Chris Young took a warning from his doctor about his health seriously — dropping 66 pounds as a result.
“She was like, ‘You got to do something.’ Like, it was the first time in my life my doctor looked at me and was like, ‘You’re sort of in an unhealthy place right now, all right?'” the country star, 38, told Entertainment Tonight. “So I was like, ‘OK, well, I really like being in my career and getting a chance to travel the world and play shows, so I want to do that as long as possible.'”
Young says he knew he immediately had to make some lifestyle changes to improve his health.
“It was just kind of like the check engine light comes on in your car. It’s time to fix some stuff,” the musician continued.
Young found tips on creating healthy meals via social media and started working out with a personal trainer. Now, he can still eat his favorite foods as part of a healthier diet.
“It’s a lot more meal prep and being conscious of, you know, calories to protein ratio when I’m taking stuff in,” Young explained. “I love to cook, so that’s been beneficial of me being able to go, ‘All right, I’m gonna meal prep for the road. I’m gonna make stuff I like.'”
The 6’4” entertainer previously weighed nearly 300 pounds. After six months, he’s slimmed down to 230 pounds.
“That gives you an idea of where I was, if you can do the math, and it was not good,” Young added. “A lot went into it and I feel better onstage, definitely more fun being at shows. [I] don’t feel as tired on the road, so it’s just a lot of good things.”
One of those good things is feeling more confident on red carpets, and no longer using his hands to hide his stomach. Young knew he had made significant progress when he wore a white shirt for a music video, something he avoided before because of his weight.
“I felt comfortable,” he shared, “and I just didn’t before.”
Young has enjoyed a successful career since his recording debut in 2006, with three platinum and three gold RIAA-certified albums. His latest release, Famous Friends, which debuted in 2021, featured Kane Brown, Lauren Alaina, Jimmie Allen and Old Dominion. He’s completed his next album, which he plans to drop in 2024, and is going to continue with his weight loss journey.
“It’s not something where I’m constantly going, ‘Yeah, I’m done. I’ve completed the process. This is over,'” Young commented. “It’s something I want to continue doing and I enjoy being at the gym, I enjoy being in the gym with friends and, you know, working out with my trainer. It’s just become a part of my everyday life now.”
