Priscilla Block is Now Running the Show After Her Fitness Transformation
Good luck trying to slow down Priscilla Block, especially on her running days.
Keeping up with the “He’s My Man” singer’s 7 a.m. commitment to hit the streets for a few miles can be as difficult as maintaining her jam-packed schedule following the release of her new album, Things You Didn’t See. Alongside her 33-city headlining tour, Block’s daily grind is filled with nonstop media appearances— on any given day she may be shuttled from one morning show to the next. Now, at age 30, she’s added an unwavering commitment to prioritize her rapidly expanding fitness routine. It’s a priority that’s become equally as critical as any future No. 1 hits that may come from her latest work. The changes came as a healthy surprise for an artist once reluctant to even break a sweat offstage.
“I had hair and makeup at 9 a.m. the other day, and I got up at seven to go run two miles,” she says. “If you were to tell ‘Little Priscilla’ that she was going to do that, I would tell you there’s no way that is real.”
Block has become a country fan favorite, known for unapologetically bold anthems such as the platinum-certified “Just About Over You.” Though a self-confident exterior has been here calling card among her loyal fanbase, Block admits that last year she felt the overwhelming effects of placing her wellness behind other goals since she made her move from Raleigh, NC, to Nashville at age 17. To maintain her positive outlook, as well as music success, meant that she finally had to prioritize her fitness. And she did just that.
“The past year might not have been my biggest career year, but it was my biggest ‘me’ year,” she says proudly. “I decided I am going to focus on myself, my health. I want to be the strongest I’ve ever been, and leading up to this record, I’m so happy I decided to really dive into that.”
Spearheading this body transformation was her decision to go all in on 75 Hard. The super-strict self-empowerment program founded by fitness entrepreneur Andy Frisella requires 75 days of unwavering dedication to training, nutrition, and mental betterment. Block has completed the program twice, even visiting Frisella’s 1st Phorm facilities in St. Louis for a personalized analysis. Taking on the challenge a second time was the catalyst for her routine changes—including her new love of running.
“Proving to yourself you can do hard s*** is so powerful, because there’s a million excuses why we can’t do stuff,” Block says. “With something like 75 Hard, or any challenge, I love doing it and being like, holy s***. I just did that.”
The results are becoming more and more evident each night she steps onstage. Block moves with more energy and purpose. She attributes the lifestyle changes to this newly formed mental approach to fitness. “Every single time I make a decision, I ask myself, what would a healthy person do?” Block shares.
True Strength Starts with Self-Care
While proud of her fitness achievements, Block shrugs off her very noticeable transformation. “I’ve always been confident. Even like the girl two years ago. I’ll see videos of myself, and I’m like, ‘[Go] Get it girl,” she says.
Getting to the point of taking action, however, required taking deep self-reflection. Despite always exuding extreme levels of positivity, Block says there was an internal her internal struggle. Signs of fatigue began taking its toll. It reached its peak during a trip to New Zealand.
“I remember I was on the beach crying, worn out, feeling sick, so emotional,” Block recalls the relentless pace that had finally caught up with her. “There was this moment where I was like, I don’t feel like me. I don’t feel like the girl people tell me is so confident.”
She returned to Nashville determined to make her health a priority. “I needed to work on me. I’d put everything into my fans and shows. But I hadn’t been working on myself for so long,” she says.
Block still admits the scale has never been her ultimate measurement, but how she performs onstage as the ultimate marker. “It comes down to feeling good. If I feel good, I don’t care. I could be 10 pounds up, I don’t want to pay attention to that.”
Success now means dedication to her morning runs, handling daily tasks without fatiguing, and resisting the old ritual of a preshow drink each night. Ultimately, her focus is set on delivering a high-energy stage performance every night during her Things You Didn’t See tour, which kicked off Oct. 23 in Fort Myers, FL.
“I’m not just a girl who stands in front of my guitar. I’m running across that stage. I want to be the best performer anyone’s ever seen,” she says. “So being healthier, being able to run and sing is not easy. But this decision to work on my health was about being my best every day.”
