{"id":14889,"date":"2026-07-23T18:17:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T13:17:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=14889"},"modified":"2026-07-23T18:17:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T13:17:57","slug":"swedish-man-enrolls-in-chinese-fat-camp-and-comes-back-having-lost-his-weight-and-his-old-identity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=14889","title":{"rendered":"Swedish Man Enrolls In Chinese Fat Camp And Comes Back Having Lost His Weight And His Old Identity"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/man-upset-ozempic-changed-partner\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener \">Weight loss<\/a> content is everywhere. Before and afters, transformation reels, supplement ads disguised as testimonials- the internet is absolutely saturated with it, and most of it follows the same formula. But every now and then someone comes along with a story that cuts through all of that noise because it is genuinely, uncomplicatedly real.<\/p>\n<p>Andr\u00e9 Helgesen is a Swedish man who had already lost nearly 110 LB (50kg) before deciding that was not quite enough. So he quit his job, booked a flight to China, and checked himself into a weight loss boot camp in Shenzhen for four weeks. The before and after is remarkable. What he said about it afterward is even better.<\/p>\n<h3>Weight loss is still the buzzword of the moment, but the methods are getting more and more extreme as time goes on<\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"place-flying-sunset-sky-6a61d6aa1055c__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=place-flying-sunset-sky-6a61d6aa1055c__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=place-flying-sunset-sky-6a61d6aa1055c__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/place-flying-sunset-sky-6a61d6aa1055c__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/place-flying-sunset-sky-6a61d6aa1055c__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"456\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.magnific.com\/free-photo\/place-flying-sunset-sky_1145580.htm#fromView=search&amp;page=1&amp;position=4&amp;uuid=a280686d-141f-47d7-b689-ed2c7284758f&amp;query=plane\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">onlyyouqj \/ Magnific (not the actual photo)<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>A Swedish man found himself on the backend of a weight-loss journey, but took one final extreme measure to get him to his goal weight<\/h3>\n<p>By the time Andr\u00e9 arrived at Jianfeidaren in Shenzhen, he had already done something most people would consider the hard part. Starting from over 294 pounds (133kg), he had lost 109 pounds (49.5kg) through his own efforts, dropping down to around 185 pounds (84kg) through sheer determination before he had even booked the flight. That alone is no small feat.<\/p>\n<p>But Andr\u00e9 was not done. He had a goal; he was close to it, and he wanted to finish properly. So he made a decision that most people would not: he quit his job as a system technician, packed a bag, and made a Chinese weight loss boot camp the first stop on a backpacking trip around Asia. Which is, by any measure, a very unorthodox way to start a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/lifestyle\/travel\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener \">holiday<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d7329262e__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d7329262e__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d7329262e__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d7329262e__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d7329262e__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.magnific.com\/premium-photo\/enjoying-vacation-china-young-woman-with-national-chinese-flag-forbidden-city-travel-china-concept-visa-free-transit-72-hours-144-hours-china_23288949.htm#fromView=search&amp;page=1&amp;position=11&amp;uuid=fa474321-bf59-4e33-9d77-818573a5f601&amp;query=china\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">galitskaya \/ Magnific (not the actual photo)<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>He quit his job and booked a trip to China to attend their \u2018fat camps,\u2019 a 4-week program with some pretty strict rules<\/h3>\n<p>Jianfeidaren is not a spa weekend. The daily schedule at the Shenzhen camp involved three separate workout sessions, a 1,000-calorie daily deficit and a meal plan that brought Andr\u00e9 down to around 1,300 calories a day. Andr\u00e9 also praised the personal trainers, who completed every workout alongside the participants rather than simply supervising, despite the obvious language barrier.<\/p>\n<p>What surprised him most, though, was something more philosophical. \u201cThey laid out the schedule and the meals, but if I\u2019d wanted to, I could have cheated on everything,\u201d he told The Mirror. \u201cIt surprised me, realizing that, just like at home, it all comes down to personal responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e10a54f__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e10a54f__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e10a54f__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e10a54f__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e10a54f__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"512\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@imhelgis\/photo\/7657035758296894742?lang=en-GB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">imhelgis<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>He was subjected to 3 workouts a day and a 1000-calorie deficit, meaning he would only consume 1300 calories per day<\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e2650a8__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e2650a8__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e2650a8__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e2650a8__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e2650a8__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"519\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@imhelgis\/photo\/7657035758296894742?lang=en-GB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">imhelgis<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>One