2008: Buh-bye!

Reflection is the most over-looked aspect of learning, yet it is vital to the process. It is natural at the end of one year to reflect on what has happened. Many do this with a critical eye, thinking only of the mistakes they've made, not of the lessons learned through those mistakes.

I didn't reach all my goals for 2008, yet I've have learned much about myself and others. The most important of these lessons is that I'm not giving up THIS time when it comes to my quest to lose weight. I've haven't really gained, but I haven't lost either. In the past, that would've meant me giving up entirely. Not this time. As one of my low carb friends (Wifezilla?) puts it: I would low-carb forever, even if I never lost another pound. I feel better and have tons more energy!

I've also learned in the past few days that while I haven't entirely conquered the demon of stress-eating, I now recognize when I'm doing it and have much more control over it than I used to. My stress level has been elevated the past few days due to the impending open-heart surgery my father will undergo on 12/30 in Birmingham. He must have his Aortic valve replaced and possible repair made to the bypasses he had done in 1994. The same doctor will be doing his surgery this time and he is wonderful, so we feel good about the chances for full recovery. Still, it is a scary time.

Amyb ~ I haven't forgotten about you, just so you know. I'm am praying for your full recovery and for Philip and your entire family. It may help you to know that a family friend was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 1981 and is healthy as a horse now. My friend Kelly who had stage 4 IBC is doing great and just got remarried. Hang in there! You're gonna do just fine!

As for the new year, I have many hopes for good things to come. I never make resolutions, because I think they're silly. But, here's some things I'm wishing for and working on this year.

1. Health and well being for my family and friends
2. Developing an exercise habit
3. Returning to a basic low carb diet and not overdo the fat
4. Continue to increase my teaching skills and get my own classroom!!
5. Continue the fight against Heidi Diaz until Kimkins no longer exists
6. Take a "live and let live" attitude more often.
7. Remember and apply the lessons learned in 2008.

Happy 2009 everyone!

Kimmer: Vegas. AGAIN? LOL!!

We all need a good laugh now and then. So, I'd like to thank Heidi Diaz for a good one. Seriously! Heidi "Kimmer" Diaz made me laugh out loud with a recent post at her Kimkins.con website.

What could possibly be funny about a 300 lbs. woman selling a starvation diet to thousands of desperate dieters using fake success stories? Nothing. Well, except that Kimmer is...wait for it...already talking about this summer's Kimkins gathering in Las Vegas.

Yep. Just when you thought Kimmer couldn't get any more ridiculous, she tops herself!

Take a look at this!



This is at least the third time Kimmer has talked up a meet and greet for Kimkins, only to cancel at the last minute to due "security concerns" or high gas prices.

Current Kimkins dieters: PLEASE do not book any accomodations in Vegas hoping to get to meet Heidi. It's NOT going to happen. Never, EVER gonna happen. Never.

Also, notice Kimmer's new sig line quote from Pastor Joel O'Steen. Pretty appropriate for Kimmer, wouldn't you say? Is this what you were doing, Heidi, when you claimed to have lost 198 lbs. in 11 months on your diet and maintained it for well over a year with ease? Were you just talking about "the way you want to be" when you claimed that infamous picture of the 118 lbs. Russian bride was you?

The lies you've sold at Kimkins are not funny in the least. They have hurt people, damaged their self-esteem, their trust, and made them vulnerable and in some cases, less healthy than before trying Kimkins.

But, planning another Kimkins trip to Vegas? Now that's funny!!

Happy Snarks-giving Kimmer!

Heidi Diaz of Kimkins.con is a peach. She really is. She shows SO much concern for her paying customers over there it's just amazing.

Recently, I posted an amalgamation of posts by longtime Kimkins dieter Robin. I am truly very, very concerned for Robin's health. Robin keeps complaining of dizzy spells, feeling bad, and so forth. But what does she get from Kimmer? A slap on the wrist for talking about her problems.

