I love Tim McGraw’s song Live Like You Were Dying. I read an interview about how the song got written and why McGraw connected to it so much right after his dad, Tug McGraw’s death, and I loved the message. I even wrote a short story based on it. Unfortunately the story was crap, so I never submitted it to my editor. McGraw is 52-years-old and he’s just written his first book, Grit & Grace: Train the Mind, Train the Body, Own Your Life. McGraw, who has been on a personal health journey for the last 10 years, shares how he improved his overall health, which encompasses mind, body and spirit. His journey started in 2008 when he cut all alcohol out of his life due to his friends concerns. Since then, he’s started working out to feel better and lost 40 pounds in the process.
In March, McGraw spoke to PEOPLE about his new health and lifestyle book that will be released on Nov. 5, Grit & Grace: Train the Mind, Train the Body, Own Your Life, where he shares his transformation story.
“I’ve gone through a physical transformation in the last 10 years, but it’s not just my appearance that has changed,” he said. “My mind is clearer, my sense of purpose is sharper, and my relationships are deeper. Consistent physical exercise helps me bring focus to my life and to the people who mean the most to me.”
McGraw continued: “That’s something we all want. And I believe it’s something that is available to anyone who wants it, regardless of their level of fitness. I want this book to help people find what works for them by sharing the mental and physical approach that has worked for me.”
Grit & Grace will delve into McGraw’s personal health journey. It will also share his exercise tips and mental approach so readers can improve their own wellbeing. Rather than following a set routine, McGraw explained that each person needs to create a personal vision and commit to it, which he did for himself 10 years ago.
McGraw used to drink before every show to alleviate his nerves. That all changed in 2008, when he decided to cut alcohol out of his life entirely after friends voiced their concern. Instead of drinking, McGraw began to workout twice a day, he told PEOPLE in 2013.
“That’s where my workout program came into play,” he said. “It took the place of alcohol and it is really important.”Within two years, McGraw had unintentionally lost 40 lbs.
“It wasn’t like I was trying to lose 40 pounds, I was just wanting to get healthy,” he said. “For me, it is more about feeling good and being where I want to be physically and on stage. When I am on stage in 98 degrees out there, you want to feel good. And my show isn’t stand out there and not move around.”
Isn’t just like a man to accidentally lose 40 pounds? No, I’m joking. I understand what McGraw is trying to say and I do think it’s very important. Not only is he saying it’s never too late to make adjustments to your health routine, he’s also promoting the idea that one improvement can lead to another. Like how he replaced drinking with working out and that helped him get in shape, but it also helped him clear his head. Plus it allowed him to do his job better, which helped maintain his popularity as an artist. As for the “personal vision” he committed to, McGraw said he wanted to be here for his three daughters with Faith Hill, Gracie, 22, Maggie, 21, and Audrey, 17, and any kids they might have. I’m at the age that my friends and I all have aging parents and I can attest, there is a huge difference between just ‘being alive’ and ‘living’ into the autumnal years. There is nothing selfish about working on yourself in any capacity because it truly does benefit everyone around you. Although, if you look at the photos below, McGraw is clearly pleased with his physique. That’s cool, he’s earned it, but – yeah.
Maybe I should rewrite that short story based on Live Like You Were Dying. After all, McGraw said it’s never too late. His book comes out next week.
Photo credit: Instagram and WENN Photos
Two workouts a day? Whenever I wasn’t working out I’d be sleeping.
Exactly. I really don’t understand how people can sustain such hard work if they have to work. That’s why celebrities can do this… They do not have the same schedule we do. I get so sleepy after a week of regular work outs it’s insane.
My sister is like that @snow. She is an ER doc mother of 3,commutes to work, etc. and she still finds time to train for marathon. I love her but let me tell you she’s irritating af sometimes. She missed a lot of special events in our lives bc she trained a lot. She even trained during my dad’s last days. I know some people do that to release stress and I’m not here to judge but ngl, I was disappointed at her to this day for that. She’s not even training for Boston or something prestigious. It was just the run of the mill type running event. Some busy people still find time to read books, some find ways to exercise. Me, I still find time to comment on several gossip sites despite having a narrow schedule.
