When Austin Post—known to the world as Post Malone—stepped onto the stage in late 2022 and early 2023, people genuinely freaked out. It wasn’t about a new hook or a Bud Light sponsorship. It was his frame. He looked different. Like, really different. The internet, being the chaotic place it is, immediately jumped to the darkest conclusions possible. You saw the TikToks. You saw the "is he okay?" tweets. The Post Malone skinny era had officially begun, and it sparked a massive conversation about health, celebrity scrutiny, and how we perceive weight loss in the public eye.
He lost a lot. Some estimates suggest he dropped around 55 pounds.
That kind of shift on a guy who was known for a "dad bod" and a love for Doritos is jarring. Fans started whispering about Ozempic, which seems to be the default accusation for any celebrity who loses more than five pounds these days. Others went even darker, suggesting substance abuse was the culprit behind the "Chemical" singer's new look. But the reality is actually a lot more boring, which is often the case with these big Hollywood transformations. It wasn't a magic pill or a health crisis.
Why the Post Malone skinny look started a fan frenzy
Public concern didn't just come out of nowhere. It was fueled by videos of Posty performing "I Fall Apart" where his stage presence seemed more erratic and twitchy than usual. In the age of 4K smartphone cameras, every bead of sweat and ribcage flash is magnified. Fans were scared. They remembered the tragic losses of Mac Miller and Juice WRLD and projected that fear onto Austin.
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Honestly, he had to address it. He didn't have a choice.
Taking to Instagram while on tour in Antwerp, he basically told everyone to chill. He clarified that he wasn't doing drugs and that he’d "never felt healthier." He attributed the change to a major lifestyle shift that started with one very specific, very relatable decision: becoming a dad.
The "Dad" Effect and the end of the soda era
In May 2022, Post Malone and his fiancée welcomed a daughter. If you've ever had a kid, you know it changes your perspective on how long you want to be around on this planet. He mentioned in an interview with Joe Rogan that once he had his "little girl," he decided it was time to cut the "soda" out of his life.
Soda is a killer. It's liquid sugar.
He admitted that he used to drink it all the time. If he had a great show, he’d reward himself with a Coke. If he was feeling down, Coke. By cutting out that one habit, the Post Malone skinny transformation really took off. It’s a classic example of how one small, consistent change—what James Clear calls "Atomic Habits"—can lead to a massive physical overhaul over 12 to 18 months.
He didn't stop at just cutting out the bubbly stuff. He started eating better too. No more massive plates of chicken tenders at 3 AM after a show. Instead, he moved toward a diet of grilled chicken, veggies, and "sh**ty" (his words) salads. It’s the standard caloric deficit formula, but when you combine it with a high-energy stage show where he's jumping around for two hours a night, the weight practically melts off.
Dealing with the Ozempic rumors
We have to talk about the "O" word. Every time a celebrity loses weight now, "Ozempic" is the first thing people comment. It's become a bit of a lazy narrative. While semaglutide injections have definitely taken over Los Angeles, Post Malone has been pretty consistent about his journey being natural.
He's a guy who thrives on transparency.
If you look at his face during the transition, he didn't have the typical "Ozempic face" (which often involves a hollowed-out, gaunt look due to rapid fat loss in the cheeks). Instead, he looked lean and athletic. His skin looked healthy. He looked like someone who had been doing cardio. He’s also mentioned that being on the road and performing every night is essentially a massive workout. He’s not sitting in a trailer; he’s running miles across a stage under hot lights.
The role of mental health in his physical change
You can't separate the body from the mind. For years, Post Malone was the "rockstar" archetype—constantly partying, constantly drinking, living on the road. That lifestyle is exhausting. He’s been open about his struggles with anxiety and the pressures of fame.
Choosing to get healthy wasn't just about fitting into slimmer clothes. It was about mental clarity.
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When you're carrying around extra weight and fueling yourself with sugar and alcohol, your brain is in a constant fog. By leaning into the Post Malone skinny lifestyle, he essentially gave his brain a reboot. He’s noted that he feels more focused and has more "zest" for life now. It’s a reminder that sometimes the physical transformation is just a byproduct of someone finally deciding to take care of their head space.
What we can learn from Austin’s journey
Most people look at a celebrity transformation and think it’s unattainable. They assume there’s a team of five chefs and three personal trainers involved. And sure, having money makes it easier to buy organic kale. But the core of what he did is actually very accessible to the average person.
- Identify your "Soda." Everyone has that one thing they consume way too much of. Maybe it’s energy drinks, maybe it’s late-night snacking, or maybe it’s actually soda. Cutting that one thing out is the highest-leverage move you can make.
- Find a "Why" bigger than yourself. For Posty, it was his daughter. For you, it might be longevity, wanting to hike a specific mountain, or just not feeling tired at 2 PM every day.
- Consistency over intensity. He didn't go on a 3-day juice fast. He just stopped drinking sugar and kept moving. It took a year. Most people quit after three weeks because they don't see the scale move.
The Post Malone skinny saga is ultimately a positive story, despite how the internet tried to frame it early on. It’s a story about a guy who was heading down a stereotypical "rockstar" path and decided to pivot for the sake of his family. He’s still the same guy who loves Crocs and tattoos, he’s just a version of that guy that’s likely to be around a lot longer.
Next time you see a photo of a celebrity looking different, it’s worth remembering that they’re humans who go through phases just like us. Sometimes a transformation is a sign of a crisis, but in this case, it seems to be a sign of a man finally finding his balance.
Next Steps for Your Health Journey
If you're inspired by this shift, don't try to change everything at once. Start by auditing your liquid calories for one week. Swap every second soda or sweetened coffee for water. Like Post Malone, you'll likely find that the hardest part isn't the workout—it's the decision to stop fueled-by-habit consumption. Stick to the "one change at a time" rule for three months before adding a second lifestyle adjustment. Consistency beats perfection every single time.
Check your local nutritional guidelines or consult a dietitian to find a sustainable caloric baseline that doesn't leave you feeling deprived, as extreme deficits often lead to the "yo-yo" effect that Austin managed to avoid.