Shape of You singer Ed Sheeran has revealed his muscly new physique on the cover of Men’s Health UK’s Jan/Feb issue, admitting he used to “feel gross” when looking in the mirror
Ed Sheeran has unveiled his incredible body transformation.
The superstar singer has sold over 200 million records worldwide, but it seems he’s ditched the studio for the gym lately. He’s now debuted his ripped physique on the cover of Men’s Health UK ‘s Jan/Feb issue – with muscly arms and the abs to match.
And it turns out Ed decided to ditch his Bad Habits (get it?) and get into fitness after becoming a dad. He and wife Cherry Seaborn are parents to two daughters; Lyra and Jupiter.
He told Men’s Health about his new lifestyle: “[Fitness] just sort of became something that really added to my life. I think, underneath it all, I am a pizza-eating, beer-guzzling smoker, but that’s just not my reality as a parent in my thirties. I think that you have to make good decisions.
“I’d never run more than a kilometre and did my first 10K during Covid – stuff like that, building up to that, it just makes you feel better. And I think that in my thirties, that’s where I’m at. I’m not saying I’m done with enjoying myself, I still drink. I love red wine, I love a nice meal, but it’s not every day.”
On how fatherhood impacted his wellness habits, he said: “I became a dad. I remember Lyra [oldest daughter] was two weeks old and I had my best mate round and we had a bottle of wine. I went to bed, then Lyra woke up 20 minutes after I’d fallen asleep.
“I woke up and I was like, ‘F***, I probably shouldn’t drink if I’m going to feel this dreadful,’ I want to be able to do the night stuff. It all came in at the same time of wanting to be a responsible dad, wanting to feel and look good. I didn’t want to pick my kid up and have my back fucked and stuff like that. And then also that feeds into professional life…I wanted to feel superhuman on stage.”
He added: “I do think it’s relatable for parents to suddenly want to be a bit more healthy and follow a bit more of a routine. And the thing with reformer [pilates] is, it’s something anyone can start off with and it’s a really gentle introduction to [fitness]. I’m not saying we all need to run marathons and blah, blah, blah. I’m also not selling super-healthy eating or this or that… It’s all about moderation.”
The singer admitted he used to live a “pretty unhealthy life” in his twenties and didn’t like his reflection in the mirror. He explained: “I would say I lived a pretty unhealthy life from 20 to 30.
“And even though I was doing professionally well, I wouldn’t say that reflected well into my personal life. And I do think that wellness is a direct mirror to mental health and the way you feel. I always felt like s*it within myself; I’d wake up and look in the mirror and just feel gross.”
And it was Stormzy who helped motivate him to get into shape. “I look at someone like Stormzy and the training that he goes through to go on tour and that was definitely a catalyst,” Ed said. “I went to play with him in 2021 and he was doing a hundred press-ups before he went on stage and I was staring at him like, ‘What the f*** is this about?’
Ed said he’s always been close to his fans and will always have a special connection with them through his music. He added: “I’ve always been close to my fan base. I’ve always been grateful that people are even interested in my music.
“If I was playing pubs and three people turned up and wanted to hear my songs, I’m going to want to speak to them afterwards and make a connection because I’m really grateful that they’ve even come. I think that a lot of my songs have framed so many of my fans’ life moments…So we always have this bond or connection no matter what because of those specific songs and memories.”
The full interview is in the next issue of Men’s Health UK on sale 23 December, or now on the MH website.
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