Kenny Chesney Reveals Strict Diet He Maintains to Stay in Shape

While Kenny Chesney might be one of the fittest stars in country music, that physique comes with a lot of sacrifices. The 51-year-old reveals he maintains a strict diet, with little room for cheating, although he admits his diet makes him both look and feel better.

“The thing that works for me, as far as getting lean, is I try to not eat any carbohydrates after five, and that’s hard to do. That’s no potatoes, no rice, no pasta, nothing,” Chesney told CMT‘s Cody Alan. “I eat protein and double up on my vegetables, and I don’t eat any carbohydrates after 5 pm. You go to bed at night without eating any carbs, and you wake up feeling leaner.”

If he gets really hungry after dinner, Chesney does give allowances for eating something at night, but it’s still within the boundaries he has set.

“I do have a protein-based protein shake, so if I am hungry at 8 or 9 p.m., instead of eating, I’ll just down that, and it really helps you lean down a lot,” Chesney explained.

Chesney’s current single, “Tip of My Tongue,” landed in the Top 10. Chesney wrote the song with pop star Ed Sheeran and Ross Copperman.

“It’s funny how a figure of speech can lead you to all kinds of places,” Chesney said of the new song. “You start talking, and words fall out, and anything can happen. When you go in and write on any given day, the chemistry is what it is. When the idea fell out, we all just laughed and went, ‘Well, what can we do with that?’

“I’ve written so much with Ross; that’s always easy. He brought Ed in, and he is such a great writer,” he continued. “The way creativity works in creative people is so different, but it’s always exciting. As a co-write with a new writer, it’s one of the most fun sessions I’ve done in a long time. I get why people love working with him.”

It’s likely easier for Chesney to stick to his regimen when he’s off the road, which he will enjoy for a few more months. The Tennessee native will kick off his Chillaxification Tour in April, with Florida Georgia Line and Old Dominion serving as his opening acts. The tour begins on April 18 in Dallas, Texas. Find tour dates and venue information by visiting Chesney’s website.

Photo Credit: Getty / Boston Globe