Sweet Tooth Sweet Life

A Love of Food, Fitness, & Fashion

Fat On Purpose

By 62 Comments

This morning definitely started out a lot smoother than yesterday – thank goodness – with only one minor glitch.

Before going to bed last night, I did a quick skim through of Exercise on Demand to get an idea of what I might want to do for a workout today. Since I didn’t incorporate an upper body workout yesterday, I knew that I wanted to get some weights involved, so I decided on the Rock Hard Total Body video (<—it’s always a killer).

Well wouldn’t you know, when I went to turn it on this morning, it was gone, which is exactly what I was afraid of (on Demand tends to rotate their videos from month to month). So I nixed that idea and ended up with:

Not too shabby for a last minute switch up!

Breakfast

I was going back and forth for about 5 minutes this morning, trying to decide how I wanted my eggs + English muffin…egg and cheese sandwich or eggs with a PB&J muffin on the side. In an effort to try to avoid another week long breakfast streak, I decided to switch it up and went with the egg & cheese sandwich.

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I used a plain ‘ol English muffin, two scrambled Egg Beaters, a slice of provolone cheese, and some raspberry jam.

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The eggs ended up being a little bit much to all fit on the sandwich, so some got eaten on the side. Still just as good.

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I was also planning on eating a banana with breakfast but I’m pretty full right now so I’ll just wait until my hunger inevitably strikes mid-morning and have it then.

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We’re back to regular coffee this morning too, and I must say that I am welcoming the change. I definitely need variety with my morning brew!

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Did you guys notice the Skittles back there? Well, it turns out that the one set of trick-or-treaters that I told you about last night was the only one to come and visit us.

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So now Jay and I have all of those to work our way through, which we did manage to put a small dent in last night. Winking smile

*****

Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit

Before I leave you all this morning, I just had to mention something about this story. I first heard about it maybe two weeks ago, and have been meaning ever since to bring it up. Have you heard about this yet?

Drew Manning, a personal trainer, has decided that he wants to see and feel firsthand what it is like to be overweight so he can get a better understanding of how some of his clients feel and the struggles that they deal with. All of his progress thusfar has been documented on his website, Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit.

He recently spent 6 months packing on the pounds; he cut out exercise entirely and has had an unrestricted diet. He mentioned how even the littlest of activity, such as climbing stairs, became a challenge. He now craves junk food more than ever and is totally addicted to soda, which is something he never drank before. In the first month alone, he gained over 20 pounds, and now at the end of six months, he has gained almost 75 pounds.

  source

Now that he has put on the weight, he is planning on using the next 6 months to get back in shape as a teaching strategy for others. He will be documenting his progress and blogging about it so that others can follow his specific meal plans and workout routines.

Drew says,

My goal is to inspire people to get fit, teach them how to do it and give them hope that it IS possible to get fit and stay fit. I want to share my comprehensive fitness knowledge with my followers so that they can know how to lose weight successfully, even though for many it’s going to be a struggle.

I find this story pretty interesting and even though I know it’s mostly a big publicity stunt, I can definitely foresee myself checking in to see his progress. My guess is that since he has already been such a workout fanatic, it won’t be as difficult for him to get back in shape; but I’ll still be curious to see the struggles that he faces.

Personally, I don’t think I would ever put myself in this position; not only is it placing extra stress on his body, but I also just wouldn’t want to purposely make myself fat and take on that challenge for fear of not being able to be successful.

So let’s open it up to discussion – what do you guys think of this challenge and transformation? Is it smart? Would you ever do it?

Comments

  1. I commented on this on someone else's blog recently who brought it up. I'm with you, I would never do that to myself either mainly b/c of the unneccesary stress it puts on your body. I think it's a publicity stunt too but I have to admit I'm curious and will probably follow-up on it!
    Reply

  2. i have a dream. it includes living next door to you, working from home, and doing at home work outs with you every day. One day at my place. The next day at yours. and so on and so forth. It may also involve cupcake baking and kitten cuddling, for the record. ;)
    Reply

  3. I don't think this guy will ever know what is is like to really be overweight and struggle with his weight. sure, he can put on weight on purpose and probably take it off just as easily since he probably has the background and knowledge on how to do it. most people don't, they have to start from scratch. i think its pretty unsafe/unhealthy of him to be doing this. (75 lbs in 6 months is not a realistic or healthy way to lose weight) but hopefully he will inspire those who need to make changes in their life to do so.
    Reply