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From Toughest Challenge to Ultimate Empowerment
Before taking on her latest and most important fitness endeavor, Block had already completed the 75 Hard challenge once. However, a transformative visit to 1st Phorm’s headquarters in St. Louis—where she underwent a comprehensive body scan and received training advice—helped motivate her for a second attempt.
“After I left there, I was so inspired by everything that they do,” Block recalls. Her St. Louis session gave her the push she needed for another attempt at 75 Hard—this time, with her boyfriend as a partner.
“My boyfriend did it with me, so I think that having somebody do it with you and support you was awesome,” she says. “I also posted a lot about it online. So there was a whole group that was following this journey with me.”
To successfully complete the 75 Hard challenge, participants must strictly adhere to a prescribed diet for the full 75 days. This meant no cheat meals or alcohol, and drinking at least a gallon of water daily. Each day also requires two 45-minute workouts, with at least one session taking place outdoors regardless of weather. Additionally, you must read 10 pages of a non-fiction, self-improvement book daily. And finally taking a daily progress picture to track your transformation is part of the plan.
“It was crazy,” she says. “I had done it before, so I definitely felt like I was prepared going into it. It was hard, but life’s hard.”
After nearly three months of rigorous training, dietary changes, and self-reflection, Block says she finished stronger, more focused, and undeniably more energized. Every physical activity became easier to complete. And the effects from her daily training carry over into her high energy concerts.
“I think it’s just waking up with energy,” she says. “For so long, I felt like I was this robot, just doing the thing every single day. And when you wake up and you don’t want to go back to bed, I’m like, holy crap. I feel good!”
Block also shared both the successes and struggles during while doing 75 Hard . While her comments were filled with compliments for her achievement, she found special satisfaction in motivating others to pursue their own health journeys. “The amount of people that have messaged me and been like, ‘Priscilla, I did 75 Hard because you did 75 Hard. And I’m now just taking a hold of my health,’ and I love that.”
Priscilla Block Is Now Running Away with Her Fitness
After conquering 75 Hard, Block went on to complete her first 5K last Christmas. She plans on participating in more runs in the near future. It’s quite the shift from the days of “Little Priscilla,” who avoided gym class whenever running was on the agenda.
“I’d always be sick when we had to run the mile in middle school and high school,” she says. “I was not showing up. I was terrified and scared of being made fun of.”
Now, running a few miles a day has become routine and has boosted her endorphins immeasurably.
“I never really understood the whole runner’s high thing until I started running, and I’m like, Oh my gosh. I feel like I could take on the damn world,” she says.
In addition to her fans and family, her biggest supporters may be her bandmates, who often accompany her for workouts. “We’ll have people reach out to us on the road. Gyms will be like, ‘Hey, we would love for you and your band to come by.’ We’ve done classes. It’s really awesome… the band and crew, they see me doing my thing, and they’re like, hold on, we want to do it with you.”
Although she’s scaled back from the torturous two-a-days that 75 Hard requires, Block still makes time for the gym whenever possible. Her nutrition is as on point as ever—high in protein and loaded with whole, clean foods. She no longer drinks before shows, something she once relied on as part of her performance process—a change she calls a game changer.
“I used to drink before every show, and over the past year, I really wanted to, like, prove to myself that I can go out on a stage without a drop of alcohol and put on a great show.”
Block tries to avoid junk food while trying to make healthier choices on the road—which means the band may have to hide their stash.
“I’m not keeping junk on the bus anymore. I’m like, sorry guys, if y’all want bad food and bad snacks, put it in the little pocket in your bunk. But I just don’t want it around because I don’t want to be tempted by it.”
Block’s newfound energy overflow each performance are can also be attributed to a new focus on rest each night. When in the past, late nights or all nighters were tempting, Block is now usually the first one to head to bed. “I know the band’s all hanging out, and they’re probably doing whatever,” she says. “But I’m going to go to bed early. It’s only going to help me be better, sound better, perform better, and feel better.”
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