Because Muscles and Fitness readers, country star Nate Smith may look like just another successful artist on a grueling tour schedule full of sold-out shows, late nights, and non-stop touring. But after the group’s success, chart-topping singles, and stage performances alongside artists like Morgan Wallen, Smith quietly made some very important changes in his life.
The ACM-winning singer lost more than 70 pounds, reformed her relationship with alcohol, advanced therapy and meditation, and found a sustainable health routine that doesn’t rely on excess. Instead, Smith’s evolution came through consistency, emotional healing, family support, and a growing understanding that physical health often begins with mental health.
And despite the fame, Smith still sounds very enthusiastic about the simple things: hiking in Yosemite National Park, eating protein-heavy meals, taking care of his band when they’re offstage, and relaxing his back in the quiet hours before sunrise.
“I think the biggest thing in my mental health is loving myself,” Smith said. “When I fill my tank and take care of myself, I can love people better.”
Nate Smith’s Workout Routine Is Basically Chaotic
Smith laughs when asked if he has joined the growing country music golf movement.
“My golf life is gone,” he admits. “I think I’d make a pretty good golf cart driver.” The same humor and self-awareness recently emerged during a backstage interview Muscles and Fitness on TikTok, where Nate Smith opens up about everything from hiking and recovery to sobriety and mental health. The candid interview gave fans a closer look at the methods that help fuel her massive body transformation.
Instead of a formal gym session or country team workout, Smith’s fitness routine revolves around movement that feels natural rather than forced. Early in the morning, that means going faster. At night, it means surviving the physical demands of performing live on stage.
“I run all the time,” Smith said. “By the end of the show, I was sweating profusely.”
Unlike musicians who disappear quickly 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 keeps him emotionally strong.
However, if he can choose any type of exercise, the answer comes immediately: backpacking.
Why Yosemite Was Nate Smith’s Reset Button
Smith lights up discussing Yosemite National Park, calling it the most beautiful place he’s ever seen.
He says: “There is nothing better than that in the world.”
The singer often backpacks in national parks, often embracing the discomfort that comes with sleeping outside and hiking miles at a time. One of his favorite Yosemite traditions involves waiting overnight in the Camp 4 line for a chance to secure a campsite.
“You sleep in your sleeping bag, and around 08:00 a park ranger comes and gives everyone a number,” he explained. “I was the only person who was not a rock climber.
The outdoors has been a physical challenge and a mental reset for Smith. His hiking nutrition plan is incredibly disciplined, with a strong focus on protein. “I try to keep it high in protein all the time,” she says. “Turkeys, Chomps, dehydrated foods, eggs. I always eat protein snacks.”
At night, you allow yourself a reward meal after burning off miles on the trail. “If I’ve been away for a long day, I’ll make Mountain House lasagna,” he says. “You pour hot water in a bag, and you eat lasagna in the forest. You basically feel like an astronaut.”
Back Injuries That Will Slow You Down
Long before musical success came, Smith spent nearly 15 years working as a nurse’s aide in hospitals, lifting patients every day. The hard work eventually left him with multiple herniated discs and chronic back pain.
He explains: “I’ve always had a bad back.
Now, recovery is a non-negotiable part of his life. Smith credits stretching, range of motion, 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 that learning how to properly manage spinal manipulation has greatly reduced his pain levels.
The practice is especially important because Smith works with many herniated discs, something he says can quickly become apparent if he sits for long periods of time or moves incorrectly while walking. Instead of ignoring the pain, learn how important daily exercise is to stay physically and mentally active while traveling.
That commitment to recovery has paid off big following her dramatic weight transformation. Losing more than 70 pounds has greatly reduced the pressure on his spine, allowing him to move more freely on stage and recover more quickly after playing and long travel days.
He says: “I mean, all that weight that was on my back is gone.
Combined with physical therapy, hydration, stretching, and consistent movement, Smith says the lifestyle changes have helped her feel healthier than she has in years.
My brothers are Thicc and Thin
Smith says the revolution started with his brother Kyle, better known online as Tasty Shreds, who built a large audience by creating high-protein comfort food recipes.
At one point, Smith just got tired of feeling uncomfortable in her body.
“I was tired of the way I looked in the mirror,” she says. “I couldn’t be completely myself because I was so worried about how I looked.”
Instead of cutting back on food, his brother encouraged small, gradual changes.
The first goal was simple:
- 2,100 calories per day
- 200 grams of protein
- Smaller food exchanges instead of restrictions
Those changes add up little by little. Instead of sugary coffee drinks, Smith switched to espresso with unsweetened vanilla. Instead of traditional pasta and snacks, he chose alternatives with high proteins. Instead of focusing on perfection, he focused on consistency.
“Whenever I’ve tried to overeat, I’ve failed within two days,” Smith said. “Making it a lifestyle is what finally worked.”
The result was not just physical.
“It turns out that when I take care of myself, I love people better,” he said.
Healing, Faith, and learning to love yourself
Before becoming one of the fastest growing names in country music, Smith first learned to sing in a church youth group, where he played guitar and eventually gained the confidence to perform in public.
He says: “That’s when I really started music.”
Faith remains important to him today, although his outlook has changed to one that focuses more on compassion than debate.
“My whole thing is love,” Smith said. “I just want to love people, great people, and make people better.”
That same mindset has shaped his healing and emotional development. Smith says she attends weekly therapy and has also participated in intensive counseling focused on healing childhood trauma and rebuilding self-esteem.
One of the habits that changed him the most was surprisingly simple: writing affirmations.
He says: “Every day I write three good things about myself. “At first, it was uncomfortable. But eventually those beliefs began to sink in.”
For someone who spent years shedding compliments and struggling internally, the practice was transformative.
“You deserve to be loved,” Smith said, thinking about what he was going to tell his younger self. “Your block is you.”