I'll tell you, that Kimmer is all heart. Take a look at this recent exchange between Kimmer and Robin on the Pinky Swear Challenge thread. You know the one where Heidi never posts her own stats, but demands that the rest of the members do each week? Well, take a look at this charming exchange. The full photo can be seen at: http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg235/Mayberryfan/?action=view¤t=Robin_Kimmer_combo.jpg

This woman paid Kimmer her hard-earned $$ for help to lose weight and this is all she gets for it. No concern for the CONTINUING problems this woman is having. Just an admonition to keep going so Robin can encourage others to starve themselves with the Kimkins diet.

Robin, many of us are worried sick about you. All attempts to reach out to you have met with stony silence. Are you so desperate to be thin that you will risk everything and follow the advice of someone who weighs 300 lbs. and cannot follow her own dangerous plan?

I hope not. I'm praying we can reach you somehow before it's too late. DON'T DO KIMKINS!

Kimkins Dieter Enters the Danger Zone

A longtime, devoted dieter over at Kimkins is talking about health worries and Heidi Diaz is telling her to keep up the great work.

This dieter has been doing Kimkins since July 2007 and has dropped close to 120 lbs. thanks to the starvation diet Heidi Diaz is selling.

But, that doesn't come close to telling the whole story. This particular dieter has been stuck for a while and is regaining and losing the same 20 lbs. over and over again.

Danger.

This dieter is complaining of frequent falls - loss of balance - which she calls Vertigo, but that doctors have not been able to find a cause.

Danger.

This dieter is also complaining of muscle weakness, apathy, depression, and an inability to adhere to the diet.

Danger.

Want to see it in her own words? Here's an amalgamation of some of her posts from the past several weeks, in chronological order and talking about separate events:

Now, I am not a doctor, nor do I pretend to be one on the internet. But, this woman is exhibiting several classic symptoms of an eating disorder and her frequent falls could easily be caused by blood sugar and electrolyte imbalance brought on by trying to live on 800 or so calories per day for over a year.

This person has been written about in other blogs before and yet she continues to stand by Heidi Diaz and Kimkins.

I believe she is in extreme danger due to extreme dieting. I pray someone can reach her before it's too late.

As long as the Kimkins diet is out there to make desperate dieters think they've found a viable solution to their weight problems, many of us will be here trying to warn people of the danger of this type of VLCD - very low calorie diet.

DON'T DO KIMKINS!!!!!!!

Kimkins Dieter in Danger

Recently, a member of the Kimkins diet website complained of mental fogginess while doing the VLCD - very low calorie diet. And what did founder of Kimkins and self-proclaimed dieting expert Kimmer - Heidi Diaz - tell this person? Well, it was a typically snarky Kimmer response with none of the "expert" advice this dieter paid for when she joined Kimkins.

Here's the post exchange from inside Kimkins:

XXXX - Hi everyone. I have been doing well now on my weight loss. I only
have one concern. In the last couple of days I have been really forgetful. I
understand that before this I was excessively eating carbs. However since I have
reduced my carbs it seems like at times my brain is not functioning properly.
Something awful happened today. I was running around the shopping centre with my daughter to run a few errands. I bought an aftershave for my husband. As we
walking through the shops I realised I did not have the shopping bag in my hand.
I had left it somewhere and I was devastated. It was a present for my hubby and
it cost me $100. I have had to forget about it now because things happen and I
cant change it. My 7 year old daughter told me to stop dieting because I am not
concentrating properly. Before the incident occurred I had a protein shake in
the morning. It was 12pm in the afternoon, and I just grabbed a low carb protein
bar for convenience. Around 2pm I noticed the bag missing. Later we sat down and
I had some chicken with salad and I was upset that I had allowed to this to
happen because I hadnt eaten either enough but was running around the shopping
centre like a mad woman. After I had the chicken I felt much better. I would
like to ask if this has happened to anyone in terms of losing their memory or
concentration a bit. How do you combat that you have enough carbs for your brain
but still lose weight. I do not want to give up with my weight loss but I want
to ensure I am having normal brain function. Thank you for any responses.

