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There is no shortage of fitness challenges by gyms that promise to transform lives. But one gym in China has gone several steps further by offering something that has stunned the internet and worried health experts at the same time. A fitness centre in northern China has introduced a weight-loss challenge that promises a luxury car as a reward. Yes, you read that right. According to a report by South China Morning Post (SCMP), a gym in Binzhou, Shandong province, announced on October 23 that it would reward anyone who manages to lose 50 kilograms within three months with a Porsche Panamera. The campaign immediately drew attention online with many questioning whether such a dramatic goal could ever be achieved safely. Lose 50 kg In 3 Months, Get Porsche The gym’s promotional poster revealed that the winner would receive a Porsche Panamera, a luxury car worth about 1.1 million yuan (approximately Rs 1.36 crore) in China. A fitness coach surnamed Wang confirmed to local outlet Xiang Yang Video that the challenge is genuine. “The challenge is real and already underway, and registration will close once we reach 30 participants. So far, around seven or eight people have signed up,” Wang said. He explained that the registration fee is 10,000 yuan (around Rs 1.23 lakh), which includes food and accommodation. Participants will stay in a fully enclosed facility with shared rooms throughout the three-month program. But the gym has not disclosed details about the specific workouts, diets or how progress will be tracked. Wang also clarified that the Porsche being offered is not brand new. “The car belongs to the gym owner and is a used 2020 model that he has driven for several years,” he said. Internet Calls Out Weight-Loss Challenge The unusual challenge has triggered a wave of reactions on Chinese social media with many users expressing disbelief and concern. One user commented, “If I lose 50 kg, I’ll only have 5kg left. Will I still be alive?” Another wrote, “The point is, no one can actually achieve this. Losing 50 kg in 3 months? You’ll lose the person, not just the weight. But with a 10,000-yuan registration fee, the organiser could buy a new car while still saving the used one. In the end, he makes a fortune. Such a smart marketing plan.” Doctors Warn of Dangerous Speed While the challenge has generated a lot of buzz, medical experts have expressed deep concern over how unsafe it could be. Losing 50 kilograms in three months means losing nearly half a kilogram every day, a rate health professionals say can cause serious harm. A popular medical influencer on Weibo known as “Dr Zeng, who performed the hernia surgery,” shared a strong warning. “Losing 0.5kg per day is far too fast. Unless someone is severely overweight, this pace leads to muscle loss rather than fat reduction, which can cause hormonal imbalances, hair loss, and even amenorrhea in women. A safer target is losing around 0.5kg per week,” he said as quoted by SCMP. Another expert, Pu Yansong, a gastrointestinal surgeon at Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, shared similar concerns. “Losing weight at such a rapid pace can strain our organs and may even be life-threatening,” he said. The expert further explained that safe and sustainable weight loss happens gradually which gives the brain, muscles and internal organs enough time to adapt to the new energy levels.
