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As an all-time great NBA player, there aren’t many holes fans can poke in your game. However, with the way sports dissertation goes, criticism is an unfortunate byproduct of these discussions. As a result, despite boasting one of the most dominant resumes of all time, Shaquille O’Neal cannot escape criticism. Even though his free-throw shooting gets some disapproval, the major knock against him was the workout routine and weight management. While he’s far more conscious nowadays, there was a time when his eating habits weren’t ideal.

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Further, he was proud of his unhealthy dietary plans, boasting about them on a talk show.

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Shaquille O’Neal had an?interesting?diet plan

The genesis of his popularity might have been his NBA career, but Shaq is a major household name nowadays. Whether it be his personality, his generosity, his business acumen, or his DJ-ing skills, he is a fan favorite. Moreover, he’s as good as an A-list celebrity.

Along with that popularity come major opportunities. Like being a guest on Saturday Night Live with Stephen Colbert. During the interview, the conversation came to dieting and the Los Angeles Lakers legend had a hilarious perspective.

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While Stephen gave him options like vegan or pescatarian, O’Neal had different ideas. “My favorite diet is no diet. And my favorite saying is, ‘Oh, I guess I’ll start my diet tomorrow.'”?The motto is something the 7-footer has had for quite some time.

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Even when winning championships with Kobe Bryant, and later with the Miami Heat, the same criticisms were against him.?The Black Mamba even went so far as to say that?Diesel?could have been the GOAT with a stricter regime. Unfortunately, the 351-pounder had to learn his lesson the hard way.

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Shaquille O’Neal’s struggles with health

At a point in time, the big man’s weight went over the 400-pound threshold. During that period, even going up the stairs became an issue for him. Further, his “no diet” policy saw him gorge on McDonald’s and Coke exclusively, with the items making an appearance during breakfast as well.

Watch This Story: 50-Lbs-Lighter Shaquille O’Neal Ditches His 150 Restaurants For $3,000,000,000 Company

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This Warren Buffett-esque diet wasn’t ideal for the big man. But, after a health scare, he made a change in his life and diet. Now, down more than 50 pounds, he’s far closer to his ideal weight. It’s been a beautiful journey for Shaq.

While the 51-year-old has made a dramatic change to his diet, what plans are you following? Let us know in the comments below.

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Read More: ?I?m Not at 100% Ninja Mode?: After Facing Brink of a Health Collapse, Shaquille O?Neal Adds Two Massive Goals to Weight Loss Journey

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Priyanshu

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Priyanshu is an NBA beat Writer at EssentiallySports, with a healthy command over the technical aspects of the sport. Priyanshu has creatively covered the often entertaining interactions between legends Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley along with in-depth analysis of the games. He was at the forefront of the 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony, covering each and every aspect of the historic night in Springfield, Massachusetts. Furthermore, his article on Shaq and the UFC garnered close to a million pageviews. Moving away from the world of sports, Priyanshu is also an avid gamer, who can display other-worldly skills on NBA 2K.

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Pragya Vashisth

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