Russian fitness trainer Dmitry Nuyanzin died at 30 years old after participating in an extreme binge-eating challenge. The challenge was undertaken to promote a new weight-loss program.
Reports, translated by the Daily Mail, indicate Nuyanzin suffered cardiac arrest. He was attempting to rapidly gain 50 pounds by consuming 10,000 calories daily.
Nuyanzin’s plan was to gain the weight and then demonstrate how quickly he could lose it. Weeks into the challenge, he canceled training sessions after feeling unwell.
He died in his sleep. According to the Daily Mail, he has already been buried.
Nuyanzin was a graduate of the Orenburg Olympic Reserve School and the St. Petersburg National University of Fitness. He worked as a personal trainer for Russian athletes before his death.
On September 15, Nuyanzin posted on Instagram asking, “What happens if you eat 10,000 kCal a day?” He continued to document the results of his challenge on social media.
He told his followers, “Currently I am gaining weight for my weight loss course, and this is my 10,000 calorie diet.” He described eating a plate of pastries and half a cake for breakfast. For lunch, he typically consumed 800 grams of dumplings with mayonnaise.
He added that he might snack on chips during the day. For dinner, he would have a burger and two small pizzas, either at a cafe or delivered.
Nuyanzin’s last Instagram post was uploaded on November 18. Its caption read, “I wanted it and I achieved it!”
The accompanying video showed Nuyanzin rubbing his bloated stomach while also eating a bag of chips. He informed followers he had reached 231 pounds, indicating a gain of approximately 26 pounds in one month.
Nuyanzin also seemingly opened the challenge to his followers, framing it as a contest. One Instagram caption stated, “You can start participating until November 10.”
Contestants would then need to train with him and hold a membership to a specific Russian fitness club. An October 19 caption added, “Need consent for publication of before and after results in case of winning.”
It further specified, “People weighing over 220 pounds must lose 10% of their initial weight. This will be fair. We will summarize results on December 26.”
Since his death, several followers have left comments expressing their grief. One commenter wrote, “It’s a nightmare! I’m in shock! I refuse to believe it. What happened?”
The commenter added, “Condolences to family and friends, may they have strength to endure such pain.” Another follower wrote, “Rest in peace. I can’t believe it.”
A third follower initially thought Nuyanzin’s social media accounts had been “hacked” upon hearing the news.
Another shared, “Dima was truly the best at what he did! One goes to train with him not only to have a beautiful body, but also to be in a good mood!” They concluded, “Always joking, giving energy for the whole day after training and chatting with him. Wow, how could this happen! Today I just wanted to ask him for an appointment after the holidays, and this happened… He forged himself! It was always a pleasure to see his successes. What an incredible loss!”