Green Bay Packers guard Josh Sitton protects quarterback Aaron Rodgers against the St. Louis Rams at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on Oct. 11, 2015.
Packers guard Josh Sitton said he hoped to lose 15-20 pounds this offseason to take some pressure off his back and joints.
The effort proved successful, as Sitton slimmed down from around 325-330 pounds to the 305-310 range.
"I just feel a lot quicker and I just don't feel as much pressure on certain joints," he told packers.com last week. "(I) definitely feel like I'm moving really well."
The bulk hasn't limited Sitton's success in past years, however. The 29-year-old has started every regular-season game the last four seasons and has missed just two games since his rookie season in 2008. He's made three Pro Bowl appearances and was named an alternate in three other seasons.
"Anytime you can do something at a high level and be consistent with it, I think that's what you're looking for," Sitton said in January after his second-team All-Pro selection.
"I've been fortunate in my career to have some success, and I've been able to stay healthy. That's the biggest thing."
Sitton hasn't been entirely healthy, however. A back injury limited him in practice in 2015, though he didn't miss any time because of it. A toe injury prevented him from practicing during parts of the 2014 season, and he has dealt with back, hip and knee injuries in previous seasons.
Sitton appears to be hoping the weight loss helps alleviate some of those injury concerns. He said he usually loses a few pounds each offseason but lost more this year by eating healthier.
"It's easy to play at 325, 330 (pounds) when you're 22, 23 years old," he said. "It's a little bit harder when you're coming on 30, so it kind of just helps with everything."
His teammates and coaches appeared to notice the change in his physique. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said last week that he thought Sitton looked really good, while noting that it is perhaps because the offensive lineman is about to be getting married. The wedding is set for this summer.
"He looks pretty svelte, doesn't he?" Rogers said. "I'm happy for him. He's in a contract year, so he came back looking really good. . . . He wanted to look good in those wedding pictures, too."
Offensive line coach James Campen said he was impressed that Sitton mentioned his desire to practice more as a reason for losing the weight.
"That tells you a lot about a person," Campen said. "Certainly that tells you a lot about a guy that wants to get better and practice with the guys next to him."
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