Life keeps moving at a swift, solid pace for singer Trey Lewis.<\/a> The good news is he\u2019s finally built up enough stamina to keep up with all the success that keeps piling on.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When Lewis runs the stage this weekend in Bristol, TN, fans might even catch him banging out a few pushups or dropping into an impromptu legday routine<\/a> between guitar riffs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While not a permanent part of his setlist\u2014yet\u2014old-school exercise has become a new wrinkle in Lewis\u2019 newfound commitment to fitness, an impressive physical and mental transformation for the once self\u2011described high school \u201cfat kid\u201d who could only manage to walk around the track while classmates lapped him during gym\u2011class miles.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI was out there one time squatting onstage and jumping all around,\u201d he recalls. \u201cNow I can hit all my notes and still jump around. It\u2019s pretty amazing.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now, not only is Lewis running several miles a day as part of his workouts, he\u2019s also running his own show\u2014and never intends to look back. In June, the Alabama\u2011raised artist celebrated his 19th year of sobriety, and in the same stretch he finally gained control of an even longer\u2011running food addiction that forced him to lose more than 100 pounds on two separate occasions.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Those life\u2011changing wins allowed the rest of Lewis\u2019 life\u2014and his now\u2011blossoming music career\u2014to fall into place. Growing up in Alabama on a continually looping playlist of Hank Williams Jr. and Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lewis didn\u2019t even pick up a guitar until he put down booze for good. For a new artist whose music experience was performing karaoke with his mom and singing with his uncles on family outings, songwriting became a positive addiction and outlet Lewis needed badly.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t write songs when I was out there drinking and doing all that stuff,\u201d he says. \u201cI didn\u2019t get a guitar until I got sober. So music, in a way, became my new addiction and kind of my drug of choice.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Since then, Lewis has quietly stacked a steady stream of small victories into creating big waves in country music. Years of grinding in Nashville led to his raunchy 2020 breakup tune \u201cDi**ed Down in Dallas,\u201d<\/a> which went viral and put him on the road full\u2011time. He went on to sign a Sony Music Publishing deal, landed cuts with top artists Tracy Lawrence and Cole Swindell, and launched a second, more introspective project under the name Thomason.<\/a> He\u2019s also got new music, including his most recent single, 2 Inches<\/a>\u201d and tour dates<\/a> on the way.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n During his performance at June\u2019s CMA Fest, Lewis was presented with a plaque for \u201cDDID\u201d turning double platinum. The song became so popular, Lewis added two additional version, including a cleaner remix.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s a milestone that arrived alongside a new outlook on his health. While career accolades will always be special, the ability to nail every note of every song without having to stop and catch his breath may be his favorite achievement. With the help of a Nashville\u2011based performance coach, Lewis has turned a literal cold\u2011plunge obsession into a full\u2011throttle strength and conditioning routine that has finally kept the pounds off while adding real strength and conditioning to his day\u2011to\u2011day life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m 38 so it\u2019s about feeling good,\u201d he says. \u201cYou know, it\u2019s not about, like, how much weight can I lift, or, you know, how many miles can I run? It\u2019s about feeling good and just waking up and every day and getting some movement in.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n Now 19 years sober, Lewis has built a catalog of songs over this time period inspired by the struggles that followed him during addiction. Tracks like 2020\u2019s \u201cWhole Lotta Nothin\u2019,\u201d 2021\u2019s \u201cLittle Tired,\u201d and last year\u2019s \u201cAin\u2019t Sober\u201d highlight different chapters of that fight. An older song, \u201cAA,\u201d came from his initial reluctance to seek help\u2014something he now sees as a blessing in disguise.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt turns out, it ain\u2019t such a bad thing I ended up in AA,\u201d he says. \u201cI always say that when I got there, I thought that place was for losers and people that lived under a bridge. And it turns out that that wasn\u2019t the case at all. And it changed my life forever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Today, he says the temptation no longer exists, which makes performing in alcohol\u2011serving venues a non\u2011factor. \u201cI don\u2019t ever think about drinking and using drugs anymore,\u201d he says proudly. \u201cI play in bars all the time, and it never even crosses my mind as a good idea.