Shelton explained in a Zoom interview that he had developed bad habits in the beginning of quarantine, like binge eating, over-snacking and drinking too much. The habits made him gain a lot of weight, especially because he wasn’t working or touring at the time, due to the pandemic.
Ultimately, the singer experienced a minor heart attack while trying to handle some chores around the house.
"Although it wasn't a full-fledged heart attack, my lifestyle had become something that was so negatively affecting my health," he explained in the interview, "And it wasn't until I felt that ache in my chest did I realize those late night cheeseburgers and extra beers with my friends was killing me. So my doctor said I needed to lose the weight quickly and keep it off to reduce any further complications to my heart."
The scare showed Shelton that he needed to take control of his health. He went on the Keto diet, as was recommended to him by friend and co-star on The Voice, Kelly Clarkson. The diet requires you to drastically limit your carb intake to put your body into a state of Ketosis to burn fat. Keto helped Shelton to lose weight, and he says that he is now in the best shape of his life.
Fortunately, Shelton was able to come away from his health scare in a great way, and is even healthier now than he was before the minor heart attack. His experience is a great model for all of those whose health habits have slipped in the past six months due to the pandemic.