Kimorexia

Kimkins Lawsuit - Closing Arguments

2010-11-15T02:54:00.000-08:00

Jamie VanEaton has posted the transcript of the last day of the Kimkins class action lawsuit:

http://www.examiner.com/low-carb-in-national/kimkins-court-transcripts-closing-arguments

It's a lot of reading but you won't be disappointed, I promise!

Kimkins Class Action Lawsuit - News Articles

2010-11-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

A list of coverage I've found so far for the successful class action lawsuit against Kimkins / Heidi Diaz:

The Verdict is In: Kimkins Diet Scam Lawsuit

Kimkins Diet Founder Loses Class Action Lawsuit

Older Coverage:
Guru Sued for Alleged Diet Scam
Kimkins on Insider Exclusive
Kimkins on Good Morning America

Surveillance Videos
Video 1
Video 2

The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Online Diet Scam?

KVUE - Beware of Internet Diets
Christin Speaks Out

Kimkins Class Action Lawsuit - Statement

2010-10-29T17:36:00.000-07:00

Today, October 29, 2010, Judge Rick Brown of the Riverside County Superior Court entered a verdict for the plaintiffs in a certified national class action lawsuit. The court entered a verdict against Heidi Diaz the owner of the diet website Kimkins.com for fraud and false advertising. The court awarded the class members restitution in the amount of $1,824,210.39. The court also awarded an additional $500,000 in punitive damages as well as attorney fees. The court then issued a temporary restraining order to freeze all of the assets of Ms. Diaz.

Most notably, the court also imposed an injunction requiring Heidi Diaz to post on all of her websites that: (1) she lied about her weight loss; (2) she lied about her after diet pictures; (3) she lied about testimonials on her website; and (4) she lied about the photographs used with the testimonials to promote the Kimkins website.

An injunction was also issued to prevent Heidi Diaz from contracting, harassing or cyberbulling the plaintiffs and the witnesses. A formal judgment will be entered before November 19, 2010.

Kimkins Class Action Lawsuit - More Details!

2010-10-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

More details from here:

Ok ... I'm released to share!!!

The Court found in favor of the plaintiffs on all points.

We have a judgement based on fraud for $1.8 Million.

We have punitive damages for $500,000

We have injunctive relief, which includes she can not further lie to promote her diet. She can not use fake photos, success stories or testimonials to promote her diet.

While we won't see a court ordered 404 message we got something even better.

Heidi must put a notice on ANY website she starts for any purpose, diet or otherwise, that explains that she lied, used fake success stories and testimonials, that she mislead, that she used deceptive practices. She is going to have to post a notice that explains that low calorie diets can be dangerous, with a list of possible adverse side effects (the wording of the notice is to be worked out between the lawyers and the judge). There is NO expiration of these notices.

The Judge included a PERMANENT restraining order wherein Heidi (or any of her socks) are prohibited against contacting in ANY form with any/all class members, class plaintiffs, lawyers, their families, their staffs (which includes me, Laura) for the rest of our lives.

Oh, all of her assets have been frozen until the judgement is entered and served.

This may be appealed, of course, but today, WE WON!!!!!

GUILTY!

2010-10-29T12:11:00.001-07:00

Just heard Heidi Diaz / Kimkins has been found GUILTY! Details to come!

Kimkins Class Action Lawsuit - Big Announcement Today?

2010-10-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

The trial has been going on all week and is expected to conclude any minute. It's hard to believe this day is finally here!

Congratulations, mighty ducks, on your persistence in finding soooooo much evidence of fraud in this case!

I never did this diet but I'll be very satisfied to see justice done if the judge rules in the class's favor!

It's been a long wait, but...

2010-10-19T06:09:00.001-07:00

The trial starts Monday!

There is so much evidence that Heidi Diaz lied, and lied about lying, when marketing her sham of a diet website. I'm sure John will lay out this evidence in a way that is very clear for the jurors. Even the new lies she tells will be easily countered with evidence collected during this long process. You can't have a lifetime pattern of lying and expect anyone to think you'll abruptly start telling the truth now!

Best wishes to all the plaintiffs out there who have been waiting for this day for 3 years!

If anyone still checks in here... I'd love to hear your memories of Heidi-isms and lies!

It's Another Kimkins Court Day!

2009-12-21T07:57:00.001-08:00

There's hearing today for the Kimkins class action lawsuit. The court log is hard to read:

12/21/2009 9:00 AM DEPT. 02 HEARING RE: MOTION TO/FOR COMPEL FURHTER RESPONSES OF DEFENDANT TO PLAINTIFFS REQUEST FOR PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS BY JEANESSA FENDERSON

12/21/2009 9:00 AM DEPT. 02 HEARING RE: MOTION TO/FOR COMPEL FURTHER RESP & COMPLIANCE OF DEF TO PLTFS REQ PROD OF DOCS & THINGS SET FOUR BY JEANESSA FENDERSON, TRISTA ESSEX, KATHLEEN ROGERS

I'm not sure exactly what they'll cover. I hope they cover the absence of the court-ordered opt-out wording on the Kimkins home page. Seems like contempt to me. I think the motion to compel is regarding the need for Heidi Diaz to produce her member list so every member who joined her site can be notified of the suit and eventually get a little money back for the allegedly fraudulent marketing Heidi used to get people to join the site.

Copy of Official Notice of Pendency of Class Notice

2009-11-10T13:32:00.000-08:00

NOTICE OF PENDENCY OF CLASS ACTION

TO: EVERYONE WHO PURCHASED A MEMBERSHIP TO KIMKINS.COM THROUGH THE KIMKINS.COM WEB SITE (www.kimkins.com) FROM JANUARY 1, 2006 TO OCTOBER 15, 2007

PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY. YOUR RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED BY A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT THAT IS CURRENTLY PENDING IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT, IN RIVERSIDE, CALILFORNIA.

INTRODUCTION

1. On May 20, 2009, the Riverside County Superior Court, located in Riverside, California, issued an order certifying this case to proceed as a class action.

2. The plaintiffs are six individuals who bought memberships to kimkins.com through the kimkins.com Website (www.kimkins.com) from January 1, 2006 to October 15, 2007. The defendants are Heidi Diaz, an individual, and Kimkins (also known as Kimkins.com), a business entity that conducts business in Corona, California.

3. The plaintiffs contend that Diaz and Kimkins.com induced them into buying memberships for kimkins.com through false and misleading information provided on the Kimkins.com Web site. The plaintiffs contend that the defendants violated California Business & Professions Code § 17200, et seq., which authorizes courts to provide relief from unfair, unlawful, and fraudulent business practices. The plaintiffs also contend that Diaz and Kimkins.com violated common law prohibitions against fraud and negligent misrepresentation.

4. This notice provides you with information regarding the litigation, including the plaintiffs’ claims against the defendants and the current status of the litigation. This notice also provides you with information regarding the court’s class-certification order.

THE LITIGATION

The Plaintiffs’ Claims

5. This lawsuit is based on the plaintiffs’ claims that Diaz and Kimkins used unfair, unlawful, or fraudulent business practices to induce them into buying memberships to Kimkins.com. This lawsuit is also based on the plaintiffs’ claims that the false and misleading information contained on the kimkins.com Web site constituted fraud or negligent misrepresentation by Diaz and Kimkins.

6. Here’s a list of the kinds of misconduct that the plaintiffs have alleged:

• that Diaz and Kimkins concocted a false persona, “Kim Drake” or “Kimmer” to sell memberships to Kimkins.com

• that Diaz and Kimkins misled potential members into believing that “Kim Drake” was real by using photos of real women and then falsely claiming that the photos depicted “Drake”

• that Diaz and Kimkins posted lied about “Drake’s” purported weight loss

• that Diaz and Kimkins provided false or misleading information to Women’s World magazine

• that Diaz and Kimkins fabricated 41 “success stories” and published on the Kimkins.com Web

• that Diaz and Kimkins made up celebrity endorsements

• that Diaz and Kimkins misused labels and metatags to steer Internet traffic to the Kimkins.com Website, in violation of the law

• that Diaz and Kimkins misled potential members into believing that they were buying lifetime memberships, when in fact Diaz and Kimkins.com terminated memberships at their whim

• that Diaz and Kimkins intended to mislead potential members and assumed that potential members would rely on her misrepresentations.

The Defendants’ Position

7. Diaz and Kimkins have denied all allegations of wrongdoing and liability, and they continue to deny that they have done anything wrong. Diaz and Kimkins also have asserted various affirmative defenses to the plaintiffs’ claims.

THE COURT’S CLASS-CERTIFICATION ORDER

8. In an order filed May 20, 2009, the Court granted the Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification. The Court certified for class treatment the plaintiffs’ claims for equitable relief, including disgorgement of the subscription fees paid to Diaz and Kimkins by the plaintiffs and the members of the class.

9. The certified class is defined as all individuals who purchased the Kimkins.com diet membership on-line from the Kimkins.com Web site from January 1, 2006 through October 15, 2007.

THE COURT HAS NOT EXPRESSED ANY OPINIONSREGARDING THE MERITS OF THE PLAINTIFFS’ CLAIMS

10. The Court ordered that this notice be provided to advise class members that this case is pending and that the Court has certified the case to proceed as a class action. You should not consider this notice or its mailing to be a statement by the Court that the plaintiffs are right or that their claims will prevail.

INSTRUCTIONS TO CLASS MEMBERS

11. You do not need to do anything to remain a member of the class. If you bought a Kimkins.com diet membership on-line from the Kimkins.com Web site from January 1, 2006 through October 15, 2007—including either of those dates—you are automatically included in the class. Your rights will be represented by the plaintiffs and their attorneys. You will not be personally responsible for any attorney fees or for the any of the costs of this litigation.

OPT OUT OF CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT

12. You have the opportunity to opt out of the class action lawsuit as detailed herein. If you incurred a personal injury as a result of using the Kimkins.com aka Kimkins Diet, you have a right to opt out. Notices to opt must be sent to jtiedt@tiedtlaw.com or mailed to Tiedt & Hurd at 980 Montecito Drive, Suite 209, Corona, California 92879.

WHERE TO GO & WHOM TO CONTACTSHOULD YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION

13. This notice provides only a brief summary of this litigation. For further details, you should take one or both of the following steps:

• Review the documents in the Court’s file for this lawsuit. Many of these documents may be viewed or obtained on-line at the following URL: http://public-access.riverside.courts.ca.gov/OpenAccess/ . You also may review the Court’s file in person by going to the Office of the Clerk of the Court for the Riverside Superior Court, during regular business hours. The Clerk’s office is located at 4050 Main Street, Riverside, California 92501.

