Will Smith declares he's in 'the worst shape' of his life with new shirtless photo

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  • Will Smith posted a shirtless photo of himself on Instagram Sunday.

  • "I'm gonna be real wit yall - I'm in the worst shape of my life," he captioned the picture.

  • Many of the actor's friends and fans left comments applauding his honesty.

  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Will Smith has been in peak physical condition for many of his movie roles, which have included a legendary fighter in "Ali" (2001), a lone survivor in "I Am Legend" (2007), and a supervillain in "Suicide Squad" (2016).

Now, the 52-year-old actor is giving fans a candid look at his fitness journey.

On Sunday, Smith posted a shirtless photo on Instagram, telling his 52.8 million followers that he's the most out-of-shape he's ever been.

"I'm gonna be real wit yall - I'm in the worst shape of my life," he wrote.

In the photo, Smith wears an unzipped jacket, shorts, and slippers.

Friends and fans praised Smith for being so honest on the social media platform.

"This is the most amazing post in the history of social media," Questlove, a musician and songwriter, wrote.

Diplo, a DJ, commented, "Lfggg!" - an abbreviation for "Let's f---ing go!"

Arnold Schwarzenegger, an actor and former governor of California, wrote: "Will, you poor baby. I'm crying for you, even thought you're still in better shape than 90% of America. Keep pumping!"

Michael Bay, who directed Smith in "Bad Boys," joked, "Well...let's get the band back together?? Bad Boys Final chapter. You'll get in shape I guarantee you!"

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay wrote, "I see no 'worst' here."

will smith comments
Smith's friends commented on his Instagram post. Will Smith/Instagram

Smith has previously spoken openly about weight fluctuation.

When he was getting his start in Hollywood, Smith was "wildly disciplined" and "didn't drink for over a decade," he said during a 2019 episode of "Will Smith's Bucket List."

But as he's progressed in his career, the "Pursuit of Happyness" actor has given himself more leeway. On a 2019 episode of the Facebook Watch series "Red Table Talk," the Academy Award-nominated actor said he reached his highest weight after overindulging on vacation.

"For breakfast, I was having four or five muffins," Smith said. "Then for lunch, I would have a Moscow mule. I had a little vodka and that was pretty much my routine for the 10 days."

His weight reached 225 pounds, an all-time high for the actor. Smith noted that he was heavier than he was when he played Muhammad Ali, a role he spent nearly two years training for, in "Ali."

"I got to 223 on 'Ali,' and I got to 225 on the muffin boat," he said, adding, "I don't want to be a pudgemuffin to my family."

When Smith returned home, he tried to lose the weight by fasting for 10 days. Midway through his new regimen, the actor said he didn't need his blood-pressure medication for the first time in a decade. The realization, Smith explained, made him reconsider his understanding of food's connection to his health.

"I had the epiphany that I don't know anything about food," he said, adding that he eats food "like an addict."

"I love food. But I realize my relationship with food was that I eat for fun. I eat for joy," Smith said.

He continued, "I get bored and I start to eat. I realized I'm a grazer. I put something in my mouth every 30 minutes, all throughout the day."

Read the original article on Insider