A man documented his impressive weight-loss transformation after attending what he described as a “brutal fat camp” in China.
André Helgesen quit his job to go backpacking around Asia. The Swedish man, who had long felt insecure about his body, decided to make the Chinese weight-loss boot camp the start of his journey.
Helgesen had already made progress toward his goal of living a healthier life. He had lost a whopping 7.8 stone (49 kg), dropping from more than 21 stone (133 kg) to around 13 stone (82 kg).
André Helgesen turned to a brutal Chinese “fat camp” to continue his remarkable weight-loss journey
Image credits: imhelgis
Determined to lose more weight, the former system technician worker began researching “fat camps” on Reddit and stumbled upon Jianfeidaren, a prominent four-week fitness program in Shenzhen.
The camp combines daily exercise, healthy meals, medical checkups, and mental health support.
Helgesen, who documented his journey on his TikTok page @imhelgis, revealed that the camp tested participants by giving them the opportunity to cheat, offering the same temptations they would have faced at home.
Image credits: imhelgis
Image credits: imhelgis
“They laid out the schedule and the meals, but if I’d wanted to, I could have cheated on everything. It surprised me – realising that, just like at home, it all comes down to personal responsibility,” he said.
“There was no one there holding my hand and telling me what to do 24/7; it was up to me to stick to the plan and get things done.”
Three daily workouts and a long fasting period made the program a real test
Image credits: imhelgis
Helgesen explained that the personal trainers completed the three intensive daily workouts alongside the participants instead of simply giving instructions.
“They suffer, we suffer,” he joked. “And the fact that they were so kind, funny, and helpful, even to me – someone who didn’t speak the language.”
In a TikTok video, he showed that the camp offered badminton classes and a buffet that included pasta.
He also shared a schedule of the daily activities, which started at 7:30 a.m and ended at 9:30 pm.
Image credits: imhelgis
For Helgesen, the most difficult aspect of the intensive bootcamp was undoubtedly its fasting schedule.
Each day included a 1,000-calorie deficit for each participant, meaning Helgesen had to consume around 1,300 calories a day.
Helgesen admitted there was one rule he couldn’t stick to during the four-week program
Image credits: imhelgis
Dinner was served at 5.00 pm, and participants did not eat again until breakfast the following day, which was served at 8.00 a.m.
“It was brutal to not have anything to eat between those hours,” Helgesen admitted, adding that he sometimes ate an apple because he couldn’t stick to the 15-hour fasting period set by the camp.
Ultimately, the effort paid off. After 28 days at the camp, Helgesen lost half a stone (about 3.2 kg), which he called a “huge relief.”
Image credits: imhelgis
On social media, he posted shirtless “before and after” mirror selfies showing his transformation after losing more than 8 stone (50 kg) in total.
Helgesen has felt the positive impact of the transformation not only on his physical health but also on his mental wellbeing.
“Not just the camp, but that whole identity of being overweight. I can finally stop thinking of myself as the big person and just be myself,” he shared.
“It was absolutely wonderful, but above all, a relief, and a sense of quiet, really. All that self-consciousness just vanished.”
Experts say exercise alone isn’t enough for significant weight loss
Image credits: Andres Ayrton/Pexels (not an actual photo)
In a 2020 study published in the National Library of Medicine, researchers analyzed a group of overweight individuals aged 40–60 years who were divided into different programs: 8 weeks of exercise plus diet, 8 weeks of diet only, and 8 weeks of exercise only.
While participants saw improvement in both diet and diet and exercise programs, the combination of diet and exercise produced the best results.
Image credits: cottonbro studio/Pexels (not an actual photo)
Moreover, even in a relatively short-term weight-loss program, participants showed improvement across all anthropometric, biochemical, physiological, physical, and psychological measures.
Dr. Donald Hensrud, author of the Mayo Clinic Diet Book, explained that diet appears to be more effective than physical activity for weight loss, though the ideal approach should combine both.
“You have to do huge amounts of physical activity to lose weight, but you can get a better energy deficit just by cutting down on calories,” the doctor said.
Helgesen encouraged people to stop making excuses and start putting themselves first
Image credits: imhelgis
“Both diet and physical activity are important. Diet is probably more important for losing weight. Physical activity for keeping it off.”
Needless to say, this requires immense discipline. In the caption of his TikTok video showing the results, Helgesen reflected on the mindset that helped him achieve his goals.
“When you finally put all your time and energy into yourself, that’s when things start to happen,” he said. “No distractions and no excuses. Just focus on becoming the best version of yourself.”
Image credits: imhelgis
After the physical and mental challenge, he advised people to “stop giving your energy to things that give nothing back” stressing that once they choose to prioritize their health, “there’s nothing that can stop you.”
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