The legendary singer Elton John is speaking out this week to say that he is the “fittest” that he’s been in years after he took advantage of the year of lockdown to get into shape.

While appearing on the Deeney Talks podcast, the 74 year-old icon opened up about his years of body image issues and revealed how he focused on himself in quarantine.

“I’ve always had a weight issue and a body conscious issue and I think it takes a long time for you to come to terms with that,” John admitted. “I don’t think I ever will.”

John, who suffers from Type B Diabetes, made the decision to focus on his health amid the pandemic.

“I’m probably my really fittest I’ve been in a long, long time, and I feel great,” he said. “There’s no point in moaning about it, no point in moaning about being overweight. You’ve got to do something about it.”

John both consulted a nutritionist and stayed active by playing tennis and walking in his pool. He said that he’s walked 42 miles since the start of 2021.

“I just wanted to come out the other side not overweight and feeling that when I go back on tour I’m going to be the fittest I’ve ever been,” the “Rocket Man” singer explained. “A lot of my shame comes from the way I’ve put on weight. It’s been with me all my life. I go up and down like a bloody yo-yo. But I’ve really concentrated on that during lockdown and I’ve had a lot of help from people in the house.”

One of the biggest motivations John has to get healthy is being able to spend more time with his young sons, Zachary, 10, and Elijah, 8. He shares the two boys with his husband, David Furnish.

“I’ve got two kids that I want to be around as much as possible,” he added.

In the end, spending so much time with his sons was a big highlight of lockdown for John.

“It was tough for them, but they were terrific with the whole thing,” he said, adding that the boys only just returned to school for the first time since the start of the pandemic.