Health & Fitness
The Real-Life Eating Habits of Shaq O’Neal Help Him Lose Weight Fast
His doctor tells him to lose weight fast or he could die.
Raise your hand if you are a quinquagenarian. What the hell is that? Ok if you’re 50–59 years old, that’s you.
And don’t feel bad, so as the NBA legend Shaq O’Neal. And like us, Shaq has weight issues, and he decided to lose 20 pounds fast.
I thought athletes would never have this problem, but here’s Shaq admitting that during the pandemic he gained weight, by eating sandwiches and watching Netflix.
Like for many, it was a tough 2020. His sister died and then it was Kobe. Absent from the basketball court since 2011, he never saw a doctor until 2020, and when he did, the doctor said if he doesn't lose weight, he could die.
Nothing will get you to act quickly more than the word D-I-E.
Charles Barkley Over The Belt Syndrome
Between squirrel friends, or NBA friends, it’s Ok to call each other names, and ‘Charles Barkley Over The Belt Syndrome’ is what Shaq calls belly over the belt or CBOTBD.
And even at his height of 7 ft. tall although Shaq threw a bombshell when he admitted to the world that Shaquille O’Neal’s height is 6'11 ‘only,’ he had become overweight.
He was so overweight that “It causes a whole bunch of other problems,” “So now I sleep with a C-PAP machine.” — Shaq in an interview with BET.
His doctors warned him of his weak kidneys as a result of prolonged use of painkillers, from which he was dependent but not addicted.
“When they hit you with that three-letter word that starts with D and ends with E, it changes stuff up,” O’Neal told GQ.
Shaq’s Lose Weight Challenge
By the time Shaq became serious with his weight loss journey, he weighed 415 pounds which were way off his playing weight in the NBA at 325 pounds.
And this year he’ll turn 50, and his goal is to have a birthday weight of 350 pounds.
He knew what he had to do, the same plan that had proven to work in the past — diet, and exercise.
The Meal Plan
There is no secret in Shaq’s meal plan, he cut the fat and the carbs. He admitted that he is a ‘sandwich guy’, and as a creature of habit, it was even harder when he was not at home. He likes sandwiches day and night.
The bad news is that he sells sandwiches.
Daily meal plan
O’Neal claims to consume five meals a day, practically all of which include fruits. In his first three meals, he would always have fruits.
He starts his day with a healthy breakfast.
Meal 1 — Breakfast
fruit
four or five egg whites
three turkey sausages
Meal 2
fruit
Meal 3
fruit
shake or smoothie ( his smoothie recipe is made up of blueberries, bananas, and peanut butter, he shared in an interview with Men’s Health.)
Meal 4
salad
Meal 5
lean chicken, fish, or steak
No more sandwiches.
While some may disagree with the amount of fruit intake as it has carbs, we must remember that Shaq is a very tall guy and an athlete, his caloric requirement may differ from us mere mortals.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends eating more fruit and vegetables to help manage your weight.
Carbs are also good sources of energy, especially for Shaq who together with diet added exercise to his weight-loss program.
Exercise plan
No Peloton workout for Shaq, he does his cardio on the old reliable elliptical machine, he keeps it simple and it works for him just like that.
Because of previous injuries, he can’t do running and cross-fit n around since he has poor hips and achy joints. To keep his gym time to an hour, Shaq does the following:
“I do 20 minutes of cardio, then some chest, bis, tris, sit-ups, and back exercises.”
A simple old man workout, as Shaq calls it.
Recap
- Shaquille O’Neal told GQ that he wants to lose belly fat.
- O’Neal’s meal plan includes a lot of fruits and a higher protein intake. He cut down on carbs and fat. He maintains a low-carb, high-protein diet and consumes food in ‘smaller portions.’
- O’Neal said diet and exercise will help him realize a weight loss of over 65 pounds, from a high of 415 to 350 pounds for his 50th birthday
The debate continues with the kind of diet that is most effective in any weight loss program. Should it be low carb, low fat as Shaq is doing or low carb and keto works better?
The answer is left for you to answer, the diet that works for you is a better diet than none at all.
And always remember that this isn’t a bit of health advice, anyone thinking of losing weight should always consult a doctor. Thank you.
What is it like to be a quinquagenarian, Shaq will soon find out as this year he would be 50. He wants to be in the best shape of his life.
Didn’t I hear Will Smith say that too when he lost 20 pounds?
Takeaway
You don’t worry about the problems; you worry about the solution.
My solution if I can’t figure it out is [telling myself] It could be worse.
Once I say that, all of my problems are over — Shaq “The Big Aristotle” O’Neal
If all goes to plan, maybe Shaq can grace the GQ cover again as he did in the 90s for his 50th birthday with his six-pack abs.
Thank you for reading.
Sources:
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