When super-fit personal trainer Drew Manning decided to “get fat” for six months and then lose the weight, chronicling his journey on his website Fit2Fat2Fit, his story shot into the media limelight faster than a starlet’s nip slip. Everyone, it seems, wants to know why Manning would voluntarily shed his rock-hard body – one he’d used to model in the past – and trade in his thin privilege for something most Americans are doing their darndest to get rid of? He explains,
“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. People that are overweight have to overcome both physical and emotional barriers when it comes to losing weight. I hope to have a better understanding of this through my experience over the next year. Also, I hope to better gain an understanding of how hard it really is to be overweight. I know it’s only going to be for 6 months, but at least it’ll give me a small window of the physical and emotional issues that come with being overweight.”
This idea of a personal trainer gaining weight and then losing it to better understand his clients has been done before. A couple of years ago a trainer in Australia named Paul James did the same stunt with mostly positive results. But whether it’s a testament to the increased frenzy over weight over the past few years or that Manning is a more astute self-marketer than James, the response to Manning’s crusade has been immense.
I’ll admit to some ambivalence over watching him gain 70 pounds in 6 months – his favorite way was his “doughnut challenge” where he had to try to eat a dozen of his wife’s homemade doughnuts in one sitting without upchucking – as it struck me as frat boy at best and binge eating at worst. As a professed “gym addict” was it really a good idea to trade one compulsion for another? But he’s trying to be altruistic and I’m all about learned empathy and frankly I have to admire someone who goes to this much effort to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. Besides, how else is one supposed to gain that much weight in that short amount of time?
While his ride up the weight roller coaster was kind of painful to watch (albeit with moments of hilarity – when he discovers the joy of eating breakfast cereal right before bed it was like explaining Halloween to a toddler), his shot down the other side promises to be interesting. About two weeks ago he passed the 6-month mark thereby starting his return journey from “fat 2 fit” again. Even though he’s only been losing weight for two weeks (down 13 pounds so far!), he admits that it was harder than he’d anticipated. “Now I understand a little bit more of how hard and how real addictions are to foods,” he said. “It’s just like a drug. It really is.” The fact that his addiction is to Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal only endears him more to me. (Although if I had to pick the best cereal of all time mine would definitely be Barbara’s Peanut Butter Puffins…ah crunchy peanut-buttery pillows of corny goodness!)
The next few months will tell whether chugging protein shakes and exercising per the recommendations he gives his clients will get him back into his previous shape. Although if I were a betting girl, I’d say he’ll do it. I would think that the pressure from all the public scrutiny alone would be enough to keep him on track, not to mention all the muscle memory he’s built up over the years.
So when Shape.com assigned me to do a slideshow on celebrities who gain weight for movie roles, my first thought was of Drew Manning. While their reasons are different – money, an Oscar, acclaim for their unholy devotion to method acting (what up, Christian Bale?) – their experiences are equally as interesting. For instance, while both Renee Zelwegger and Gwyneth Paltrow admitted to “panic attacks” when asked to gain weight for roles, Julia Roberts and Charlize Theron were very zen. But Hillary Swank gave me a whole knew perspective on our miraculous bodies and Russell Crowe cracked me up. (Eva Longoria might make you want to throw something though – just a head’s up.)
No matter what the motivation, I think it’s fascinating when people intentionally buck the societal standards. What’s your take on Manning’s adventure – unhealthy publicity stunt, well-meaning but misguided or awesome? Does it matter to you if your personal trainer/nutritionist has ever had to lose a large amount of weight? Do you think it’s crazy or admirable when an actor gains weight for a movie role? What’s your fave breakfast cereal??
i am so intrigued with his whole thing and i can’t wait to see what ensues. 13 lbs in 2 weeks is insane!
