Brian Shaw has given fans a jaw-dropping glimpse into his latest transformation — and the results are already turning heads.
The four-time World’s Strongest Man winner has spent much of his career carrying the kind of size that made him one of the most dominant forces in strength sport history. But now, the retired Strongman icon is chasing something completely different.
And judging by his latest update, the mission is well underway.
Shaw took to social media to share a new physique photo showing him lifting his top to reveal a dramatically leaner midsection, with visible abs beginning to emerge as he continues his 10-week transformation challenge.
Alongside the image, Shaw wrote: “HARD WORK PAYS OFF. Over the last 6 weeks, I’ve completely changed up both my training and my diet as part of @shaweliteapp 10 Week Transformation Challenge. It’s been exciting to see the changes in my body from staying locked in and consistent!”
It’s a huge shift for a man who spent decades fuelling some of the heaviest lifts in history with colossal food intake and relentless size-focused training.
But this latest chapter is about stripping back.
Recently, Shaw gave fans a full breakdown of exactly what that process now looks like — and it’s a world away from the mountain of calories many would associate with his Strongman peak.
His mornings now begin with a much simpler routine, even heading out to his chicken coop to collect fresh eggs before breakfast.
“One of my favorite ways to start the day,” he said.
That breakfast remains protein-heavy, with four whole eggs, 10 egg whites, six ounces of bison, and roasted potatoes making up meal one.
“And that is meal number one,” Shaw said.
Every gram is now tracked through his Shaw Elite app as he keeps a close eye on his progress.
“So what this will do is this will tally every single meal that I eat,” he explained. “I’ll be able to see that and then see the total for the day. So that’s how I’m going to stay on track.”
And it’s not just the food that’s changed.
Cardio — something many Strongman athletes traditionally keep to a minimum — has now become a key part of the plan.
“I’m going to start every workout now on the treadmill,” Shaw explained. “So, I’ll do some incline walking to get warmed up.”
The meals for the rest of the day stay equally strict.
A fast-digesting whey isolate shake and banana immediately after training.
Smoked chicken tenderloins with rice for meal three.
Sirloin steak, mashed sweet potatoes, salad and sauerkraut for meal four.
Then, by the evening, things get even tighter.
Meal five strips almost all carbohydrates out entirely.
“As you saw, carbs are basically out,” Shaw admitted. “There’s a little bit of carbohydrate in the vegetables, but very minimal there. And the carbs are out for the rest of the day.”
His final meal is another protein shake mixed with psyllium husk for extra fibre.
Even with all the reductions, Shaw’s daily intake still looks outrageous by normal standards.
The full tally currently sits at 4,325 calories per day, made up of:
527 grams of protein
246 grams of carbohydrates
101 grams of fat
“That brings my totals for the day to 4,325 calories,” he explained. “Under 5,000 calories for me is very low.”
For Shaw, the biggest changes have been cutting carbohydrates and reducing the amount of red meat in his diet.
“Carbs right now are much lower than I have been eating for sure,” he explained. “And then fat is also lower right now just because we’ve taken out a lot of the red meat that I was eating.”
It’s all part of what Shaw calls the opening stage of the transformation.
“This is definitely phase one of this transformation,” he said. “Big change for me. I’m not going to lie.”
Mentally, the challenge is proving just as difficult.
Especially when the cravings kick in.
“I wish that we were ending the last meal not with a shake and with some cheesecake,” Shaw admitted. “I’m not going to lie about that.”
Still, Shaw has made it clear this isn’t about comfort — it’s about chasing a goal he’s never achieved before.
“But we’ve got to get lean and I’ve got goals that I’m going after,” he said. “So I’m going to stay on this. Be super dedicated with it.”
And now, six weeks in, the latest photo suggests that dedication is paying off.
For a man whose body has long been built for brute force, seeing visible abs and a leaner frame is a striking reminder of just how adaptable elite athletes can be.
The biggest question now is whether Shaw can complete the job and finally push that single-digit body fat barrier below.
“Do you think I’m going to survive?” he joked. “Do you think I’m going to get down under 10% body fat? We’re going to find out, and we’re going to have fun along the way.”
Featured image credit: Brian Shaw / Instagram / SHAWSTRENGTH / YouTube
