How far are you willing to go to lose weight?
Some may sign up for a gym membership, while others may splurge on a personal trainer — but one Singaporean took things a step further.
883 Jia FM DJ Jimmy Koh recently travelled to Guangzhou, China, and spent 28 days at a weight loss camp — a place that he refers to as a “fat prison”. There, the 1.75m man lost 12kg, now weighing 78kg.
In a social media video on Sept 30, Jimmy broke down the costs of attending the weight loss camp, which is also commonly known as a “fat camp” in China.
According to Jimmy, the weight loss programme itself cost around $1,500 for 28 days.
The package included accommodation at a five-star hotel, three healthy meals a day as well as training sessions such as strength training, cardio and spin classes.
Prices vary considerably across different camps as his research showed that the prices of 28-day packages can range from $600 to $3,000.
Factoring in travel expenses, Jimmy said his two-way tickets from Singapore to Guangzhou on a budget airline cost around $800, while a 140km train and taxi journey to the camp cost another $25.
Looking back on his experience, the DJ advised others not to follow the route he took: “Lesson learnt, if you want to choose my ‘fat prison’ and you’re flying from Singapore, fly to Shenzhen instead.”
As Singaporeans enjoy visa-free stays in China for up to 30 days, Jimmy did not have to spend anything on this end.
The DJ also highlighted some “hidden costs” in the experience. He spent $50 on basic toiletries and necessities, $20 for bottled water, as well as $86 for two mobile data packages.
Although daily meals were included in his package, food was not provided on Sundays, the designated rest days at his camp.
On rest days, Jimmy did some sightseeing in Guangzhou for his “mental wellness”, spending around $50 on food, attractions and transport, and another $30 on online shopping.
He also paid $150 for additional travel insurance, which he bought on top of the insurance already included in his fat prison package.
Jimmy spent a total of $3,109.89 for the whole experience.
“The experience could be much cheaper depending on the fat prison you choose, where you fly from and how much you spend.”
The radio DJ isn’t the only Singaporean who has travelled to China for its weight loss camps.
In June, 32-year-old interior designer Alexis Tan shared her two-week experience at a fat camp in Guangdong, where her weight dropped from 78kg to 74kg.
She spent $800 on the programme and an additional $400 on return flights from Singapore to Shenzhen.
Health experts, however, have cautioned that maintaining weight loss could be challenging after leaving a fat camp, where caloric intake and physical activity are controlled, resulting in weight reduction.
Exercise alone also cannot fully offset an unhealthy diet, experts warned.
The 2025 National Nutrition Survey, released on Oct 3, found that more than half of Singapore’s population are consuming more calories than their bodies need.
Even though people think they are burning calories through exercise, they should also pay attention to portion sizes of their meals and not overeat.
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carol.ong@asiaone.com
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