  4. I saw this story a few weeks ago and I was pretty appalled by it. I understand the theory behind it but I think it's a pretty stupid thing to do to yourself. Plus, even though I'd feel better that my trainer knew what it was like to be fat and struggle to lose the weight, I don't know that I'd ever use someone as a trainer who purposely put that strain on their body. That being said, I will be interested to see what he thinks once he starts trying to lose the weight.
    Reply

  5. that is crazy! this reminds me of the video Supersize Me, of the guy who took the challenge to only eat at Mcdonalds for I think it was 2 months straight, to show the world how unhealthy it was to eat processed, fast food. I would never go to extreme measures to prove a point like this, if people are overweight, then they should just learn how to get healthy, and look at actual real success stories to give them motivation
    Reply

  6. I saw this story on the today show this morning and I thought it was courageous of him to go through what others have to go through. We have no idea what it is to be 75 pounds overweight. 6 months is a long time to take off so it's definitely not going to be easy for him to start working out again. I am excited to see his journey and I think he will be an inspiration to a lot of people who think that people who are thin just have naturally good genes...that's clearly not the case, it's hard work!
    Reply

  7. I commented on this when someone else I follow blogged about, and to be blunt I think this guy is an idiot. Firstly, he's making very light of what has been a lifelong problem for many people. His attitude is almost like, "look how easy it will be for me to lose 75lbs in 6 months!" I can definitely see that turning off a lot of people. Secondly, there is damage he is doing to his body even if he loses the weight. I wish it were so simple as gaining or losing fat, but there's a number that fast gain/fast loss will do on your internal organs. Finally, he better hope to high heaven he loses all he put on or he is in for a rude awakening, and likely a new career path. How many people say, "well one day I'll get back to such and such weight" and never do? It's one thing to stay in shape when you've pretty much always been in shape, but once you're out of it, it is NOT so simple to just get right back into it. I will not be following him at all.
    Reply

    • I'm secretly hoping he can't get the weight off. that's what he gets..maybe then he will really know whats like to be overweight! haha, i'm horrible.
      Reply

      • Hah you are too much! Honestly, I don't give a crap what any personal trainer looked like in the past. If I got one, all I would want is for them to kick my ass for the time I paid and leave it at that. I might be a little less huggy feely when it comes to being trained, but that's just me. :)
        Reply

  9. I think this is crazy! While I understand how he's trying to put himself in 'fat' peoples shoes... nothing about this is smart. If you're healthy you should stay that way! It will take a lot of work for him to get fit again and reverse the damage he did to his body. Maybe I see a problem with this just because I've always been a girl who has to work super hard to be fit but why would anyone want to gain 75 pounds ON PURPOSE!?
    Reply

  10. I think what he is doing is quite risky and I personally would never attempt it. But I do think that it could be a very powerful tool for others. If he can successfully motivate others to eat well and incorporate exercise into their lives, more power to him! I only got one trick or treater too! I definitely packed some skittles in my lunch:)
    Reply

  12. the major flaw in his "theory" is that he put on the weight on purpose - it didn't just happen, which is the case with many of us.  he will never know what it is like to have slow metabolism, to be big boned, to struggle with your weight for your entire life and have issues that NEVER go away.  there is not a day that i can remember in the past, hmm, 16 years of my life that i didn't agonize over my weight.  If I were looking for a trainer and he tried to sell me his business with his little publicity stunt, I would laugh in his face and then find a trainer who truly valued fitness and health living… because this guy doesn’t if he’s willing to risk his own health with such drastic gain/loss for publicity.
    Reply

  13. While I applaud him for wanting to be more empathetic to his clients, you wiuld think he wiuld have more sense than to unnecessarily expose his body to immense amounts of stress. Having lost weight in the past, I know how difficult it is and would never voluntarily put on weight...even for a million bucks!
    Reply

  14. wow that is very interesting! I personally would NEVER do that. I am too in love with running and working out. It is my outlet after sitting at a desk for 8 hours. Although that can't be good for his body, hopefully it will open people's eyes and show them that there is hope to getting healthy and fit. It really makes me sad to see when people don't care about their health :(
    Reply

