‘I could never go and say to him’: Arnold Schwarzenegger reveals how he handled son Christopher’s weight struggles

Arnold Schwarzenegger recently shared insights about his son Christopher’s weight loss journey, expressing pride in his youngest son’s transformation. The former California governor and actor discussed how he approached his son’s weight struggles during childhood.

According to People, in a recent interview with The Times, Schwarzenegger, 77, spoke about his relationship with Christopher, 27, one of his five children. The action icon shares four children, Patrick, Christopher, Christina, and Katherine, with his ex-wife Maria Shriver, and has another son, Joseph Baena.

“I could never go and say to him, ‘You’re overweight,'” Schwarzenegger revealed in the interview. Instead, he opted for a gentler approach, focusing on gradually introducing healthy foods and encouraging gym activities, a stark contrast to his own intense Hollywood transformation journey. The actor emphasized that he always believed the motivation for change would need to come from Christopher himself.

Christopher’s five-year journey to better health and fitness

Christopher, who has maintained a relatively low profile compared to his siblings, recently opened up about his own fitness journey at the Inaugural Beacher Vitality Happy & Healthy Summit in Los Angeles. He shared that his transformation began in 2019 during a trip to Australia, where he realized his weight was preventing him from participating in various activities, including skydiving.

The University of Michigan graduate admitted that his weight struggles dated back to his high school years, during which he attempted various methods to improve his health. These efforts included bringing specially prepared lunches to school to maintain a healthier diet. Christopher emphasized that the process was not immediate and required considerable trial and error.

In a surprising revelation, Christopher attributed a significant portion of his weight loss to a simple dietary change during Lent. By giving up bread during the 40-day Christian observance period, he managed to lose 30 pounds in less than two months. He explained that his commitment to maintaining his Lenten promise became a crucial factor in his successful weight loss.

Despite his impressive progress, Christopher maintains a humble perspective on his transformation. During the panel discussion, he expressed that he doesn’t consider himself to have reached his final goal, stating that he doesn’t feel like he’s “an after yet.” This ongoing journey reflects the realistic nature of long-term health and fitness transformations, showing that sustainable change often requires patience and dedication.