of the hardest things for him was that dinner was served at 5 PM and breakfast at 8 AM, a long fasting window that turned out to be brutal<\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e42e711__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e42e711__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e42e711__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e42e711__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e42e711__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"519\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@imhelgis\/photo\/7657035758296894742?lang=en-GB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">imhelgis<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>During his 4-week journey, he managed to lose another 10 lbs, bringing his total weight loss to 185 lbs<\/h3>\n<p>The hardest part of the program was the fasting window; dinner was served at 5 PM, and breakfast did not arrive until 8 AM, leaving a 15-hour overnight fast every single day. \u201cIt was brutal to not have anything to eat between those hours,\u201d he admitted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI honestly didn\u2019t make it some days and had to buy an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/lifestyle\/food\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener \">apple<\/a>, not a big deal, but still, I didn\u2019t stick to the plan they had set up.\u201d An apple, after three workout sessions and 1,300 calories, is something we aren\u2019t scoffing at. If anything, we are already ashamed of the 5 pieces of candy we snuck even before breakfast.<\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d932e9c__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d932e9c__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d932e9c__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d932e9c__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d932e9c__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"1084\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@imhelgis\/video\/7649257783992356118?lang=en-GB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">imhelgis<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Andr\u00e9 also admitted that one day he broke the strict fasting schedule and had to buy an apple to carry him through to the next morning<\/h3>\n<p>In 28 days, Andr\u00e9 lost another 10 pounds (5kg), bringing his total weight loss to a remarkable 112 pounds (50.8kg). But the quote that has stayed with people who have followed his story has nothing to do with the scales. \u201cNot just the camp, but that whole identity of being overweight,\u201d he said. \u201cI can finally stop thinking of myself as the big person and just be myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He described the feeling of reaching his goal as \u201cabsolutely wonderful\u201d but more than that, a relief. \u201cA sense of quiet, really. All that self-consciousness just vanished.\u201d Which is the part of weight loss stories that rarely makes it into the before-and-after photo. The noise that comes with carrying extra weight is not just <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/lifestyle\/health\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener \">physical<\/a>; it is the mental load of an identity you did not choose and cannot seem to shake.<\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e5c3cfc__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e5c3cfc__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e5c3cfc__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e5c3cfc__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e5c3cfc__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"1258\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@imhelgis\/video\/7649257783992356118?lang=en-GB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">imhelgis<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>But despite it all, he admits he is the most relieved to have shed his \u2018fat guy\u2019 identity, now feeling lighter and quieter on the inside<\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e7dd23c__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e7dd23c__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e7dd23c__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e7dd23c__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8e7dd23c__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"1057\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@imhelgis\/video\/7649257783992356118?lang=en-GB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">imhelgis<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>The Chinese government claims that nearly half the population is overweight, and they have launched a 3-year weight management campaign to try and get it under control<\/h3>\n<p>Chinese weight loss camps have boomed in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2026-01-18\/weight-loss-prisons-obesity-rising-in-china\/106236242\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">popularity<\/a> in recent years, and there are now over 1,000 facilities operating nationwide, many of them repurposed from old schools and dormitories, which should give you some indication of the vibe. Some facilities are fenced, have steel gates, and some have electric wiring along the perimeter specifically to discourage people from leaving.<\/p>\n<p>Exits are manned by security 24 hours a day. Two-week <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/01\/05\/world-news\/overweight-adults-are-signing-up-for-chinas-military-style-fat-prisons-where-fitness-can-be-deadly\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">programs<\/a> are available, but trainers will strongly encourage you to sign up for the full 28 days for \u201cbest results.\u201d The cost runs between $600 and $1,000, which, for a month of three-a-day workouts and 1,300 calories, isn\u2019t so bad if you rebrand it as an \u201call-inclusive transformation retreat.