The Truth About Brad Pitt's Dramatic Weight Loss
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In the last few months, Brad Pitt's noticeably slim figure has launched a seemingly endless amount of gossip about what may or may not be going behind his closed doors. Indeed, the Brad Pitt we all saw at the 2017 premiere of Lost City of Z was certainly a far cry from the muscle-clad Brad Pitt in Troy way back in 2003.
What might have caused this sudden shift in appearance? Let us count the (possible) ways.
He's paying closer attention to what he eats
As it turns out, Pitt might just be trying to stay healthy. A source close to the Oscar-winning actor-producer revealed to Us Weekly in March 2017 that Brad Pitt is "focusing on himself again" after his split from wife Angelina Jolie by "watching what he eats and has a chef making him healthy meals."
"He's dedicated to clean living and eating right," the source added.
He's exercising more
In addition to focusing on nutrition, the source also revealed to Us Weekly that Pitt has upped his fitness regime.
"He's exercising," the source told the magazine. "He's been outdoors a lot, hiking and walking. He's had a lot of time to focus on himself."
"He does a lot of weight training," added a second source.
One caveat: typically, when weight training is combined with proper nutrition, it can give an appearance markedly different from what we're seeing in Pitt. In fact, some researchers believe there's a limit to how much of an impact regular exercise can actually have on weight loss. (Spoiler alert: not all that much.)
Although it's possible that Pitt is more active and even exercising regularly, something about his recent images makes this part of the explanation ring a little hollow.
Was it stress from the divorce?
Ideally, Brad Pitt's weight loss would be intentional; however, often times sudden weight loss is anything but. Especially if, you know, the cause is high levels of stress.
According to the U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS) website, stress is indeed one of the causes for sudden loss of weight. "It's normal to lose a noticeable amount of weight after the stress of changing jobs, divorce, redundancy or bereavement," the website reads.
Pitt, of course, went through a very public and no doubt highly stressful divorce from ex-wife Angelina Jolie in the fall of 2016, which also allegedly caused a riff with Pitt and the couple's six children. Therefore, you can't really blame the guy for looking a bit thinner as of late, should that have been the cause.
On the bright side: Pitt and Jolie are reportedly back on speaking terms, which could bode well for Pitt reconnecting with his kids.
Could Pitt be preparing to date again?
One possible out-of-left-field explanation for Pitt's drop in weight could be as simple as this: he's ready to get back on the dating scene. Well, so the tabloids claim, anyway.
Almost immediately after his divorce from Jolie hit the wires, news and gossip sites quickly began linking Pitt to celebrities such as Kate Hudson, Britney Spears and, most recently, Sienna Miller. There were even reports alleging that Pitt had reconnected with his other ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, over text messages.
However, it appears that this particular claim just isn't true. According to sources for People, Pitt has spent less time trying to move on from Jolie and more time simply reconnecting with friends. "Old friends are back in [Pitt's] life, and he seems happy about it," the source revealed.
The same report added that Pitt appeared to be "in better spirits" in recent months, adding, "things are definitely calming down." The report even addressed his weight, claiming he's working out about every day now. "He's in very good shape," a source said.
He's laser-focused on his art
According to the Daily Mail, Pitt has spent a boatload of time shacked up inside his Los Angeles studio, where he's reportedly been working on a sculpture under the direction of British artist and good friend Thomas Houseago. The tabloid even claimed that Pitt spent as many as 15 hours per day at the studio, "working until the early hours of the morning and listening to playlists of sad songs."
Being so caught up in his art could mean that Pitt hasn't made too much time for anything else—like, you know, eating regular meals. Plus, considering you are probably reading this article instead of ordering lunch at work, we're pretty sure you can relate to the feeling.
He might be working too hard
Despite the complicated issues in his personal life, Pitt remains a very busy man. He has two movies set for release in 2017: War Machine and World War Z 2, respectively. In addition to his acting roles, Pitt also acted as producer on various projects. For instance, he's an executive producer on the FX series Feud. With Pitt so busy on top of coping with his divorce and family troubles, it might have impacted his weight and health.
It does seem (at least for the moment) that Brad Pitt won't be too busy beyond Summer 2017, which could afford him a much-needed breather. If the weight loss is unintended, perhaps the breather might also give him a chance to regain his lost weight.