This Man Lost 100 Pounds By Eating At One Restaurant

Could surrounding yourself with healthy food be the key to weight loss? It certainly was in this man's case.

Lucas Weaver, whose story was originally told by CNN, weighed 289 pounds in 2011. Although he was overweight and a little shy, Weaver was doing well for himself. He had just enrolled in community college where had a 4.0 GPA, and he was excited about how well he was doing academically. But when he took a nasty fall into a skate pool while working at a skateboarding competition, Weaver had to put school aside. He had torn every ligament in his knee and he needed surgery.

After finally getting the surgery 2012, Weaver was, by his own account, depressed. Then something changed: He took a job as a dishwasher at Souplantation in Chula Vista, California, and decided it was time to put his health first. He ate what the restaurant had to offer: Soup, salad, rice and cornbread. Other than that, he was only eating raw fruits and vegetables.

Within a year, Weaver had lost over a 100 pounds. "I feel like a 100 percent new person," Weaver told CNN. "My mind is clear and I try to find the positive in everything.”

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Lucas Weaver lost 100 pounds by eating soup, salad, rice and cornbread while working at Souplantation in Chula Vista, California.

Weaver told The Huffington Post that getting his story out there has only made him more determined to keep the weight off. "Having the article motivates me to never get close to that point ever again," Weaver, who has moved up the ladder at Souplantation to a salaried position as service manager, said. "To maintain my weight, I plan to stay focused, keep exercising and continue my active hobbies. I'm always running around at work -- I never have a chance to really sit down. And I have the healthiest of foods all around me."

Weaver with his fiancée, Lessley Torres.

Weaver now enjoys biking, hiking and going for runs, and his fiancée Lessley Torres told CNN how proud she is of him. "He strives to move forward," she said.

Weaver stays active by biking, hiking and going on runs on the beach.

Weaver isn't the only one who has taken advantage of healthy restaurant food to begin his weight loss journey. A man named Jared Fogle lost more than 200 pounds by eating Subway sandwiches 17 years ago, which eventually led to him becoming known as the "Subway Guy," and becoming a spokesperson for the sandwich chain.

Although we're incredibly inspired by these weight loss success stories, it's worth noting that weight loss doesn't necessarily mean perfect health. Restaurant food can be high in sodium and preservatives, so make sure you're reading nutrition labels, eating enough fruits and vegetables and exercising regularly.

H/T CNN