Shawn Mendes Says He Used to Skip Sleep for 2-Hour Workouts
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Shawn Mendes may be known for unrestrained vulnerability in his songs, but the singer is only now opening up about his once-harmful views of his body—and how he changed his perspective.
In a recent British GQ article released on Nov. 26, Mendes shared that he used to give up sleep to workout, having an unhealthy obsession over perfecting his physique. The 22-year-old pop star talked candidly about the unhealthy and dangerous habit, saying the pressure of being the "pinnacle of fitness" came from fearing if he wasn’t physically fit, he’d lose fans.
"Some days I would have three hours of sleep [because] I'd get up two hours early just to be able to work out,” Mendes told the magazine.
He also shared his famous 2019 Calvin Klein campaign exacerbated his body and physique concerns, fueling his need to physical perfection.
According to the GQ profile, Mendes began to realize the “expectation to be hot” was unsustainable—and dangerous—within the past year. The singer shared that he has a better outlook on his body and fitness now, and credits meditating, journaling, and his girlfriend Camila Cabello with helping to change his perspective.
"Taking that extra few hours of sleep, instead of waking up to pump iron, is a better choice sometimes," Mendes told GQ.
The star also added that seeing how Cabello faces and copes with media scrutiny of her body helped change his outlook. The singer called Cabello “so strong, so clear and confident with her [body].”
“It really changed my view of mine,” Mendes told GQ. “It really changed my life.”
In 2018, Mendes shared insight into his workout routine with Men's Health, breaking down his leg and cardio routine—and discussing his love for carbs and fries at the same time.
"I just work out a lot, dude," he said at the time. "I go to the gym every morning, and I’m obsessed with fitness and just staying active."
You Might Also Like
