WWE Superstar The Big Show was recently interviewed by CBS San Francisco to talk about several professional wrestling topics. “The World’s Largest Athlete” discussed once thinking he needed to be 500 pounds to be successful in WWE, a conversation with John Cena that led to his significant weight loss and dieting. Here are the highlights:
Thinking he needed to be 500 pounds to be successful in WWE:
“As my career started winding down, so to speak, I realized I didn’t need that any more. I didn’t need that to be successful,” Big Show said. “I needed to be lighter, I needed to be in better shape. And it was just a personal challenge.”
John Cena inspiring his significant weight loss:
“The whole thing is John Cena’s fault,” said Big Show. “John Cena and I were watching the show in a monitor. Usually if you go to our shows, if John and I aren’t working, we’re sitting there watching the show together.
“John and I were just cracking jokes on each other, and I made the comment about a giant with abs, who’d want to see that? And John Cena looked me square in the eye and said, ‘Yeah, a giant with abs. Who would want to see that?’
“And he walked off. But the way he said it, he challenged me that I couldn’t do it. And it really upset me so bad that I got my act together that week and started in. It took me a little over a year and I dropped 90 pounds.”
Dieting:
“I think that’s the thing, you have to get a point in your mind where you can ask for diet advice, you can ask for meal plans,” said Show. “You have to make a commitment in your mind that you’re ready to do it. And it’s a different journey for everyone.
“Sometimes some of us, I always associated food with comfort. Thanksgiving, holidays, family, you’re having a bad day, you eat something good because it comforts you.
“You have to learn to find another way to comfort yourself and give yourself, basically give yourself a hug without giving yourself bad food that’s gonna make you worse in the long run.”
