For Muscle & Fitness<\/em> 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,<\/a> Smith has quietly undergone one of the most meaningful transformations of his life.<\/p>\n 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\u2019t rely on extremes. Instead, Smith\u2019s wellness evolution has come from consistency, emotional healing, family support, and a growing understanding that physical health often begins with mental health.<\/p>\n And despite the fame, Smith still sounds most energized talking about simple things: trekking through Yosemite National Park, snacking on protein-heavy hiking food<\/a>, taking care of his team offstage, and loosening up his back in the quiet hours before sunrise.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the biggest thing for my mental health is self-love,\u201d Smith says. \u201cWhen I\u2019m filling up my own tank and taking care of myself, I\u2019m able to love people better.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith laughs when asked if he\u2019s joined the growing country-music golf movement.<\/p>\n \u201cMy golf life doesn\u2019t exist,\u201d he admits. \u201cI think I\u2019d make a really good golf cart driver, though.\u201d That same humor and self-awareness recently showed up during a backstage interview with Muscle & Fitness<\/em> on TikTok,<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n Instead of structured gym sessions or country-club workouts, Smith\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m running around the whole time,\u201d Smith says. \u201cBy the end of the show, I\u2019ve got a pile of sweat going.\u201d<\/p>\n 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\u2019s physically exhausting, but it\u2019s also part of what fuels him emotionally.<\/p>\n Still, if he could choose any form of exercise, the answer comes immediately: backpacking<\/a>.<\/p>\n Smith lights up discussing Yosemite National Park, calling it the most beautiful place he\u2019s ever experienced.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s nothing more beautiful in the world,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cYou stay overnight in your sleeping bag, then around 8 a.m. the park ranger comes by and gives everybody a number,\u201d he explains. \u201cI was the only person there who wasn\u2019t a rock climber.\u201d<\/p>\n 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. \u201cI try to keep it high protein the whole time,\u201d he says. \u201cTurkey sticks, Chomps, dehydrated meals, eggs. I\u2019m constantly eating protein snacks.\u201d<\/p>\n At night, he allows himself a reward meal after burning through miles on the trail. \u201cIf I\u2019ve hiked a long day, I\u2019ll do the Mountain House lasagna,<\/a>\u201d he says. \u201cYou pour hot water into the bag, and suddenly you\u2019re eating lasagna in the woods. You basically feel like an astronaut.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve kind of always had a bad back,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n Now, recovery has become a non-negotiable part of his life. Smith credits stretching, mobility work<\/a>, hydration, and physical therapy for helping him continue to perform at a high level. He works with Dr. Jorge Rojas<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s learned how critical daily mobility work is to staying functional both physically and mentally while touring.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, all that weight that was on my back isn\u2019t there anymore,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Combined with physical therapy, hydration, stretching, and consistent movement, Smith says the lifestyle changes have helped him feel healthier than he has in years.<\/p>\nNate Smith\u2019s Workout Routine Is Basically Controlled Chaos<\/h2>\n
Why Yosemite Became Nate Smith\u2019s Reset Button<\/h2>\n
The Back Injury That\u2019ll Slow You Down<\/h2>\n
Brothers through Thicc and Thin<\/h3>\n
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