A gym in northern China is offering a weight-loss challenge that feels straight out of a dystopian fitness reality show. According to The South China Morning Post, a fitness center in Binzhou City, Shandong Province, has promised a used Porsche Panamera to the first person who loses 100 pounds in three months.
Participants must pay 10,000 yuan—about $1,400—to enter. The fee covers meals, lodging, and three months of “intensive training.” A coach surnamed Wang told local reporters the challenge is already in progress and will cap at 30 people. “Seven or eight have signed up,” he said, adding that the Porsche belongs to the gym’s owner, who has been driving the 2020 model for several years.
The announcement set off a frenzy on Chinese social media. Some users said they were tempted to sign up just to test their limits. Others called it a dangerous marketing gimmick. One Weibo commenter joked, “If I lose 50 kilograms, I’ll only have five left. Will I still be alive?” Another wrote, “The gym collects 10,000 yuan from each person and keeps the car—genius.”
Gym Offers A Porsche To The First Person Who Loses 100 Pounds In 3 Months
Doctors were less amused. Dr. Zeng, a medical influencer with more than three million followers on Weibo, said losing 50 kilograms that fast “will lead to muscle loss rather than fat loss,” adding that it can cause “hormonal imbalances, hair loss, and amenorrhea.” Dr. Pu Yansong from Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital called the plan “life-threatening,” warning that rapid weight loss puts serious strain on the heart and other organs.
The gym maintains that the challenge is meant to “motivate” people to get in shape. Critics say it’s reckless to encourage such extreme goals for the sake of attention. Still, the buzz has worked. The story has gone viral across China and beyond, with fitness enthusiasts debating whether the prize is worth the risk.
No one has claimed the car yet, and experts doubt anyone will. The Porsche remains parked outside the gym, polished and waiting, a gleaming example of how far people will go when winning means proving something to everyone watching online.
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