Inside China's 'fat prisons' - where the obese are forced to spend 28 days losing weight
An Australian woman who is currently enrolled at a weight-loss camp has shared the highs and lows of the program, which includes hours-long daily exercise, controlled meals and mandatory weigh-ins.
In China, obese individuals are shedding the pounds by enrolling in 'fat prisons' - closed camps that promise rapid weight loss through intense exercise routines, mandatory weigh-ins and rules that make it difficult to leave.
And one woman who has signed herself up has given an inside peek at what really goes on behind the facility's closed doors.
To address its growing obesity problem, China established a network of commercial or government-affiliated weight-loss 'prisons' that operate in repurposed facilities or campuses across the country.
For those who have long given up on fad diets, personal trainers and weight management products, these strict, military-style camps have become an apt choice.
The goal is to encourage significant weight loss in both adults and children through controlled diets, constant monitoring and disciplined programs that are tailored to each individual.
As well as following strict diet plans, participants are expected to engage in strenuous activities each day, such as pounding treadmills, boxing routines, and intense cardio sessions.
Giving up is not an option, as the facility keeps its steel gates firmly shut, and there are rules in place that make it difficult for individuals to leave.
One Australian woman, who is currently holed up in a camp in China, has candidly shared an inside look of her gruelling daily routine - and it appears to be no walk in the park.
An Australian woman who recently enrolled herself in a Chinese 'fat prison' has shared the highs and lows of the strict program
Over the course of 28 days, participants rapidly shed the pounds through intense exercise routines, controlled diets, mandatory weigh-ins and rules that make it difficult to leave
The 28-year-old, who goes by @eggeats on Instagram, has been documenting her four-week stay at the facility, which she paid less than $1000 (£742) for at the beginning of December.
In various videos posted to her page, she revealed she exercises for four hours every day and attends 19 classes a week, starting with a group aerobics class each morning.
This is followed by group HIIT classes and a second aerobics session in the afternoon, before finishing with an evening spin class, which sees participants pedal in unison to music in a high-energy rave setting complete with strobe lights.
Meals consumed between workouts are carefully portioned on trays, with one breakfast comprising of a single piece of bread, chopped tomato and cucumber and four boiled eggs.
The woman revealed she most looks forward to lunchtime, as it's when the most food is served, with average meals consisting of braised duck, lotus roots, stir fried vegetables, raw carrots and a banana.