Staying in shape is not the easiest task, especially for a retired athlete that has gone through rigorous workout routines in the past and looking to take a break from all of it. Shaquille O’Neal is one of such players, but he recently revealed that he is taking steps to get back into shape.
O’Neal spoke with Men’s Journal and revealed that he has abs once again. The last time he was this fit was in 2006, when he was with the Miami Heat.
In the chat, he stated that he had a rough 2020, following his sister Ayesha Harrison-Jex and Kobe Bryant passing away, alongside 28 other people that were close to him. With the tragedy that filled 2020, he lost the zeal to exercise.
When asked how the transformation started, he said:
“I just started to eat better and to make better decisions. I was starting to look old and I didn’t want to. So I said to myself, I want to take my shirt off on Instagram one last time.”
According to Big Shaq, it took him six months of eating healthy and regular exercises for him to get his Miami body back.
“I’ve been doing this for six months and just eating fruit, protein shakes, salads, fish, chicken, and asparagus, or other vegetables. Very small portions and eating that every day has helped me lose 25-30 pounds. 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.”
O’Neal added that he gets excited when he sees his new body every time he walks past a mirror and gave an insight into the type of exercises he does.
“You know the crazy thing is, I’m like a little kid every time I walk by a mirror. Especially if I eat a cookie or something, I think, ‘Oh my God, my six-pack is gone.’ And then I go to the mirror and see, ‘Oh, it’s still there.'”
“I do 20 minutes of cardio, I’ll do some chest, bis, tris, sit-ups, back and then I’m gone. 30-45 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. Next thing I’ll try is jogging.”
Shaq is one of the coolest athletes ever but is known to say hard truths when the occasion presents. He once made it clear to his kids that his money is his, and not theirs.
But that does not take away from how generous The Big Diesel is. There are several philanthropic acts one could reference, but a $4,000 tip to a restaurant server stands out. The four-time NBA champ currently works as an analyst with Inside The NBA on TNT, alongside Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and host Ernie Johnson.
