Good luck trying to slow down Priscilla Block, especially during her running days.
Keeping up with the “He’s My Man” singer’s promise to hit the streets a few miles at 7 a.m. may be just as difficult as maintaining her busy schedule following the release of her new album, Things you didn’t see. In addition to her 33-city headlining tour, Block’s daily grind is filled with non-stop media appearances — on any given day she can be taken from one morning show to another. Now, at age 30, she has added an unwavering commitment to prioritizing her burgeoning fitness routine. It’s a priority that has become as important as any future No. 1 hit that might emerge from her latest work. The changes came as a healthy surprise to an artist who was once reluctant to even break a sweat offstage.
“I had hair and makeup at 9 a.m. the other day and got up at 7 a.m. to run two miles,” she says. “If you told ‘Little Priscilla’ that she was going to do that, I’d tell you there’s no way this is real.”
Block has become a country fan favorite, known for unapologetically bold anthems like the platinum-certified “Pretty much about you.” While a confident appearance is the calling card of her loyal fan base here, Block admits that last year she felt the overwhelming effects of putting her well-being behind other goals since moving from Raleigh, NC, to Nashville at age 17. Maintaining her positive outlook, as well as her success in music, meant finally prioritizing her fitness. And she did just that.
“Last year may not have been my biggest career year, but it was my biggest ‘me’ year,” she says proudly. “I decided I was going to focus on myself and my health. I want to be the strongest I’ve ever been, and leading up to this record I’m so glad I decided to really dive into that.”
Leading this body transformation was her decision to go all in 75 Difficult. The super-strict self-empowerment program founded by fitness entrepreneur Andy Frisella requires 75 days of unwavering dedication to training, nutrition and mental improvement. Block has completed the program twice and even visited Frisella’s 1st Phorm facility in St. Louis for a personalized analysis. Taking on the challenge the second time was the catalyst for her routine changes, including her new love of running.
“Proving to yourself that you can do hard things is so powerful, because there are a million excuses why we can’t do things,” says Block. “With something like 75 Hard, or any challenge, I love doing it and being like, holy s***. I just did that.”
The results become increasingly clear every night she takes the stage. Block movements with more energy and purpose. She attributes the lifestyle changes to this newly formed mental approach to fitness. “Every time I make a decision, I ask myself: What would a healthy person do?” Block shares.
True strength starts with self-care
Although she is proud of her fitness achievements, Block shrugs off her very noticeable transformation. “I’ve always been confident. Just like the girl from two years ago. I’ll see videos of myself and I’m like, ‘[Go] Take it girl,” she says.
However, taking action required deep self-reflection. Despite always exuding extreme levels of positivity, Block says there was an internal struggle. Signs of fatigue began to take their toll. It reached its peak during a trip to New Zealand.
“I remember lying on the beach crying, exhausted, nauseous and so emotional,” Block recalls of the relentless pace that finally caught up with her. “There was a moment where I thought, I don’t feel like me. I don’t feel like the girl people tell me is that confident.”
She returned to Nashville determined to make her health a priority. “I had to work on myself. I put everything into my fans and shows. But I hadn’t been working on myself for that long,” she says.
Block still admits that the scale has never been her ultimate benchmark, but her performance on stage is the ultimate mark. “It comes down to feeling good. If I feel good, I don’t care. I could be 10 pounds heavier, I don’t want to pay attention to that.”
Success now means dedication to her morning runs, completing daily tasks without fatigue, and resisting the old ritual of having a pre-show drink every night. Ultimately, her focus is on delivering an energetic stage performance every night during her performance Things you didn’t see, tour which kicked off on October 23 in Fort Myers, FL.
“I’m not just some girl standing in front of my guitar. I run across that stage. I want to be the best artist anyone has ever seen,” she says. “Being healthier, being able to run and sing is not easy. But this decision to work on my health was about being at my best every day.”
From the toughest challenge to ultimate empowerment
Before embarking on her latest and most important fitness project, Block had already completed the 75 Hard challenge once. However, a transformative visit to 1st Phorm headquarters in St. Louis, where she underwent a comprehensive body scan and received training advice, motivated her for a second try.
“After I left there, I was so inspired by everything they do,” Block recalls. Her session in St. Louis gave her the push she needed for another attempt at 75 Hard, this time with her boyfriend as a partner.
“My friend did it with me, so I think it was great to have someone do it with you and support you,” she says. “I also posted a lot about it online. So there was a whole group that followed this process with me.”
To successfully complete the 75 Hard Challenge, participants must adhere strictly to a prescribed diet for the entire 75 days. This meant no cheat meals or alcohol, and drinking at least a liter of water daily. Each day also requires two 45-minute workouts, with at least one session taking place outdoors regardless of the weather. Additionally, you should read 10 pages of a nonfiction self-improvement book every day. And finally, taking a daily progress photo to track your transformation is part of the plan.
“It was crazy,” she says. “I’d done it before, so I definitely felt like I was ready. It was hard, but life is hard.”
After nearly three months of rigorous training, dietary changes and self-reflection, Block says she ended up stronger, more focused and undeniably more energetic. Any physical activity became easier to complete. And the effects of her daily training are reflected in her energetic concerts.
“I think it’s just waking up with energy,” she says. “For so long I felt like I was a robot, doing that thing every day. And when you wake up and don’t want to go to bed again, I think: Holy crap. I feel good!”
Block also shared both the successes and struggles of doing 75 Hard. While her comments were filled with compliments for her achievement, she found particular satisfaction in motivating others to continue their own health journeys. “The amount of people who have messaged me and said, ‘Priscilla, I did 75 Hard because you did 75 Hard. And I’m just keeping my health in check now,’ and I love that.”
Priscilla Block is now running away because of her condition
After conquering 75 Hard, Block completed her first 5K last Christmas. She plans to participate in more runs in the near future. It’s quite a change from the days of ‘Little Priscilla’, who avoided gym class when running was on the agenda.
“I was always sick when we had to run a mile in high school,” she says. “I didn’t show up. I was terrified and afraid of being made fun of.”
Now, running a few miles a day has become routine and has given her endorphins a huge boost.
“I never really understood the whole runner’s high thing until I started running, and I was like, Oh my god. I feel like I can take on the damn world,” she says.
Besides her fans and family, her biggest supporters are perhaps her bandmates, who often accompany her during training. “We’ll have people contact us along the way. Gyms will say, ‘Hey, we’d love to have you and your band come over.’ We did lessons. It’s really great… the band and the crew see me doing my thing, and they’re like, wait a minute, we want to do it with you.
Although she’s scaled back from the torturous two-a-day routine that 75 Hard requires, Block still makes time for the gym whenever possible. Her diet is as current as ever: rich in protein and packed with pure, clean foods. She no longer drinks before shows, something she once relied on as part of her performance — a change she calls a “game changer.”
“I used to drink before every show, and this past year I really wanted to prove to myself that I can go on stage and put on a great show without a drop of alcohol.”
Block tries to avoid junk food while trying to make healthier choices along the way, which means the band may have to hide their stash.
“I don’t keep junk on the bus anymore. Sorry guys, if you all want bad food and bad snacks, put it in the bag in your bed. But I just don’t want it around because I don’t want to be tempted by it.”
Block’s renewed energy overflow with each performance can also be attributed to a new focus on rest each night. Where late nights or long nights used to be tempting, Block is now usually the first to go to bed. “I know the band is all hanging out, and they’re probably doing all kinds of things,” she says. “But I’m going to bed early. It will only help me get better, sound better, perform better and feel better.”
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