A fitness influencer dies while sleeping following a rapid weight gain experiment. What went wrong?

At just 30 years old, Dmitry Nuyanzin, a fitness coach and social-media influencer from Orenburg, Russia, tragically lost his life while attempting what he envisioned as a bold fitness “experiment.”

What began as a public challenge to gain a large amount of weight quickly, only to then lose it as part of a weight-loss program demonstration, ended in a heartbreaking cardiac arrest.

An unsuccessful weight-gain challenge

Dmitry reportedly spent several weeks consuming massive amounts of junk food, often exceeding 10,000 calories per day. His diet, which was made public on social media, consisted of half a cake and pastries for breakfast, large portions of dumplings covered in mayonnaise for lunch, burgers and several pizzas for dinner, and chips or crisps for snacks throughout the day.

His stated goal: to gain at least 50 pounds (22–25 kg), then publicly showcase a rapid “before-and-after” transformation using his own fitness and nutrition program. He reportedly gained more than 13 kg in just one month and weighed over 100 kg (231 lbs) by November 18.

When ambition collided with risk

Even though he boldly advertised the challenge online, offering followers who used his program to lose 10% of their body weight by New Year's a cash reward, the toll on his body quickly became apparent. Within days of cancelling his training sessions and announcing he would visit a doctor, Dmitry died in his sleep of a fatal cardiac arrest.

His passing has sent shockwaves through the fitness community, especially because he was young, fit, and had a seemingly promising career ahead of him.

A painful lesson for all: Extreme “fits” can backfire

Dmitry's passing has become a somber warning story for many of his supporters and spectators. What was intended as an inspiring transformation turned into a tragic reminder: rapid weight gain (or loss), extreme diets, and high-calorie binge-eating carry serious health risks — particularly heavy strain on the cardiovascular system.

While social media posts lamented his passing, saying things like "instead of losing the weight, he lost his life," many also urged people to exercise more caution and responsibility when engaging in or endorsing extreme body-modification experiments in the name of fitness.