The challenge, which has caught significant attention both in China and beyond, demands a $1,400 registration fee, covering meals and shared accommodation in a highly controlled environment. While the prize may seem tempting, medical experts are raising alarms over the health risks of extreme weight loss.
The gym, which launched the promotion on October 23, is targeting individuals willing to undergo an intense, rapid weight-loss regimen. Participants must shed 50 kilograms in just 90 days to win the used Porsche, a 2020 model owned by the gym’s owner. However, with a hefty entry fee and undisclosed details about the training and diet plans, the challenge has sparked debates over its legitimacy and safety. Despite this, interest has been high, with around seven or eight people signing up so far.
A Dangerous Challenge
The offer of a luxury car for losing such a drastic amount of weight in a short period has raised serious concerns from medical professionals. Losing 50 kilograms, or about 110 pounds, in just three months would require dropping nearly 0.5 kilograms per day, a pace that experts warn is unsustainable and dangerous.
According to Dr. Zeng, a prominent Chinese medical influencer with nearly 3.5 million followers on Weibo, this kind of rapid weight loss can lead to severe side effects, including muscle loss, hormonal imbalances, and even hair loss. He emphasized that weight loss should be gradual and that aiming to lose 0.5 kilograms per week is a much safer and healthier target, reports SCMP.
In addition to muscle loss, Dr. Zeng cautioned that the challenge could lead to more severe health issues like amenorrhea in women, a condition where menstrual periods stop, as well as other long-term metabolic disruptions. Such rapid changes can also strain the body’s organs and could be life-threatening in extreme cases. Pu Yansong, a gastrointestinal surgeon, echoed these concerns, highlighting the risks to the heart and digestive system when the body is forced to lose weight too quickly.
The Prize Car and the Fine Print
The gym claims that the Porsche being offered as a prize is a 2020 model that has been used by the gym owner for several years, not a new vehicle. This detail has fueled further skepticism about the promotion’s true value. Despite the luxury car being a relatively older model, the challenge has still caught the attention of many, offering a rare combination of extreme weight loss with the allure of a high-end vehicle.
For the $1,400 entry fee, participants receive shared accommodation and meals in the gym’s fully enclosed training facility. However, the specifics of the training regimen and diet plan remain unclear, leaving many to question how realistic or effective the program might be. The secrecy surrounding these details has raised suspicions that the challenge may be more of a marketing stunt than a genuine weight-loss program.
A Marketing Scheme?
The challenge has ignited a storm of online discussion, with some netizens expressing skepticism about the gym’s true intentions. Critics argue that the gym’s offer may be more about attracting attention and profits than genuinely helping people lose weight. One commenter pointed out that even if the challenge is a success for a few, it may ultimately be a way for the gym to recoup its costs, with the organizer potentially making a substantial profit while still holding onto the used Porsche.
Others have pointed out that the extreme nature of the challenge is unlikely to lead to sustainable, healthy weight loss. Rapid weight loss programs often result in rebound weight gain, where participants regain the lost weight quickly once the program ends. Furthermore, such a high-pressure environment could lead to mental health issues, as participants may feel extreme stress or anxiety about meeting the challenge’s impossible requirements.
