Post Malone has braved his sobriety and weight loss journey like a true Rockstar, and we’re completely bowled over! From recent concerts to other public appearances, the singer has been flaunting his slimmer physique in full glory and this massive health kick has the internet wondering ‘HOW’?
Twitter and Reddit users are flooding platforms with queries about Malone’s drastic transformation – from being a heavy-set rapper to building a much leaner frame. To satiate everyone’s buzzing curiosity, Post Malone recently spilt details on his weight loss journey and revealed how one simple dietary modification turned the tables for him!
There has been massive buzz surrounding Malone’s weight loss since the beginning of 2023, with some people previously alleging that it resulted from drug use. Thankfully, the Circles crooner shut down the rumours with his recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Post Malone admitted that after touching his heaviest at 240 pounds, he currently weighs 185 pounds after changes in his diet.
Wondering what this life-altering change was? Keep reading!
What’s the reason behind Post Malone’s drastic weight loss?
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“Quitting soda and reducing his sugar intake,” Malone revealed in the podcast. He added, “Soda is so bad. It’s so good but so bad.” However, satiating your gluttony in moderation is alright (isn’t it?), with Malone further mentioning that he occasionally likes to reward himself with some ice-cold soda after putting on a great show!
“(But if) I had a great show, and you know what, I’m feeling a little bit naughty. I’m gonna have myself a Coke on ice,” he stated. The singer, who reportedly welcomed a baby girl with his fiance in 2022, previously stated that his decision to cut off the beloved drink was also because his ‘dad life kicked in’. “I decided to kick soda and start eating better. So, I can be around for a long time for this little angel,” Post wrote on social media.
Understanding the ill effects of soda and other carbonated drinks
Despite knowing that sugar is the most well-known silent killer, many of us have no control over our calorie intake. According to Healthline, some sources of sugar are worse than others and guess what? Sugary drinks are the worst! Anything from sugary sodas and fruit juices to highly sweetened coffees and other sources of liquid sugar is a big NO. All aerated drinks spike your insulin levels over time, leading to drastic weight gain. Not only this, excess sugar is linked to type 2 diabetes, increased risk of heart disease as well as cancer. Let’s take you through all the adverse effects of consuming soda, which will (hopefully) make you think twice before touching that can of Dr Pepper!
Weight gain and increased risk of obesity
According to Harvard Health, Soda doesn’t make a person feel full in the same way that consuming calories from solid food would. So even if you devoured a high-calorie drink, you’ll be tempted to keep eating. Moreover, sweet-tasting soft drinks are likely to further stimulate your appetite for other foods which are high in calories. Given this scenario, you’ll end up consuming a lot of unhealthier stuff that causes weight gain.
These added calories increase your risk of being overweight and obese. In a study published on the National Library of Medicine’s website, it was found each daily serving of sugar-sweetened beverages in children was associated with a 60% increased risk of obesity.
Contributes to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease refers to a range of liver conditions affecting people who consume little or no alcohol. It’s most common in people who are overweight or obese. Those having NAFLD are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes as well as metabolic syndrome.
When you consume sugary content in excess, you overload your liver’s metabolising functions. Ultimately, your liver turns this sugar into fat. While some of this excess fat gets kicked out, a part of it remains in your liver which over time contributes to NAFLD.
Increased risk of type 2 diabetes
People who consume sugary drinks (1-2 cans a day or more) on a regular basis have a 26% higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes than people who rarely consume them, according to Harvard Health. While type 1 diabetes isn’t preventable, you can definitely reduce the commonly occurring type 2 diabetes by moderating your sugar intake.
Even replacing them with artificially sweetened beverages or ‘diet’ soda may not reduce the risk of diabetes. When you drink too many sweetened drinks, your body stores the excess energy in the form of fat. This means that drinking excess soda can play a part in causing obesity or excess weight. And as discussed earlier, being overweight or obese makes you highly susceptible to type 2 diabetes.
Heart disease
According to Harvard Health, a study that followed 40,000 men for two decades found that those who consumed one can of a sugary beverage per day developed a 20% higher risk of having a heart attack/ dying of a heart attack as opposed to men who rarely consumed them.
Similarly, another study focusing on 90,000 women over two decades revealed that those having more than two servings of sugary beverages each day were at a 40% higher risk of developing a heart attack/ dying from a heart attack than women who barely consumed them.
Multiple studies have established a strong link between sugary drinks and heart disease risk. So, choose your poison wisely!
Reduced bone strength
Calcium is one of the most important nutrients our body needs during childhood and adolescence – a time when bones are being built. So, when you devour soft drinks which are devoid of calcium or any other healthy nutrients, your bone health will obviously deteriorate. What’s worse is that soda contains high levels of phosphate. Consuming more phosphate than calcium has been proven to have a very harmful effect on bone health.
Milk, which is very rich in calcium, protein and several other micronutrients shares an inverse relationship with soft drinks. Harvard Health noted that when soft drink consumption goes up, milk consumption goes down and vice versa.
Mortality
Factoring in all the aforementioned points, sugary beverages can ultimately cut your life short! Harvard Health noted that there’s a very strong link between drinking sugary beverages and a higher risk of early death from cardiovascular complications. People drinking two or more servings per day have a 31% higher risk of death from cardiovascular diseases as opposed to infrequent drinkers. Additionally, there’s a modest link between sugary drinks consumption and early death risk from cancer.
Also, this increased early death risk owing to excessive sugary drink intake is more apparent in women than men. So, ladies, be extra cautious of that sugar rush!
Healthier alternatives to replace your soda cravings
- Fruit-infused water: Satisfy your soda cravings by simply adding your favourite fruit slices to your water bottle and devouring it throughout the day.
- Sparkling water: While simple, plain H2O is the best soda alternative. You can start by drinking sparkling water for a smoother transition. It gives you hydration with the feel of carbonation from soda.
- Kombucha: Another naturally fizzy alternative to soda, Kombucha is full of probiotics that promote healthy gut bacteria. It’s great for your digestive system.
- Maple water: Add the naturally sweet maple syrup to your water and enjoy the sweet delight.
- Unsweetened coffee or tea: Swap your sugary drinks in favour of black tea, green tea, herbal/ fruit-infused tea or black coffee to quench your thirst.
- Vegetable juice: A quick, low-calorie way to reap the benefits of vegetables (minus the fibre). You can also blend your favourite veggie slices with fruit slices if you’re in desperate need of a sweetener.
- Milk: While milk is quite sweet, it doesn’t leave you with empty calories and is quite fulfilling. You can even try soy, coconut or almond milk.
- Red wine: Yes, you read that right! When consumed in moderation, red wine is way better than drinking soda every day.
We hope Post Malone’s weight loss journey instils some inspiration in you!
(Hero and feature image credit: postmalone/ Instagram)
This story first appeared in Lifestyle Asia Singapore.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answer: Post Malone shed over 50 pounds in the last couple of months by quitting soda and reducing his sugar intake.
Answer: The singer, who weighed 240 pounds at one point, was consuming too many calories by having sugary drinks like soda.
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