John Lewis weighed 315 lbs. as a freshman in high school.  By senior year of college, this 6’5” man got down to 225 lbs and 7% body fat.

During graduate school, digestive problems led him to a doctor who urged giving up meat for 30 days.  After two weeks of avoiding meat, Lewis had become completely regular and his stomach felt much better. He was torn between his love of meat and that he had healed himself by avoiding meat all together. Lewis chose vegetarianism, and four years later dropped dairy and eggs.

“I was so impressed at how well I felt, I wanted to share with the world  how being a vegan is not a bad thing and that we can be cool, healthy and dispel the myth that we just sit around all day and hug trees,” said Lewis.

Lewis says through his countless hours of research on what animal protein does to our “human” system, he has seen the effects of how changing to a plant -based diet has reversed various ailments and diseases. Now a raw vegan for over six months, he has no intentions of going back. He started NOBESITY, a non-profit organization assisting individuals with weight issues. The basis of the organization is holistic fitness through plant-based nutrition.

“I love seeing people develop the confidence to listen to their bodies and understand that nutrition is the key to optimum health. Since becoming raw I am able to train harder than ever and recover in half the time. I have a clear train of thought and my memory is great considering the million things that I am involved in on a daily basis. I am currently still educating myself about the human body and how nutrition is the key to a healthy life (not pills or magic potions),” he said.

Keep your eye out for this ambitious man who is working on a Master’s of Science in Health Education. He wants to develop educational programs to help people learn the skills to maintain a healthy lifestyle. A finalist in PETA’s “Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door” contest, Lewis is being sponsored by PETA for his “Tour De Fit,” in which he’ll perform at marathons and various events around the country.