Simon Cowell’s Incredible Body Transformation — How Did He Do It?
The Mega Agency/Backgrid Reading Time: 4 minutes
Simon Cowell has undergone quite a huge body transformation throughout his career on television. The America’s Got Talent judge looks very different now than he did a few years ago, all thanks to a new diet. What inspired his big lifestyle change? A scary accident sparked a rude awakening for the talent show judge.
Cowell’s weight loss journey stemmed from an accident at his London home in October 2017. He fell down a flight of stairs as he was making his way to the kitchen to get a warm cup of milk. Cowell had trouble sleeping that night and felt dizzy before falling. Once medics arrived at the scene, they immediately put Cowell in a neck brace and transported him to the hospital. He spent a few hours in the hospital and got a CAT scan.
He was driven back to his London home hours later. At the time, Cowell said his lifestyle was “like a vampire.” He usually did not go to bed until 8 a.m. The whole accident was a huge wake up call for him. He decided to stop taking calls and having meetings super late at night. He sat out of taping The X Factor to recover from the accident.
“Sometimes we get a reminder that we’re not invincible and this was certainly mine,” he said. “It was a huge shock. They think I fainted because I had low blood pressure and so I have got to really take good care of myself to sort that out. After all, I am a dad and have more responsibility than ever.”
He Decided to Change Up His Diet in 2019
Cowell decided it was time to visit a well-known doctor. He had some bloodwork done and the doctor advised him to switch up his diet. Cowell normally ate jam tarts, spaghetti bolognese, and hamburgers. The doctor told him to cut red meat, dairy, sugar, bread, and gluten out of his diet.
“I’m thinking, what about alcohol? That’s all I care about. And he said, ‘Maybe not quite as much as you had before,'” Cowell said in an interview with Extra in March 2019.
Cowell transitioned into drinking lightweight beers with less calories and sugar. He joked that he is on the same diet as his now 7-year-old son Eric. Eric actually likes drinking water and eating his vegetables. At the time, Cowell had shed about 20 pounds. In September 2019, Cowell joined Ellen DeGeneres to talk about his decision not to have cake on his 60th birthday.
He put his slimmed-down figure on full display during a December 2019 trip to Barbados. Paparazzi caught Cowell shirtless on the beach riding jet skis with his family. He wore gray swim trunks and looked fantastic. He was all smiles in front of the cameras.
Is Simon Cowell Vegan?
There were also many questions raised in the media about whether or not the AGT judge transitioned into a fully vegan diet in 2019. Is he really vegan? All was revealed in an October 2020 interview to promote Britain’s Got Talent. Cowell lost over 40 pounds in six months. When asked if he followed a vegan diet, he said “mainly.” However, he did add that he eats fish so he considers himself a pescatarian.
Cowell addressed the fact that everyone thinks he had gastric sleeve surgery. He did not. He said that changing his diet was so easy, he might even write a book about it in the future based on his new mantra, “It’s not that difficult.” Cowell stressed how much better he felt “mentally and physically.”
When the pandemic forced lockdowns all over the world, Cowell loved spending time at home. He was cooking a lot, exercising, and still sticking to his diet. In a May 2020 virtual appearance on Extra, he said he had lost about 60 pounds after a full year of dieting. He did admit that he missed eating pizza but was able to fight temptation.
Cowell fell off his electric bike in August 2020 in the courtyard of his Malibu home. The 61-year-old broke his back and almost smashed his spine to pieces. His partner Lauren Silverman brought him cottage pie with turkey during his recovery in hospital. Eating comfort foods always helps people feel better when they are in recovery. The accident forced him to sit out of the AGT live shows.
“He’s gained a bit of weight and is looking healthier,” Cowell’s ex girlfriend Sinitta told The Sun. “He said he had to start eating protein, calcium, and break his vegan diet to rebuild his strength.”
The ‘AGT’ Judge is Back Up on His Feet Looking Better Than Ever
Cowell was back up on his feet in no time. He went on a vacation in December 2020 to Barbados just four months after his accident. He rode jet skis, smoked cigarettes, and spent time with his family. Cowell even took time to stretch on board a yacht and lifted small weights. A lot of his rehab after the accident included swimming in the pool, walking around 10,000 steps a day, and tracking it all on a fitness watch.
Cowell has since made his big return to AGT in June this year. He looks great. He has a new, very expensive set of veneers too. Cowell did make a questionable fashion choice during the season premiere when he wore a pair of white shorts and sneakers. He dressed up more during the live shows wearing slim-fit suits while judging some extremely talented acts.
