Man quit his job to attend Chinese ‘fat camp’ for four weeks. Now he has shared before-and-after photos which speak for themselves

André Helgesen has officially reached his weight loss goal after completing an intense four-week stay at a Chinese weight-loss camp. The Swedish man, who previously worked as a System Technician, decided to leave his job behind to backpack through Asia and prioritize his health. While many travelers head to popular spots like Thailand or Vietnam, André chose to start his journey at a facility known as Jianfeidaren in Shenzhen, he shared in his interview with the Mirror.

This camp is operated by Shenzhen Sunshine Xingya Culture Communication Co and uses a closed-camp model to help participants. The program includes hospital examinations, nutritional counseling, psychological guidance, and a packed schedule of intensive workouts. Before arriving at the camp, André had already achieved a massive transformation by dropping from over 294 lbs to 182 lbs. He viewed this final stint as the perfect way to finish his long-term weight loss journey.

The daily routine at the camp was quite demanding. Participants were encouraged to exercise three times every day while maintaining a 1,000-calorie deficit through their diet. Once you factor in the physical activity, the total deficit often reached 1,500 calories. André typically consumed around 1,300 calories per day to stay on track. One of the toughest parts of the regimen was the fasting period. The camp served the final meal of the day at 5:00 PM, and residents were expected to fast until breakfast at 8:00 AM the following morning.

André admitted that the fasting requirement was difficult to manage

He noted, “It was brutal to not have anything to eat between those hours.” He even confessed that he struggled to stick to the plan on certain days, occasionally buying an apple to satisfy his hunger. Despite those small slip-ups, he found the experience eye-opening regarding personal accountability. He realized that the camp functioned much like his life back home. He said, “It’s the same enemy there as at home. It’s completely up to you whether you succeed.”

He also pointed out that the camp did not force him to comply with the rules 24/7. 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.” He explained that even though the staff provided the schedule and the meals, he could have easily cheated on the plan if he had really wanted to.

One aspect of the camp he truly appreciated was the support from the personal trainers. These trainers often participated in the workouts alongside the attendees. André joked, “They suffer, we suffer.” He also felt the staff were incredibly kind and helpful, even when there was a language barrier.

By the end of his 28-day stay, André had lost an additional 7 pounds, bringing his total weight loss to 112 lbs. Reaching this milestone provided him with a sense of relief and quiet. He explained that his self-consciousness has vanished, allowing him to stop identifying as a big person.

He is now focused on the next chapter of his travels. André is heading to South Korea to watch the finale of the 2026 Mid-Season Invitational, which is a tournament for the video game League of Legends. Following that, he plans to visit Japan before eventually returning to a normal routine.

He said, “[I’m] so incredibly excited to just live like a “normal” person and enjoy life.”