Cinnamon Toast Crunch is my ultimate weakness!!! I’ve never heard of peanut putter puffins – maybe they are not available in Canada? Now I really want to try them! Anyways, I digress….:) I think that anybody who would put their body under that much strain is ridculous. I guess the fact that it has helped him empathize more with the average overwieght client he gets is good but I still think it is really a crazy publicity stunt. I would never want to train with a trainer who did something so hamrful to their body. However, I would not be opposed to training with someone who had lost a large amount of weight in a healthy way,. I don’t think it is admirable when an actor/actress dramtically changes their weight for a role as I really think it is part of their craft. It really bothers me when they make a huge deal about it though. Or lie about it. I think Gwyneth Paltrow said she gained 20 pounds for Country Strong, I mean, really? Where? Great story, can’t wait to hear some other comments (and other yummy cereal suggestions!)
No, they are they are in Canada! I always find them at natural food stores! Or the natural food section of Loblaws too. They can be found, if you look long enough.
Berry Kix however, are American only. I’d like to claim that I don’t stock up whenever I’m down there. But I totally do.
Good to know!!! and PS. about the Berry Kix, no judgement here:)
Honestly, this guy bothers me. As someone who is overweight, I’ve gained this weight (and lost it over years and years). I’m overweight now, and I still exercise and attempt to eat well. While on occasion, I do overeat by binging, my weight is mostly daily struggles to avoid second helpings, put that cookie down, and deal with the emotional side of it. I don’t think he can understand lifelong struggles. Not to mention, he won’t understand the frustration people feel when they are trying so hard, by going to the gym, by trying to change, but getting no credit. He’s a lifelong athlete, trained to do this. Of course the weight will come off easily!!
As for actresses gaining weight for roles. . . I’m fine as long as it’s healthy range – 10-20 lbs, which usually puts them at ‘average’ for their heights anyway! Pretty sure Gwenyth looked great.
He didn’t say he would be able to totally understand what being overweight and the struggles that come with it would be like. He said he hopes to be able to better understand-there is a difference. Of course he will be able to lose the weight and get fit easier than the average overweight person. He has knowledge, experience, and have already had success with healthy eating habits, but
The point is he trying to get a better perspective into an overweight person’s lifestyle. (sorry I accedently pushed publish on the first comment)
*I should clarify – lost it and regained, and lost and regained (not just lost it).
you are a Peanut Butter Puffins girl too!?!? It was the penguin on the box that drew me in and the amazing taste (and ability to soak up milk wondrously without losing the crunch) that keeps me buying them… You and my therapist are the only two people I’ve encountered that share the love of them.
Anyhoo, back on topic… something about the fact that essentially he’s doing this for money and fame sort of bothers me… and the fact that he was shocked at the fact that it was harder than he thought leads me to believe he didn’t think it’d be difficult to lose the weight… so was he trying to prove to his clients and America that it’s easy and they just need to suck it up?
I don’t know.
Also, I wonder if weight is easier to lose if you’ve only recently gained it… I imagine there is some difference there as your body hasn’t fully adjusted to the extra pounds… I need to look into that… I’ve never been overweight (or close to it), but I know that when I try to gain weight (such as right now) if I’m not careful it comes off incredibly easy, until I’ve maintained that weight for a duration…
I love cereal oh so much. Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Pebbles, Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries, Cinnamon Life, Honey Roasted Honey Bunches of Oats…the list could go on.
I think this story is really interesting, but I don’t think he will be able to completely identify with overweight people since they usually have reasons/issues as to why their weight is a problem. I do think that a trainer that had lost a lot of weight would be awesome because they’re inspiring and you know that they understand how it is (but this guy may not understand all that goes into it). I’d rather listen to advice from someone who has struggled with weight than someone that has never had that battle.
I respect actors that gain weight for roles. Now I have to go check out the Shape article!
Actors who put on weight for a role (obviously depending on how much) are just selling their health… what would your price be?
This guy is nuts. He’s going to have so many more fat cells and will be prone to put on weight now, plus there’s no telling if he can ever regain the body composition he had. Its just gambling with your health. I guess he thinks it’s worth it but really, there are other ways to get publicity.
In trainers I respect those who have lost weight themselves but not more so than others who have not. I think it makes them easier to relate to but it wouldn’t influence my decision. Personality would though!
hmmm cereal… My favourite cereal-ish breakfast is buckwheat, it fills you up like proper food should, puffed cereals just seem like a waste of calories/time.
Actually you never gain or lose fat cells. You always have the same amount. When you gain weight your fat cells expand and well… get fatter.
I think the only damage he might do to his body is some stretch marks. Otherwise I think he will end up looking exactly the same.
He didn’t gain enough weight to have to deal with stretched out skin, plus he’s young and doing this whole process quickly.
I was under the impression you do. Once you’ve filled up the existing fat cells you make new ones. I agree that he doesn’t seem to have stretch marks but I’m still not sure he’ll be 100% the same… I guess only time will tell!
I googled it and it seems you’re right. Apparently gaining weight quickly makes it more likely that your body will create new fat cells!
You made two points that I think are important (the first with regards to the fat cells becoming enlarged — that’s what I was thinking when I read the post yours is in response to) and something that I touched upon in my own reply… the quickness of it all.
When gain and lose weight quickly you aren’t going through the same experience as someone that has kept that weight (or steadily gained it) for years and years. A huge flaw in his methodology
Agreed. This whole thing is not even scratching the surface of what extremely overweight people deal with. On top of that, people struggle to lose weight for years and years and years. It’s like he’s flipped a switch and I’m sure he’ll meet his 6 month goal. If people could just make up their minds to do it like he has, I’m sure they would have already. Sometimes it’s a more involved emotional and psychological process. I don’t think he could ever “create” that experience for himself.
this is crazy! I can’t imagine all of the physiological, psychological, and emotional issues that would come with something like this! I think it’s interesting and I’m definitely going to read up on his journey, however he presumably hasn’t created the emotional attachment to food that many others have. So, if he successfully loses weight, his results can’t necessarily be extrapolated to the general population…
I think it’s somewhat insulting to people who struggle with their weight. You’re right it’s going to be much easier for him to get back into to shape than someone who has never been fit so he can’t “really” relate. I was super annoyed when everyone thought Charlize Theron was SOOO AMAZING b/c of the weight she gained and what she did with her looks for the role in Monster. Wow. A beautiful girl made herself (along with the help of her entourage) look “unattractive” give her a Noble Peace prize. I sound grumpy. He he!! I’m not, really!!
I totally agree that it’s insulting to people who struggle with their weight. I asked several of my clients what they thought and insult along with disgust was their immediate reaction. They told me that even though I’ve never had to lose weight, they’ve found plenty of other ways to relate to me. We all struggle with different things, but the difficulty of living life is something we all feel.
I find this very interesting. Although I think it’s crazy to gain weight on purpose I think it’s awesome whether a publicity stunt or not. He’ll get to see first hand what it’s like to be overweight and YES how hard it is to stay on top of losing weight. More so, he’ll gain a little more credibility for taking on this challenge. People can go to him and say, “Okay yes, he does kind of know what it’s like.” That’s something many struggle with. Going to a trainer who has no idea what it’s like to be overweight and have to come face to face with what is considered “perfection” or “desirable” in body image. I’m not too overweight and still feel very uneasy around slim fit perfect gym instructors. Especially when they’ve been so perfect all of their life. I hit 20 and my tiny frame took a dive lol. I’ll be reading his adventures when I have some extra time on my hands each week. I wonder if his profession of personal trainer will make it easier for him? Maybe, maybe not. I understand personal trainers don’t just workout all day.
Have you tried chocolate peanut butter puffins? Sooo good!
While I think it’s more of his own personal challenge as opposed to a publicity stunt, I don’t think this is healthy at all. Just proves that North Americans have a really messed up relationship with food. Especially after living in India for a few weeks less than a year now, I feel like wow–only in that part of the world do people have the luxury of doing something like this. Don’t get me wrong–the Indians in the upper socio-economic strata have definitely started eating right and heading to the gym, but even they would look at this as something messed up.
I definitely agree that getting fit is much easier for someone who has always been fit as opposed to someone who has never worked out.
I prefer to hear weight loss stories from people who have been over weight. Not people who have never been overweight. And now that the knows more imo about food addiction I think he’ll have a better way of dealing with clients. It’s just a personal preference. Maybe it’s because I’ve dealt with depression and food issues.
I can’t imagine ever trying to gain a ton of weight all at once on purpose. I guess it raises the question, “What would you do for fame and money?”
I love Peanut Butter Puffins, too. Along with Captain Crunch, the portions are sort of self-regulating because you have to stop when the roof of your mouth gets scraped raw. When eating dry out of the box, that is.
That trainer IS nuts, but I can’t pretend that it’s not fascinating to me.
Let’s see…He had to force himself to eat a dozen doughnuts and then when he decided time to lose the weight he drops 13 lbs in 2 weeks? Sorry, I don’t think either of those aspects will be familiar to a client who has 70 lbs to lose.
“Stupid is as stupid does!”
Maybe for his next media circus he can give himself some serious disease and go through treatment to see what it feels like..
I think its a publicitiy stunt for sure, but also well-meaning and awesome, and maybe a bit misguided all in one.
On one hand, the whole been there done that thing will appeal to some future clients, I’m sure, but on the other hand, it is unhealthy. To purposfully get unhealthy in the name of making money seems dicey at best.
Dumb.DUMB.DUMB.DUMB. So, he decided to gain weight to understand what it’s like.
Did he also acquire all the emotional baggage, unhealthy relationship with food, Daddy issues, and other psychological reasons as to why people gain weight in the FIRST place and struggle with losing it?
You can’t MAKE yourself emotionally and psychologically unhealthy towards food if you’re not.
There are FAR more reasons SO many people are overweight than simply eating too much, and FAR more reasons as to why people struggle with losing it than lack of will power.
Yep. This.
It’s been scientifically proven that Lucky Charms are indeed magically delicious, so who am I to argue?
There’s something profoundly uncomfortable to me in watching people gain weight on purpose for movie roles. (In addition to the annoying fact that overweight people aren’t generally allowed to star in movies unless they start off as skinny actors). But I think my discomfort with intentional weight gain has more to do with my own issues, so no judgments from me!
(Wow! He gained weight and lost a tan!)
What crabby said. I remember one movie in which producers hired an unknown, slender 12 year-old and had her gain weight for the movie. ?!?!?!?!?!
It’s like hiring straight actors to play gay in a “bravura performance!” Hollywood can say “Look how daring we are!” while winking at the audience: “It’s all good, she’s not REALLY fat, and he REALLY digs the ladies!”
Hollywood is a bizarre place with a damaging mindset.
As for this fella, yeah, it’s a nice publicity stunt. And I agree that he’ll lose the weight quickly and cannot understand a lifelong struggle.
Oh, and I LOVE Puffins! (The cereal. I love the birds, too. I don’t eat them.)
There is nothing like the milk left behind in a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. ah! But I love me some Kashi Go Lean Crunch.
I’m torn on this. I understand and applaud his efforts to somewhat “understand” his clients, but at the same time while he was gaining the weight he knew that he had an out. He knew exactly how he was going to lose the weight the entire time. Some overweight and obese people think that they will never “get thin” and/or have no idea of how to start taking the steps to get healthy. Plus those people have to triumph over their emotional issues with food that he does not have.
I don’t see the huge deal about someone gaining weight. I mean…it’s not hard to do 🙂
I appreciate him trying to see how it feels to be overweight and I hope he’ll gain insight on how it feels to be in a fat body, but I don’t think it’s much more than a publicity stunt.
One of his recent posts dealt with an incident with his daughter and, by his admission, finally opened his eyes to a little of the emotional struggles associated with being overweight. But I still don’t think you can “get it” until you LIVE it.
And yah, it took TONS of will power to walk past the giant Christmas Crunch display at WalMart last night. Put it in the “after Thanksgiving” category. And after Thanksgiving, I’ll just plan my route more carefully! LOL
I love Puffins and am glad that others share my addiction – original and cinnamon are good but peanut butter is the best!
Haven’t been to this guy’s website but have to say I really appreciate someone who wants to feel what being overweight is really like – and what a struggle getting and keeping it off is. And wow – I’m not going to try to comment on how celebrities lose/gain/lose/regain – it’s just too complicated an issue.
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While I think his project is interesting, I don’t think it will be an accurate look at what the average person goes through to lose weight.
He understands the hard work and pain that it takes to get down to low body fat because he has done it before (very successfully I might add as he was able to stay down at a low body fat).
Most people don’t realize how hard a struggle it is to have a six-pack. Most people have never gotten as lean as he has or the fitness background that he has. Most people CAN’T push themselves as hard as he obviously can (I mean he definitely knows discipline to get a body like that).
Again I think his project is interesting but I don’t think it will really make him realize the battle that most normal people go through to lose weight.
I think it was just a stunt.Things like give obese people with “Real” trouble trying to lose weight a bad wrap. Hey this guy seems to turn on and off his weight gain switch what is wrong with all those obese “lazy” people who only eat junk from doing it. It brings on the stereotypes!
Peanut Butter Puffins are crack in cereal form. mmmmmmmmmmmm.
I’m interested in the long-term effects this will have on him, honestly. Gaining weight really quickly isn’t any healthier than losing it really quickly. It is physically hard on your bones and skin and such to change shape that quickly, not to mention the effect on his metabolism.
What strikes me most is the idea of addiction and compulsion. As someone who once attend CEA-HOW meetings, I think what most personal trainers misunderstand is the underlying causes of weight gain, overeating, as well as being addicted to the gym or eating disorders. Everything is connected-mind,body,soul. As for his experiment, good for him, that he can lose and gain and lose weight as he chooses. For most people, I think there is a bit more to it. As for actors gaining weight or losing weight for roles, I’ve never really thought about it too much other than “wow, good for them.” Its part of their job for that role.
I’ve been watching this story. As someone who was legitimately obese before finally getting fit, I can say that I have zero interest in taking advice from someone who has never even been pudgy. Besides, it gives you a whole new layer of perspective. Max (hubs) has always been fit or at least skinny and just cannot understand why I have such body image issues and flipped my lid when he suggested I lose 10#. {That last bit did not officially make it onto the blog. FYI. Mother-in-law reads it soooooo..} And I found that I literally could not explain it — the emotional/mental feeling of being obese — to him in any meaningful way. It is a totally unique experience and unrelatable unless you have personally been through it.
We have a Swedish trainer, who did the same thing – as a reality tv-show – a couple of years ago. I feel it is a bit unfair tho those who are really overweight, and who struggle with emotional issues related to food. Gaining a lot over a period of six months – on purpose – has nothing to do with gaining over years – against one’s will.
I can’t figure out if it’s mocking or not, for someone to do this. He was already ripped; he gained weight, which is pretty easy; he came into the weight loss part with all the knowledge of how to be amazingly fit. People who have eating disorders, or who were fat kids and then fat adults, or whatnot…they don’t always have this knowledge, nor do they always have the self-confidence (and empirical evidence) that they can be lean and fit. He has a huge advantage, and the ease with which he lost 13 pounds is way more demoralizing than inspiring to me. “If he can do it, why can’t I? What is defective about me, that I can’t find it that easy?”