  16. I saw this on Good Morning America a few weeks back and thought that his idea was interesting. He had never been overweight and to take down that excuse for his clients isn't a bad idea. I would not do it for the pure fear that I could never be normal again and I can't handle the idea of what that would be doing to my body.....
    Reply

  17. I have to say, I am pretty intrigued. I would probably click over and read about his progress for the same reason I watch MTV's "i used to be fat" and spurlock's "super size me"..I think it helps motivate me to get moving. But I completely agree with you that because he's already had that exercise mindset before, it maaaay be a tad easier for him to rechannel it. Also, I would not take on a similar challenge for fear of failing :( but all the luck to him! Sugar/processed food is hard to kick!
    Reply

  18. I just did a post about this a couple weeks ago too. Drew actually lives a couple blocks away from me, and my husband has played football with him a few times. He is an awesome guy. Although it can potentially be dangerous to his health, I know he has great intentions behind it. Fortunately, he has a lot of health and fitness knowledge, so I have no doubt he'll be able to get back on a healthy track again and he won't go "too far" with all of this. It is definitely an interesting experiment and he sure is getting lots of media about it!
    Reply

  19. I am sure his Doctor is not in love with the idea. Weight fluctuation also takes a toll on your body. Also, last night I ended up having to do one of Denise Austin's video's on Exercise TV and it drove me crazy. I was suppose to be a 15 min fat burn and i didn't break a sweat. Plus Denise had her hair down the whole time like she was modeling not exercising. It drove me nuts! I hate un-challenging workouts. If you are looking for a good workout video for this winter I recommend Insanity. We actually did it at a Bachelorette party this weekend ( brides orders) and it kicked out butt!
    Reply

  20. I don't know I think he's pretty amazing. Trying his best to put himself in his clients shoes must be difficult. I'm sure he knows he can't completely feel what they feel but he's doing his best. I don't know if I could mentally handle putting that kind of weight on on purpose! People do terrible things to their body for no reason - smoking, drinking excessively, drugs. He might be doing something that harms his health but he's doing it for a research purpose. I'm interested, I'll check out his blog. ps, your breakfasts always look so delicious!!!
    Reply

  22. I think he means well and the premise is good...but at the same time who would want a trainer that would purposefully do something like this to themselves? Trainers tout being healthy and this is very unhealthy for him. I suppose we'll see how it goes!
    Reply

  24. your talk about ExerciseTV inspired me to go see what's new this month - and all of the 10lb Xtreme workouts are back! yay!!
    Reply

  25. I think it will be a great thing to follow for people who have gained weight they didn't want. But on the other hand, you brought up a great point that he was a workout fanatic so it will be easier for him to get back into that. For people getting fit for the first time, it may not be so easy. They literally need to create a new mentality - which isn't exactly easy. Having that mentality already, I am sure he won't stop until he IS successful. But it will prove to people that diet and exercise are the right way to get fit and healthy. I'll be interested to see how it goes.
    Reply

  26. Is it smart? Hmm, no. It's never good for your body to go through huge swings like that, but I definitely respect the message he is trying to send and what he's trying to learn. Ultimately it will probably make him a better trainer. I'm curious how it will go along too....
    Reply

  28. WOAH thanks for sharing, i havent heard/read about this at all! How crazy... I cant wait to tell my trainer about this. I am thinking that would be extremely hard on yoru body BUT i think it is kind of cool what he is doing to "put himself" in their shoes. Im sure it will motivate those who need it that he went through that
    Reply

  30. I actually saw this on Jay Leno or one of the other late night shows the other night. I personally think it's crazy, and I would never do it myself but, like you, I am tempted to follow along. I really do want to see how this works out for him--not because I think it's a good idea, but just because it's shocking!
    Reply

  31. oh what the heck, I may as well spill my guts here... since part of the story is already on the 'about' page of my blog but i DID gain weight intentionally...90 lbs in fact! I've still got about 20 to lose to get back to my 'normal' weight. The why's...not ready to divulge that quite yet (not 'safe' to at the moment) but soon...let's just say sometimes when in desperate situations one will do stupid things but ultimately the end result was accomplished and now I can get back to losing the weight...my intentional gain wasn't like this guys but something else... and yes, it is stupid (speaking to myself here as well but like I said desperate situations....)
    Reply