Working out doesn’t tire you out, it energises you. I’m 47, work out 8 times a week and have a full time job that is very demanding and includes a lot of travel.
My worksouts are my “me time”, my sanity breaks. Also they help me to sleep better, reduce normal aches and pains that come with age. The secret is finding exercise that you enjoy doing and most importantly keep it varied.
I work full time and I’m currently finishing grad school while also being a mom to a young one. I work out 6 days a week, 4 of those days I do two sessions a day. It’s hard, but it’s doable. It’s my me time. I wake up at 4 before my family does so I can attend Orangetheory and get my day started. Anyone can create time in their day for self care, and for some that’s working out.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 My fedora goes out to you.
However please don’t be so… universal in your affirmations.
“Working out doesn’t tire ME. It energises ME.”
There I fixed it. Or one would thing you are being a little braggy 😉 I, for one, felt like shouting into a pillow when I read you. Is that the purpose?
@snowslow, there are many studies to confirm this, please don’t take my word for it.
Also, regular exercise might even help with your anger issues 🙂
@Ariela
Ah the old trick of studies when you are obliterating someone else’s experience 😆
I am revising all my life as we speak now. Thanks!
That’s not physiologically true (that exercise produces physical energy) and is especially important to consider appropriate rest. The mental energy benefits also taper off and begin to decline after too much activity.
When I was working out 8 times a week we were constantly monitored for burn out. This can be mental as well as physical.
Certain people really enjoy or benefit from intense workout routines, but that isn’t everyone.
team snowslow 😉
For some people working out does tire them out. I used to work out 5 days a week for a few years, alternating a mix of strength/yoga/pilates/running 5 miles/biking, depending on the day, ate healthy, got the right amount of sleep and NEVER felt energized from working out (and I discussed this with trainers, nutritionists, etc). I was in good shape then and I usually felt like I needed a nap afterwards still. There has only been 2 times where I felt energized after working out, once after ice skating, thought maybe it had to do with the temperature being lower during exercise, but was never able to replicate it when I tried. I wish I could feel the way others do after exercising. Yoga does help me relax and get to sleep better, but that’s about it. And now that I have SLE, I feel even more tired after exercise. I don’t do the same exercise amount of exercising bc I physically can’t with the current level of my SLE (EVERYTHING I do requires more recovery time now) and I’m in nursing school, which kills more of my time and energy. After I graduate, in a coupl of months, I will step my workout routine back up slowly, but I dont expect it to be any different regarding making me feel energized. I only do it because I know it is good for me to exercise, not because it makes me feel better compared to the amount to energy/work that is required for it.
I work, have two small children and work out twice a day for three days a week and once a day for four days. It easier than it sounds, way easier. I toss them in their beds and that’s when I do my cardio. Its the only time in the day where I can focus on ONE task for a duration of time and get it done. All the stress of the day falls off and then shortly after I go to bed! Some days I am dragging my butt but not working out feels worse than working out while tired.
Word of advice to anyone who is receptive, start with what you can handle without disrupting your life too much. Im not saying work all day, deal with your kids and then go do 50 burpees and a 45 minute HIIT spin cycle. Go leisurely ride a stationary bike and flip through instagram. Whatever you can do is what you will continue to do and consistency is the only thing that makes a difference.
That’s great advice – that’s how I plan to go back to exercising after a bunch of months of focusing on my writing. I feel like cr*p. But I’ll get there, slowly but surely. I will however never ever work out twice a day.
Yeah, I’ll only work out about 3-4 days a week, and generally, I make them very short, but very worthwhile. There are days though, where I just need to do something, even if it’s a really crappy run/walk, and I never feel guilty about it.
@styla .
And you still have time to keep up with celebrity gossip? That’s impressive!
