‘Country star’ Nate Smith transforms after losing 31 kg… “I started dieting when tying my shoes made me dizzy, and it’s not over yet”

The top country singer-songwriter Nate Smith (Nate Smith·40), rocking the U.S. pop scene with mega hits such as “World on Fire,” shared dramatic new visuals showing that he has shed as much as 70 pounds (about 32 kg), and he laid out the specific goals and driving force behind his diet.

■ “I was slowly killing myself”… A health warning that arrived when he tied his shoes

On May 5 (local time), People (People magazine) reported on an interview with Nate Smith, whose fans were stunned by his visibly slimmer look.

Recalling a time when his peak weight was close to 280 pounds (about 127 kg), Nate Smith said he opened up about the decisive moment that led him to commit to dieting. He said, “I hated what I saw in the mirror, and I was always out of breath. Even when I tied my shoes and my head started spinning, and I sat down, I felt a terrifying fear that I was slowly killing myself.”

Ever since childhood, he said he had always felt self-conscious because of his weight problems. Whenever he was heartbroken or stressed, he soothed his mind through binge eating and drinking, which eventually led to a serious lower-back injury (spine pain) and chronic fatigue. He added, “I wanted to give fans the perfect energy I could release on stage and repay them, but because my body had gotten heavy, I couldn’t fully show myself, and I felt so lonely.”

■ The twist without Ozempic… A ‘slow lifestyle’ revolution with his food-creator younger brother

Asked whether he used drugs such as “Ozempic,” an obesity-treatment medication sweeping Hollywood, Nate Smith drew a firm line with a hearty laugh.

The No. 1 contributor to the weight loss, he said, was his younger brother Kyle Smith, his biological sibling, who has gained big popularity on social media with high-protein comfort-food recipes. For him, whenever he tried extreme fasting or trendy diets, he couldn’t make it past two days and experienced yo-yo dieting. In response, his brother set out a sustainable set of guidelines: a cap of 2,100 calories per day and 200 g of protein intake.

Nate Smith shared the key by saying, “Instead of simply suppressing food, I started very small ‘Food Swaps.’” For example, he replaced the habit of drinking orange soda with an ion drink zero product, reduced the number of pumps in a white mocha coffee packed with sugar, and eventually settled on a no-syrup, unsweetened coffee. “The most important thing was to wake up every morning and promise myself to have a day that was just a little better than yesterday,” he said, emphasizing that small habits added up to create miracles.

■ A massive burst of energy on stage… “A journey where a lighter spine taught me to love more”

Now that he has lost about 31 kg or more, Nate Smith is enjoying a sense of complete mental freedom beyond just physical changes. As he dropped the weight, his stubborn spine compression pain disappeared as if by miracle, and his recovery speed after long flights or grueling tour schedules improved dramatically.

He said, “Now I don’t even have to sweat on stage or get out of breath, so I can run around and play much more.” He then smiled brightly. He added, “When I finally took care of myself and didn’t feel ashamed, I gained the mental space to truly love other people. I’m finally feeling real freedom,” and offered a moving reflection.

With his current weight down to 225 pounds (about 102 kg), Nate Smith suggested through this interview that his journey toward his ultimate goal weight is not finished yet. In response to the veteran’s courageous confession that he will stand tall in front of fans while maintaining a healthy lifestyle instead of obsessing over extreme numbers, pop peers and global fans are pouring in fierce encouragement and praise.