Sam Asghari and Britney Spears have been together for nearly two years, but he admits that he didn’t have the smoothest line when he met his popstar girlfriend for the first time.
The 24-year-old personal trainer was cast in 36-year-old Britney’s ‘Slumber Party’ music video in 2016, and while the thought of meeting the singer gave him ‘butterflies,’ his attempt to break the ice when she stopped to introduce herself on set didn’t go exactly as planned.
‘She said, “Hi, I’m Britney,” and I said, “I’m sorry. What’s your name again?'” he told Men’sHealth.com. ‘I tried to be funny. I don’t think anybody got it.’
Buff: Britney Spears’ boyfriend Sam Asghari shows off his incredible physique in a spread for Men’sHealth.com
Then and wow! In 2013, Sam was 100lbs heavier and living off of junk food (left). He transformed his physique in just six months (right)
Ripped couple: Sam, 24, and Britney, 36, have been together for nearly two years, and he gushed that she motivates him more than anyone
Sam believes his meeting with Britney was ‘meant to be’ because he got a midnight phone call from his agent about shooting the video the next day — when most music video leads are cast weeks in advance.
The two hit it off while chatting on set, and they exchanged phone numbers after she invited him to get sushi.
‘After the video came out, nobody knew we were dating,’ he explained. ‘I don’t think [she or I] had the intention to just be friends.’
Britney made their relationship Instagram-official when she shared a photo of Sam with his arm around her on New Years Day 2017.
Hard to believe: Three years before he met the singer, Sam weighed 290lbs and was working three jobs to survive
Hunk: After making the decision to start a career in fitness, Sam lost a 100lbs and started booking modeling jobs, commercials, and music videos
Much to the delight of their fans, the two fitness lovers often share Instagram videos of their joint workout routines when they are working up a sweat together. A recent clip shows Sam bench pressing Britney’s entire body and giving the singer kisses during a round of sit-ups.
‘The exercises, I come up with them, but the videos are because of my better half, She’s the video director,’ he said. ‘It’s a very fun thing, and I look back at them and smile.’
‘Working out together is always nice and we try to do it a couple times,’ he added. ‘It’s super healthy, mentally and physically. It takes your mind off of everything else.’
Sam also said he likes to cook ‘panini sandwiches, pesto pasta and chicken dishes’ for Britney, and he is clearly in awe of his superstar girlfriend.
‘She motivates me more than anyone,’ he said. ‘It’s crazy how I can be humbled by a person like her. If I could be that humble when I’m that high in life, that would be the best thing.
Chemistry: Sam met Britney after he was cast as the lead in her ‘Slumber Party’ music video in 2016 (pictured)
Doting boyfriend: Sam said he likes to cook ‘panini sandwiches, pesto pasta and chicken dishes’ for Britney
‘I grew up with three sisters, and my personality is just to be a supportive person for my family and she’s family. I’m always going to support her. She is another blessing that happened to me.’
It’s hard to imagine that just three years before Sam became Britney’s buff boyfriend and workout partner, he was 100lbs heavier and living off of junk food.
In 2013, he was broke and working as a Best Buy clerk, Gold’s Gym sales rep, and nightclub bouncer just to get by, and he admitted that he was so unhealthy he was eating Doritos for breakfast.
The 6-foot-2 former football player eventually tipped the scales at 290lbs and the fear of not going anywhere in life caused him to become depressed.
Realizing he needed to make a change, Sam quit his jobs as a store clerk and bouncer to focus on becoming a personal trainer.
Out of control: Sam was once down to a mere three per cent body fat, but the fear of gaining weight led him to become obsessed with burning calories
Healthy as can be: The trainer increased his daily caloric intake and now maintains seven to nine per cent body fat
He took Gold’s Smart Nutrition course and learned about fitness by watching YouTube videos. He also overhauled his diet, leaving himself $50 a week to by lean protein like chicken and eggs, green vegetables, and complex carbs.
‘I didn’t eat for pleasure,’ he explained. ‘My eating is now for nutrition and survival,.’
In just six months, Sam lost 100lbs and was down to a mere three per cent body fat, but the fear of gaining weight led him to become obsessed with burning calories.
He admitted that he measured his body fat percentage daily using a BMI device, and while he was burning 3,000 to 4,000 calories at the gym, he was only consuming 1,500 calories per day.
After Sam started passing out due to a lack of hydration and the right nutrition, he realized he needed to make another change. He increased his daily caloric intake and now maintains seven to nine per cent body fat.