http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/why-a-personal-trainer-is-making-himself-obese-on-purpose-2583990/

Why a personal trainer is making himself obese… on purpose

• by FatFighterTV, on Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:19pm PDT

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Normally, I share weight loss success stories - WooHoos!, as they’re known at FatFighterTV. But today, I want to tell you about the opposite – a fit guy who is deliberately making himself fat.

Since May, Drew Manning has gained about 70 pounds on purpose. And he’s not done yet.

Drew is a personal trainer and has always been the “fit guy." He’s now on a journey he calls Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit where he spends six months (he has about 4 weeks left) eating  unhealthy food and not exercising, then he will take six more months to get fit again. Why? To experience for himself what it’s like to be overweight, how tough it is to lose weight, and ultimately show others how to get fit. But this is sooo extreme! And I hate that Drew is deliberately making himself unhealthy. I asked him all about it…

FatFighterTV: As someone who has always been fit, how can you stand doing this to yourself?

Drew Manning: It’s been very tough physically, mentally and emotionally to let myself go like this. The first couple of months were the hardest. I felt like I was going through withdrawals, just like any other addiction. I was jealous seeing people running, going to the gym, and being in shape.

Also see: How Cammy lost 100 pounds

FFTV: Are you concerned about your health?

DM: Yes, definitely. With a BP reading of 161/113 you can’t NOT be concerned. I haven’t felt in danger yet, but I still have 4 weeks left to go.  People tell me all the time to stop now, but I look at it like this…..if others can live years with these unhealthy risk factors, like high BP, glucose levels, cholesterol levels, triglycerides, etc. then I can last another 4 weeks. Plus I want to show people how living a healthy lifestyle can change all of those risk factors.

FFTV: Are you enjoying eating all those unhealthy foods?

DM: Yes and no. To some extent, all of these foods that I’m eating (sugary cereals, granola bars, juices, white breads, white pastas, sodas, crackers, chips, frozen dinners, mac n cheese, etc.) taste delicious. But then I feel like crap later on and I get hungry again and crave those same foods.

See also: Healthified Chicken Salad Sandwiches

FFTV: You’ve gained about 70 pounds now since May – how do you feel?

DM: I’m to the point where I feel lethargic and uncomfortable. I definitely feel “addicted" to these foods. In the beginning, I did not like soda, but now I can’t go a day without, otherwise I’ll get the headaches, bad mood, etc.  Emotionally, it’s taken a toll on my confidence level, even in my marriage. I don’t like the way I look in public; nothing fits right; bending over to tie my shoes or clip my toe nails has become so difficult. I’ve definitely taken those things for granted.

FFTV: You mentioned that you want to gain an understanding of how hard it is to be overweight – what have you learned so far?

DM: I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is how intense and how real these food cravings are.  I think a lot of people associate the word “addiction" with drugs and alcohol, but I do believe this addiction (to America’s processed foods) is real and very similar. I know I’ll never know exactly what it’s like for every person that’s overweight and I don’t claim to, but at least I understand better than I did before when I never had to struggle with this. I hope to learn a lot more in the second half of my journey, from fat 2 fit.

Well I do give him credit for at least trying to understand what it is like, however it is not the same as being over weight your whole life and he already knows he can most likely get it off again pretty easily. He already has a different mind set than we do. I would venture to guess most of us are like me I hate exercise! He on the other hand enjoys it. I like crappy food, he likes it but gets a hangover from it, I don't I just want some more. He is doing it as an experiment and we are living it long term. I hope it at least makes him more compassionate than most trainers I've run across!

I figure he would learn more following an active obese person around for 6 months and following their diet.  At my highest I worked out with a trainer 3 days a week.

I think he doesn't realize that having been healthy and fit most of his life that his metabolism just isn't that of your typical obese person.

But like you I do give him credit for attempting to empathize.

It kind of rubs me the wrong way.

1. Obviously publicity for a book or show.

2. Does he then get to use the "I did it and so you can you!!" line?

If I am not an alcoholic, but decide to drink a bottle of wine every night for six months and then stop.... would I really have any right addressing a person with a lifelong problem???

That would be crap.... more than likely I would be counting the days for when I got to stop!!

Not impressed.

I think he's a dumbass for deliberately jeopardizing his health.

*like*
Short, sweet, and to the point

 My first thought was....what if he finds it harder to get back into shape than he thinks?  I'm saying...if he's eating high calorie foods (and we all know how addicting that can be) and leading a sedentary lifestyle, it's REALLY easy to become used to that.  All of us know how hard it is to lose weight.  If he's doing this,he might develop problems that he's not forseeing.  Kudo's for the empathy, but I don't think I would have taken the chance he is.

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He's an idiot. Next up will be him getting a plication, so he can empathize with wls patients who can't lose any weight.

Personally I think it is kind of badass. I mean he SHOULD get a book deal and an appearance on Dr. Phil. ---I would watch! I think if he was talking about obese people in a derogatory way it would be awful but I think he is trying to empathize....

...believe me I have been called Pollyanna before but I think his intentions are good.

BTW, his muscle is under that fat--you can see he is solid. He will lose quickly!