If personal trainer Drew Manning has a sound plan of attack for after this experiment, then gaining over 70 lbs. in 6 months is not just a great idea, it's f*cking brilliant. Why is that? Well, for starters, no one in his profession has ever done something like quite this. Body builders add mass and fat in the off-season but they don't do it to feel what life as a fat person is like. Secondly, just about every possible diet, exercise, and fat-fighting strategy has hit the market in the last 10 years. South Beach, Atkins, Caveman, Body For Life, Nutrisystem etc. Writing a book with the same old advice isn't going to do sh*t for his career, if you want to make an immediate impact and get yourself to the forefront of the fitness discussion, you have to differentiate yourself. Drew is putting a hell of a lot more than just his money where his mouth is to do that.
From his interview with Yahoo:
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.
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.
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.
Although he says he's doing this to understand how being overweight is and how food can be extremely addicting, Drew's main motivator has got to be the payout. He may not be even close to the best personal trainer in the country, but he's getting national attention for this stunt and if he burns it all off in 6 months, book and speaking offers will come flying in. Sure he'll be better armed to help people fight food addiction in their quest to lose weight, but when it comes to fat loss our country wants one of two things: proven results or get-skinny-fast gimmicks -- that oftentimes mirror masturbatory movements. And Drew is attempting to prove on his own body that his methods can get results. It sucks a whole lot of dick that he had to conduct this experiment on himself but I honestly hope it works for him.
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