For Muscle & Fitness readers, country star Nate Smith may look like another artist thriving in a demanding touring schedule packed with sold-out shows, late nights, and nonstop travel. But behind the breakout success, chart-topping singles, and stadium performances alongside artists like Morgan Wallen, Smith has quietly undergone one of the most meaningful transformations of his life.
The ACM-winning singer has dropped more than 70 pounds, reshaped his relationship with alcohol, prioritized therapy and meditation, and found a sustainable health routine that doesn’t rely on extremes. Instead, Smith’s wellness evolution has come from consistency, emotional healing, family support, and a growing understanding that physical health often begins with mental health.
And despite the fame, Smith still sounds most energized talking about simple things: trekking through Yosemite National Park, snacking on protein-heavy hiking food, taking care of his team offstage, and loosening up his back in the quiet hours before sunrise.
“I think the biggest thing for my mental health is self-love,” Smith says. “When I’m filling up my own tank and taking care of myself, I’m able to love people better.”
Nate Smith’s Workout Routine Is Basically Controlled Chaos
Smith laughs when asked if he’s joined the growing country-music golf movement.
“My golf life doesn’t exist,” he admits. “I think I’d make a really good golf cart driver, though.” That same humor and self-awareness recently showed up during a backstage interview with Muscle & Fitness on TikTok, where Nate Smith opened up about everything from hiking and recovery to sobriety and mental health. The candid conversation gave fans a closer look at the routines helping fuel his massive physical transformation.
Instead of structured gym sessions or country-club workouts, Smith’s fitness routine revolves around movement that feels natural rather than forced. On most mornings, that means brisk walks. At night, it means surviving the physical demands of performing live on stage.
“I’m running around the whole time,” Smith says. “By the end of the show, I’ve got a pile of sweat going.”
Unlike artists who disappear immediately after a set, Smith stays long after the lights go down, signing autographs until every fan has gone home. It’s physically exhausting, but it’s also part of what fuels him emotionally.
Still, if he could choose any form of exercise, the answer comes immediately: backpacking.
Why Yosemite Became Nate Smith’s Reset Button
Smith lights up discussing Yosemite National Park, calling it the most beautiful place he’s ever experienced.
“There’s nothing more beautiful in the world,” he says.
The singer regularly camps and backpacks through national parks, often embracing the discomfort that comes with sleeping outdoors and hiking for miles at a time. One of his favorite Yosemite traditions involves waiting overnight in line at Camp 4 just for the chance to secure a campsite.
“You stay overnight in your sleeping bag, then around 8 a.m. the park ranger comes by and gives everybody a number,” he explains. “I was the only person there who wasn’t a rock climber.”
The outdoors has become both a physical challenge and a mental reset for Smith. His hiking nutrition strategy is surprisingly disciplined, centering heavily around protein intake. “I try to keep it high protein the whole time,” he says. “Turkey sticks, Chomps, dehydrated meals, eggs. I’m constantly eating protein snacks.”
At night, he allows himself a reward meal after burning through miles on the trail. “If I’ve hiked a long day, I’ll do the Mountain House lasagna,” he says. “You pour hot water into the bag, and suddenly you’re eating lasagna in the woods. You basically feel like an astronaut.”
The Back Injury That’ll Slow You Down
Long before music success arrived, Smith spent roughly 15 years working as a nurse assistant in hospitals, physically lifting patients day after day. The demanding work eventually left him dealing with multiple herniated discs and chronic back pain.
“I’ve kind of always had a bad back,” he explains.
Now, recovery has become a non-negotiable part of his life. Smith credits stretching, mobility work, hydration, and physical therapy for helping him continue to perform at a high level. He works with Dr. Jorge Rojas, a specialist in Franklin, TN, who also trains NFL players, and says learning how to properly manage spinal alignment has dramatically reduced his pain levels.
The routine is especially important because Smith deals with multiple herniated discs, something he says can quickly flare up if he sits too long or moves improperly while traveling. Instead of ignoring the pain, he’s learned how critical daily mobility work is to staying functional both physically and mentally while touring.
That commitment to recovery has only become more effective following his dramatic weight loss transformation. Dropping more than 70 pounds has significantly reduced the pressure on his spine, allowing him to move more freely onstage and recover faster after performances and long travel days.
“I mean, all that weight that was on my back isn’t there anymore,” he says.
Combined with physical therapy, hydration, stretching, and consistent movement, Smith says the lifestyle changes have helped him feel healthier than he has in years.
Brothers through Thicc and Thin
Smith says the transformation began with his brother Kyle, better known online as Tasty Shreds, who built a massive audience by creating high-protein comfort food recipes.
At one point, Smith simply got tired of feeling uncomfortable in his own body.
“I was so tired of how I looked in the mirror,” he says. “I wasn’t able to be myself completely because I was so worried about how I looked.”
Rather than crash dieting, his brother encouraged small, sustainable changes.
The initial goal was simple:
- 2,100 calories per day
- 200 grams of protein
- Minor food swaps instead of restrictions
Those adjustments slowly added up. Instead of sugary coffee drinks, Smith transitioned toward espresso with sugar-free vanilla. Instead of traditional pasta and snacks, he opted for higher-protein alternatives. Instead of obsessing over perfection, he focused on consistency.
“Anytime I ever tried to do an extreme diet, I failed within two days,” Smith says. “Making it a lifestyle is what finally worked.”
The result wasn’t just physical.
“It turns out when I’m taking care of myself, I’m loving people better,” he says.
Therapy, Faith, and Learning Self-Love
Before becoming one of country music’s fastest-rising names, Smith first learned to perform in a church youth group, where he played guitar and eventually gained the confidence to sing publicly.
“That’s really where I got my start with music,” he says.
Faith remains deeply important to him today, although his perspective has evolved into something more centered on compassion than debate.
“My whole thing is love,” Smith says. “I just want to love people, high-five people, and make people better.”
That same mindset has shaped his approach to therapy and emotional growth. Smith says he attends therapy weekly and has also participated in intensive counseling retreats focused on healing childhood trauma and rebuilding self-worth.
One of the practices that changed him most was surprisingly simple: writing affirmations.
“Every day I write down three nice things about myself,” he says. “At first, it felt awkward. But eventually those beliefs started sinking in.”
For someone who spent years brushing off compliments and struggling internally, the practice became transformational.
“You are worthy of love,” Smith says, reflecting on what he would tell his younger self. “Your block is you.”
