Weight loss 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.
André 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.
Weight loss is still the buzzword of the moment, but the methods are getting more and more extreme as time goes on
Image credits: onlyyouqj / Magnific (not the actual photo)
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
By the time André 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.
But André 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 holiday.
Image credits: galitskaya / Magnific (not the actual photo)
He quit his job and booked a trip to China to attend their 'fat camps,' a 4-week program with some pretty strict rules
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 André down to around 1,300 calories a day. André also praised the personal trainers, who completed every workout alongside the participants rather than simply supervising, despite the obvious language barrier.
What surprised him most, though, was something more philosophical. "They laid out the schedule and the meals, but if I'd wanted to, I could have cheated on everything," he told The Mirror. "It surprised me, realizing that, just like at home, it all comes down to personal responsibility."
Image credits: imhelgis
He was subjected to 3 workouts a day and a 1000-calorie deficit, meaning he would only consume 1300 calories per day
Image credits: imhelgis
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
Image credits: imhelgis
During his 4-week journey, he managed to lose another 10 lbs, bringing his total weight loss to 185 lbs
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. "It was brutal to not have anything to eat between those hours," he admitted.
"I honestly didn't make it some days and had to buy an apple, not a big deal, but still, I didn't stick to the plan they had set up." An apple, after three workout sessions and 1,300 calories, is something we aren’t scoffing at. If anything, we are already ashamed of the 5 pieces of candy we snuck even before breakfast.
Image credits: imhelgis
André 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
In 28 days, André 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. "Not just the camp, but that whole identity of being overweight," he said. "I can finally stop thinking of myself as the big person and just be myself."
He described the feeling of reaching his goal as "absolutely wonderful" but more than that, a relief. "A sense of quiet, really. All that self-consciousness just vanished." 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 physical; it is the mental load of an identity you did not choose and cannot seem to shake.
Image credits: imhelgis
But despite it all, he admits he is the most relieved to have shed his 'fat guy' identity, now feeling lighter and quieter on the inside
Image credits: imhelgis
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
Chinese weight loss camps have boomed in popularity 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.
Exits are manned by security 24 hours a day. Two-week programs are available, but trainers will strongly encourage you to sign up for the full 28 days for "best results." The cost runs between $600 and $1,000, which, for a month of three-a-day workouts and 1,300 calories, isn’t so bad if you rebrand it as an “all-inclusive transformation retreat.”
Image credits: imhelgis
Obesity-related health problems are a massive drain on public funds and the healthcare system, making this campaign a matter of government interest
Image credits: imhelgis
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's total healthcare spending. Thus the 3-year weight management campaign was born.
As for whether they actually work long-term, doctors are measured in their enthusiasm. Charles Poon, medical director of Raffles Clinics China, acknowledged that the structure and accountability can be genuinely useful as a catalyst, but warned that "a camp that runs too aggressively can cause harm."
Older adults, 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.
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!
Take a look at Andre's footage from the camp:
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
