Lebron James' weight loss could be a byproduct of being self-conscious as the visibly trimmer 3-time MVP introduced the new (and very colorful!) Nike Lebron 12.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN told Grantland's Bill Simmons in a podcast that Lebron James weight loss resulted to the Cleveland Cavaliers forward dropping at least 10 to 12 pounds. The NBA listed Lebron James at 250 but the reporter estimated that the burly athlete is much closer to 270.

He said, per E! News that Lebron James doesn't like talking about his weight, adding that he "has been a little self-conscious about [it] in recent years."

"LeBron was probably, coming off his wedding and everything, he was probably in quote-unquote the worst shape he's been in a while [at the end of the 2013 season]. He was obviously fine, but he got off to a slow start last season," Windhorst explained.

During the unveiling of the Lebron 12, the Lebron James weight loss issue was raised and the Akron, Ohio native talked about how he did it.

"I had no sugars, no dairy, I had no carbs. All I ate was meat, fish, veggies and fruit. That's it. For 67 straight days," he said, adding that the whole process was a "mental challenge" more than anything else.

As to how many pounds he lost, Lebron James just joked that he dropped "a couple."

However, he quickly added that he plans on bulking up before the season begins in order to protect himself since his game is predicated upon slashing to the lane.

But don't expect Lebron James to go back up to his previous weight because his team is expected to play a faster tempo, said Sports Illustrated, and that needs shoes that can give him the edge.

"[It was a priority] for me to be able to have a shoe that allows me to be fast, not weigh me down," James said of the Lebron 12. "The new technology is lightweight. It allows me to explode. When I land, it allows me to absorb the landings. It's great."