André Helgesen quit his job as a Systems Technician in Sweden to take a trip to Asia. While most people looking for adventure go places like Thailand, Vietnam or Indonesia, André’s first top was at a “fat camp” in China. Having learned about the Chinese weight-loss camps on social media, the 29-year-old was inspired to embark on a similar journey in an effort to lose weight. The camp — Jianfeidaren in Shenzhen — combines daily exercise, healthy meals, medical checkups, and mental health support. André revealed that the camp tested participants by giving them the opportunity to cheat, offering the same temptations they would be faced with at home. “They laid out the schedule and the meals, but if I wanted to, I could have cheated on everything. It surprised me – realizing that, just like at home, it all comes down to personal responsibility,” said André. Personal trainers completed three intensive daily workouts alongside the participants, instead of simply giving instructions. “They suffer, we suffer,” joked André. The day begins at 7:30 a.m., and all participants have to be in bed by 9:30 p.m. For André, the most difficult aspect of the bootcamp was the fasting schedule. Dinner was served at 5 p.m. and participants didn’t eat again until breakfast at 8 a.m. the following day. All participants were given a goal of 1,300 calories a day. André admitted that he couldn’t stick to the 15-hour fasting period, so sometimes he ate an apple. While he had already gone from 294 pounds to 182 pounds on his own, André lost another 60 pounds in the month he spent at fat camp, bringing his final weight down to 122. “I can finally stop thinking of myself as a big person and just be myself," said André.