• Write a letter to the attorneys who are representing the plaintiffs and whom the Court has appointed to represent the class. Here are their names and their contact information:

John E. Tiedt & Marc S. Hurd
Tiedt & Hurd
980 Montecito Drive, Suite 209
Corona, California 92879

Michael L. Cohen
Michael L. Cohen, a PLC
707 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 4100
Los Angeles, California 90017

Ray Moore
Moore Winter McLennan LLP
701 N. Brand Blvd., Suite 200
Glendale, California 92103-4232

If you decide to contact one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, please do so in writing. To make it easier for them or one of their staff members to respond, however, your letter should include both your e-mail address and your telephone number.

There are estimated to be as many as 40,000 members in the class. So please, DO NOT CALL THE COURT OR ATTEMPT TO CONTACT THE COURT BY E-MAIL.

DATE: ___________________________, 2009____________________________________
Hon. _________________________,Presiding Judge

Minutes from yesterday's Kimkins lawsuit hearing

2009-10-30T06:24:00.001-07:00

COURTS SUBSEQUENT RULING ON 10/27/09 @ 08:30 FOR DEPARTMENT 05 10/27/2009 - 8:30 AM DEPT. 05
HONORABLE MARK E JOHNSON, PRESIDING
CLERK: M. MARTINEZ
COURT REPORTER: NONE
COURT SUBSEQUENTLY RULES:
ORDER REGARDING CLASS NOTICE: THE COURT FINDS THAT CLASS MEMBERS SHOULD BE
ALLOWED TO OPT OUT IN CONNECTION WITH THE CLASS ACTION CERTIFIED IN THE ABOVE ENTITLED ACTION.
THE CLASS ACTION WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR THE PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS ALLEGED BY CLASS
PLAINTIFFS. FAILURE TO ALLOW CLASS MEMBERS TO OPT OUT OF THE ACTION MAY IMPAIR OR ELIMINATE
POTENTIAL PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS BECAUSE A JUDGMENT IN THIS ACTION COULD BAR RECOVERY IN
ANY LATER PERSONAL INJURY ACTIONS BROUGHT BY CLASS MEMBERS AGAINST DEFENDANTS. (SEE HICKS V.
KAUFMAN & BROAD (2001) 89 CAL.APP.4TH 908 924-925.)
THUS, IT APPEARS THAT THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPT OUT OF THIS CLASS ACTION IS NECESSARY. (SEE
PHILLIPS PETROLEUM CO. V. SHUFFS (1985) 472 U.S. 797, 811-812.) ACCORDINGLY, PLAINTIFFS PROPOSED
CLASS NOTICE NEEDS A STATEMENT WHICH GIVES POTENTIAL CLASS MEMBERS WHO MAY HAVE SUFFERED
PERSONAL INJURIES AN APPROPRIATE CAVEAT REGARDING POTENTIAL PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS,
PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPT OUT, AND PROVIDES A PROCEDURE FOR OPTING OUT. (SEE
CHAVEZ V. NETFLIX (2008) 162 CAL.APP.4TH 43, 57.)
IN ADDITION, PLAINTIFFS SUBMISSION DOES NOT EXPLAIN WHY CLASS NOTICE CANNOT BETTER BE
PROVIDED THROUGH DEFENDANTS OWN WEBSITE TO ALL PERSONS WHO SIGNED UP THROUGH THE WEBSITE.
ACCORDINGLY, THE COURT ORDERS THAT CLASS NOTICE SHALL BE PROVIDED THROUGH DEFENDANTS WEBSITE.
THE COURT MAKES THIS DECISION BECAUSE THE LAWSUIT HAS ALREADY BEEN REFERENCED ON THE
KIMKINS WEBSITE. THE NOTICE MAY BE THROUGH A LINK ON THE WEBSITE WHICH LEADS TO THE CLASS
NOTICE.
FINALLY, ALL REFERENCES TO THE "PENDING MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT" SHALL BE REMOVED FROM THE
CLASS NOTICE.
NOTICE TO BE GIVEN BY COURT
CLERK'S CERTIFICATE OF MAILING RE: SUBSEQUENT RULING
NOTICE SENT TO MICHAEL L COHEN A PROFESSIONALLAW CORP ON 10/27/09
NOTICE SENT TO MOORE WINTER MCLENNAN LLP ON 10/27/09
NOTICE SENT TO TIEDT & HURD ON 10/27/09
NOTICE SENT TO LAW OFFICE OF TIMOTHY P PEABODY ON 10/27/09
NOTICE SENT TO LAW OFFICES OF COTTLE & KEMP ON 10/27/09
NOTICE SENT TO COTTLE & KEEN ON 10/27/09

Oh my gosh, my day has totally been made!

2009-10-29T13:29:00.001-07:00

So in court today, the Judge approved the opt-out notice. Another step toward getting this thing wrapped up. The opt-out notice is for people who want to opt out of the class action lawsuit in case they want to sue her individually for personal injury, etc. The notice will have to be posted on the Kimkins website(!) as well as any other sites that want to post it. All good.

But it got so much better when Heidi Diaz' attorney decided to try to intimidate John in the hallway after the hearing and made a fool of himself in front of plenty of witnesses! Not just once... but twice! Apparently after the first time, he didn't cool off but decided to come back for more once they were outside! Ohhhhh how I wish I could have seen John handle him like a pro!

Today's Kimkins spam...

2009-10-27T08:36:00.001-07:00

It's so odd to me that the Kimkins spam keeps pouring out, despite this week's court hearing to work out the details for the opt-out process for the class action lawsuit. This lawsuit IS going forward. If Heidi Diaz recruits new members now, knowing the viability of diet scam site is in serious jeopardy, will these new clients have any recourse?

I'm also really surprised that SingingLass / Delaney continues to let Heidi Diaz profit from her success story & photos. Has she continued toward her weight loss goals? Does she still consider Kimkins a sustainable diet? Hard to say, as the last time I heard there were no signs of her at Kimkins. Does she resent having been terribly used by Heidi Diaz? I really don't understand the loyalty - or fear? - that has kept Delaney from turning her back on Heidi and slamming the door.

Do new members wonder why the success stories aren't at Kimkins? If I joined the site after seeing in a promotion that Delaney had lost 130+ pounds at Kimkins, I'd really expect to see here there, wouldn't you?

Court Update

2009-10-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

Mariasol has an update on the court hearing here:
http://mariasol-mariasol.blogspot.com/2009/10/kimkins-court-hearing.html

Today's the big day! (Again!)

2009-10-15T04:14:00.001-07:00

Today is the hearing for the Kimkins class action lawsuit motion for summary judgment (again!). Here's hoping there are no more delays! Don't laugh at me. I'm allowed to hope!

I'm starting to see why so many companies get away with fraudulent marketing. It takes a lot of endurance to put a stop to it! I still get irritated every time I see a copy of Woman's World magazine on the rack! Maybe I should do like Kate Gosselyn does and turn them around while I stand in line waiting to check out, LOL!

Kimmer says "Weight Loss Without Exercise! Yes!"

2009-10-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

More Kimkins spam today.

This woman:

Says this:

With Kimkins you take a thermogenic fat melting short cut! You can lose faster than the 3,500 calories = 1 mile (she means pound) rule. Kimkins is low carb and low fat which means quick weight loss! Love working out? Great! You'll speed things up even more -- but non-exercisers lose quick, too.

It's simply incredible that she keeps charging money to give diet advice. Here's hoping that TOMORROW'S big court date (Kimkins class action lawsuit motion for summary judgment hearing) is a big step forward!

Will you take the 1-2 pounds a week, or what's behind door #2?

2009-10-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

In this morning's issue of Kimkins spam, which I am getting a ton of this week, Heidi Diaz gives readers something to ponder. She starts out with an appeal to heavier dieters, trying to whisper to their special needs to lure them to her site:

Losing weight is different when you're morbidly obese. That "lose 1-2 pound a week" advice is meaningless to very overweight people.

1-2 pounds a week is not meaningless at all. In fact, if she'd followed a good and healthy weight management plan instead of her hazardous Kimkins yo yo diet plan for the years that she lied about who she is and what she's selling, she'd be at her goal weight instead of hiding from cameras and process servers. She'd have something to be proud of, and maybe even have a successful and marketable forum. What the heck does she know about helping very obese people get permanently thinner and healthier?

Nothing. That's what she knows. Are you buying?

Russian Brides: East meets west meets cheap

2009-10-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

At least this guy knows what he's getting before he decides to pay.

How's that workin' for ya?

2009-09-30T07:25:00.001-07:00

Here's the kind of diet advice you can expect from Kimkins diet founder Heidi Diaz.

While giving this advice, she swore for years that this is her (this is the Russian bride model she photonapped):

But really the woman making people sick with her hazardous diet advice looks like this (deposition photo):

And she has the nerve to ask ''How's that workin' for ya?'

I saw this and immediately thought of Kimkins!

2009-09-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

The 15 Most Shameless Fake Photos Ever Passed Off as Real

I bet the pictures of Heidi and some of her success "stories" could compete with these any day!

The motion for summary judgment was NOT denied!

2009-09-10T06:41:00.000-07:00

Here's the proof:

Say No to Kimkins: Heidi Can't Handle The Truth

Copy of court document

Looks like Heidi Diaz' loose relationship with the truth continues.

Delayed But Not Deterred!

2009-08-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

Today's hearing didn't end like we'd hoped. My understanding is that this matter has been continued to October 15. I'll post links to what happened today as soon as the facts are known.

Will Kimkins Founder Heidi Diaz Face the Music Today?

2009-08-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

As I'm writing this, the big court hearing is about one hour away. During the discovery phase, huge volumes of evidence of fraudulent marketing for the Kimkins diet were compiled. Heidi Diaz' lies are carefully documented, including some big fat confessions when it became impossible to maintain the lies. This evidence took a couple of years to compile, by dozens of dedicated volunteers outraged at the deception (not to mention the dangerous diet itself). This evidence was pretty hard to find, thanks to the lies about lies about lies!

So much evidence was collected that now there is a motion for summary judgment to be evaluated in court today. Basically it says that there is so much evidence that it would be best to quit belaboring this thing and just get to the conclusion right away. I do hope that the judge rules in our favor! If he doesn’t, that certainly doesn’t signify defeat. It will just mean we need to continue being patient.

