Kane Brown is opening up about his decision to get healthy. The father of three reveals it was his mental health that inspired him to change his physical health, with transformative results after only a few months.

“[I felt] worthless,” Brown tells People. “Really dark thoughts. I wanted to be in a corner, left alone.”

With a superstar career, not to mention his own family, Brown knew staying away wasn’t an option, especially if he wanted to grow his career.

“I knew I needed to make a change,” Brown recalls. “I needed something that was going to change my headspace. I didn’t feel there was anything better than changing the way I look.”

Brown started simply, by changing his diet, and giving up Zyn nicotine patches. He also credits his wife Katelyn, with inspring him to be the best physical version of himself that he could possibly be.

“[She is] a healthy, healthy person,” Brown shares. “She broke me out of a lot of my bad habits. I think she’s happier with how I am now.” He also completely gave up alcohol, and says he is better for it.

“I’m an introvert,’ he explains. “So onstage, alcohol would take me out of my shell. Now, if I do drink it, it messes my throat up, and I don’t like it. I don’t drink at all anymore, and I like it that way.”

What Kane Brown Did To Get Healthy

In addition to giving up nicotine and alcohol, Brown also totally revamped his diet. It started in April, when he and his band did a liquid fast. It changed everything for Brown.

“We saw progress quickly,” the singer recalls. “And once I realized how tough it was, I didn’t want to put anything bad back in my body.”

Motivated, Brown now has a coach for nutrition and fitness, and asks for healthy foods backstage like protein shakes and fruit. He also works out two hours a day.

“I love running,” Brown says. “I didn’t know I liked it until recently, but it’s fun.”

Brown also completely eliminated junk food from his diet, focusing only on healthy, nonprocessed foods.

“My diet is avocado, rice, turkey, eggs, chicken, quinoa, zucchini, asparagus,” Brown reveals.

Kane Brown’s Future Fitness Goals

By his own admission, Brown doesn’t know exactly what his own goal is, other than to be the best version of himself that he can possibly be.

“I don’t think I really know my goal until I get there,” Brown concedes. “Some days I want to look like a plastic toy soldier, and other times I’m like, ‘I don’t want to be too big.’ I just want to look like that mannequin you saw in science class. I just want to look like that.”

Far more important than the physical changes for Brown are the mental changes. No longer constantly battling the dark thoughts, the 31-year-old loves his new, healthier lease on life.

“Getting in shape changed my mindset. I feel like I’m restarting my youth. I love everything it’s done to me, from the way I look to my mental state,” Brown boasts. “I want to give everything 100 percent now. And if I’m having a stressful day, I can find good things about life and about being here.”

Photo Credit: Dennis Leupold