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n However, a second battle to longer to conquer. For a while, though, Lewis swapped booze for burgers, pizza, and whatever food could derail a well-intentioned wellness plan\u2014choices that became especially consistent once he began performing regularly. He eventually ballooned more than 100 pounds above where he wanted to be. \u201cI\u2019ve always kind of struggled with food, just having an unhealthy relationship with it,\u201d he says. \u201cI think my first addiction was food as a kid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Since a 12\u2011step program worked for his alcohol struggles, he gave Overeaters Anonymous a shot. And for a while, the accountability regimen worked\u2014until it didn\u2019t. Lewis lost over 100 pounds, but without a real long\u2011term plan beyond not eating, the stress of maintaining his life while living in a permanent calorie deficit became impossible.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI ate the same thing every day for three years,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd then I just went through some life stuff. And I was like, I\u2019m either gonna get drunk or eat a cheeseburger.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When \u201cDi**ed Down in Dallas\u201d broke through in 2020, it quickly sent him on a U.S. tour in support of his music. It also presented another problem: Lewis would have to manage his strict nutrition routine<\/a> while his life and career became a bit more chaotic. Soon, the old habits crept back\u2014he tipped the scales at over 320 pounds.\u201cI was on the road just eating pizza and chicken fingers, acting like I was 20 years old, so it was really easy to put the weight back on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Other than some games of backyard football, sports never played a major role in Lewis\u2019 youth\u2014which could be part of the reason it took him longer to fully buy into a fitness routine.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It also helps explain why the catalyst for his second weight-loss run was, of all things, a cold plunge. Overweight again, out of shape, and coming off a breakup, Lewis\u2014while hosting a side\u2011gig podcast chronicling other people\u2019s battles with substance abuse\u2014found refuge in a friend\u2019s cold tub. At some point, he realized the irony.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe were talking about recovery topics and mental health,\u201d he recalls, \u201cbut the whole time I\u2019m sitting there thinking that while I\u2019m talking about mental health, sobriety, and spirituality, look at me. I\u2019m not taking care of myself physically.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n During his podcast run, he connected with Justin Todd,<\/a> a Nashville-based performance specialist<\/a> who\u2019s worked with pro athletes and musicians, including singer Kameron Marlowe.<\/a> The two shared more than gym time\u2014Todd is also deep into his own sobriety journey. In a back-and-forth about what they\u2019d both overcome, Lewis tossed out a half\u2011joking offer: \u201cIf you get a cold plunge, I\u2019ll start working out in here.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Todd heard an opening.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Lewis, at this point around 292 pounds, agreed to come three days a week for a month. If he hated it, he emphasized, he was done. Todd says his job became obvious: \u201cI had to make sure he didn\u2019t hate it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Since Lewis\u2019 fitness experience was limited, Todd\u2019s first priority was to build a strong foundation while keeping the singer engaged. He started with a full\u2011body movement assessment, checking mobility and smaller muscles from ankles to shoulders\u2014essential for a touring artist who spends hours hunched over a guitar on a bus. Early sessions emphasized efficient movement patterns, joint health, and correcting physical weak links. He initially used bands and light weights as prep for the heavier work to come. \u201cWe weren\u2019t concerned with throwing a bunch of weight on the bar. We weren\u2019t going to find our success in that with Trey.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To keep it fun, Todd used the gym\u2019s pickleball and basketball courts. Missed free throws meant extra reps; a made three\u2011pointer could knock off a set or two. Fridays were reserved for one of Lewis\u2019 favorite activities, disc golf. The two would jog a three\u2011hole loop\u2014a sneak preview of the running to come. None of this was designed to change Lewis\u2019 physique overnight, but it did help him keep showing up.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOne thing Justin would always say that stuck with me was, no matter what, he was going to the gym,\u201d Lewis says. \u201cThat\u2019s the attitude that I adopted from him.