So many people have been hurt by this woman, and financially she benefited significantly from her lies and bullying and 'mistakes'. From my perspective, they were not mistakes but were calculated decisions made for only her own benefit. It's time for that to stop!

Thanks to everyone involved in this fight!

Here's the first news story I've found about today's court action:
Guru Sued for Alleged Diet Scam

Countdown To Kimkins Summary Judgment Hearing

2009-08-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

Big court date for Kimkins coming up!

It's August and the Heat is ON!

2009-08-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Kimkins court action:

08/24/2009 8:30 AM DEPT. 05 HEARING RE: MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON 3RD AMENDED COMPLAINT OF JEANESSA FENDERSON

I don't think I'll ever listen to this song the same way again!

Kimkins Lawsuit Update

2009-06-29T04:32:00.000-07:00

Please read the Proposed Notice of Pendency of Class Action, shared on the Kimkins Lawsuit blog.

Kimkins Class Action Lawsuit Update: Motion for Summary Judgment Filed

2009-06-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

I don't know anything about lawsuits. If you'd asked me two years ago if we'd still be waiting, I'd have said no way since the evidence is so overwhelming! It's amazing how slowly the wheels of justice have to turn. Of course, having a defendant and her two attorneys trying their best to slow things down as much as they can, these things happen I guess!

We're reaching the point we've all been waiting for. John has filed the motion for summary judgment. You can read about it here. Apparently the carefully collected and catalogued evidence is laid out in a very thorough motion to the courts. It hasn't been posted at the court site just yet, but I can't wait to read it all! I imagine there are details I've forgotten in this long journey!

If you want to read the motion, keep an eye out at the Riverside County Court website. Select Case Name Search. Search for Diaz, Heidi. The case number is RIC483005.

Kimkins Attorney Threatens Another Blogger for Speaking the Truth About His Client

2009-06-02T13:20:00.000-07:00

This time it's AvenueGirl. (Hi Avenueirl!) Go read about it here, and savor the humor of it all. What an unprofessional thing to do! I wonder how the judge will view this stunt... This attorney knows why the KK counter-suit was tossed out of court, right?

I don't know whether to hope he's getting paid by the hour and it's costing his client big, or hope he's doing this special bonus work for free because that's all it is worth. Reading his motions makes me think he might be getting paid by the word.

Class Certified!

2009-05-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

The judge certified the Kimkins class for the lawsuit. (Again, thanks to the bankruptcy stall tactic.)

The next big court date is June 8. Not long to wait this time!

Thanks, John! You do such great work!

Today is a big Kimkins court day!

2009-05-20T03:39:00.000-07:00

Today is the day the judge will evaluate the certification of the class again. It was certified earlier in the year but voided (that may not be the right term) by Heidi's attempt to declare bankruptcy. The bankruptcy was rejected, so we're headed back to court.

The evidence is all on our side, and John is ten times the attorney Peabody is, but it couldn't hurt to keep your fingers crossed!

Jenny Craig and Slim Fast are not torture... How about Kimkins?

2009-04-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

Please note that this is NOT a political blog. Set aside the politics of this article, and focus on this part about using reduced calories as an interrogation technique:

In an effort to rationalize the use of dietary manipulation on detainees, Bush administration officials turned to Slim Fast and Jenny Craig.
In a footnote to a May 10, 2005, memorandum from the Office of Legal Council, the Bush attorney general's office argued that restricting the caloric intake of terrorist suspects to 1000 calories a day was medically safe because people in the United States were dieting along those lines voluntarily.
"While detainees subject to dietary manipulation are obviously situated differently from individuals who voluntarily engage in commercial weight-loss programs, we note that widely available commercial weight-loss programs in the United States employ diets of 1000 kcal/day for sustain periods of weeks or longer without requiring medical supervision," read the footnote. "While we do not equate commercial weight loss programs and this interrogation technique, the fact that these calorie levels are used in the weight-loss programs, in our view, is instructive in evaluating the medical safety of the interrogation technique."

So a 1000 calorie diet is not torture, it just feels like it. But what about the "lower the better" Kimkins diet? Since most Kimkins members are eating less than that, and many only a third that much... does Kimkins pass the torture test? Hmmmm... I'd ask the people damaged by Kimkins, over at the Kimkins Survivors blog, many with long term or permanent physical and emotional damage from the experience!

I was really scratching my head at the logic of the bolded parts. It's medically safe because people do it voluntarily???? That people do it is instructive?

¡Ay, caramba!

Kimkins Goes Viral

2009-04-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

Heidi Diaz promotion of Kimkins has reached a new level recently, as she's apparently discovered the power of social networking sites. Kimkins is on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. She's even on a site where you can hire people by the minute for advice. Her uhhhhhhh.... marketing... is spreading faster than the plague. I hope the truth is easy enough to find now that not many more people will fall for the scam. (Hint - don't invest $80 on a diet site that's facing class action lawsuit and bankruptcy!)

Read Becky's commentary at the Winning Weight Loss blog:
When Social Networking is Social Contagion

(Becky, it's good to see you blogging again!)

For more commentary about viral marketing, read this:
The fascinating plague of viral marketing

Kimkins Bankruptcy Case Dismissed

2009-03-28T10:58:00.001-07:00

The bankruptcy case has been dismissed. Hopefully this means the class action lawsuit can resume ASAP!

I guess the bad guy doesn't always win!

Diaz Case is Dismissed

Heidi Diaz Bankruptcy Dissed and Dismissed

Kim Kardashian on the Photoshop Diet

2009-03-25T08:04:00.000-07:00

Here we go again! Being attractive and healthy isn't good enough. Even Kim Kardashian requires slimming down, cellulite blurring, and lightening of her skin color. The point of this is what? Darn if I know, other than to perpetuate unattainable standards for 'beauty'. This bastardization of images of women plays into why we fall for predators hawking scams like dangerous crash diets and ineffective/dangerous supplements. We deserve better than this!

What's Heidi Pushing Now?

2009-03-16T06:28:00.001-07:00

Anything for a buck, I tell ya. On her blog, expert dieter Heidi Diaz is now promoting Alli, exercise equipment, workout DVDs and diet supplements. Now tell me, why would anyone need any of those things if the Kimkins diet was all she said promotes it to be?

Is the weight loss debate over?

2009-02-28T06:28:00.000-08:00

Nope

Another study gets it wrong and then claims to have proven what they set out to prove.

Kimkins and Bariatric Surgery

2009-01-28T07:20:00.001-08:00

Heidi Diaz is still defending ultra low calories on her crash diet Kimkins website, comparing it to post-bariatric surgery diets. Where her comparison falls apart is that post-surgical patients are elaborately supplemented and medically supervised. And yet... horrific medical complications are not rare! Check out this post from Sandy over at Junkfood Science. It's really sobering stuff. If patient health can be damaged this badly WITH medical supervision, imagine how much more likely it is when taking advice from an internet diet 'expert' with absolutely no qualifications? One of her clients has been eating 470 to 700 calories per day and has stopped losing weight, and Heidi told her that she might be getting more calories than she thinks and should be more strict, and that she shouldn't eat more. It's no wonder people emerge from that site with eating disorders and illness. Fortunately, I didn't see Heidi recommend a laxative this time!

Another important point is that if Heidi Diaz' crash diet was such a good thing, then why is she overweight and sick, and unable to lose weight no matter what she does? She's selling the very advice that got her where she is today. It's easy to guess that she's completely destroyed her metabolism from crash dieting off the weight over and over.

Say NO to Kimkins!

John Tiedt scores! 7 times!

2009-01-27T10:57:00.000-08:00

What is 7 scores? Double hat trick with a cherry on top?

All seven of the motions to quash were granted today. Heidi Diaz' attempt to intimidate the Kimkins class action lawsuit plaintiffs via a counter-suit just went down in flames.

Way to go, John Tiedt!

Ya snooze, ya lose...

2009-01-22T13:21:00.000-08:00

Ya snooze, ya lose... That would make a good blog post - how getting enough quality sleep helps you lose weight! But that's not what this is about.

Last week, Heidi Diaz failed to appear for her court date regarding certification of the class for the fraudulent marketing lawsuit for the Kimkins diet website. That didn't turn out well for her. Class certified. Go John Tiedt!

She also didn't respond by the deadline to the motions regarding lack of jurisdiction over the people served in her idiotic counter-suit. John is on top of it - of course! Due to non-opposition, the motion to quash should be granted. Go John! She can't blame her attorney for this one, since she's now representing herself.

The counter-suit intimidation tactic isn't turning out very well for Heidi.

Kimkins Lawsuit - Thank You to Everyone!

2009-01-16T06:44:00.000-08:00

To Jeanessa:
Thank you so much for getting the ball rolling!

To the lawsuit principles:
You stood up for what you felt was right. You became targets of the counter-suit. Because you took a stand, it is likely justice will be served!

To John Tiedt:
You are a good man, doing a wonderful job fighting for what you think is right. I know you'll never be compensated adequately for how hard you are working and the personal sacrifices you are making.

To the ducks, sleuths, bloggers and cheerleaders:
Thank you for getting the word out so others might not be scammed. Thank you for sacrificing your time to dig relentlessly, gathering overwhelming evidence. Thanks for standing up to everyone who told you to shut up and that you were wrong, liars, haters, etc.

To LowCarbFriends:
Thank you for providing a place for people to gather and communicate. Without it, I'd have missed out on making a lot of new friends. And without it, it would have been so much harder for us all to work together. Thank you to the moderators for staying out of it when things got heated, and stepping in when things got too vicious.

Thank you also to all the people behind the scenes who take the time to receive, organize, catalog and fetch exactly what John needed whenever the need came up.

The case isn't over yet, but this week's class certification is a major, major milestone, and we deserve to celebrate!

PS: I hope I didn't leave anyone out!

Kimkins Class Action Lawsuit - CERTIFIED!

2009-01-16T03:20:00.000-08:00

It's a long process, but it works!

Case RIC483005 - FENDERSON VS DIAZ
Action:

HEARING RE: MOTION TO/FOR CLASS CERTIFICATION * BY JEANESSA FENDERSON
01/14/2009 - 8:30 AM DEPT. 04

HONORABLE MICHAEL B DONNER, PRESIDING
CLERK: L. HALL
COURT REPORTER: T. FOSTER
JEANESSA FENDERSON, KARIN BILLECI, TRISTA ESSEX, HEIDI MARTINEZ, KATHLEEN ROGERS, DIANA SHERBY REPRESENTED BY MICHAEL L COHEN A PROFESSIONALLAW CORP - JOHN TIEDT PRESENT.
MOTION FOR CLASS CERTIFICATION IS GRANTED.
FORMAL ORDER TO BE PREPARED, SERVED AND SUBMITTED BY COUNSEL FOR PLAINTIFF

Well, well, well... there's a new diet site on the market!

