Shaq is back
Shaquille O’Neill has always been a big bloke – but this last year or so, he’s been focusing on getting trim. Now, Shaq’s iconic stature looks to be all mass and very little else.
As reported in Men’s Journal, the four-time NBA champion has let his fitness slide in the years since his 2011 retirement, reaching a weight of more than 23 stone earlier this year.
And why not? Having trained as a professional athlete all his life, he was entirely within his rights to enjoy himself as much as he liked and slack off for a change.
Well, not anymore.
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In his new Men’s Journal interview, Shaq admitted that his fitness issues had been compounded by other factors, including not only the tragic loss of his friend and fellow sporting partner, Kobe Bryant, but the death of his sister Ayesha.
The 49-year-old said that for the longest time, all he could do was “eat and watch Netflix”. It’s understandable that anyone would find ways to comfort themselves while going through difficult times like these – but rather than wallowing, Shaq is using the reminder that life is fleeting to rebuild himself and that’s exactly what he has done.
In a recent ad campaign, he joked: “I only work out seven days a week. Why? Because there aren’t eight.” He has done everything from regular training to switching up his diet and even fighting in a wrestling match.
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Speaking on nutrition, Shaq said he swapped “bread […] late-night lemon Oreos” and “Entenmann’s cakes for “fruit, protein shakes, salads, fish, chicken and asparagus or other vegetables”, sticking with it for six months straight – and he hasn’t stopped since.
He went on to add that as well his training regiment, he also reduced his portion size: “after a while I started to see stuff that I haven’t seen in 20 to 30 years—like a six-pack. And I haven’t had one of those since I was on the 2006 Miami Heat.”
In addition to looking back to his best, he also said he feels tonnes better too, sleeping properly through the night and having much more energy in the day. It’s a healthy life tip we all could do with being reminded of more often: eat clean, exercise and you will feel the difference – whether you keep it up is down to you.
Good on you, Shaq.
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