Some fitness fanatics are so desperate to reach their summer gains goals that they're willing to do just about anything – including eating dog food.
That's right, there's a bizarre new trend circulating online that shows gymgoers chowing down on dog treats for the apparent protein content.
It all started when fitness influencer Henry Clarisey, who goes by the username @henry.fit, jokingly tried the animal kibble after hitting over 2.5 million likes.
"I said if I get 15k likes I’d try it, but it ended up getting 2.5 million, and I felt like I had to try it for the video," the TikToker told the New York Post. "I tasted the dry dog food kibble, and [it] tasted like little pieces of rocks."
He added: "[It was] not comfortable at all to eat, and it was super hard to bite down on."
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@henry.fit Replying to @kenton916 ❗️trying the dog food❗️#fyp #fitness #bodybuilding #physique #creatine #gym #dogfood #viral
His video was soon inundated with thousands of comments, with one writing: "It's def worth it, he just tryna gate keep. Trust fr fr."
"Maybe blend it into a powder and put it in a shake," another suggested, while a third added: "Due to covid making me lose all taste… this might be the best discovery of all time."
"Can you try them all so I can find out which one tastes best, one TikToker asked.
While his video was intended to be a joke and not a regular occurrence, it appears as though people have latched onto the idea.
In a statement to Buzzfeed, food-tracking app MyFitnessPal said: "MyFitnessPal did see an uptick in people logging dog food due to the TikTok trend, which was driven by males 18-24 who want to gain or maintain weight. The spike in logging primarily took place between February 20-24."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Pedigree dog food told The Post: "PEDIGREE dog food is formulated for dogs. While the food would not be harmful if a human consumed it, we do not recommend pet food for human consumption."
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