Tim McGraw Says He Is a ‘Better Person’ After Focusing on His Physical Health

Tim McGraw is continuing to open up about his journey to health, which he began several years ago, after his daughter Gracie commented on his appearance while watching the trailer for his movie, Four Christmases. Since then, McGraw cut out alcohol and junk food, focusing on ways to make his body stronger, although he has found other unexpected benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle as well.

“Focusing on my physical health hasn’t just made my body healthier, it’s made me healthier at every level,” McGraw said on Instagram. “Moving daily and exercising regularly was a pebble that set off a ripple effect, improving the way I eat, sleep, relate to others, and show up both personally and professionally. It made me a better person to be around.”

McGraw admits the change can be daunting at first, but is worth it in the end. In a separate social media post, McGraw shared his thoughts on how to overcome those obstacles, including in the post a photo of plenty of healthy vegetables.

“Change can be unsettling,” McGraw admitted, “partly because it requires effort, and partly because it’s so comfortable to disengage and move through life on autopilot, to order in instead of cooking from scratch, to duck out of sight in real life but show up on social media, all filtered and flawless.

“Yet doing more of the same isn’t working, and it’s not making us happy or healthy,” he continued. “We’ve come a long way from what our grandparents and great-grandparents understood: Real satisfaction in life comes from doing the effortful thing. Working hard, cooking (even growing) real food, getting through the grind with support from others, standing up for what’s right and taking care of what needs to be done even when you don’t particularly want to do it.”

McGraw has been more open about his journey to health, as he prepares to release his fitness and lifestyle book, Grit & Grace: Train the Mind, Train the Body, Own Your Life. The book will be released on Nov. 5. McGraw will kick off a book tour on Nov. 2. Find tour dates, and order Grit & Grace, by visiting his official website.

Photo Credit: Getty / Ethan Miller