A New Year’s resolution in early 2021 to eat healthier had unexpected but welcome consequences for Shanghai native Jenny Yue.
The resident of Vancouver, in the Canadian province of British Columbia, not only lost more than 22kg (48 pounds) but also took up bodybuilding and launched a freeze-dried-fruit business with her husband.
Yue, 30, and husband Han, 32, from China’s Henan province, were working together as project managers to implement an online medical record system across British Columbia for the health services authority. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, they were forced to work from home while minding their 18-month-old son.
Jenny moved to Canada with her family around age nine; Han arrived later. The two met while working at the same company and married in May 2019.
Jenny and Han Yue with their son on a trip to Amsterdam in 2024. Photo: Jenny Yue
The medical record project required working with healthcare professionals and patient data, but the pandemic added an extra layer of complexity as they were unable to visit hospitals.
To relieve their pandemic stress, the couple indulged in meals of hotpot and barbecue skewers, and binge-drank late into the night. In less than eight months, Jenny gained more than 23kg – she weighed only 56kg before Covid – and Han 18kg.
