AJ McLean showed that sobriety has done wonders for his physical health on Thursday (Sept. 1) by sharing his impressive body transformation on social media.
“Thought I’d do a little throwback Thursday vibes. Found the pic on the left from a year ago on vacation and wow it’s amazing what a little dedication and setting goals can do for a person,” the Backstreet Boys member captioned the side-by-side showing off his dramatically more muscular physique. “The journey is far from over though. This is just the beginning!…Let’s go! If I can do it so can you!!” He also added the hashtags “#healthylifestyle #sober #nomoredadbod!” to the motivational post.
In November 2020, the singer opened up in an interview with Tamron Hall about how words from his daughter Lyric prompted him to give up drugs and alcohol for good. “‘You don’t smell like my Daddy,’” he recalled the then 3-year-old saying to him one night. “That was it,” McLean explained. “There doesn’t get a lower bottom in my world that your own child telling you that you don’t smell like their dad.”
According to the boy bander, he was first introduced to drugs just hours before shooting the music video for the Backstreet Boys’ hit single “The Call” off their 200o album Black and Blue. Months later, his bandmates confronted him about his sudden change in behavior, with Kevin Richardson warning, “I will never trust you again. You’re dead to me” if he didn’t seek treatment at the time. Still, the process to get sober lasted nearly two decades for the star.
Check out McLean’s body transformation in his photos below:
