Fitness influencer dies at 30 after extreme weight-gain challenge

Dmitry Nuyanzin, a fitness coach and influencer from Orenburg in Russia, has died at the age of 30 during an attempt to gain weight for a promotional experiment. He was promoting his new weight-loss program when he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest caused by this dangerous binge-eating challenge aimed at rapid weight gain.

A RUSSIAN fitness trainer has died after gorging on junk food to gain 55 pounds and then lose it – just to promote his weight-loss programme.
Dmitry Nuyanzin spent weeks eating unhealthy meals as part of a “marathon” challenge.

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Reports translated from his social media posts in Russian reveal that Dmitry consumed up to 10,000 calories every day. He was trying to gain over 50 pounds in a short time to showcase his weight-loss journey with his program. In just one month, he put on about 30 pounds.

In one of his posts promoting the program, he wrote:

"My WEIGHT LOSS COURSE is starting soon, where you can win cool prizes and, most importantly, build a beautiful body, learn how to eat and have fun! I’m going to be losing weight with my minions, so this will be twice as exciting!"

To push the initiative forward, he offered financial rewards to participants. Reports say he promised $100 to each person who could shed 10% of their body weight using his program by New Year’s.

On November 18, Nuyanzin posted that his weight had crossed 230 pounds. His extreme calorie intake reportedly involved foods high in fat and cholesterol. He described his daily meals in detail, stating:

“For breakfast, I have a plate of pastries and half a cake. For lunch, I usually eat 800 grams [nearly 2 lbs.] of dumplings with mayonnaise. During the day, I may snack on crisps, and for dinner, I have a burger and two small pizzas, either at a café or delivered.”

Dmitry Nuyanzin’s death sparks debate over extreme diet challenges and obesity risks

Before he passed away, Nuyanzin started feeling sick and skipped planned training sessions. He told some people he was thinking about seeing a doctor. Not long after, he died in his sleep from a cardiac arrest. 

The risks of rapid weight gain and obesity are medically recognized. Brown University outlines the cardiovascular strain caused by excess weight, stating:

“The larger the body, the harder the heart must work to pump and circulate the blood. Extra weight also gives the body volume, which creates more resistance for the heart to overcome as it pumps.”

This event has sparked conversations about the risks tied to intense diet challenges, ones aimed at boosting online attention or selling fitness products.