Try weighing in on this one

Fitness trainers do all kinds of things to help their clients lose weight.  But how about gaining weight, I mean a lot of weight, to demonstrate the weight loss?  Is this really a good idea?  Here is an article looking at Adonis Hill doing just that, and what it could do to his health.

This Trainer Gained 70 Pounds To Help His Client Lose Weight—Is That Healthy?

Along with the little excerpt of my thoughts in the article, let me expound a little bit more.

To conceptualize the effects of a rapid weight gain, look at a natural situation where an individual might gain a significant amount of weight, say 50 pounds or more in some cases, in a fairly short time: pregnancy. Typical short term changes include elevations of blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, along with back pain and leg pain, and don't forget stretch marks. While some of the more extreme issues during a pregnancy are due in part to the metabolic impact of pregnancy, the weight, itself, can wreak havoc on your system.

Elevated blood pressure can lead to a stroke, with long lasting effects, or a heart attack, also nothing to trivialize. Elevated blood sugar could uncover latent diabetes, which can lead to kidney problems, blindness, and circulation disorders. The extra load on the heart could also trigger congestive heart failure or a cardiomyopathy.

You may be aware that actors and actresses commonly gain weight for roles, but they usually do this gradually over the course of time during the production process for the performance. There is still risk in doing this, but taking it slowly allows the body time to adjust to the changes. Consulting a dietitian helps, with regulation of the quantity and types of foods to insure a healthy balanced weight gain that does not stress the system. Food choices should be towards calorie dense, healthy foods, without trying to binge at meals.

So what is the take home message?  I have always counseled, “Slow but steady wins the race.” Gaining weight is likely only appropriate if you are underweight, and even then it should be taken with deliberate, measured steps. The more common path of losing weight should also be paced at no more than a pound a week. That may not sound like much, but after a year it would be some 50 pounds, and that would be 50 pounds that you are much more likely to keep off than the 20 that you crashed off in a month of extreme dieting. As always, consult your physician before beginning any diet plan, and if you can also use the services of a dietitian, you will be that much more ahead.