What made singer Ed Sheeran go on a weight loss journey after years of "binge eating and excessive drinking"?
English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran admitted that, after his tour concluded in 2021, his weight skyrocketed to 15 stone (210 pounds). He revealed that his diet consisted of beer and fried food, as well as many late nights.
Ed, who married Cherry Seaborn in 2019, lost 5 stone (70 pounds) in a quest to lose weight and get healthier by eliminating a few things from his diet. Moreover, he became more determined when he discovered he would be a father, noting that the “penny dropped” when “Cherry was pregnant.”
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The Grammy-winning singer said his daughter Lyra, born in August 2020, was his “biggest motivation” to “detox his life.” He claimed that excessive drinking and heavy partying put him in “dangerous” situations and that the loneliness of being on tour drove him to drink alone.
Ed further said he began binge eating when he returned home and took a break from the industry, per Express. He stated that taking time off from touring was the “worst thing for his health.” He also admitted to drinking booze “every day.”
According to the NHS (National Health Service), drinking just four bottles of wine per month amounts to a yearly consumption of roughly 27,000 calories. A regular glass of wine has the same number of calories as a piece of chocolate, while a pint of lager has around the same number as a packet of crisps.
Ed Sheeran's Weight Loss Tricks
The main keys to Ed’s successful weight loss:
- He stopped drinking alcohol
- He quit smoking
- He avoided unhealthy foods and binge-eating
- He began consuming healthy foods and prioritized his entire well-being
- He started exercising, which includes running, swimming, and sit-ups
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What did Ed Sheeran do to shed some pounds?
Eventually, Ed has found a way to ditch his unhealthy habits and turn to a healthier lifestyle. His waist shrunk from 36 inches to just 28 inches. He said, “I stopped three months before Lyra was born because I was determined I was going to be the person to drive my wife to the hospital.”
The singer added, “I was 15-and-a-half stone at my peak, and I think I’m 10-and-a-half now – I was big, it really showed.”
He stated that he “always knew” he was a “big” person, and his love of “chicken wings, wine, and beer” and lack of exercise had caused him to become “too big.” After becoming a dad, he leans on a “clean” lifestyle and doesn’t “drink two bottles” of wine like he used to.
Meanwhile, The Sun reported that the singer said he would never “quit” any foods or drinks since he would “end up starting to try and binge it again.” The NHS explains that alcohol can negatively impact almost every organ in your body, including your heart, bones, and brain.
Alcohol can have many short-term impacts, including thirst, the urge to snack, and disruption of sleep patterns. In the long run, alcohol use can lead to weight gain, a variety of organ disorders, and adverse effects on one’s mental state.
On the other hand, binge eating entails repeatedly consuming a large quantity of food in a short amount of time until you feel uncomfortably full. People who binge eat typically choose unhealthy fast food. This unhealthy habit could lead to several health problems in the future.
Now, Ed Sheeran feels healthier than before.
The pop star spoke about the physical changes he made to his lifestyle to achieve his weight loss goals. He talked about his activities since the COVID-19 pandemic started and how he feels better than ever in an interview with BBC Radio 1 in 2021.
“It’s the first time I’ve been really healthy,” Ed said. “I’ve kind of stopped all the bad habit stuff in my life. Started exercising every day. I was eating like a takeaway every single day, and now I don’t eat takeaway every single day, and it’s been good.”
In a December 2019 appearance on the Behind the Medal podcast, the singer talked openly about his active way of life. In the interview, he revealed that he took up running after quitting smoking to lose weight.
“I stopped smoking three years ago and then ever since then started exercising. I love it,” Ed shared at the time. He also stated that while his morning workout typically consists of 45 minutes of running, he occasionally incorporates swimming and sit-ups.
“I started doing it because when I stopped smoking, I was very aware that my lungs were so full of s— that I needed to clear them out,” he added. “Gyms are good, but there’s nothing like fresh air to really give you a cleanout. That’s, for me, the main reason why I started doing it.”
Ed admitted to shedding 50 pounds in January 2017 after recognizing he needed to lose weight during his one-year break from performing. The majority of his weight loss was done by eliminating beer from his diet.
“Now I’m back on beer because I’m fine, but I cut out beer for a bit and started exercising, which was quite weird,” the singer said during an interview with The Breakfast Club radio show.
Ed also stated that, while his performances look low-key, they demand a lot of movement and frequently result in him losing weight. He often does a few activities during his performances, plus his long hours of concerts would make him sweat a lot.
“I jump up and down on boxes, when I’m finished, I’m drenched in sweat. I do jump around quite a bit,” he said. “And just under those lights, just sweating, you drop off a bunch.”
Ed Sheeran also shared he decided to lose weight after being fat-shamed.
Ed revealed that he lost more than 50 pounds after being trolled and chose not to participate in his early music videos because he “never liked the way I looked.” In the Behind the Medal podcast, he revealed that whenever he’s big, there are always online trolls saying he’s “chunky” or “fat.”
The first few years of my career, I was in the same sort of age as the One Direction boys and Justin Bieber, and all these people that were really in shape and had six packs, and I was kind of like, ‘Oh, should I be looking like this?” he said.
The pop star admitted that he became very unhealthy while on tour due to overeating and lack of exercise. He attempted to correct it by going on rigorous diets that made him too thin. He noted that the image expectations for celebrities are “weird.”
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“That was the other extreme of it. I’ve been really big and was like, now I’m going to try to get as skinny as possible,” Ed said.
Ed said he now feels like he has found his life’s balance and is at his most desirable weight after shedding 55 pounds. He also mentioned that he stopped smoking three years ago, which has improved his health.
“It’s not a given that we were meant to have six packs, it’s not a normal thing to be that ripped. I exercise pretty much every day, but I eat and drink what I want.”