2009-01-13T07:18:00.000-08:00

I won't link to it here because I don't want to provide backlinks, but it's called Simple Choices Diet.

Go ahead. Guess who owns it!

I have this little visual in my mind, of Heidi facing the bankruptcy attorney, wearing the same red jacket she wore for her famous 'is it too late to take that back' deposition. She'll tell the judge that if he'll just clear her from her financial burdens, she'll never need a 4th bankruptcy because she's starting another diet website. An honest one this time. Except wait, there's more... the owner of the trademarked Simple Choices Diet isn't too happy about her alleged infringement. Maybe she'll say her new diet site is MOSTLY hontest.

Think he'll buy it?

Considering Kimkins? NOT SO FAST!

2009-01-13T06:10:00.000-08:00

Hold on to your wallet! Kimkins (Heidi Diaz) filed for bankruptcy yesterday. This is her 3rd one. Just months after buying a $400K house and a couple of cars for cash. There's something unfair about that, don't you think? She allegedly schemes, racks up debt, and leaves her creditors holding the bag. If you're considering a new diet for 2009, Kimkins isn't it! She doesn't deserve your money, her diet is junk, and you'll be out $80 and looking for a new forum when the Kimtanic sinks.

This puts other litigation against her on hold, unfortunately. The class action lawsuit for fraudulent marketing, the suit filed by the city of Corona, and the student loan lawsuit. She's bought herself some time, though I'm not sure what for. (Maybe she's trying to get her next diet website off the ground - remember, she promised she was going to do that if Kimkins went down!) If she was so sure she was going to win and keep the $2+ million she pocketed marketing a diet that doesn't work long term, using photos of Russian brides, it seems like she'd want it all over. At any rate, this weeks court dates are postponed. I guess that's why she doesn't need her attorney any more. I wonder what happens when you default on payments to an attorney? Yeouch.

At any rate, I wonder how the judges involved are going to view this move? I can't wait for the next chapter.

Related posts:
Kimkins.com goes to court to declare bankruptcy
Magicsmom’s Musings: Heidi Diaz files bankruptcy!
What Makes a Credit Criminal?
S.O.S.
What a Tangled Web

Resolve not to get RIPPED OFF this year!

2009-01-01T15:59:00.000-08:00

It pays to arm yourself with information to protect yourself from getting scammed. Here's a good resource for checking out health-related scams:

National Council Against Health Fraud

The home page includes links to investigations, research and publications. Very handy.

Last week's edition of their Consumer Health Digest includes a link to the 20-year archive of Slim Chance Award winners! So handy if you want to check out a diet product or site!

Wow - 2009!

2008-12-31T22:01:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, all yall!

The Kimkins Accolades Keep On Coming!

2008-12-29T06:33:00.000-08:00

The Kimkins diet is rated the #3 worst diet of 2008! I'd argue it should be at least tied with #2, the ultra low calorie Original Hollywood Celebrity Diet. I thought it was interesting that most of the diets in the list are diet supplements and not actual diets. Looking at diet alone, Kimkins would be even close to the top.

I wonder what you can eat on the Mariah Carey Purple Food diet? Cabbage? Grape juice? Does eggplant count? :shiver: I'm guessing there's not much food to choose from. Have you ever seen purple protein?

Be careful when you choose your weight loss approach, people. Resolve not to get scammed this year!

Check out Cleo's 2008 Kimkins in Review

2008-12-28T05:37:00.000-08:00

Great summary, Cleochatra!

Sometimes it feels like ages with no action in this Kimkins Class Action lawsuit, but sure enough it's moving forward.

What did the attorney say to his client the scammer?

2008-12-23T09:57:00.000-08:00

You're FIRED!

That's right - according to court documents, Heidi Diaz attorney (Cottle) has bailed on his client. Maybe he doesn't want to share in the Kimkins Slim Chance Award?

Congratulations Kevin Trudeau! And Kimkins!

2008-12-20T14:39:00.000-08:00

You've won the SLIM CHANCE AWARDS!

To call 2008 a typical year in the weight loss field would be too easy. This year’s awards go to an infamous huckster of diet infomercials, known for his outrageous disregard of injunctions against him; $139 body-shaping jeans impregnated with substances that supposedly reduce cellulite; a pill that’s “proven” to make your belly fat vanish; and a dangerous starvation diet launched recklessly on the Internet with false promises of safe, fast and permanent weight loss.

Quackery & Fraud

Here's my very favoritest part:

WORST PRODUCT: Kimkins diet. It must have seemed an easy way to get rich quick. Founder Heidi "Kimmer" Diaz set up a website and charged members a fee to access the Kimkins diet, boasting they could lose up to 5 percent of their body weight in 10 days. "Better than gastric bypass," there was "no faster diet" and in fact she herself had lost 198# in 11 months. Stunning "after" photos were displayed. In June 2007 Women's World ran it as a cover story, and that month alone PayPal records show the Kimkins site took in over $1.2 million. Then users began complaining of chest pains, hair loss, heart palpitations, irritability and menstrual irregularities. This was not surprising since Kimkins is essentially a starvation diet, down to 500 calories per day and deficient in many nutrients (shockingly, laxatives are advised to replace the missing fiber). In a lawsuit, 11 former members are uncovering a vast record of Diez’s alleged fraud. They found that the stunning “after” photos, including one of Kimmer herself, had been lifted from a Russian mail order bride site. According to a deposition reported by Los Angeles TV station KTLA, Diaz admitted using fake pictures, fake stories and fake IDs, and a judge has allowed the litigants to freeze some of her assets.

The Benefits of Cigarette Smoking

2008-12-13T12:29:00.001-08:00

I did a little study. I went to a smoky bar. It was rough, but in the name of science I tipped a couple rum & Diet Cokes. I rounded up a room full of smokers. I asked half of them to give up smoking for a week. I'd offered to cook up a mountain of chicken wings for their next kegger, so they said what the heck?

They quit cold turkey and they felt like crap all week. It made them stupider! They were cranky and forgetful. Their cravings were insane. They couldn't seem to get anything done! After a week, I told them they could start smoking again and you know what? After the first cigarette they felt better! Immediately! Clearly the smoking was doing something good for them. We went back out to the bar to celebrate. I discovered that the more beers they drank the prettier I got! That will have to be a study for another day.

Anyway, back to my hypothesis. I guess I was right. Cigarettes are healthy. I think I'll repeat the study with a group of Diet Coke drinkers! Who knew it was so easy to be a sci-un-tist! I wonder if I can get paid to do it?

In equally impressive health news, here's a study that's just as good as mine:
Low-carb diets can affect dieters' cognition skills

Here is more commentary on this "study":
Michael R. Eades, M.D.: Making Worthless Data Confess
Dana Capender: Another Un-Compelling Study
Laura Dolson: Low-Carb Diets Bad for the Brain? (Don't Worry!)
Mariasol: Low-carb diets can affect dieters’ cognition skills

Class Certification Filed for Kimkins Lawsuit

2008-12-12T12:01:00.000-08:00

The motion for Class Certification for the Kimkins lawsuit was filed last week. Mariasol has a great summary of the massive document here. Good job, Mariasol - and thank you!

Is it too late to take that back?

2008-12-09T13:27:00.000-08:00

I hope Rod Blagojevich ROTS IN JAIL.

Sorry for the OT... carry on...

Oprah, Oprah, Oprah!

2008-12-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

Oprah has regained 40 pounds. This is news. After all, it's a given that a woman's worth is determined by her waistline.

She feels bad and embarrassed. She fell off the wagon and let it run over her.

Oprah lost 67 pounds on a liquid protein diet. You know... a diet where your calories are suppressed and you drink liquid protein drinks and the weight falls off and you get into skinny jeans and feel awesome. Then you start to eat real food again and BAM! The pounds, guilt, shame & pain come back. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. She now has a thyroid problem - I wonder how that happened?

Oprah, it's not YOU, it's the #$(&*@#&##@ DIEt!!!! Please dust yourself off and adjust your perspective. Use your position as one of the most influential women EVER! Send the message that starving yourself into size 10 CK jeans isn't a solution to being a healthy weight.

And for crying out loud, do not say "I felt like a fat cow. I wanted to disappear." You shouldn't talk to yourself that way, and you shouldn't model that talk for others. Don't be part of the problem, Oprah! Be part of the solution! Give that gift to women and young girls around the globe. You can and you should!

Remember when Heidi Diaz implied that Jessica Alba was on Kimkins?

2008-12-08T13:18:00.000-08:00

She may be one of the most beautiful women in the world... but that doesn't stop Jessica Alba from getting airbrushed...

Airbrushed photos does sound like Kimkins, but of course we all know that Alba wasn't on Kimkins and that it was a lie to lure young women to the site. (I don't have to say allegedly - Heidi Diaz confessed to it in her deposition.) But I digress... this post isn't about Kimkins, though it's about one of the main reasons women get desperate enough to do Kimkins!

Just look at what they've done to Jessica Alba because apparently she's just not skinny enough for print:

See how they made her collarbones look like a person on a concentration camp diet? How they trimmed her waist, hips and legs? Trimmed her crotch? Chiseled her chin? Plumped up her boobs? Gave her that 'healthy' tan? Why? Because that body on the left, owned by the mother of a 5-month-old, just isn't perfect enough.

I think she looks better in the before shot, though I'd still like to hand her a sandwich.

The fact that this stuff is done routinely makes me sick. Even the untouched photos set a standard unattainable by the masses. Why then is it necessary to retouch the photo to add that "glamorous anorexic look'? This disgusting exploitation of models sets a standard that is sickening or killing young women every day! It's unconscionable that this is accepted - even expected - practice!

"Vegas, baby!" Seriously???

2008-12-08T07:11:00.000-08:00

Swallow your coffee first, then go read Mayberryfan's blog post. Here's a spoiler:

Heidi Diaz is planning...

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

yet another Kimkins Vegas get-together!

I told you to swallow your coffee!

She planned one once and cancelled at the last minute for an emergency.

Then she planned another one and cancelled at the last minute for an emergency.

Now she's planning another one... can anyone predict what'll happen?

Say, since we're talking about Vegas, shall we start some serious wagers?