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The gains followed the consistent work Lewis was putting in. With Todd, his weight dropped from 292 into the 240s relatively quickly. Then they worked to chip it slowly but steadily toward the low 230s and beyond. His \u201cbeginner gains\u201d came fast\u2014he added noticeable strength, going from learning how to press just the bar to benching 135 for high reps, which feeds his backstage ritual of banging out pushups in front of the band.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI think my bench is like, 165, I\u2019m not really sure,\u201d Lewis says, proud but matter\u2011of\u2011fact. \u201cI just go in there and put the weights on that he tells me. But I do know that I have gotten the big wheels on the side because everyone at the gym gives me a hard time about that.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Today, Lewis\u2019 showtime weight is holding steady around 225 pounds. He\u2019d still like to peel off another 10 or so, but he insists the number on the scale is no longer the goal. \u201cNow it\u2019s not really about what my weight is,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s about, how am I feeling and how am I performing.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A lot of other things have changed, too. He\u2019s taken cold tubs\u2014the chilling catalyst to his fitness journey\u2014out of the schedule and replaced them with 20 minutes of heat. \u201cI\u2019m a sauna guy now,\u201d he says. \u201cI love the sauna every day, 20 minutes, 200 degrees.\u201d\u00a0 =<\/span><\/p>\n His day-to-day schedule has been overhauled as well. Once a chronic night owl, the 2 a.m. bedtimes are gone. Now, when he\u2019s not performing, it\u2019s lights out around 9 p.m., sometimes even earlier. \u201cI get up at 6 a.m., and I go to the gym, work out, then I go home,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019ll get in the sauna for 20 minutes, then shower, do my prayer, meditation, eat breakfast, then I go write a song.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n According to Todd, one big reason this weight\u2011loss sequel has stuck is Lewis\u2019 stronger mindset, especially once the early gains slowed. The first phase came quickly\u2014he dropped more than 50 pounds in a few months by training and cutting processed foods\u2014but the back half of the weight loss is what really tests a person\u2019s resolve. \u201cThat\u2019s when people throw in the towel,\u201d Todd says. \u201cA lot of weight loss is about proper goal setting and taking the focus off the number on the scale and placing it on how well we feel, how our clothes fit, what\u2019s our body fat percentage. Those outcomes are way more tangible and realistic than the scale.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The upside was that his performance in the weight room kept climbing, which carried over to better performances onstage. \u201cWhen I started, I couldn\u2019t even do a pushup,\u201d Lewis says. \u201cNow I can pump off like 20, no problem.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If his former classmates could see him on the track now. What started as Todd having him do 20\u201330 minutes of 30\u2011second jogging bursts with rest intervals eventually grew into solid one-mile jogs. Now, Lewis breezes through several easy runs a week, adding another layer to his stamina. \u201cAnd now, now I can go out and rip three, four miles like it\u2019s nothing, you know, and it\u2019s just awesome, man.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The stamina doesn\u2019t stop on the track. Even fishing trips are easier thanks to a stronger cardio and conditioning base. \u201cWe just went and canoed down a river and fished for seven hours,\u201d he says. \u201cMy friend was a lot younger than me, and he was dying. I woke up the next day and I was barely even sore.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In Todd\u2019s assessment, Lewis\u2019 physical transformation followed a mental one. The consistency of his workouts, combined with the camaraderie he built at the gym, made it hard for him to slip back into old habits. \u201cTrey never missed a workout, I don\u2019t think ever, unless he was very sick,\u201d Todd says. \u201cOftentimes he would still come when he was very sick\u2014and I\u2019ve got three kids under 3\u2014and I\u2019m telling him, \u2018No, please don\u2019t come.\u2019\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Lewis\u2019 all\u2011in approach to his health has translated into a more focused artist as well. With new music coming soon, he says he hopes a stronger, healthier Trey Lewis eventually leads to another platinum plaque in Nashville. Hopefully he\u2019s not too fast to outrun the inevitable next wave of accolades approaching.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the same thing with songwriting or any of this other stuff,\u201d he says. \u201cYou just have to show up. That\u2019s more than half the battle. Then you do the work.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nHow Trey Lewis Lost 100 Pounds The First Time\u2014And Why It Didn\u2019t Last\u00a0 <\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Trey](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/TL4-e1780953983951.png?quality=86&strip=all\")
<\/div>From Ice Baths to 100-Pound Comeback<\/strong><\/h3>\n
A New Routine Worth Maintaining<\/strong><\/h3>\n