How This Singer Dropped 70 Pounds On The Road

​We don’t want people to feel ashamed about what they’re going through… you’re not defined by your failures… you’re going to be defined by the fact that you didn’t give up.
-Brent Smith
 
A few years ago, I saw my favorite band Shinedown rock the house for an audience of 8,500 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

They brought their A-game and mesmerized the audience with lasers, pyrotechnics, and a light show. Part of what's pulled me to the band is their powerful messages and their personal philosophy about constantly improving. 

The band has evolved considerably over the years, especially the physical transformation of lead singer, Brent Smith. For years, Brent struggled with a sugar and alcohol addiction, and each year his weight crept higher and higher.

In 2009, Brent hopped on the TV show Today with Kathy Lee Gifford. When he first strolled onto stage, Kathy’s eyes got big and she blurted out, “At first I thought he was Meat Loaf,” which caused her co-host to burst into laughter. Brent’s heart sank to the ground because she wasn’t comparing him in musical talent, but in physical size.

Even though this public blow stung, he still struggled to change until one day his girlfriend sat him down. She told him,

 “Listen to me, I love you and I’m not going anywhere, but this lifestyle that you’re leading is not going to work.”

She told him that it is time to get your life back.

In that moment, it clicked that his destructive habits weren’t just hurting him. He needed to be strong and healthy for his family, especially for his 4-year-old son. So he started working with a trainer who helped him clean up his nutrition and put him on a program of circuit training and core work. This was not easy especially since he was on the road 300 days per year. But he committed to cranking out his circuit training whether it was backstage or in a hotel room. And that weekly commitment caused him to drop 70 pounds.

In an interview with the LA Times, Brent Smith explained how his life has changed since devoting it to fitness:

“The stamina I have in my lungs is so much better. Now I don’t have to wear a big jacket to cover the fat and get overheated. I’m way more conditioned for the stage and I have a lot more power behind my voice. Things that used to be really hard on stage aren’t as difficult now because I’m now in the best shape of my life. It’s amazing how much clarity I have and how my body feels so much better. Health is such a big part of who I am now.

Keep this last sentence in mind.

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