Shaquille O’Neal has settled into his post-NBA life as Inside the NBA’s resident goofball. Part of his new life saw the former Miami Heat star gain weight following his 2011 retirement. This didn’t go unnoticed as he knew he needed to lose weight. Months after mentioning his weight loss journey, the NBA Hall of Famer revealed how he’s already lost 55 pounds in trying to get back into Heat-era championship shape.
The NBA legend admitted to ET that his time with the Miami Heat was when he was in the best shape of his life. He called his championship run with the Los Angeles Lakers the worst shape of his NBA career. He weighed between 345 and 395 pounds during his last years with the multi-championship organization. Shaq mentioned he was in top form at 315 when the Miami Heat won the NBA Finals in 2006. That time helped to motivate the TV personality, but it was some health issues that led him to change his lifestyle. The four-time NBA champ said:
I got a couple of people involved — it’s all about eating right. I got some blood work done, a friend of mine called me and said, ‘You’re fat,’ and she gave me this guy’s name, and he did some blood work, and you know, ’cause I was the athlete — I wasn’t a salad eater. I won’t pay attention to any of that. I don’t care about none of that. I didn’t know what the difference between a carb and a protein was, at 50 years old I never knew. So, he was saying you can’t do this, you can’t do that, more vegetables, my iron’s low. And once I just started changing those certain things, it dropped. Plus, the supplements I’m taking, and the shakes I’m drinking, the weight just fell off. I’m not at 100 percent ninja mode yet. I’m still 75 percent.
Despite his body being a tool for his prolific basketball career, it was surprising that O’Neal didn’t understand basic nutrition. Luckily, he’s on the right track with his current food and supplement regime. Changing his diet has motivated the basketball analyst to get back to his Heat-era shape, saying:
I’m probably gonna get between 315 and 330.
Shaq admitted before getting his blood work done, he noticed some hindrances in his everyday life. He opened up about having difficulty walking up flights of stairs and not liking his reflection in the mirror. However, things are working out for the basketball analyst as he documents his weight loss journey on Instagram. Watch the multifaceted entertainer do his best bodybuilder poses in the post below:
There’s nothing like seeing Shaq be his usual goofy self while displaying his toned physique. However, his physical transformation is inspirational for those looking to get back in shape after facing some challenges trying to do so. The former Laker was hospitalized earlier this year following hip replacement surgery. But, now he’s back to work, and maybe his renewed physique will finally score him the chance to be an underwear model.
Viewers will have to continue watching Shaquille O’Neal on Instagram as NBA on TNT won’t return until October 24 when the basketball season kicks off. If you want to keep up with the premiere dates of the NBA analyst series and other shows, check out our 2023 TV schedule for more updates. In the meantime, check out some of Shaq’s best contributions to movies, TV, etc.