NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal underwent a huge body transformation in order to become a ‘sex symbol’.
The former NBA star, commonly known by his nickname, Shaq weighed over 28st 5lb.
However, speaking on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Shaq revealed that he now weighs 26 stone after a picture of him in better shape went viral. Shaq also stated that he used fellow NBA legend Charles Barkley as an inspiration.
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He said: “I didn’t want my stomach to be over the belt anymore. So I was just like, ‘Let me go ahead and get slim.’
“After that [picture] went viral, now I’ve got to live up to it.
“I was 401 pounds. Now I’m 365. I’m trying to take it back to 345.
“I want to have muscles everywhere, and I want to do an underwear ad with my sons [for] Fruit of the Loom, baby.”
He also claimed that he wanted to be a ‘sex symbol’.
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Shaq went through a tough time in 2020 after the passing of his sister and good friend Kobe Bryant.
In 2021, he told Men’s Health magazine: “My sister passed away, and then Kobe, it was a really bad year and I didn't want to do anything, I could only eat and watch Netflix.
“I saw an old man in his 70s with muscles all over the place and I started to eat better, I only ate sandwiches, for lunch, for dinner and for a snack, and then everything hit me last year and I couldn't sleep, I would get up and make myself a sandwich.
“I realised I couldn't go on like this, I took away the bread, the chocolate and the cakes.”
Shaq went on to say that a strict diet and exercise routine were key to losing weight.
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He added: “Now I only eat fruits, protein shakes, salads, fish, chicken, asparagus and other vegetables, all in very small portions.
“I have started to see things like a six-pack, which I haven't had since I was in Miami in 2006.
“I do 20 minutes of cardio and then a little bit of chest, biceps, triceps, abs and back, which is about an hour a day in total.”
Featured Image Credit: Alamy/TwitterTopics: Shaquille O’Neal, NBA, Basketball