No one’s said how LONG these workouts are. That makes a big difference! I was still doing advanced Astanga in my early 40s, and my longest practice of the week, the advanced, took between 2 hrs & 15 to 25 minutes. On Sundays my morning routine was about 90min. Every now & then I’d take a circus contortion class in the afternoon but that was once in a great while.
Now I’m 52 and getting more tired, but I still exercise 5x a week. I changed from Astanga to mostly HIIT & strength though & my sessions dropped from usually 90min to usually an hour or just under.
But there are some people who do 12min HIIT sessions and call it a day. So it all depends. I could see doing a 45min lifting session in the morning & getting a quick HIIT set in at night, but that’d be too much showering, undressing and redressing for me.
I don’t think he sleeps that much. I think he said he gets like 5 hours of sleep a night, which I actually don’t think is healthy either, for various reasons, unless you are one of those rare people who need less sleep but even then research shows they need more like 6 I thought. Who knows. I nearly killed myself trying to do what he did – lots of cross fit type things, plus paleo type diet and work 40 hours a week so I guess we all have our own limit of what we can handle without burning out.
Really hard exercise makes me feel really tired. It never makes me feel good. I think different body types react to exercise in different ways. I like walking and horseback riding.
Good for him! The outfits are a little much..kinda scream mid life crisis😂
Yeah I had the same thought…
He’ll have a teen bride in 3… 2…
Lol, the outfits or the baby smooth and burnt orange chest?
I hope he finds his groove, because all that hard work and he’s doing it a disservice. Maybe his girls will help him lol
Love the cleavage,
Lol. He looks good in the gym photo but his casual and performance wear are not to my taste.
Ugh I agree. The tanning and aging with The cleavage makes him look sleazy in that pic IMO
He seems a little extra with his look these days, but good for him on getting healthy and “living his best life.” Kinda sad you never really seem to hear much out of him or Faith’s careers anymore. They used to be THE country music power couple. Guess they’ve been enjoying their millions while raising their girls. Can’t really blame them, I just miss the days of them pushing out such iconic hits.
I was really ticked when Sunday Night Football replaced Faith with Carrie Underwood. Maybe Faith didn’t want to do it anymore, but to take one blonde country superstar and replace her with another blonde country superstar who happens to be 20 years younger….I didn’t think it was a good “look” for SNF so to speak. I love Faith.
I LOVE Faith,and …what happened?I recall the incident where Carrie Underwood beat Faith for best album,like 15 years ago and a huge deal was made about Faith being a bad loser(remember the angry face with the what????when Carrie won)?
IDK if Faith was really mad or just joking as she claims.IMO Faith has always been pretty classy and super talented.My favorite Faith album was Cry,which was never as well received as it should have been.
Anyway I’d listen to more Faith music,but don’t especially care for the duets she and Tim put out there,a bit much (googly eyes,touching all the time…it’s their brand I know but…)
Anyway I miss Faith putting out good music,tremendous voice IMO
He’s still got a huge career. He had a hit album as recently as five years ago. I saw him on that tour and it was completely sold out. He looked very trim, even then.
Faith, on the other hand… I never got a handle on that situation. It’s like she abandoned her career to have Tim’s babies and after reaching such a high level of fame that always surprised me, I guess.
Honestly, I think that Faith’s career trajectory is indicative of the way country music treats its female superstars. Once you reach a certain age, your shelf-life diminishes rapidly. Such a shame, because I’ve seen Faith Hill live and she has an incredible voice. You can turn on the radio and hear countless interchangeable mediocre white bros but there’s barely a woman to be heard.
Good for him and all, but those shirts…
HAHAHA, right! Part of me is like … proud of him for being so pleased with his hard work. The other part of me is like ‘okay, calm it down, we get it’.
Good for him. I remember hearing that he stopped drinking in 2008, that’s great that he was able to maintain that and add other positives to his life.
He looks great now, I think the fact that he has always worn a cowboy hat(or winter hat lol) has helped him, because when you see him without the hat, he looks a LOT older.
And holy hell, his girls grew up fast lol.
