Russian fitness influencer Dmitry Nuyanzin dies after gaining 25 kg for a weight-loss challenge [Photo: X]
A Russian fitness influencer has died after intentionally gaining more than 25 kilograms for a weight-loss challenge he planned to promote online. He wanted to show followers how quickly he could lose weight by using his own programme. To do that, he first needed to put on a large amount of visible weight. He started a “food marathon” and began eating 10,000 calories a day.
His meals were packed with pizza, burgers, cakes, chips, and sugary pastries. He posted these food updates on social media. However, the extreme diet put a huge strain on his body, and he suffered a heart attack in his sleep, according to the Ostorozhno Novosti channel.
Dmitry Nuyanzin was a 30-year-old Russian content creator known for his fitness videos and motivational posts. He had thousands of followers who looked up to his transformation stories and workout tips. He often talked about discipline, challenges, and physical fitness. But for his new project, he took a dangerous turn.
In one video, he said, “I am currently gaining weight for my weight-loss course, and this is my 10,000-calorie diet. For breakfast, I have a plate of pastries and half a cake.” He continued to document his meals, which included heavy portions such as “800 grams of dumplings with mayonnaise” for lunch. His snacks included crisps, and dinner often had a burger and two full pizzas. He ate like this every day for rapid weight gain.
Nuyanzin planned to release a special fitness programme and wanted to lose weight alongside his followers. On October 21, he promoted the challenge online. “Friends! My WEIGHT LOSS COURSE is starting very soon, where you can win awesome prizes and, most importantly, build a beautiful body, learn how to eat well, and enjoy working out! I'll be losing weight with my students, so it'll be doubly exciting!”
But soon after, he began feeling unwell. He cancelled training sessions with clients and told friends he planned to visit a doctor. Before he could go, he died in his sleep. His family and friends told the channel that his heart “stopped beating in his sleep”.
When he started the challenge, he weighed a little over 92 kg. By November 18, he had reached 105 kg. While many believe the extremely high-calorie diet contributed to his death, the official cause has not been confirmed.
Nuyanzin’s death highlights a growing concern about extreme fitness content on social media. Influencers often push risky challenges to attract views and followers. Many viewers, unaware of the health risks, try to copy these stunts without medical guidance.
Experts warn that the pressure to create dramatic transformations—especially for online content—can encourage unsafe dieting, binge-eating, rapid weight fluctuations, and stress on vital organs.
