"If we lead with empathy first, people feel more understood; and if people feel more understood, they feel more safe to be vulnerable."

Drew Manning

In this episode of Ever Forward Radio, Chase speaks with Drew Manning on his second iteration of Fit2Fat2Fit. Drew embarked on another Fit2Fat2Fit journey in 2020, nine years after his first run back in 2011. He reflects on the curiosity that led him to start his experiment almost a decade ago and how it ended up going viral, being featured on shows like Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, The View, and many more before finally becoming a hit TV show on A&E.

Drew’s Fit2Fat2Fit journey gave him a whole new perspective on those who struggle to lose weight or to simply be healthier. He shares how humbled he was during that first experiment and how it nurtured in him something that motivated him to take on this journey one more time: empathy.

“Empathy is something that is lacking in the fitness industry,” he says. “But this world lacks empathy as well.” With all the divisiveness that took place in 2020, Drew thought the time was ripe to relive Fit2Fat2Fit, not just to shine an inspiring light in the midst of all the chaos this year has brought, but also because there are even more opportunities on social media to get eyes on the project now compared to nine years ago.

"Sometimes, I think it takes something crazy to catch people’s attention and motivate them in a different and unique way that they haven’t ever experienced before."

Drew’s ultimate goal is to bring more empathy to the industry and to society as a whole. He says: “I feel like doing it a second time can really disrupt the industry by showing that it’s more of a mental and emotional journey for people who struggle with weight loss.”

Follow Drew on Instagram @fit2fat2fit

Follow Chase on Instagram @chase_chewning

Key Highlights
  • Drew explains how he prepared his family, mentally and emotionally, for his 2020 Fit2Fat2Fit journey, and why this second run is harder than the first.

  • With the intention of making this journey more educational the second time around, Drew decided to regularly track his biomarkers (ex. heart rate, blood sugar, etc.). He goes into the thought process behind his decision.

  • It was obviously much riskier in 2020 for Drew to let himself become as unhealthy as he let himself be. He shares how he set safety precautions for himself amid COVID season.

  • Why did Drew decide on this particular outlandish, risky gesture as his vehicle for disrupting the fitness industry?

  • Drew’s advice for someone who is unhealthy to take their first step in the right direction.

Resources Mentioned:

Ever Forward Radio is brought to you by Magic Spoon!

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EFR 422: Fit2Fat2Forty - Gaining Over 60 Pounds On Purpose and How Important Empathy is for Weight Loss with Drew Manning

In this episode of Ever Forward Radio, Chase speaks with Drew Manning on his second iteration of Fit2Fat2Fit. Drew embarked on another Fit2Fat2Fit journey in 2020, nine years after his first run back in 2011. He reflects on the curiosity that led him to start his experiment almost a decade ago and how it ended up going viral, being featured on shows like Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, The View, and many more before finally becoming a hit TV show on A&E.

Drew’s Fit2Fat2Fit journey gave him a whole new perspective on those who struggle to lose weight or to simply be healthier. He shares how humbled he was during that first experiment and how it nurtured in him something that motivated him to take on this journey one more time: empathy.

“Empathy is something that is lacking in the fitness industry,” he says. “But this world lacks empathy as well.” With all the divisiveness that took place in 2020, Drew thought the time was ripe to relive Fit2Fat2Fit, not just to shine an inspiring light in the midst of all the chaos this year has brought, but also because there are even more opportunities on social media to get eyes on the project now compared to nine years ago.

"Sometimes, I think it takes something crazy to catch people’s attention and motivate them in a different and unique way that they haven’t ever experienced before."

Drew’s ultimate goal is to bring more empathy to the industry and to society as a whole. He says: “I feel like doing it a second time can really disrupt the industry by showing that it’s more of a mental and emotional journey for people who struggle with weight loss.”

Follow Drew on Instagram @fit2fat2fit

Follow Chase on Instagram @chase_chewning

Key Highlights
  • Drew explains how he prepared his family, mentally and emotionally, for his 2020 Fit2Fat2Fit journey, and why this second run is harder than the first.

  • With the intention of making this journey more educational the second time around, Drew decided to regularly track his biomarkers (ex. heart rate, blood sugar, etc.). He goes into the thought process behind his decision.

  • It was obviously much riskier in 2020 for Drew to let himself become as unhealthy as he let himself be. He shares how he set safety precautions for himself amid COVID season.

  • Why did Drew decide on this particular outlandish, risky gesture as his vehicle for disrupting the fitness industry?

  • Drew’s advice for someone who is unhealthy to take their first step in the right direction.

Resources Mentioned:

Ever Forward Radio is brought to you by Magic Spoon!

Remember the carefree days of childhood, when you didn't feel guilty about eating mountains of cereal with questionable nutrition? Well, now you can have your cereal and eat it too. We re-engineered that same great taste with grown-up ingredients for a game-changing cereal 2.0.

High Protein

  • 11g complete protein in every bowl

Low Carb

  • Only 3 Net Carbs per bowl

Sweet & Delicious

  • Tastes just like you remember, only better with flavors like Fruity, Cocoa, Blueberry, Peanut Butter, Cinnamon, and Frosted

We use a natural blend of monk fruit, stevia, and allulose. Allulose is a “rare” sugar found in things like figs and maple syrup. It tastes just like “regular” sugar, but has almost zero glycemic impact and almost zero calories (less than 0.4 cal/g).

Save $5 off your variety pack purchase of Magic Spoon if you CLICK HERE!