He looks much more handsome covered up!Good for him,his body looks great,but the um….blouse?😂Tucked interview super tight jeans,no…
He looks really nice in the picture with the beanie,sunglasses and the heavy coat. I think hat plus glasses do Tim a favor because it shows off his nice jaw.
It took me a minute to realize that the first picture wasn’t Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark.
Also, now I have “something like that” stuck in my head lol.
When I was in nursing school I wrote a piece that was published about choosing a healthy lifestyle and making time to exercise. 10 years, a marriage, a career, a three year-old, and the tail end of my NP program and I was like…my God, I was a smug a-hole. I recently decided to get back on the proverbial horse, and started working out at 5 or 6am (like one of the comments above I do it before my family is awake). Every morning, when my alarm goes off, I think to myself: “Maybe not today…” but i fight through it and drag my butt to the gym.
I feel better. Less anxiety…happier overall…but it’s a struggle and a choice I have to make every single morning. I’ve been doing this consistently for a month now, and the pros outweigh the cons. That being said, I don’t think it’s easy, and don’t judge people who struggle.
Who?? This person is definitely only “famous” in America.
Well, in general I’m not sure how big country music is outside the US, but he’s one of the biggest country music stars of the past few decades. So he’s definitely very famous, no need to add quotes to it.
Yeah he and his wife are very famous in America,I prefer her music to his personally.
Anyhow no big deal that you don’t know who he is I don’t think he’s internationally famous,just regular old American famous,also he is the son of a very famous baseball player (now deceased).
He looks like finely tanned , oiled cowhide. In a stripper shirt.
I lol’d.
🙂
Eeexxxxactly
Goodness, he’s extra.
LOL!
I was not expecting to see him so muscled up in that first photo! Also their oldest is TWENTY-TWO???? I am so old.
Good for him for making smart life choices. Those shirts are not smart choices, lol.
But seriously, I am happy that he’s pursuing improving his health. I come from a family where almost everyone on my mom’s side has had at least one heart attack, and I lost my mom to heart disease when she was 56. I’ve spent the last 7 years having kids and trying to find an equilibrium. About 6 weeks ago I signed up for Camp Gladiator for 6 months, and started going 3x a week at 5:15 in the morning. It has been hard adjusting to getting up that early (mainly functioning throughout the day after) but I feel the best I’ve felt in years. I have only lost 5 pounds and a couple of inches, but I’m trying to be gentle with myself. It took years for my body to get in the shape it is now. It won’t change into something different overnight. But in the meantime I really like the workouts, community and effect on my wellbeing.
I don’t really like that advice, that you should be on your toes all the time, ready bounce like a tiger. Life throws so many curveballs.
I’d love a companion piece from someone who also went on a personal journey towards health and “fitness” in a less “lost 40 lbs and look traditionally hot” way. Because the essential message: take control of the things you can in your life, be good to your body and your mind, make good choices, trade good choices for bad – this IS available to everyone. It just doesn’t always look like… this. Maybe it means therapy and really working on your issues. Maybe the harmful habit is a person or people or your job. The changes may be sweeping and visible or intensely personal. So many people are devalued by external sources; but if you can learn to value yourself, it really makes a difference.
I work out at least 4 -5 times a week, I recently lost 12 pounds by cutting carbs and it ain’t easy. I can work out 4 days a week because my job has a gym on the premises, so I don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn( which I won’t do) or have a gym membership that I don’t use because I’m too tired at the end of the day and I go home. I lost the lbs because I was starting to bust out of my clothes and I didn’t want to buy new ones. Those were my reasons. Everyone has to find their own reason and do what they can do. So if you can walk for 15 min a day do it, if you have two hours a day to do it and you want to , great for you. Do what works for you and don’t compare yourself to anyone, especially someone who has the money for trainers and chefs. PS- I love him but I think he’s too thin. Oh well.
Hubba, hubba!
ugh … just gross and country music is trash.
‘And my show isn’t stand out there and not move around.’
uuummm yeah I saw him when I was a fan back in high school and he gave minimal effort and was not energetic at all-even worse he was rude to the women in the audience, mocking them. Literally his opening act was better than he was