Skip to main content

Women are lining up to get a chance to find love with The Bachelor 2023 lead Zach Shallcross. Last week, Zach began his journey and met 30 hopeful contestants. The series premiere, of course, included some clips of the Bachelor showering and lifting weights. However, there’s more to Zach’s fitness journey than meets the eye.

The 2023 Bachelor Zach Shallcross walks wearing a gray suit jacket and lilac button-down shirt.
Zach Shallcross | RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Zach Shallcross opened up about his weight loss to Rachel Recchia

Zach Shallcross appeared as a contestant on The Bachelorette 2022. He pursued Rachel Recchia and made it to her final four men. During a 1-on-1 date with Rachel, Zach opened up about his mental health and his fitness journey.

Zach shared details about his last serious relationship and the difficult breakup that followed. “That was actually where things kind of took a turn in my life, actually, where I wasn’t OK,” he told the Bachelorette. “About a couple [of] years ago, I was about 85 pounds more than I am now. I was severely overweight,” Zach added.

“I realized that I was not happy, and I didn’t have anything that resembled love for myself, so when I was trying to seek that in others, I couldn’t find it, even if it was maybe right in my face, I couldn’t do it.” Zach also shared that therapy was an important part of getting him through a difficult time and improving his mental health.

Zach Shallcross has toned up even more since becoming the 2023 Bachelor

Now Zach Shallcross is stepping into the limelight as the Bachelor in 2023. It’s not surprising that promos for the new season feature Zach showering off and lifting weights. There’s no doubt a few more shirtless shots of Zach to come this season.

While speaking with Parade, Zach shared that he has toned up even more since becoming the Bachelor. “I was watching my cheeseburger intake a little bit since [The Bachelorette],” Zach explained to the outlet. “I’m just watching what I’ve been eating a little bit.”

Related

‘The Bachelor’ 2023 Location: Where Is Zach Shallcross’ Season Filmed?

“For diet and exercise, I eat very clean. I work out almost daily, and I don’t really eat breakfast,” he continued. Zach is also a former college athlete. The Bachelor played football for California Polytechnic State University Cal Poly Mustangs from 2014 to 2017.

Roses for Every Body demands body inclusion in ‘The Bachelor’ franchise

Over the years, The Bachelor franchise has received criticism for its lack of diversity on many different levels. Women’s Health points out that the franchise has “highlighted exclusively people in smaller bodies for 20 years.”

However, there is currently a campaign called Roses for Every Body, demanding body inclusion in The Bachelor franchise. According to Women’s Health, the campaign began after Jenna Vesper, host of The Date Card podcast, “reached a breaking point with the show she loves.”

Vesper expressed her frustration after watching an episode where Clayton talked about “how he used to be fat as a kid and how he worked to love himself.” She added, “I got really mad at the show because this is the third season in a row where the show has highlighted this ‘Thank God I’m not fat’ storyline,” said Vesper. “I realized it’s not going to get any better unless we make it better.”

New episodes of The Bachelor air Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.

Best in Entertainment