Tim McGraw is Thriving in Sobriety

Tim McGraw is on top of the world; he’s happy, healthy, and has a wildly successful career. However, the 47-year old got candid in the new issue of , detailing his battle with addiction and what finally made him get sober.

“I partied too much. And did other things too much. Chemically. No needles or that kind of stuff, but … use your imagination,” the country music superstar told Men’s Health.

McGraw admits he drank on a regular basis and performed most of his shows while drunk on whiskey. After that first drink, control and moderation went out the window.

“I wouldn’t just have a drink. If I was going to drink, I’d have some drinks,” McGraw told People magazine back in 2013. “People were worried about me. It was to the point where I felt it was negatively affecting my relationships and getting in the way of things I wanted to accomplish in life.”

Time for a Change

McGraw’s wife, Faith Hill, is a country music icon in her own right and mother to the couple’s three daughters. Though she initially tolerated her husband’s alcoholism, Hill finally had enough and presented him with an ultimatum: get clean or lose your family.

“When your wife tells you it’s gone too far, that’s a big wake-up call,” he tells Men’s Health. “That and realizing you’re gonna lose everything you have. Not monetarily, not career-wise, but family-wise.”

Similar to fellow country music star Keith Urban’s story of sobriety, McGraw also credits his wife for saving him from certain death. In a 2009 interview with People magazine, he admits he probably wouldn’t have gone to rehab had it not been for Hill.

“Faith saved my life in a lot of ways–from myself more than anything. I can go down a dark road sometimes, when you’re not feeling good about yourself, and she pulls me out.”

Focused on Health and Fitness

Sober since 2008, McGraw is now focused on his health. The proof of his dedication to fitness can be seen in this month’s Men’s Health photo spread. At the age of 47, McGraw has washboard abs that won’t quit and a physique most men could only dream of.

When asked the secrets of his fitness success, he credits a specially created diet made to boost energy and a rigid training routine. McGraw works out three times a day for up to 90-minutes each session.

“I’ll be the first to admit I take it to extremes,” he tells Men’s Health. “‘I’m not one of those people who can sorta half-ass something.”