  32. I don't know how I feel about this. I mean, I wouldn't do it...too much stress on your body completely. Can you imagine having gone from fit to fat and what that does to your heart? I think the reasoning behind it could be right...but wow, is this a publicity stunt? Not sure I'd want to read it....though it is informative. Wow...is all I have to say.
    Reply

  34. I would not do that--but I find it fascinating and very cool that he is willing to do that! It is important as someone who teaches others to do something to know somewhat what they're going through as well! Love your b-fast idea! jam and eggs rock!
    Reply

  35. I think the sentiment behind the idea is good. If you've never been overweight, how can you truly motivate your overweight clients? However, with that same thing, if he's never before been overweight, heading in to this 75 pound weight loss with all his knowledge and experience is just not that same as someone who doesn't have the background. Part of me, the part that's struggled with my weight for more than half of my life, wants to smack him upside the head. How dare he go "Gee, look how easy I can lose 75 lbs...and in only 6 months!" Great way to make those of us who struggle to lose 5 pounds each month feel like we aren't doing enough
    Reply

  36. I could never do it to myself, but it's interesting to see someone else do it. I don't really know how I feel about it. It might really motivate some of his clients to see him slim down and allow him to better address their needs, but at the end of the day, the individual has to 100% want to lose the weight. I had a trainer for a few months, and I wasn't willing to make a full lifestyle commitment, so I saw minimal results and gained it all back. Now, I'm committed, and hey it's working (big surprise).
    Reply

  37. I'm surprised at all the 'haters'! I think this is really cool. Not something I'd ever do, and probably not the best thing physically, but I'm impressed with this experiment. Sure it's not simulating the real life struggle with being overweight- I don't think he's trying to do that either. The point will be to show that you can lose weight and become fit with the right tools and information. He will be using his website to show exactly how he's going to lose the weight (grocery lists, meal plans, workout routines, etc.) This should be motivating to anyone who wants to lose weight and/or get fit. If you read the comments section of his blogs there are a ton of people who he has already motivated to join the journey with him. Additionally, he's also mentioned that he's going to lose the weight by working out 5x a week for 45 mins-1 hour each time. He's not going to be hitting the gym for 5 hours to get back into tip top shape. He's going to be attempting to do a plan that is realistic. I commend him for this challenge and look forward to following over the next 6 months! Thanks for posting Courtney!
    Reply

  38. Honestly, I think it's pretty interesting! I think that for a lot of trainers, fitness has always been a priority for them and that this will be a good learning experience for him and will help to serve his clients better in the long run. I also think it's great that he's posting everything he does to lose the weight (diet and exercise). What a great learning tool for folks who can't afford to pay for a personal trainer themselves!!
    Reply

  39. Wow. I don't think I would ever do that to my body on purpose. If there were some sort of medical reason that my doctor would come out and tell me I had to stop working out for or that I needed to gain weight for something, then I would try to pack on a few pounds. This guy is something else!
    Reply

  40. I heard about Fit 2 Fat from one of my co-workers who is continually struggling with achieving his "optimal weight". He said that he is going to track the progress and is excited to see just how this guys does it. This is where I get HEATED. This man is not a real-life weight loss success. Come on. He's a personal trainer. I think he is making a debauchery of what real people might be dealing with. It's not just that easy for some out there to do what he does and lose weight. The only positive I can see from this is that others may join in, learn "tips", and hopefully feel motivated through seeing someone else struggle. Humph. Ha.
    Reply

  41. Yeeks! The idea of this totally freaks me out! It is so bad for your body and i'm wondering how effective it will even be for helping other people. Most people have to be fully ready to make a change and i'm not sure even his little experiment will help convince people they can do it until they are fully ready!
    Reply

  42. I think the only way I would intentionally make myself fat was if I was an actress who was getting paid $5M for a role. Then I'd probably spend the time after the movie dieting and working out to lose it since I'd be rich and could do it that way. No way would I want to do it as a normal person with a normal life!
    Reply

  43. I would never gain the weight myself, but I admire this guy for stepping out of his comfort zone of always being "fit" and seeing what life is like on the other side. I think it will make him a better personal trainer since he knows now that 1000 pushups in 2 minutes isn't EASY if you aren't in super shape like he was...he will have gained insight into the life of what it is like to be overweight and will be better able to identify with his client's needs. I give credit to his WIFE for putting up with it!
    Reply