The most interesting part for me was Mayberryfan's observation on Heidi's new signature line, borrowed from a minister:

"Don't talk about the way you are, talk about the way you want to be."... Pastor Joel Osteen

Poetic, don't you think? Or is it that other p-word that ends in 'etic'?

I'd like to start a prayer chain for AmyB

2008-12-06T15:43:00.000-08:00

AmyB is having significant health issues, at the same time her son is. Please, on your own blog, here, or in your own hearts, join me to lift her up and wrap her in prayers and positive thoughts.

Who's got my hand?

Yipes!

2008-12-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

The US has lost 1.9 million jobs so far this year. Half a million in November alone and expected to get much worse.

What a depressing day. SAD is kicking my butt. Does anyone have any GOOD news to share? I'm begging here!

What century is this?!?

2008-12-05T05:56:00.000-08:00

How did I not know that piracy was still rampant in this day and age? Until the past couple months news stories about it, I had no clue!

This morning I was listening to a story on NPR about the huge problem of trafficking of Russian women. I had some sense of this, after poring over Russian bride websites for weeks in search of the phony Kimkins success photos. But wow... the real problem isn't as tidy as women looking for husbands in other countries as a ticket for happiness. Many of the women are coerced into it, while others are just desperate for a better life. At first thought, it makes me so very glad I live in the US, but women are exploited everywhere including here. It's so pervasive that we often are immune to it. Entire industries are devoted to it, especially the diet industry, the media, the 'health' industry... anywhere there is a possible vulnerability or need, someone is ready to pounce on it for their own gain.

What century is this?

Were you BANNED from Kimkins?

2008-12-03T10:37:00.001-08:00

There is a request for information for the Kimkins lawsuit on Prudentia's blog. The immediate need is for people who were banned from Kimkins to email KimkinsCase@gmail.com - even if you have already joined the lawsuit. Prudentia is collecting materials for the attorneys. Please read Prudentia's blog for information about the other materials needed for evidence.

Thank you!
OYB

What are the symptoms of Malnutrition?

2008-12-02T09:45:00.000-08:00

I read a blog post this morning about a Kimkins dieter who has been experiencing health problems. (More here, and here, and similar stories on the Kimkins Survivors blog) It really scared me. I thought it sounded like she was displaying serious signs of malnutrition/undernutrition, similar to the symptoms weight loss surgery patients can face. (Kimkins is marketed as an alternative to weight loss surgery - calories are similarly suppressed but without surgical intervention.)

Here is one list of symptoms of malnutrition, obtained here:

feel tired and weak
low energy levels
difficulty losing weight
can't easily get to sleep
stressed and/or nervous
drowsiness during the day
can't concentrate or get confused easily
digestion problems
constipation or hard stools
mood swings or easily upset
no patience for anything
feel depressed
overly dry or oily skin
nausea or abdominal pain
annoying eye twitches
bruise easily
muscle cramps
lower back pain
nails are thin or brittle
hair loss
water retention
don't eat well-balanced meals every day

These symptoms don't magically resolve when you take a vitamin - these symptoms are signs of damage that can be very difficult, if not impossible, to reverse.

For more information about nutrition and weight loss, Bamagal's Back Across the Line blog is really valuable.

What's in it for you, Derek?

2008-11-29T05:52:00.001-08:00

Derek, you said you only posted your success story because you're proud of your weight loss, which you achieved by eating basic low carb, ignoring the Kimkins plan details, and not participating at the website. You said you don't endorse or promote Kimkins.

Derek, this ad says otherwise. Did you consent to this? Are you getting a cut of the profits? Is it OK with you that the odds are statistically zero that they will achieve the results you did? That they'll be out $80? That their money went to support the site that is facing class action lawsuit for fraudulent marketing? That they will probably quit the plan because it's 'too strict' (nutritionally bankrupt) or they'll actually DO the diet and end up with symptoms like the people on the Kimkins Survivors? And you are OK with Heidi Diaz using you to get people to join. Did you know the Better Business Bureau gave Kimkins an F rating?

If you are really only in this to inspire others and show them what is possible, then why not tell your story at any number of free weight loss websites? Why be a cover model for Kimkins? Really, I do not get it. Is there something in it for you?

Update: AffiliateScams has more on this topic.

Some peeps never learn!

2008-11-23T17:55:00.000-08:00

Heidi Diaz is still banning Kimkins members!

The Kimkins lawsuit is still ongoing. Check here for important information.

Tippy / Jeannie Got $erved

2008-11-19T06:07:00.001-08:00

Tippy Toes posted recently about getting served in the Kimkins counter-suit. The counter-suit is basically targeted at anyone who ever disagreed with Heidi Diaz about anything as far as I can tell. It's ridiculous. As far as I can see, the only thing Heidi will get out of it is the glee at forcing people to pay the $300 filing fee. She won't have the last laugh, though.

Tippy didn't do anything to deserve to be sued. She was humiliatingly loyal to Heidi - on national television, even. When she finally realized how she was being used and how she was aiding a scam, she went off and quietly started her own private forum. No crime in that. People from Kimkins were welcomed, but they weren't required to LEAVE Kimkins to join, so how did that hurt Heidi Diaz or her business?

Heidi is just lashing out irrationally and it's going to cost her even more money in the end. Tippy, I'm sorry you had to pay that money. It's a better investment than the stock market, right? You're in good hands with John Tiedt!

The more things change, the more they stay the same

2008-11-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

Mayberryfan has a new post up, with a recent response from Heidi Diaz / Kimmer to one of her paying customers regarding medical symptoms she's experiencing on the Kimkins diet:

Kimkins Dieter in Danger

Important Health Warning

2008-11-04T06:26:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I don't know the source of this or I'd credit it. I got it by email.

Post: Anorexic "Tips" from the Biggest Loser

2008-10-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

This was the first piece I've read by Charlotte Hilton Andersen, and I want to share it here. I looked at some of her other entries and I can't wait to read them all. According to her bio on the site, "Charlotte runs the popular health and fitness site The Great Fitness Experiment. She was featured on ABC's 20/20 and interviewed on Fox's Morning Show with Mike & Juliette. Her writing can be found on the Washington Post online, Fox News online, LiveStrong, and iVillage as well as many other health, fitness and body image sites."

Anorexic "Tips" from the Biggest Loser

Today is Love Your Body Day

2008-10-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Bamagal for the heads up on your Kimkins Review blog, and for the link to the Love Your Body website.

Overall women are dissatisfied with their bodies - 80% of us. It's what makes it so easy for Kimkins and other diet websites to get a toe hold! They prey on that dissatisfaction.

Pledge to love your body today! What will YOU do to feed your body and your soul?

So little to say... but go read these posts!

2008-08-29T10:48:00.003-07:00

I am totally out of writing mojo, even about Kimkins these days. The latest on the Kimkins lawsuit is that the 3rd deposition of Heidi Diaz has been completed and went well, and the 3rd amended compliant has been filed. If you have never read the complaint, you should. Lots of evidence presented in a manner that is very clear.

Here are some blog posts that caught my eye recently. They all write better than I do anyway. Enjoy!

Past, Present and Future
What Makes Kimkins dangerous?
Notable Quotable
Kimmer's 1yr Progress
Weighing in on the Alabama Obesity Debate
In Which I Apologize and Refuse to Apologize
Kimmer's Diabetic Diet
Can MSG Cause Obesity?
Are Low Carb Diets Healthy? The Debate From Opposing Views
BDD: Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Which nutrients might help prevent the most common cause of blindness in the elderly?
Anorexia: Media Borne Illness

Pregorexia

2008-08-11T04:03:00.003-07:00

Disturbing and dangerous trend:

Pregorexic: Are Some Pregnant Women Putting Their Fetuses at Risk?

Part of the outrage over the Kimkins diet has been the way members and staff push themselves and each other to eat less and less, starving off the weight. This news story isn't about Kimkins, but there have been many examples of Kimkins members who want to do the diet while pregnant, or find themselves unable to stop the diet when they become pregnant. Pregnancy is absolutely the worst time to be starving your body - and your baby!

Exercise in a PILL? What do you think about that?

2008-08-01T04:01:00.005-07:00

Could a pill replace exercise?

Pill turns mice into chariots of fire

Exercise pill is better than a workout

This article says, "The drug works by by tapping into the molecular pathways that normally reprogram muscle in response to exercise. "

Would you take it? Would you trust it? Should insurance cover it? Should scientists be working on this?

Christin talks about Kimkins

2008-07-31T09:00:00.003-07:00

Jimmy Mmore has a new podcast interview with former Kimkins covergirl Chrstin Sherburne.
http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/christin-sherburne/

It's really nice to hear from Christin herself how she's doing after a really difficult year, including recovery from harm the Kimkins diet did to her physcially and emotionally. It's also helpful to hear a little news about the pending Kimkins class action lawsuit, since the process is so v~e~r~y long!

You can read more about Christin and her Kimkins experience on her blog.
http://the-journey-on.blogspot.com/

Thanks, Christin!

Big news day for lowcarb diets!

2008-07-16T16:31:00.003-07:00

These are different interpretations of the same info. I think it's all good news! Will the world get it? I hope so!

OK, I think it'll take more than this, but still... I'll take good news where I can! Note that none of the articles says to starve yourself on a low-everything diet until you lose your menstrual cycle, muscle mass and hair.

Study: Low-carb diet best for weight, cholesterol
Low-carb and Mediterranean diets beat low-fat for weight-loss ...
Best Diet: Low-Fat, Low-Carb or Mediterranean?

Some Recent Health News

2008-07-16T06:39:00.004-07:00

I found these articles interesting and thought I'd share them here.

_______________________________________________________

This one supports the importance of essential fatty acids for mental health.

Eating Healthy Food Can Keep Mental Disorders At Bay!
_______________________________________________________

The title on this one explains itself. Don't think that supplements can take the place of food.

Vitamin-rich foods always trump a bottle of supplements, nutrition experts say
_______________________________________________________

This one talks about how extreme diets can damage fertility. Kimkins members, if you start missing periods, please stop the diet. You don't have to be down to skin & bones to be harmed this way. Sorry about that annoying Citibank ad - I can't figure out how to make it go away but if you copy the text of the story into notepad or something, you can read the words blocked by the ad.

Excessive weight loss can affect women’s ability to conceive
_______________________________________________________

The title explains itself on this one, too.

