Since his retirement, Shaquille O’Neal has had a bit of a roller-coaster ride when it comes to physical fitness. The former Laker has had a range of weight fluctuations in recent years, which included a 50-lb cutdown that he ensured earlier this year. Having had hip surgery in March, Shaq seems determined to continue his progress and recently talked about wanting to cut his weight down to 315-330 lbs, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. Regardless, in addition to the physical struggle that he was experiencing, it seems like jealousy also played an important role in his transformation.
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During a recent interview with SiriusXM alongside seven-time Superbowl Champion Tom Brady, Shaq revealed that it was exactly when he saw the Patriots legend shirtless on a beach that he decided he needed to get back into shape. Brady’s reaction to the big man’s remark was equally endearing as the remark itself.
Shaquille O’Neal details Tom Brady’s role in his weight-loss journey
O’Neal has had tremendous weight fluctuations in recent years and was well over 400 pounds in late 2022. However, after months of hard work, he initially managed to get down to around 350 after losing around 55 lbs.
His weight-loss journey seems to have been hindered due to the hip surgery he had back in March, with Shaq previously revealing that he was not even able to walk up the stairs initially. Regardless, he seems to have gotten back to working out regularly since the NBA Playoffs and once again looks to be in top shape.
This, Shaq claims, is partly due to Tom Brady. “This year I wanted to get into a little bit more shape. I saw you on the beach with your shirt off and I got super jealous. Damn, Tom [Bardy] does it again,” Shaq said hilariously, before revealing further details about his journey.
Brady responded with his usual million-dollar ear-to-ear smile. He seemed flattered by the big man’s compliment, and looked proud as well for Shaq’s commitment to his weigh loss routine.
“I don’t know how you feel but when you accomplish everything and you do everything, you just turn it off. Like, I had nothing else to do. I am like, I am done, I am retired and then my Achilles heel is sandwiches,” Shaq told Brady, talking about his vices. The fact that he ended up deciding to cut down was at least partly due to the physical struggles that he underwent because of his weight.
Shaq’s weight fluctuations are not a post-retirement trend
It must be noted that it is not recently that Shaq’s struggles with weight fluctuations started. The same interview saw him detail how much he weighed during the different phases of his career.
As it turns out, Shaq started his career at 285 pounds in Orlando but had moved up to around 315 pounds during his first year with the Lakers.
In 2004, O’Neal moved to the Miami Heat, where he worked under the legendary Pat Riley and his 8% body fat rule. Shaq claimed that his new head coach had him doing army drills in order to cut weight. Riley and Shaq worked together to bring his weight down to 325 pounds, which in and of itself represents a whopping 60-pound weight loss. Shaq’s struggles to cut weight under Riley eventually led to him deciding to open 24-hour fitness clubs in Miami, simply because he had lost hope in his own ability to get down to 8% body fat.
