A personal trainer has divided opinion after claiming to have purposely gained more than 45kg to prove it’s easy to lose weight.
A fluctuating waistline is something many would have experienced during the Covid-19 lockdown era.
Gyms were closed and motivation was an all-time low, meaning putting on a few extra kilograms was to be expected.
But Dimitry Azovsky, who works as a personal trainer, set out to intentionally put on an excessive amount of weight as an experiment.
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His motive: to show how people can shred the fat when they train right.
Azovsky began his experiment in 2021 after spending the entire year only eating junk food. After putting on around 45kgs, he weighed more than 160kg.
The TikTokker decided to document his weight loss journey to inspire others. He hoped his methods would be the perfect proof that a disciplined routine will help you achieve your goal weight.
He began his mission in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, which made his training more difficult because gyms weren't open.
Speaking on his journey, he said: “The first months were the hardest because I was very overweight.”
However by April this year, he claimed to have lost more than 50kg from training well and eating within a calorie deficit.
He said: “I continue to get into my best shape. Everything is possible in life, the main thing is to set a goal.”
In one video on his TikTok account, he showed how he was only consuming 1,000 calories a day while also training.
While he was able to lose the weight and then some, some people have called him out for setting unhealthy expectations.
One commented: “1k calories is disgustingly low.”
Another said: “Never eat only 1000, that’s absurdly low for no reason.”
In another video, Azovsky showed off his transformation, captioning the video: “You can lose weight in any conditions.”
The caption led to many users believing the personal trainer was marketing unrealistic standards and not taking every factor into consideration.
One user said: “The caption is just false and problematic.”
Another viewer commented: “Retraining isn’t the same as someone starting with zero experience. Not to mention health issues that can add to it.”
Another said: “LMAO there are MANY factors that come into play when trying to lose weight. This is cruel, saying that anyone can do it so easily.”
Despite some doubts over his methods, Azovsky achieved what he had set out to do, with other users inspired by his transformation.
One said: “Amazing transformation. I’ve been working so hard since July 21’ and I’ve only lost two stone. Still another two to go. This gives me hope.”
Another added: “I think he just wants to show people it can be done. Your personal journey will be different but at a basic level, it can be done. Bit of hope.”
Jayden Collins