  44. I think that challenge is CRAZY! I would honestly never do it but some people like him or Morgan Spurlock (Super-Size Me) really want to experience things first hand and more power to them if they are willing to do that. I just hope he is being monitored!
    Reply

  47. I will be following this man's story but I would never do that to myself. I can't imagine the damage it has caused to his organs. Hopefully he will be able to get back to where he was before but I don't think it will be as easy for him as he thinks.
    Reply

  48. I mean, I think it's kind of cool that he is actually willing to do that in order to show others that it is possible. I think that will really open people's eyes and show them that losing weight the healthy way and keeping it off is attainable. I definitely agree that it probably is a publicity stunt, but it will probably work nonetheless. As for myself, I would never do that. Although I love fitness and everything and would probably be able to get back to myself, I just wouldn't want to go through that.
    Reply

  49. Oh my gosh, don't you hate when your favorite workouts on On Demand disappear? This happens to me all of the time! I find something I like and then the next week it's gone! Ugh! And I am completely enthralled by this Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit guy. I had never heard of this, but wow. It's amazing to see how quickly you can lose what you work so hard for, just by eating badly and not exercising. Wow! I don't think I would ever try something like this. Too risky - healthwise and I think I would be afraid that the weight wouldn't come off. And, it's hard getting yourself off of the soda addiction. I cannot wait to see where he ends up!
    Reply

  51. very interesting! while it may be a publicity stunt, i think sometimes fit/motivated people don't 100% understand what it's like to be on the other end of the spectrum. (my husband, for instance is a gym-a-holic and he thinks it's as simple as going to the gym, motivation & dedication to get fit---which it is, but i don't think he understands that people don't all have the same mindset as him) i think it's nice that this guy is willing to do this to better understand his clients...publicity stunt or not...i bet he'll learn a lot.
    Reply

  52. I dont think that is physically safe (I mean. can you imagine what his arteries look like! haha) But I think he will probably found out a lot about how hard it is to lose weight! Defiantly would want to follow!
    Reply

  53. I personally have and still do struggle with major weight and food addiction issues; I have my whole life. I'm currently in the looong process of creating a healthier attitude, outlook, and lifestyle for myself. I do feel that I will be uniquely positioned to help others given my own struggles. With that said, though, I would never recommend doing something like this on purpose!
    Reply

  54. I like how he did this to show and sympathize w/ his overweight clients how to get fit/keep the weight off. However, I would personally never do it. I think I'd mostly be afraid of, "What if I never get back in shape?"
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  56. I definitely find it interesting, but at the same time, there is no way someone who actively chooses to put on weight can EVER know what it feels like to be someone who has been overweight their entire life and knows no other way. And after going through the challenges of losing weight as an obese person, I would NEVER intentionally put weight back on for ANY reason. Nothing would make that worth it to me.
    Reply

  57. I've posted my anger about this story several times and I don't mind doing it again... Going from fit to putting on 75lbs for 6 months and then losing it isn't the same as being overweight for a lifetime. Yes, I was fit for a while in my life before putting on my weight, but I was a chubby kid before that and yo-yoed for several years. When I was an athlete in my teens I was just naturally leans and didn't lift a weight in my life. As soon as I stopped playing sports I went back to that "Fat kid" and put on over 110 lbs and I was overweight for most of my 20s. He's a personal trainer who was ripped as hell before and in shape all of his life. After putting on weight for 6 months his body will return to burning fat and building muscle with NO problem. Muscle has memory and our bodies are smart and it will remember what he was once like. He won't struggle with it like someone who was overweight or obese for a long period of time. 6 months is NOTHING!! This is an insult to anyone and everyone who has been overweight in their lives and struggled to lose the weight. This is nothing more than a publicity stunt.
    Reply

  58. (First sorry I'm way behind in my reading!) I don't like the idea of Drew Manning is doing at all. I think, first of all, it's a smack in the face to people who struggle with obesity, like "Hey, look at me, I'm going to get fat on purpose even though I'm in great shape." For people that struggle with their weight, it's insulting. I understand why he thinks it's a good idea, but it really isn't.
    Reply

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