After losing 30 pounds, Ed Sheeran is opening up about what motivated his health transformation.
The singer appears in the January 2026 issue of Men’s Health UK and shares what inspired him to embark on the weight-loss journey he’s been on for the past few years.
“I would say I lived a pretty unhealthy life from 20 to 30. And even though I was doing professionally well, I wouldn’t say that reflected well into my personal life,” he said. ‘And I do think that wellness is a direct mirror to mental health and the way you feel. I always felt like s— within myself; I’d wake up and look in the mirror and just feel gross.”
From diet to fitness, Sheeran has prioritized his health in a number of ways in recent years. Below, we’re breaking down all the steps he took to commit to a healthy lifestyle.
Becoming a Dad Was a Catalyst for Sheeran
Sheeran and his wife, Cherry Seaborn, share two daughters. While chatting with Men’s Health UK, the 34-year-old said becoming a dad was a major wake-up call for him.
“I remember Lyra was two weeks old and I had my best mate round and we had a bottle of wine. I went to bed, then Lyra woke up 20 minutes after I’d fallen asleep. I woke up and I was like, ‘F—, I probably shouldn’t drink if I’m going to feel this dreadful.’ I want to be able to do the night stuff. It all came in at the same time of wanting to be a responsible dad, wanting to feel and look good,” he explained.
The “Bad Habits” singer said he wanted to be healthy for his children’s sake.
“I didn’t want to pick my kid up and have my back f—– and stuff like that,” he said.
Sheeran’s Fitness Journey Has Included Multiple Stages
Sheeran Started by Using a Cross -Trainer Machine
Sheeran, who doesn’t own a phone and uses email as his primary form of communication, put a cross-trainer machine in his basement before the pandemic hit.
“I went down in my basement and I answered my emails for two hours and just plodded,” he said. “In my mind I was like, ‘That’s fine, I’m not on a treadmill, I’m not killing myself. I’m getting to do something I’ll be doing anyway, but I’m keeping active. So I guess that was my introduction,'” he said.
Sheeran Then Shifted to Lifting Weights
During the pandemic, Sheeran started lifting weights, an exercise he was always nervous to try.
Sheeran enlisted the help of personal trainer Ali Thomas and began doing Zoom sessions alongside his wife, Seaborn, who used to be a professional hockey player.
“I didn’t feel f—– while I was doing it. You’d do eight reps and you’d have a break and then you’d do eight reps and then you’d have a break. So it was a bit more of a relaxed thing getting into it,” he said.
Sheeran Took His Training and Diet to the Next Level in 2025 and Tried Reformer Pilates
Personal trainer Matt Kendrick helped Sheeran up the ante on his fitness routine in 2025. While keeping up with his weight-lifting routine, Sheeran started trying reformer Pilates.
“Reformer is definitely tied into touring,” he said. “After the show last night, the last thing I want to do today is bench press and deadlift. So this is a really gentle way to still have the same level of exercise and feel like I’ve burnt calories, but I’ve also stretched.”
Sheeran described reformer Pilates as a “gentle introduction” to fitness.
He Loves Variety in His Workout Routine
Sheeran ensures that he never gets bored working out with a versatile fitness routine.
“Same as food, same as drinking, you have to have variety,” he said. “There are some days that I run, some days that I swim, there’s some days that I will do weights. Then there are some days I will do reformer.”
Before the pandemic, Sheeran said he’d never run “more than a kilometre.” Then he ran his first 10k.
“Stuff like that, building up to that, it just makes you feel better. And I think that in my thirties, that’s where I’m at,” he said.
He Focuses on Moderation
Sheeran still allows himself small indulgences once in a while.
“I’m not saying I’m done with enjoying myself. I still drink. I love red wine, I love a nice meal, but it’s not every day,” he said.
Overall, Sheeran simply strives to seek out balance in his life.
“I’m not saying we all need to run marathons and blah, blah, blah. I’m also not selling super-healthy eating or this or that. I still enjoy myself and I don’t roll around with a little tub of grilled turkey. It’s all about moderation,” he said.
Sheeran Has Reaped Professional Benefits from His Trimmer Figure
Since Sheeran is constantly traveling for work and performing on stage, he has to maintain his stamina. But he admitted that you become “less resilient in your thirties.”
“I was losing my voice more. I would pull muscles in my leg, I pulled a muscle in my back when I was playing live… I wanted to feel superhuman on stage,” he said of his motivation for losing weight.
The musician said he was inspired by former Men’s Health cover star Stormzy, who shared the training routine he undergoes before a tour.
“I went to play with him in 2021 and he was doing a hundred press-ups before he went on stage and I was staring at him like, “What the f— is this about?’” he said.
He Prioritizes Massages While on Tour
Sheeran focuses on recovery by getting regular massages while he’s on tour.
“Which is my least favourite thing to do,” he said. “You just want to go to bed or go for a drink with your mates or whatever, but if you don’t do it, you’re just f—– the next day.”
The kind of wellness routine, he says, helps him maintain his voice and energy levels.
In his twenties, Sheeran’s post-concert routine looked very different.
“I played three nights in a row and each morning I’m getting interviewed and they’re like, How was last night? And I was like, ‘Oh, I was out until 6am doing tequila shots and smoking cigarettes with this person and doing this and that.’ Then I’d play a show and it was that seven days a week. But when you watch it and you look at me now, I look 40 in that and I look 24 now,” he said.
His Family Has Joined in on the Fitness Fun
Sheeran said his parents, who are in their sixties, are now fond of working out, even though they were “opposed to it” in the past.
“They always saw exercise as like bootcamps in the field where everyone’s doing burpees and stuff like that. Now, they don’t do much, but they do enough to keep moving. And whether it be a little kettlebell deadlift or this or that, it’s really good for them. I feel like it’s going to add 10 years on to their life,” he said.