Seek lifelong health over short-term weight loss

Kimkins Deceptive Marketing - Food Pictures

2008-07-10T06:28:00.004-07:00

This picture is part of a banner on the Kimkins site. Wouldn't you want to go on a diet where you could eat like this and still lose a ton of weight? (Actually you can, but not on Kimkins!) Those pictures stolen from other web sites to lure dieters into paying $80 just to find out that you don't really get to eat that way at all. Don't complain, though, because if you want to eat like the plan she advertised, you must not want to lose weight bad enough.

Now go back and look at Mariasol's previous brilliant posts about what the Kimkins diet really looks like:

http://mariasol-mariasol.blogspot.com/2008/02/kimkins-diet-plans.html
http://mariasol-mariasol.blogspot.com/2008/02/kimkins-food.html

From Dr. Briffa: Omega-3 fat supplementation found to improve brain function

2008-07-03T05:52:00.003-07:00

One of the nutrients Kimkins is most deficient in is essentail fatty acids. They're called essential for a reason! Here's a post from Dr. Briffa about the importance of Omega 3s for basic brain function, and potentially protecting you from dementia.

Regina Wilshire recently posted about Omega 3s and the brain, too. On her blog you'll find a wealth of easy to understand information about essential fatty acids and balance. You can also learn about ways to lose weight and improve your health, if you are looking for a way to get off the nutritionally bankrupt Kimkins diet but aren't sure where to start.

Kimkins & Low Thyroid

2008-06-22T11:17:00.004-07:00

Here's a case where Heidi Diaz / Kimmer may know what she's talking about. In a recent blog post, she reviewed the symptoms of low thyroid. (She lifted a thyroid image from here and her words from somewhere else but failed cite her sources. Figures.)

What stood out for me was the fact that the Kimkins diet causes all those same symptom, and the Kimkins Survivor blog is filled with accounts from people whose thyroids went bad while on Kimkins. Every one of the symptoms Heidi Diaz mentioned in her post were symptoms heard often from people who followed her diet.

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T19:50:00.003-07:00

We got my husband tennis rackets for the whole family - a gift that'll keep on giving! I hope you all had a really nice Father's Day.

Low on inspiration...

2008-06-07T19:57:00.003-07:00

Gosh this battle is dragging on. There should be more court action soon, though.

I read a blog today from a person who posted a couple of weeks ago that they were starting Kimkins and were so excited. They posted again this week saying they'd lost 100 pounds in 5 months on Kimkins. Do the math. It's more lies.

There are so many Kimkins blogs popping up, most from made-up people, telling the same lies. There were two pro-Kimkins blogs with the same post about a grill fire, too. I'm weary.

Get Smart, Feed People

2008-06-06T07:06:00.002-07:00

Here is a free vocabulary game that will help you improve your vocabulary and help provide free rice for hungry people. My kids really love it. You can adjust your game preferences on the options screen - start hard, start easy, etc.

Ignore the pictures if they trigger carb cravings!

Adrenal Fatigue Resource

2008-05-29T18:45:00.003-07:00

I previously posted about adrenal fatigue here:

Do You Have Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue is a common disorder characterized by

Fatigue
Feeling tired despite sufficient hours of sleep
Insomnia
Weight gain
Depression
Hair loss
Acne
Reliance on stimulants like caffeine
Cravings for carbohydrates or sugars
Poor immune function
Intolerance to cold

In addition to the resources I mentioned in that post, a kind commenter (thanks, Jacqueline!) pointed out another that seems very good.

Women to Women: Eating to Support Your Adrenal Glands - Small Choices Can Make a Big Difference

From her profile, I see Jacqueline has a blog, Women's Health News. Check it out, and tell her thanks for sharing the link!

Effects Of Semi-Starvation

2008-05-28T09:56:00.007-07:00

I want to share with you something I read this morning. This is some seriously interesting reading. It discusses and interprets the Ancel Keys “starvation study” from 1950.

The article is about the relationship between eating disorders and prolonged dietary restriction. The entire article can be found here:
Effects Of Semi-Starvation

It starts with this:

One of the most important advancements in the understanding of eating disorders is the recognition that severe and prolonged dietary restriction can lead to serious physical and psychological complications (Garner, 1997). Many of the symptoms once thought to be primary features of anorexia nervosa are actually symptoms of starvation. Given what we know about the biology of weight regulation, what is the impact of weight suppression on the individual? This is particularly relevant for those with anorexia nervosa, but is also important for people with eating disorders who have lost significant amounts of body weight. Perhaps the most powerful illustration of the effects of restrictive dieting and weight loss on behavior is an experimental study conducted almost 50 years ago and published in 1950 by Ancel Keys and his colleagues at the University of Minnesota (Keys et al., 1950). The experiment involved carefully studying 36 young, healthy, psychologically normal men while restricting their caloric intake for 6 months. More than 100 men volunteered for the study as an alternative to military service; the 36 selected had the highest levels of physical and psychological health, as well as the most commitment to the objectives of the experiment. What makes the "starvation study" (as it is commonly known) so important is that many of the experiences observed in the volunteers are the same as those experienced by patients with eating disorders.

It goes on to describe in detail how the study affected the participants, including:
Attitudes and Behavior Related to Food and Eating
Binge Eating
Emotional and Personality Changes
Social and Sexual Changes
Cognitive and Physical Changes

You really do need to read the whole article to appreciate the significance of the impact on these men.

The study participants started out as healthy men, with no apparent predisposition to eating disorders. By restricting their food intake by half for the duration of study, they suffered profound and long lasting impact.

With Kimkins food is restricted much more, and often for longer, than it was for these healthy men for the ‘starvation study’. The symptoms these men suffered are very similar to symptoms described by Kimkins survivors. There has been a great deal of debate over whether or not Kimkins can cause an eating disorder. I am no authority, but in my heart I feel the answer is that yes it can. It is commonly said that eating disorders are not about the food, but this study seems to indicate the issue is not that clear cut.

Have you been to AnswerFitness.com?

2008-05-28T09:24:00.002-07:00

AnswerFitness is a new-to-me blog. I found it through their detailed review of the Kimkins diet:

Kimkins Diet: Big Fat Fraud? Diet Reviews

I think it's important to note that he reviewed Kimkins on his own. He's not a naysayer, negative nancy, angry mobster, or any of the other things the 'ducks' have been called. He reviewed it and called it like he saw it. Good for him!

The blog is pretty neat. It has product reviews, health & fitness tips, and great recipes - I can't wait to try the Asparagus with Dijon Mustard Sauce!

Fraudelent Marketing in the News

2008-05-23T12:43:00.001-07:00

Former Body Solutions CEO admits lying to FTC
May 19, 2008

DALLAS

The former CEO of a company that used radio personalities to market Body
Solutions weight-loss products pleaded guilty Monday to lying to federal
regulators about his assets.

Harry Siskind, 53, former chief executive of Mark Nutritional Inc., entered
the plea in federal district court in San Antonio.

Siskind faces up to five years in federal prison, a fine up to $250,000 and
$155 million in restitution when he is sentenced Aug. 28, federal officials
said.

Siskind's attorney, a federal public defender, did not immediately respond
to phone and e-mail requests for comment. Siskind was released on $50,000
bond, according to court records.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in San Antonio said Siskind admitted making a
false statement about his assets during a 2003 deposition in the Federal
Trade Commission's lawsuit against himself, his former company and others.

The FTC is suing Siskind and others over marketing claims by Body Solutions
that drinking one of its products would cause users to lose weight as they
slept, without diet or exercise. The FTC took Siskind's deposition about
that lawsuit and a related bankruptcy case.

Officials said Siskind was ordered by a court to disclose all assets he
owned or controlled but described some valuable loans he was owed as
worthless stock.

Mark Nutritional agreed in 2003 to shut down. It sold about $155 million
worth of Body Solutions Evening Weight Loss Formula.

Source: Former Body Solutions CEO admits lying to FTC

Kimkins Lawsuit Gets Personal

2008-05-16T07:47:00.002-07:00

I thought this stuff only happened on television? People who speak out openly against Kimkins and support the Kimkins fraud lawsuit are being personally attacked on blogs, and are having their privacy invaded. It's like school yard bullying moved to cyber space! It's really ugly. I hope the targets of these attacks are working with John, and keeping their heads held high.

I recently saw a blogger go on and on about how the lawsuit participants haven't coughed up any hard evidence of damage caused by the diet, so the lawsuit will never fly. Excuse me? The lawsuit is about FRAUD. It will be very easy to prove and win, considering the volume of fraud that occurred and the stacks of evidence that have been provided. The personal attacks and diversions won't change the facts. They just prove what desperate and rotten people the defendants are.

Speaking of cyber bullying, I saw a story about a 49 year old woman who was indicted for harassing a 13 year old girl on MySpace, until the girl hanged herself. What kind of person would make up a fake identities to terrorize a child in such a cruel and intentional way?

Mom Indicted in Deadly MySpace Hoax

"This adult woman allegedly used the Internet to target a young teenage girl, with horrendous ramifications," U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien said in a written statement.

"Any adult who uses the Internet or a social gathering Web site to bully or harass another person, particularly a young teenage girl, needs to realize that their actions can have serious consequences," O'Brien said.

I hope she's convicted.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

2008-05-15T12:45:00.006-07:00

This was new to me, but some of you from the early days of Lowcarb Friends may remember this, or encounters like it, between Kimmer and anyone who disagreed with her.

At that point she claimed to be:

But really she was:

Read what she had to say with that in mind:
Still Neauseous?

Interesting Reading from Dr. Briffa

2008-05-08T10:04:00.003-07:00

Dr. Briffa had an interesting post about thyroid health a few weeks ago:

Low thyroid function may be a factor in weight gain despite ‘normal’ tests

He starts with this - see if it sounds familiar to you!

When I was studying medicine I was even more cynical than I am now and so, I think, were quite a few of my friends. We had all established firmly in our minds the notion that eating few calories than the body ‘burned’ would result in weight loss, so generally had little compassion for individuals who claimed they did not overeat but still could not shift their excess weight. Also, around the time a study was published which claimed that the overweight tend to significantly underestimate the amount they eat. So, if someone claimed that they thought they had a ‘sluggish metabolism’ or had ‘a problem with their glands’ (low thyroid function) then our eyes would usually roll skywards, if not outwardly, then at least inwardly.

Then you had thyroid testing and it was normal, right? Read the whole article to find out more about why normal may not be so normal after all.