Kimmer responds: According to your Personal Journal, the last few days your
carbs have actually been rather high. Maybe close to 100 grams per day because
you're eating protein bars and low carb chocolate. If you have medical concerns,
please contact your physician immediately. When you're ready to commit to
Kimkins, we'll be here to help.

Did you get that? This woman is exhibiting a sign of dangerously low blood sugar and Kimmer accuses her of "eating too many carbs" and says "when you're ready to commit...we'll be here to help."

Unbelieveable! Honestly, reading that makes me want to slap the taste out of Heidi Diaz' mouth. This paying customer of hers is SO committed to her horrible and dangerous diet that she's having trouble concentrating. Yet Kimmer insinuates that she is "uncommitted." Oh, and the "if you have medical concerns" was a nice touch, don't you think? Heidi knows very well that her diet is dangerous and impossible for many to stick to it. Afterall, she is still about 300 lbs. herself. Who the hell is she to be selling diet advice to anyone?

Here's what one of MANY credible website sources has to say on low blood sugar, which can be the result of too few calories, and mental clarity:

In order to prevent type 2 diabetes, it is vital to understand that blood sugar problems travel along a continuum. A lot of people initially develop signs such as low blood sugar (reactive hypoglycemia), which can manifest as afternoon fatigue, mood changes, and mental fogginess. Abdominal weight gain is a key finding in insulin resistance. When blood sugars are severely elevated, the classic symptoms of diabetes – excessive thirst and urination - ensue. Source: http://www.thecenterforoptimalhealth.org/services/endocrinology/diabetes.php

If you are still doing Kimkins, or any diet that encourages calorie levels of 500-1000 per day without direct doctor supervision, you are putting your health at serious risk! When I did Kimkins, I ate about 700 calories per day and soon started having mental fogginess, sudden and severe dizzy spells and my hair started falling out in clumps. I believed the lie that Heidi tells: the excess calories one needs will easily come from the weight you need to lose. Don't let Heidi Diaz talk you into starving yourself! Your body will begin eating it's own muscle tissue (and your heart is a muscle!) in an effort to prevent starvation.

Heidi Diaz created Kimkins by combining parts of the Atkins diet - which is safe and doctor approved - with Stillman's which is an extreme diet meant only to be used on a very short-term basis. This woman has NO MEDICAL APPROVAL for her diet and NO TRAINING as a nutritionist or dietician. She has no expertise whatsoever to advise anyone on losing weight.

There are wonderful diet websites and support available on the internet for FREE! Low Carb Friends is a great place to get help and support on your weightloss journey.

Kimkins is DANGEROUS to your health. Don't do it!!

Actual Success Stories Do Not Tell the Whole Truth

Fraud is at the heart of the lawsuit faced by Heidi Diaz of Kimkins infamy. In a deposition before the court, she has admitted using stolen photos of beautiful, healthy, slender people from mail-order bride and groom sites to entice people into paying her for her starvation diet and advice on losing weight.

But, are ALL the Kimkins "success" stories fake? No.

Have some people actually lost weight on Kimkins and kept it off? Yes.

Does this mean it's okay to try Kimkins? NO!!!

Let's use an analogy about media bias my brother came up with to explain how some Kimkins success stories are "real", but in NO way tell the true story of Kimkins.

Let's say a sportscaster who graduated from Western BFE University wanted his team to look good at the end of the season. So, he edits together clips from W.BFE.U's games, but only shows the best plays from the entire season. He doesn't fake any of the clips, but the presentation would not show the true W.BFE.U's team - a team that didn't win a single game all season. By selecting only certain clips, W.BFE.U could LOOK like National Champions.

Btw, if you will notice, the media does this in some fashion all the time, showing only the most unflattering photos or video of the politicians they do not like, etc. Media bias is ALIVE and well. It's what they DON'T tell you that makes them biased. Technically, they don't lie so much as they only present one side of the story - lying by omission.

