Fitness Trainer Describes Gaining 70 Pounds in Order to Empathize With His Clients

Drew Manning is a fitness instructor and trainer. As you might imagine, Manning cuts a lean and muscular figure, but this wasn't always the case.

Last year, Manning, 30, went from 193 pounds to 263 pounds -- on purpose. He wanted to empathize with his clients when it came to losing much needed weight. Although he is now back to his original size, he and his wife recently appeared on Good Morning America where they discussed how Manning's extreme experiment in empathy was more than just a physical change.

Drew and Lynn said one of the biggest surprises was the effect the 70-pound weight gain, which only took six months, had on their marriage.

"I was shocked because I thought this was all going to be a physical transformation," Lynn said on Good Morning America. "It was hard. It was really hard on our marriage to see that happen."

Lynn said Drew became lazy, didn't help as much around the house and pulled back on some of his positive fathering skills. Lynn emphasizes that it really wasn't only the physical changes that were a turn off, but the emotional changes and him "becoming a different person" as well. Drew said he didn't even recognize these changes at first.

Watch the Good Morning America segment:

Manning's new book "Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit" describes the physical and emotional journey of letting himself get fat and then the struggle to return to his previous size again. His last day of "being fat" was in November 2011. He said on the show that it was initially hard to give up his healthy lifestyle as a fitness addict, but he "got used to it." Then, it was hard to get back into the fitness routine for another six month transformation back to his original size.

When it came to getting back in shape, Drew said "this was the first time going to the gym I was nervous. [...] For the first time in my life, I was humbled." Drew said he had to do push-ups on his knees and assisted pull-ups.

"It was a whole different aspect of working out again," Drew said on the show.

Watch Drew's original video explaining his plan to become fat in May of last year:

Read more about Drew's transformation on his blog, where he also provides full access to his meal and workout plans, here.

[H/T Daily Mail]