Since then, he's written a follow up post about the dangers of ignoring allegedly normal thyroid test results:

More evidence that ‘normal’ thyroid function tests do not necessarily mean that all is well with the thyroid and health

He said

...this study focused on TSH levels in the ‘normal’ range, which the researchers cite as 0.5-3.5 mlU/L. This is interesting in itself, as the lab I usually use for these tests quotes and upper limit of TSH of 4.20, and I saw a patient yesterday who came with some blood test results where the upper limit of TSH was quoted as 5.50! it seems there is a lack of consensus about what the normal range of TSH should be…

Frustrated yet?

Anyway, focusing back on the study, the research looked at the risk of cardiac death in a group of about 17,000 women and 8000 men over a period of something more than 8 years.
They found no significant relationship between TSH levels and cardiac death risk in men. However, in women, it was a different story. Compared to women with a TSH level of 0.5-1.4 (relatively low levels which should mean relatively high thyroid function):
Women with a TSH level of between 1.5-2.4 were found to be at a 41 per cent increased risk of cardiac death.
Women with a TSH level of between 2.5-3.5 were found to be at a 69 per cent increased risk of cardiac death.

Yikes! In the end, Dr. Briffa says:

Quite a few doctors I know express concern at the thought of someone with ‘normal’ test results taking thyroid hormone. They often cite the risk of treatment, including risks to the heart. Obviously, I think it’s a good thing that as doctors we should be aware of the risks associated with thyroid hormone treatment. I just wish more doctors would see the other side: that there can be considerable risks associated with not treating too.

One of the commenters (Jackie) on the blog post shared some support resources. If you would like to learn more, check here:
Stop The Thyroid Madness
Thyroid Patient Advocacy
Hypothyroidism / Underactive Thyroid / Hashimoto's Disease
ThyroidUK.org
Her blog at http://gooddietgoodhealth.blogspot.com
Dr Peatfield’s book ‘Your Thyroid and How To Keep It Healthy’
Dr Lowe’s paper on the treatment of hypothyroidism

Happy International No Diet Day!

2008-05-06T04:43:00.004-07:00

Please read this important post from Sandy at Junkfood Science.

Happy International No Diet Day!

Today, I Pledge:
That I will not diet for one day, on May 6, International No Diet Day.
Instead of trying to change my body to fit someone else's standards, I will accept myself just as I am. (I'll TRY!)
I will feed myself if I'm hungry.
I will feel no shame or guilt about my size or about eating.
I will think about whether dieting has improved my health and well-being or not. (It has NOT!)
And I will try to do at least one thing I have been putting off "until I lose weight."

Katie Couric on Kimkins?

2008-05-02T11:47:00.006-07:00

I am just kidding, of course, but she did get Kimkins-like results. Check out the Katie Couric Photoshop Diet! Be sure to read the article so you can hear how she reacted when she found out this was done to her picture.

So Diets Don't Work...

2008-05-01T11:35:00.007-07:00

An interesting article from last year about a study that concluded that diets don’t work. You can read the whole thing here.

Here are some things that stood out for me:

"You can initially lose 5 to 10 percent of your weight on any number of diets, but then the weight comes back," said Traci Mann, UCLA associate professor of psychology and lead author of the study. "We found that the majority of people regained all the weight, plus more. Sustained weight loss was found only in a small minority of participants, while complete weight regain was found in the majority. Diets do not lead to sustained weight loss or health benefits for the majority of people."

"What happens to people on diets in the long run?" Mann asked. "Would they have been better off to not go on a diet at all? We decided to dig up and analyze every study that followed people on diets for two to five years. We concluded most of them would have been better off not going on the diet at all.

"Several studies indicate that dieting is actually a consistent predictor of future weight gain," said Janet Tomiyama, a UCLA graduate student of psychology and co-author of the study. One study found that both men and women who participated in formal weight-loss programs gained significantly more weight over a two-year period than those who had not participated in a weight-loss program, she said.

Another study, which examined a variety of lifestyle factors and their relationship to changes in weight in more than 19,000 healthy older men over a four-year period, found that "one of the best predictors of weight gain over the four years was having lost weight on a diet at some point during the years before the study started," Tomiyama said.

Sounds pretty bleak, doesn't it? So where does that leave us? Certainly not Kimkins. Heidi Diaz is precisely a model of exactly what this study says. I'm really not sure where that leaves us, but I'm going to work hard to find out. The article says eating in moderation and exercise are key, but I haven't seen any studies that shows that works, either! What next? The food pyramid? It has to come down to addressing the cause!

Nothing Tastes As Good As Being Thin Feels

2008-04-30T10:49:00.003-07:00

Really?

__________________________________

Image source:

Hila Elmalich, Israeli Model Dies of Anorexia

What's Wrong With This Picture? Some of my observations...

2008-04-29T03:52:00.004-07:00

Check out the woman who forgot to put her dress on over her trashy slip. Her BFF should have told her! Boobs, belly button and undergarments (if any - we can hope) on full display. What self respecting woman would do this? Oh wait, they wouldn't. I can't imagine what kind of event they are attending, with the fashion statements displayed in this photo, complete with beer bottles and flasks. Any guesses?

Of course, my real objection to this photo is the pig in the tee shirt. First of all - COVER THAT UP! Again, what person with any self respect would display themselves in this pathetic and sad way? He's no victim, though - he's the one doing the damage with that ignorant message on the shirt. His message is clear - if you 'beat' the disease called anorexia, you'll look like him. Better to keep starving yourself than try to beat the disease. Shameful.

Heidi Diaz sends the same sort of message with Kimkins. Best to diet-coke-fast off the pounds, take laxatives daily so 'potty problems' don't mask weight loss, trick your body into feeling too queasy to eat, berate yourself for an extra 'finger grab' of salad, whatever it takes not to look like the guy in that picture. Better to hide behind lies and phony photos than be who you are. Shameful!

What's Wrong With This Picture?

2008-04-28T13:14:00.003-07:00

What do you think about this picture?

The Disorder Next Door

2008-04-25T11:14:00.004-07:00

SELF magazine has an interesting article called The disorder next door. Their conclusion? Over 6 in 10 American women have disordered eating, and another 1 in 10 has an eating disorder.

This was covered this morning on the Today Show. I found it odd they had Matt Lauer do the interview. Maybe this is unfair, but it felt like having me cover a wrestling match. LOL! Here's a link to the interview:

SELF poll reveals 65 percent of American women are disordered eaters

Here's an excerpt:

The online SELF survey garnered responses from 4,000 women ages 25 to 45 to a detailed questionnaire about their eating habits and found that most disordered eaters fall into one or more of six categories. "Calorie prisoners" are terrified of gaining weight, tend to see food as good or bad and feel extremely guilty if they indulge in something that’s off-limits. Secret eaters binge on junk food at home, in the car — wherever they won’t be found out. Career dieters may not know what to eat without a plan to follow; despite their efforts, they’re more likely than other types to be overweight or obese. Purgers are obsessed with ridding their body of unwanted calories and bloat by using laxatives, diuretics or occasional vomiting. Food addicts eat to soothe stress, deal with anger, even celebrate a happy event; they think about food nearly all the time. Extreme exercisers work out despite illness, injury or exhaustion and solely for weight loss; they are devastated if they miss a session. Like Marsh, who Bulik describes as a calorie prisoner and an exercise addict, many disordered eaters piece together a painful mix of destructive habits. Others may shift between categories over the years, ricocheting from restricting to bingeing to purging, for instance.
Even more frightening, the SELF survey reveals that an additional 10 percent of women suffer from outright eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, meaning that a total of 75 percent of all American women — three out of four — eat, think and behave abnormally around food.

Gulp. I looked around the SELF website and found some interesting articles and tools there. Take the SELF Magazine eating disorder quiz. I did and the results were UGly. (Ugly with a capital UG, get it?) My reaction? Well DUH! I have probably fit 5 of the 6 categories mentioned above at one time or another - often most of them all at once. The one that spoke loudest to me was the 'career dieter.'

So now what will SELF do with those results? My challenge to them is to show people how to get healthy about eating and their weight, instead of reverting to the regular glossy coverage of how it's so much better to be skinny than fat, with a side order of implications that if you're fat it's because you don't want it bad enough.

Do you have adrenal fatigue?

2008-04-22T09:33:00.005-07:00

Life is pretty demanding, and constantly elevated stress hormones can take a serious toll on the body. Check out some of the following sources for information about adrenal fatigue if you are experiencing symptoms like these:

Fatigue
Feeling tired despite sufficient hours of sleep
Insomnia
Weight gain
Depression
Hair loss
Acne
Reliance on stimulants like caffeine
Cravings for carbohydrates or sugars
Poor immune function
Intolerance to cold

Adrenal fatigue assessment
Adrenal fatigue — the effects of stress and high cortisol levels
Adrenal Fatigue Screening Quiz

It seems like for every site with adrenal fatigue information, there's a product they assure you will help. However, this site offers some practical advice:

Recovering from adrenal fatigue: How your body can overcome chronic stress and feel energized again

Angry About Kimkins

2008-04-17T16:17:00.006-07:00

In case anyone has forgotten why people are so angry at Heidi Diaz for the crash diet that is Kimkins, TheTruth has some important reminders - Heidi's own words.

Kimmer: Cut Calories and Take Laxatives

Kimmer: Calories and Laxatives #2

Kimmer: Calories and Laxatives #3

Truly scary diet advice - this woman is teaching you what it takes to be as successful as The Kimmer.

Some New Blogs I'm Enjoying

2008-04-15T10:25:00.002-07:00

These gals are new/renewed bloggers and I wanted to give them a shout-out and some bloggy love!

Chilled White Wine
Kimkins-Free
Kenni's Korner

When Reading Internet Articles - Beware of Manipulation

2008-04-11T06:42:00.005-07:00

One good outcome from the Kimkins disaster is that a lot of people have gotten much more discerning about things they read. Is the material education or manipulation? Is it the truth? What's in it for the author? Is the author a real person? Who is making money off this article, or the product it casually mentions in the closing lines?

Here's one brand new 'article', spreading across the internet like a virus. It is created by the accused fraud, Heidi Diaz of Kimkins fame. I started to do a phrase by phrase commentary but it got too ugly and snarky for me. When it comes down to it, this article was written by a career liar intent on making you feel bad about yourself in order to motivate you to hook up with her dangerous crash yo-yo diet plan. See how convincing she can be? There are some real hard truths in there. Mixed with big fat whopping lies, and really powerful manipulation. If you aren't on to this woman, she can be quite convincing. And even if you are on to her, it's still easy to forget as you read her persuasive words that she's:

Not a successful dieter at all
Not a low carb diet expert
Not honest with herself or her clients (have you seen the deposition videos?)
Not interested in promoting healthy weight loss
Not capable of taking her own diet advice
Manipulating potential customers by acting like she's got all the right answers
Destroyed her health trying to do the plan she's selling

I can't imagine what is missing her soul that she's not hiding under a rock, trembling in fear over what's coming for her as a result of her actions. Instead, she's still out there marketing under various names.