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8df30e92__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8df30e92__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8df30e92__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8df30e92__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8df30e92__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"696\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@imhelgis\/video\/7649257783992356118?lang=en-GB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">imhelgis<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Obesity-related health problems are a massive drain on public funds and the healthcare system, making this campaign a matter of government interest<\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8db19c2d__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8db19c2d__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8db19c2d__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8db19c2d__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8db19c2d__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"684\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@imhelgis\/video\/7649257783992356118?lang=en-GB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">imhelgis<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Chinese government says that nearly half its adult population is currently overweight or obese, a number that researchers warn could climb to nearly two in three by 2030. That also means obesity-related healthcare costs will potentially account for over a fifth of the country\u2019s total <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/medical-industry-secrets\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener \">healthcare<\/a> spending. Thus the 3-year weight management campaign was born.<\/p>\n<p>As for whether they actually work long-term, doctors are measured in their enthusiasm. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/east-asia\/china-weight-loss-camps-growing-overseas-interest-obesity-6267461\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Charles Poon<\/a>, medical director of Raffles Clinics China, acknowledged that the structure and accountability can be genuinely useful as a catalyst, but warned that \u201ca camp that runs too aggressively can cause harm.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Older <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/creepy-kids-pics-stories\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener \">adults<\/a>, people with underlying health conditions, and children should all approach with caution and a medical assessment. And everyone else should probably make sure they are comfortable with electric fencing before they hand over their passport.<\/p>\n<p>Would you go to this kind of extreme to get you to your goal weight? Tell us how far you will go in the comments!<\/p>\n<h3>Take a look at Andre\u2019s footage from the camp:<\/h3>\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@imhelgis\/video\/7656812299725917462\" data-video-id=\"7656812299725917462\">\n<section><a title=\"@imhelgis\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@imhelgis?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">@imhelgis<\/a>Sista pushen, s\u00e5 n\u00e4ra slutet nu! \ud83d\udcaa<a title=\"\u266c originalljud - Andr\u00e9 Helgesen | ImHelgis\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/originalljud-7656812342940453654?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\u266c originalljud \u2013 Andr\u00e9 Helgesen | ImHelgis<\/a><\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>People in the comments were full of good spirits, even asking him for some directions to the clinic so that they can check it out for themselves<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d512d3d__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d512d3d__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d512d3d__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d512d3d__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d512d3d__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"457\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d35793b__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d35793b__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d35793b__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d35793b__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d35793b__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"457\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d6e65e8__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?image_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d6e65e8__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey\/?media_id=china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d6e65e8__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d6e65e8__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/china-fat-camp-weight-loss-6a61d8d6e65e8__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" title=\"Man Loses 110 Lbs And Joins A Chinese Fat Camp, Says The Most Powerful Part Was Not The Weight\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script type=\"didomi\/javascript\">\nwindow._fbSDKPromise = window._fbSDKPromise || new Promise((resolve, reject) => {\nwindow.fbAsyncInit = function () {\nFB.init({\nappId  : '887842622821495',\nversion: 'v17.0',\nstatus : true,\ncookie : true,\nxfbml  : false\n});\nresolve(FB);\n};\n\/\/ Load SDK only once\nif 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Before and afters, transformation reels, supplement ads disguised as testimonials- the internet is absolutely saturated with it, and most of it follows the same formula. But every now and then someone comes along with a story that cuts through all of that noise because it is genuinely, uncomplicatedly real. Andr\u00e9&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14890,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/fat-camp-china-weight-loss-journey-fb.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14889","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14889"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14889\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14890"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}