7 Country Stars Who Lost Weight and How They Did It
Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton and Tim McGraw are just a few of country's hottest stars who have lost weight and got into the best shape of their lives — and here's how they did it.
OVERVIEW
Like most other celebrities, country musicians are under some serious pressure to stay in shape, and not just because of vanity. In addition to looking good in skintight, bootcut jeans and clingy, sparkling dresses, it takes a lot of stamina to sing and dance around a stage for several hours, and it's a whole lot easier to do when you are in fantastic physical form. But avoiding all that Southern fried food and those sorrow-fueling alcoholic beverages can be tough when you are singing country tunes for a living, something many of the following stars had to learn — and then unlearn — the hard way. Here are seven country singers who got into the best shape of their lives and how they did it.
1. Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton dropped a noticeable amount of weight in the months following his 2015 split from wife Miranda Lambert. When asked about his physique, he joked it was the result of the "divorce diet." The star admitted he had started exercising (Shelton loves the treadmill) and cut out junk food. It helps that the singer's workout buddy is girlfriend Gwen Stefani. Celebrity trainer Ramona Braganza explains that it's not uncommon for a new relationship to ignite a commitment to health. Not only do individuals want to look and feel good for their partner, exercising with a new love can be fun and sexy. "New couples are very into each other physically, and seeing each other sweat can be a turn-on," she explains. "Caring about what you're eating and what your partner is consuming becomes important, as each other wants the best for a long and fit life together."
Up Next: Shelton's former wife also rehabbed her look.
2. Miranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert claims to have dropped 20 pounds in 2013 "the healthy and good old-fashioned way" by watching what she ate and exercising with a trainer. "We do cardio, a lot of circuit training. We do things with my body weight like lunges. A lot of stuff with [resistance] bands," she told People. As for her diet, she focused on eating healthy foods like grilled chicken breast, sweet potato salad and fruit. Braganza totally endorses Lambert's simplistic approach to weight loss, explaining that losing weight is nothing more than "plus and minus math" — your weekly calorie consumption should not exceed those burned through exercise. "It only takes an extra 500 calories a day over seven days to gain a pound of fat," she explains. Braganza also approves of Lambert's exercise regimen, stating that the best workouts for the body are a combination of cardio and weight training.
Up Next: This chart-topping artist uses LIVESTRONG.COM's MyPlate app to help her keep track of what she eats.
3. Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood, who maintains a mostly vegan diet (minus the occasional slice of birthday cake) has a healthy approach to eating, which includes avoiding bread in the evening and cooking her own meals whenever possible. As for exercise, she works out daily with a trainer, doing everything from weightlifting to boxing, hiking trails and Tabata. Underwood also tracks her meals using an app. "I do [calorie tracking] with the LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate app, which is great with nutrition info for restaurant meals," the singer told Self. The MyPlate app determines and tracks how many calories you need to eat in a day to achieve your goal weight — whether you'd like to maintain, gain or lose pounds — and there are also useful graphs to help visualize your macronutrient intake. "Using an app like the LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate app makes keeping track of your health easy in a busy world," says Braganza.
Up next: This crooner made a few simple changes to his diet, and it totally rehabbed his look.
4. Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney completely overhauled his diet and fitness in 2015, telling GQ it was a game changer in terms of his health. Chesney hit the treadmill, cut out beer, traded in heavy weights for lighter ones (with increased reps) and added more cardio. As for his diet, the singer would eat carbs early in the day, focused on protein-packed meals with veggies later in the day, and would have only one cheat meal a week. Braganza believes Chesney's lifestyle modifications were all beneficial: Changing up his workout style helped kick-start his metabolism, while fueling up on complex carbs earlier in the day gave his body the energy needed to accomplish mental and physical tasks.
Up Next: This singer's DIY diet resulted in major weight loss for her.
5. Kellie Pickler
After gaining 40 pounds on tour before she became a big name in 2006, Kellie Pickler decided to create her own diet using the books "Skinny Bitch," "Fast Food Nation" and "Eating Animals" as inspiration. The long-time vegetarian stopped drinking Diet Coke because, she said, "it's like a drug," replaced Red Bull with a vitamin-shot drink called Vemma and eliminated sugary treats like doughnuts. Instead of going to the gym or working out with a trainer, she opts for outdoor exercises like hiking. Braganza thinks Pickler's DIY diet is a great idea. "Everyone is different, and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for someone else," she explains. "We have access to a vast deal of information when it comes to food knowledge, and willpower plays the biggest role in eliminating foods we love." For instance, understanding that sugar won't help you lose weight is not new science, but sticking to eliminating sugar takes commitment. "Once we do we see a difference, we feel a difference," she adds.
Up Next: This superstar traded in his bottle for exercise and got in the best shape of his life.
6. Tim McGraw
When Tim McGraw quit drinking in 2013, he focused on exercise and lost 40 pounds in two years. "It took the place of alcohol and is really important," McGraw told People. The musician works out twice a day for up to two hours, using the elliptical, a treadmill or CrossFit. McGraw also swapped out his regular preshow drink with a healthy five-mile run to calm his nerves. Because of McGraw's steady workouts, he makes room for the occasional cheeseburger and soda. Braganza admits McGraw's devotion to physical fitness might not be realistic for the average person, but it is still a great example of how small changes can be significant. "By removing one bad habit and replacing it with a good habit, he looks and feels healthier and attractive," she says. Another bonus? "Exercise can be a great stress reducer and a healthier way to take the edge off and soothe the nerves."
Up Next: When this singer stopped crash dieting and created her own way of eating, she got in the best shape ever.
7. Trisha Yearwood
When Trisha Yearwood's mom passed away from breast cancer in 2011, the country legend coped by eating. Yearwood ended up revealing her 30-pound weight loss in 2013, transforming her figure in just four months with the help of a self-designed diet: She consumed 1,200 calories a day of low-fat, low-sugar foods 90 percent of the time, the other 10 percent she allowed herself to indulge in her favorite foods in moderation. She also took at least three Zumba classes a week and worked out with trainer BJ Flanagan. "This is not some crazy fad diet," Yearwood told People. "It's a lifelong change." While losing 30 pounds in four months is a reasonable goal, Braganza explains that it takes a lot of discipline. "The 1,200-calorie program is fairly restricted, and adding an exercise plan to this needs to be moderate rather than intense because the body would not have enough energy to maintain a vigorous workout," she points out.
What Do YOU Think?
Are you impressed by any of these country stars' weight-loss journeys? Will you incorporate any of their tools or tips into your own diet? What do you consider the most important component of weight loss? Tell us in the comments!