Inside Country Star Nate Smith’s 70-Lb. Weight Loss Journey
Inside Country Star Nate Smith’s 70-Lb. Weight Loss Journey
Samantha StutsmanMon, July 6, 2026 at 6:26 PM UTC
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Nate Smith in 2022; Nate Smith in 2025.Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty; Nicola Gell/Getty -
Nate Smith has lost more than 70 lbs. since 2024
The country star’s fans motivate him to stay healthy
He has incorporated backpacking and a high-protein diet into his routine
Nate Smith took control of his health in 2024.
After coming down with a serious respiratory illness, the country singer decided it was time to embrace a healthier lifestyle after years of struggling with his body image.
“I didn’t like the way I looked. I didn’t like the way I felt. I didn’t like how I was out of breath all the time and how I’d get dizzy just tying my shoes,” he told PEOPLE in July 2025. “I felt like I was slowly killing myself.”
With the encouragement of his brother, Kyle (who has undergone his own weight-loss transformation), Smith has cut back on drinking, become more mindful of what he eats and found a fitness routine that works for him. The changes have helped him lose more than 70 lbs. to date.
“Anytime I ever tried to do an extreme diet, I failed within two days,” Smith told Muscle & Fitness in May 2026. “Making it a lifestyle is what finally worked.”
From his workout routine to his eating habits, here’s everything Nate Smith has shared about his weight loss journey.
A health scare inspired his fitness journey
Nate Smith in 2023; Nate Smith in 2026.Credit: Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty; Jason Kempin/Getty
In the fall of 2024, Smith came down with a severe upper respiratory infection that prompted him to reevaluate his eating habits and heavy drinking.
“I knew I needed to get some healthy food, or I wasn’t going to get better,” he recalled to PEOPLE in July 2025. “So I threw out all the bad food in the house and bought some juices and fruit and things to give my body some fuel. Then I was like, ‘Well, heck, what if I just kind of keep trying to eat better and maybe eat less?’ ”
The “Whiskey on You” singer stuck with those changes, eventually losing more than 70 lbs. He told PEOPLE in July 2026 that his biggest motivation now is making sure he has the stamina to give fans his best every night on tour.
He’s lost more than 70 lbs.
Nate Smith in 2023; Nate Smith in 2026.Credit: Omar Vega/FilmMagic; Jason Kempin/Getty
Smith has shed more than 70 lbs. since late 2024 — but he says his journey isn’t over.
“I think I want to get under 200 lbs.,” he shared with PEOPLE in July 2026. “So I was like 275 lbs., somewhere in that world. But I want to get down to like 185 lbs. again.”
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Before finding success in country music, Smith spent more than a decade working as a nurse’s aide, a physically demanding job that required him to lift patients daily. The work eventually left him with multiple herniated discs and chronic back pain.
Smith told Muscle & Fitness that his weight loss has significantly reduced the stress on his back, improving both his mobility and his ability to bounce back after shows and travel.
Backpacking is his preferred form of exercise
Nate Smith visits the SiriusXM Studio in 2024.Credit: Tibrina Hobson/Getty
Smith takes a walk nearly every morning, but he doesn’t rely on a traditional workout routine to stay fit. Instead, he says most of his exercise comes while performing onstage.
“I’m running around the whole time,” he told Muscle & Fitness. “By the end of the show, I’ve got a pile of sweat going.”
When he isn’t touring, Smith prefers staying active outdoors by backpacking through national parks rather than hitting the gym.
“I hate working out more than anything in the world,” he said. “I don’t run. I just can’t relate to someone who says they love to run.”
He’s become more mindful of his diet
Nate Smith performs during the Boots in the Park Las Vegas music festival in 2025.Credit: Mindy Small/Getty
Smith’s brother, Kyle, previously lost nearly 80 lbs. and now runs the @tastyshreds Instagram account, which boasts over 2 million followers. Thus, he was a key resource at the beginning of Smith’s weight-loss journey.
“[Kyle] said just start with 2,100 calories a day, and try to eat 200 grams of protein, and that’s what got me into a routine of being aware of calories and what I’m eating,” Smith told PEOPLE in July 2025. “As long as I’m eating a lot of protein, I’m feeling really good, and it keeps me full.”
Along the way, the country singer cut back on alcohol and made simple food swaps, trading regular Gatorade for Gatorade Zero, skipping the buns on burgers and even replacing his go-to Starbucks white mocha with an Americano.
While Smith has embraced healthier habits, he admitted he still struggles with binge eating from time to time. Rather than swearing off his favorite foods altogether, he focuses on moderation.
“If I want to have it, I’m going to have it. But I want to find a way to make it a treat versus a lifestyle thing,” Smith added. “If I decide I’m going to have mac and cheese, it’s okay.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
