A Russian fitness coach has passed away after partaking in a dangerous stunt.
Dmitry Nuyanzin challenged himself to rapidly gain more than 50 lbs (approx. 22 kg) and then lose it through his new fitness program.
The man, from the city of Orenburg, spent weeks consuming 10,000 daily calories before he went into cardiac arrest.
Nuyanzin reportedly began to feel unwell and canceled his training sessions. He told his friends he intended to see a doctor but lost his life in his sleep the following day.
Fitness coach Dmitry Nuyanzin lost his life after attempting a dangerous marketing stunt to promote his weight-loss program
Image credits: dmitryfit
The 30-year-old had promised to pay $100 to anyone who lost 10% of their body weight using his program by New Year’s.
“I’m going to be losing weight with my minions, so this will be twice as exciting!” he posted on Instagram.
Promoting his weight-loss program, he said people could “win cool prizes and, most importantly, build a beautiful body, learn how to eat, and have fun!”
Image credits: dmitryfit
The fitness coach had reportedly gained nearly 30 lbs. (approx. 13 kg) in a month as part of his challenge, reaching more than 230 lbs (approx. 105 kg).
To gain weight, he modified his diet and began consuming many cholesterol-laden fast foods.
For breakfast, Nuyanzin ate a plate of pastries and half a cake. For lunch, he had 800 grams [nearly 2 lbs.] of dumplings with mayonnaise.
Nuyanzin wanted to gain weight rapidly and later lose it to prove the effectiveness of his fitness program
“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,” explained the trainer, who documented his weight gain online.
In his last Instagram post on November 18, he appeared with a packet of crisps and proudly rubbed his stomach. He captioned the video, “I wanted it, and I got it!”
Image credits: dmitryfit
Having overweight or obesity raises the chances of developing conditions (comorbidities) that impact heart health, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, the Cleveland Clinic notes. Over time, these comorbidities damage blood vessels and increase the risk of cardiac arrest.
During what he described as a “marathon,” the fitness influencer was consuming 10,000 calories a day, several times the recommended intake of between 1,600 and 3,000 daily calories.
The 30-year-old consumed pizza and cake as part of a diet totaling 10,000 calories a day
Image credits: dmitryfit
Nuyanzin was a graduate of the Orenburg Olympic Reserve School and the National Fitness University in St. Petersburg. Among his clients were members of the Russian elite, according to The Daily Mail.
The trainer was married and had no children. He had reportedly served an eight-month sentence in a Russian penal colony for substance possession in 2022.
Friends described him as “bright, “positive,” and “an amazing person.” On Russian social media, tributes poured in for the 30-year-old after his preventable demise.
Image credits: dmitryfit
“’Dima [Dmitry], it’s so sad that you left so early… such an incredible person,” one person wrote.
“I’m in total shock. Why does God take the best people?” another asked.
A third remembered him as “an excellent coach and a wonderful mentor, and just a good person” and offered condolences to his family.
The recommended daily caloric intake for adults is between 1,600 and 3,000 calories
Image credits: dmitryfit
Image credits: dmitryfit
Many others hoped the case would serve as a cautionary tale for anyone considering partaking in a similar challenge.
News of Nuyanzin’s passing follows another tragedy in the fitness community. In September 2024, Belarusian bodybuilder Ilya “Golem” Yefimchuk lost his life at the age of 36 after adopting a similar binge-eating lifestyle.
Yefimchuk, who was inspired by the muscular physiques of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, consumed 16,500 kilocalories daily and weighed 358 lbs (approx. 158 kg).
He ate seven times a day, and his diet included 108 pieces of sushi and 2.5 kg of steak.
Image credits: dmitryfit
“My transformation is a result of years of hard training and discipline, paired with an understanding of exercise physiology and nutrition,” Yefimchuk had said, as per The Mirror.
Image credits: dmitryfit
“My mission is to instill a work ethic in people so they can overcome and surmount their fears while acting confidently towards the betterment of themselves and those around them.”
Social media users were stunned that Dmitry Nuyanzin would neglect his health and attempt such a risky challenge
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