I have no hard data, but it seems to me that the people most likely to go out of control are those who stuff to the point where they can't take a deep breath once a week or more.

Stuffing like that develops their appetite so much that they keep gaining, even if they stop stuffing like that.

So if you're worried about going out of control, don't stuff to that point very often.

Of course, for some, getting that full is a big part of the fun. One woman I talked to stuffs to that point three times a week and feels like it would be a betrayal of the fetish to eat any less. She is very fat but has no regrets.

My own take on the downsides: there are risks to getting fat, but people often take risks to do what they love. Getting fat is safer than a lot of things people do: base-jumping, playing football, mountain-climbing...you name it.

In your case, Drawncurtains, you seem unsure of whether you want to do it or not. What many people do in that case is just postpone gaining until they do make up their minds. Some never do. Others might wait years, then finally can't stand putting it off anymore and jump in with both feet.

The "Growing Horizons" site has some tips as well--though they're VERY fat-positive. I.e., they preach it and make it sound like there are no downsides to getting fat. But of course there are.

Links:

www.growing-horizons.com/post/should-you-gain-weight

www.growing-horizons.com/post/should-you-gain-weight

The article "Deciding to Get Fat" from my old site has helped some: web.archive.org/web/20201111145306/http://askdrfeeder.dyndns.org/dtgf.html

There's always the lose-to-gain strategy. Diet and exercise and take off 15 pounds or so. The re-gain is always faster and more intense than the initial gain and you'll end up gaining more than you lost.

One guy who'd lost over 100 pounds started gaining again and gained 18 pounds the first week. Said it was the most intense time of his life.

Is there any evidence you'd accept that a particular on-line feedee has gained and regrets it?

Quite possible. But I think there's an element of truth to it. At one point she did lose some weight and then gained it back, which suggests she can't help but gain, which confirms her story.

Couchqueen on Curvage claims to regret it. She started gaining to please her boyfriend and make some money and now she can't stop gaining. Hot and sad at the same time!

Nice! Have her feelings overeating changed as well?

I'm thinking of it less as a religion and more of a Joseph Campbell finding-your-bliss kind of thing. Not everyone is required or expected to practice it.