For those who want to achieve his look, he advises that there are no short cuts to success and there is no alternative to working out. "The use of unnatural substances is unacceptable to get a body. It leads to hair loss, high blood pressure, mood swings, loss of libido and enlarged glands. Stay away from the short cuts”, John warns his fans.

On being a male fitness icon, he says, “A lot of us have a benchmark for how well-toned we must be. I had a very high benchmark. I'm a leader, not a follower. Not that I am always seeing sunshine up my backside. But I'm very individualistic."

John Abraham's Diet

Breakfast

John’s diet shows us that he believes in helping himself to a heavy breakfast. His average breakfast consists of six egg whites, a glass of fruit juice, a couple of slices of toast with butter and ten almonds. John loves his tea and has at least two cups of tea every day.

Lesson: Having a heavy breakfast ensures that you have enough energy to sustain you through the day and makes sure you are full for some time and do not binge during the meals.

Small Meals

John also confesses of continuously munching on something, but he ensures that it is light and healthy. For the kind of action and work he does, he needs to refuel his system every couple of hours.

Lesson: When you are active, it is okay to munch on something in order to give you enough energy and keep your metabolism active.

Lunch

Unlike other celebrities who only have exotic and expensive meals, John has a traditional, simple fare. For lunch, he takes chapatti made of wheat flour, yellow dal, spinach and some stir fried vegetables.

Lesson: Rather than looking for how many calories you get from your meals, look at the nutritive value of what you are eating. You also do not have to consume only expensive diet food in order to stay healthy.

Pre and Post Workout

John has some light snacks and protein shakes in the evening, and after his workout he indulges in a light meal like corn, some soups and a vegetarian supper.

Lesson: You need to adequately fuel your body if you expect it to work for you. A nutritious snack at the end of the workout is a must.

Vegetarian at Heart

Born to a Keralite father and a Parsi mother, John has been a non vegetarian before but is now an avowed vegetarian. He is one of the long time supporters of PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) and has shot campaigns against cruelty to animals and in support of vegetarianism. To supplement his diet that lacks protein in comparison with a non vegetarian diet, he depends on protein shakes.