Shaquille O’Neill shows off body transformation and ‘first six-pack in 30 years’
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It's been 30 years since NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal last saw his six-pack – but now he's been reunited with that very body feature after following a new fitness and diet regime.
O'Neal, part of the LA Lakers side that won three consecutive titles from 2000-2002, later capturing a fourth crown with Miami Heat, retired from playing basketball in 2011 and promptly fell into bad habits.
His weight reportedly ballooned up to more than 23 stone earlier this year, and the 49-year-old's fitness struggles were compounded by experiencing personal tragedy – losing his sister, Ayesha Harrison-Jex, and former Lakers teammate, Kobe Bryant.
However, 'Shaq' has now swapped bread and cakes for "fruit, protein shakes, salads, fish, chicken and asparagus or other vegetables” – a diet supplemented by intense gym sessions in a bid to shed pounds.
Daily training now consists of 20 minutes of cardio, weights, and sit-ups, with the 7ft 1 icon even pledging to soon start jogging.
His new-found discipline is paying off, with his weight now said to be around 21 stone, and the two-time Olympic gold medalist with the 'Dream Team' can boast of a leaner, more defined body shape.
"I want to take my shirt off on Instagram one last time,” he said, in an interview with Men's Journal.
“I saw this 70-year-old guy on there, and he had muscles everywhere. So I just decided to switch it up.”
What do you make of Shaq's leaner body shape? Let us know in the comments section.
O'Neal's claim not to have seen a six-pack for 30 years didn't quite add up with his quip that “I haven’t had one of those since I was on the 2006 Miami Heat,” but the star explained the harrowing circumstances which caused him to lose his way.
“My sister passed away before Kobe. And then Kobe passed away and then I had 28 other people pass away. [2020] was a really bad year and I didn’t want to do anything.
"So, when you don’t want to do anything, but you need to stay out of trouble, there’s two things you can do: eat and Netflix,” he admitted.
The 15-time All-Star player also revealed one of his secrets behind his transformation – cutting out sandwiches.
"My problem is, I’ve always been a sandwich guy. Sandwich for lunch, sandwich for dinner, sandwich for snack. And when all of that was going on last year, I couldn’t sleep. So, I’d wake up at three in the morning and make a sandwich, five in the morning and make a sandwich,” he added.
- Nba
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