“I Couldn’t Afford to Eat”: Stone Cold Steve Austin, Worth $30 Million, Recalls His Tough Start in Pro Wrestling

WWE successfully utilized their biggest weapon, nostalgia, in front of the Texas crowd in the last WrestleMania 38. Stone Cold Steve Austin on his Austin 3:16 t-shirt, along with his gazillion cans of beers and dominating the entire arena with stunners all over was definitely the most thrilling moment to watch.

Despite his return after 19 years, what was surprising was Austin’s great flexibility while smashing Kevin Owens in and out of the ring. Clearly, The Texas Rattlesnake has been on a personalized diet and workout in order to maintain his physique. Recently, the 57-year-old opened up about his early days in USWA where he struggled without being able to afford his food.

In his early years, Austin worked for the United States Wrestling Association for a year. Later, he went on to WCW and he had some notable accomplishments from there as well. After shortly serving some time in ECW, Stone Cold debuted in WWE in the 1996 Royal Rumble.

However, Austin had his fair share of struggles in his starting days in USWA in terms of maintaining fitness. In a classic shoot interview, Austin opened up about his diet.

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Stone Cold Steve Austin reflects on striving to afford food in early days

Answering a fan’s question about how he maintained his health, Steve Austin talked about how he lost weight in his early USWA days. “Let me take you back to my days in USWA. When I first started pro wrestling, I was living in Dallas, Texas, working on a freight docks. You know, still making pretty good money every week. Now when I went down to Tennessee, and started working full time, I lost about 10 or 15 pounds. Because I couldn’t afford to eat. And so, you know… If you can’t afford to eat, you just lose weight,” Austin said.

Moreover, the fan asked for The Texas Rattlesnake’s suggestions or tips for diet on a budget. Reminiscing his experiences for staying in shape, being able to afford necessary food, Austin said, “As far as trying to eat healthy on a dime, man, you know I needed a s*** pile of protein. Your staples like rice, oatmeal, and potatoes are pretty cheap.”

Further, Austin 3:16 concluded, saying “So that’s all I’m eating, it’s protein, some carbs and maybe one little f***ing green vegetable every here and there. So, it is what it is. You know the deal, dude. Shop smart, hit all the damn bargains, use your coupons. S***, things are tough out there.”

Nevertheless, after the WrestleMania extravaganza, it is not sure whether Steve Austin will return for further storylines.

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Share your opinion in the comments on if Austin will have more matches in WWE.