Same thing with Kimkins. For those who have lost weight strictly following Kimmer's diet, none that I know of have done so without experiencing some health problems. Significant hair loss and dizzy spells are the most common. That is what made me stop doing the Kimkins Diet plan. For others, irregular heart beats, amennorhea, and eating disorders are pretty common. One person who did Kimkins even lost so much muscle tissue that she had to undergo surgery to repair the damage.

Skinny, yes. Healthy, no!

Frankly, most people cannot live on the 800-1000 calories you get to eat on the Kimkins diet plan. Nor should ANYONE try to live on that small amount of food. For those who've stuck it out and lost the weight, many are paying a HEAVY price for believing in Heidi Diaz.

Bottom line: DON'T DO KIMKINS.

Heidi, how low can you go?

Other than Heidi Diaz, are their any administrators left at Kimkins? Just who is there to provide the vaunted support for dieters? Dieters who've plunked down $60-80 for said support from people who have made the plan work?

Many of the original admins, along with other members of the Kimkins diet site are now suing Kimmer - Heidi Diaz - for using fake success stories to sell her diet plan. Success stories which showed stolen pictures of trim, healthy, beautiful people.

But, what about some of Heidi longtime supporters, people who were admins giving advice to the paying customers at Kimkins - where are they now?

One of the admins to serve the longest at Kimkins - Singinglass, aka Delaney Deaver, hasn't posted in over a month. It has been two or three weeks since she's even been to the site. So what happened? Could Singinglass be experiencing some of the same health problems other Kimkins members have suffered? We know by her own admission she's lost a lot of her hair. Is there something else going on? One has to wonder.

So, you'd think after being sued and having the dangers of the Kimkins program brought to light, not to mention the fact that surveillance video shows Heidi Diaz to be 300 lbs. , not the 118 lbs. she claimed - that the advice-givers at Kimkins would have learned something.

Not so fast. Former Kimkins admin and someone who still (astonishingly) supports the diet Swalt gave this piece of advice to a new Kimkins dieter recently.

swalt (User)
I'M SOOO EXCITED!!!
Professor
Posts: 2014

Re:Daily
calories. Too little? Too much?

Ok, I may not have the best
answer but I can give you my 2 cents worth.The plan says to not go under 800
calories and 1200 seems like a good number, my calories were closer to the 800
while I was losing. I think it is more important to make sure that you
don't go ABOVE 20 carbs and don't go BELOW 800 calories. If you watch these two numbers everything should go as planned.Good luck to you. Sue

The dieter in question stated her intention to follow the caloric intake guidelines based on her BMR - basal metobolic rate. Going too far below this number can send your body into starvation mode where the body starts eating itself for nutrition. But, notice Swalt has NO trouble telling this person that - hey 1200 calories is okay, but (hint, hint, wink, wink) you could drop down to 800 with no problem.

Can this possibly be safe? Well, NO, of course not!

Using a BMR calculator, which measures the amount of calories you need just to run your body with no activity, (http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/) I plugged in some really low numbers: 4'5" tall, 85 lbs. and 45 years old. A female this size and age would still have a BMR of 1,062.35 calories for a day. Thats almost 33 % more calories than the Kimkins advisor says is okay for a large person with lots of weight to lose. This calculation is what would be needed by a TINY person just to maintain basic bodily functions.

Swalt may no longer be listed as an "admin" at Kimkins, but she is known as a former admin and she's still singing the same ultra-low calorie tune that's done a number on many people's health.

By the way, Swalt's new title (user) seems pretty appropriate if you ask me.

Like Kimmer, Swalt has no degree in nutrition and no training to be handing out advice to dieters on a paid subscription website.

Don't pay Heidi and her gang at Kimkins to tell you how to starve yourself. Find a good low carb diet and get healthy!

Oh, and the next time you're in the grocery store, check the milk cartons to see if Singinglasses' picture is there.