When North Carolina HC Mack Brown opened up about his incredible physical transformation

Mack Brown, the North Carolina Tar Heels coach, surprised fans and reporters alike last year when he spoke with the media in June 2023. He didn’t just talk about the Tar Heels' upcoming campaign—he also shared his personal weight-loss journey.

Describing himself in “best shape," Brown went through a noticeable transformation before the start of the 2023 college football season. The 72-year-old coach reportedly shed 35 pounds over the summer.

During a press conference at the Kenan Football Center, Mack Brown shared the secrets behind his weight loss journey.

"I'm in better shape than I've been in 20 years," he proudly declared.

Brown joked that his wife - Sally Brown, an excellent cook with Italian roots, made it challenging to resist indulgence.

“She wants me to eat what she doesn’t eat, so that wasn’t good. Partly, it was her fault, lack of discipline on my part.”

Brown’s real turning point came when he realized that he, too, needed to follow what he preached to his players.

“I’m sitting here telling these players to be in great shape, I’m sitting here telling them to lose weight or gain weight, and here I am, I let myself get out of control and I got way too heavy.”

How did Mack Brown lose weight?

After gaining over 30 pounds during the Covid years, Brown turned to strength and conditioning coach Brian Hess. However, the intense workout plan initially proved too much. Instead, Brown adopted a regimen of intermittent fasting, cutting out sugar, reducing his portion sizes, and limiting his once-beloved Diet Peach Tea Snapple from six bottles a day to just one.

Brown's transformation was also because of his daily habits. He often walked around Chapel Hill, racking up steps to and from work, a commitment he said made him feel better.

Despite the challenges, including resisting the temptation of his favorite Peanut M&Ms, Mack Brown was determined to reach his goal. "It's not easy," he admitted, but the results were there for everyone to see.