As intelligent consumers, we often will research products on the web to find out more about what we're considering purchasing. A year ago there was nothing readily findable on the web but glowing articles and reviews of Kimkins. I remember reading them and thinking - wow, I can't find anything bad about this plan! Now I'm aware that the articles I was reading weren't really articles, they were spam. The reviews I was reading were lies. The blogs I was reading were affiliates - often the same affiliates over and over. The photos were faked. It was really a brilliantly engineered scam, designed to solidly lock up the top hundreds of spots of search results. If it weren't for the work of empowered and outraged consumers, this would still be the case for Kimkins today.

Unfortunately, it isn't just Kimkins that's like this. Deceptive and relentless marketing can really drown out the truth. In Kimkins case, it took thousands of hours of work by people rallying together to get the truth raised up so new people can find it. That work has to continue, or the truth will sink again. In all likelihood, the vast majority of scams are in the same golden position Kimkins was in last year.

We have to be so suspicious of what we read about services or products we are considering. There is a lot to be gained by the scammers wanting to separate us from our money.

___________________________________________________________

Are You Faux Dieting?
08th April 2008

If you look anywhere it seems these days, there's a revolt of "faux". Faux fur. Faux Louis Vuitton. Faux paint treatments. Faux Monet. Well, technically I suppose that's a poster, but you get the idea. With so many alternatives to the real deal, it's unfortunately becoming second nature to accept second best.

What about faux dieting? Are you guilty? Quiz yourself on the following and see if you can give yourself a truthful "yes" (hey, without crossing your fingers!)

Ask yourself:

1) I've got a diet strategy for family gatherings rather than playing it by ear (or urge).

2) I've never saved calories or carbs from meals so I can drink alcohol later.

3) I don't confuse 15 carbs from high nutrient veggies with 15 carbs from sugar free chocolate candies.

4) I've never pretended 400 calories of fried chicken was the same as 400 calories of broiled chicken & veggies.

5) I always make a whole hearted full time 100% commitment to my weight loss plan.

Ahem, so how did you do? How quick are you to forgive yourself for a relapse? Nobody is suggesting we flagellate ourselves for a cheat -- planned or otherwise. But in this era of pop psychologists who diagnose 15 year problem marriages in 15 minute TV segments, we're all too quick to gloss it over.

"Well, I tried." Yep, you tried. You've been trying for years, what else is new? When are you going to suck it up and finally do it? If you can't be honest with yourself, who can you be honest with? Think about it.

It boggles the mind to hear the excuses we give ourselves for remaining fat and undisciplined. What's even scarier is that we're believing it! Or do we? Try these on for size:

"I was losing too quickly and experts recommend only losing 1 or 2 pounds a week so we don't deprive ourselves of nutrients."

Oh really? So your splurge was on organic fresh spinach salad with organic free range chicken? Yeah, didn't think so.

"I really like this low carb thing, but I want to keep my calories up so I started having faux cheesecake or chicken wings with bleu cheese dressing."

Oh, please spare us. Did you also order some celery sticks for the dressing so you could faux the vaguest semblance of nutrition in that scenario? I'd have to say one of the strangest "starvation mode" stories I've ever heard was from a mom who ate the rest of her kid's Klondike ice cream sandwich because she felt her calories were too low that day. And, uh, yes, that mom is still "trying" to lose. Stay tuned.

"I want to be a good example for my daughter (son)."

Good! You can start by quit finishing off their left over Kraft macaroni & cheese, buying trans fat soaked Cup of Soup, sneaking mashed potatoes and gravy off their plate when they aren't looking or announcing "Just one won't hurt," as you order a triple burger super combo on the way home from soccer practice. With a diet soda, of course.

Now, what exactly about "dieting" is a bad example?

What's wrong with showing your kids some self restraint and making healthy choices? If you're a low carber, there's no law lurking in the universe that you must eat carbs. Serving yourself a plate of grilled salmon, mixed greens salad and steamed broccoli florets with ginger dressing is nothing to be ashamed of.

"My grandmother will freak out for sure if I don't eat (take your pick) the 100 year old family recipe potato salad, Aunt Sarah's chocolate cake, my sister's famous garlic cheese bread ... at the family picnic this weekend."

The final nail in the coffin may be, "And your sister is going through a divorce so be sure you don't upset her."

Ask your grandmother if she's going to pay for your insulin when you develop obesity induced diabetes. Hopefully she can explain to your kids why you couldn't get life insurance with a BMI of 43 and died prematurely due to heart disease. Obesity related, of course.

When are we going to quit lying to ourselves? Excuse me, fauxing?

"I don't want my daughter to develop an eating disorder by watching me diet."

A candidate for the Mom Hall of Fame! Odd they have no qualms about parking their kids in the waiting room of a bariatric surgeon while they get a Lapband consultation. Or sitting patiently at the pharmacy while mom picks her diet pills. Or watch them count calories, fat grams or points with military precision at every family meal (don't forget to drag out the food scale).

If you're serious about weight loss, do it. But don't make excuses. Quit fauxing.

------

Heidi Diaz is the owner of popular Kimkins.con weight loss website and an expert in the low carb lifestyle.

This article is free for republishing. OF COURSE IT IS!

Calling Kimkins Members in San Diego County

2008-04-09T17:17:00.005-07:00

What Bamagal said here:

If you are a former Kimkins member and you reside in San Diego County, John Tiedt would appreciate hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
Please email John or use the Contact Us form on his website.
If you know of any former Kimkins members in San Diego County, please be sure to let them know that John Tiedt is looking for their assistance.
Everyone can help by spreading the word. Thank you very much for your help.
~*~*~*~
For those who may not already know, John Tiedt is the lawyer handling the Kimkins Class Action Lawsuit. I do hope that all former Kimkins members will consider joining the Kimkins Class Action Lawsuit, if you have not already done so. There is strength in numbers.
If you have already joined the Lawsuit via email, please be sure that you get your affidavit to John as soon as possible. Remember, if you need any help with completing this, be sure to watch the helpful video.
Thank you!

Here we go again...

2008-04-07T10:06:00.009-07:00

Heidi Diaz is still dispensing unqualified, hazardous advice.

These comments from Heidi Diaz were posted today at Kimkins, and quoted at LCF:

Re:"I'm a Kimkins Newbie" Challenge 2008! 2 Hours, 15 Minutes ago

Kimmer:
"I don't believe in starvation mode (you can read more in my blog). The whole point of gastric surgery or Lapband is to drastically cut calories. There was a woman on the Joy Luck Club (Today Show) recently who lost 125+ lbs after gastric surgery. Her surgeon was on the show with her. She is now a size 2 and described what she eats: 2-3 oz of protein first, then a small amount of veggies. If she's full after a few ounces of protein, she passes on the veggies. Her example of how many asparagus she could eat was 2-4, plus a multivitamin."
"Last night I heard part of the show "I Can Make You Thin" on TLC. He also mentioned that metabolism is not rigid, it's flexible and rises and falls according to activity level and personal "build in" metabolism. This is what I've said for years. When you reduce calories your metabolism drops, but not drastically. When you reach goal and begin eating more, your metabolism will raise, but people need to eat less at goal. This is a shocker for some people. They didn't "break" their metabolism -- their body may be 50, 100, 200 pounds lighter. A 125 lb body needs much less "energy" (calories) than a 325 lb body."
"Dr. Johnny Bowden is respected in the diet industry. He wrote in an article suggesting women can lose and maintain on 1250-1400 calories a day -- men 1800."
"Don't force low calories, just eat clean ... eat according to appetite. Be sure to take a good quality multivitamin (I like Centrum). Dr. Oz on Oprah suggested splitting the multivitamin in half because our bodies don't process a mass dose of vitamins all at once."
"The "tons of energy" is ketosis. Ain't it great!"

I'd love to hear from people who have had weight loss surgery. Tell me, is this an accurate portrayal of how you are supposed to eat long term? What health effects are you warned to expect? How closely are you monitored? For how long are you monitored? What is the expected regain rate?

I'm really puzzled at how the respected Dr. Johnny Bowden's opinion that people can lose at more than 1200 calories a day can in any way be considered supportive of Kimmer and her 500-calorie bootcamp plan and her Kimkins 'how low can you go' Experiment? I wonder if he'd appreciate her twisted application of his knowledge this way? (I think I'll go ask him!)

How flexible does Heidi Diaz metabolism appear to be after decades of crash/binge dieting? Her Kimkins Experiment of 1 is a dismal failure, so why is she giving advice?

UPDATED:
Here is a link to real information about eating after WLS: Heidi, Heidi, Heidi

Is Aspartame Safe? Depends On Who You Ask.

2008-04-03T18:07:00.003-07:00

Dr. Briffa discusses this topic on his blog:

New review catalogues the myriad of ways aspartame can mess up your body and brain

Tellingly, whether a study finds for or against aspartame seems to be intimately related to, err, who paid for it. In one on-line review of the evidence finds that while 100 per cent of industry-funded studies conclude aspartame is safe, 92 per cent of independently funded research and reports identified aspartame as a potential cause of harmful effects.

Isn't that just awful? That corporations with deep pockets, lots of attorneys, and money on the line, can skew data when our health is at stake?

I believe that aspartame is bad, but I still use it sometimes. Why? Inner brat, I guess. I occasionally want something sweet, without going off plan. A little voice says that the studies that reveal problems are based on consuming thousands of times the amount I consume. As more evidence, both anecdotal and scientific, becomes available, I'm getting more and more put off.

So then what? I absolutely can't stand stevia. So I reach for Splenda, despite figuring that one day the evidence will be available that proves it, too, is dangerous. I know there are sites that say it's dangerous now. I'm reluctant to believe because I don't want to be without it.

Do you consume NutraSweet? Splenda? Sugar alcohols? Any other sweet substitutes? I'd love to hear what you're using.

Way to go, Manuel!

2008-04-02T18:14:00.003-07:00

Check this out!!!

'World's Fattest Man' Drops 570 Pounds

The world's fattest man loses half his body weight - but still weighs almost 50 stone

World's Fattest Man Leaves House

I have followed Manuel Uribe's story for a long time now. I'm shocked and excited that he is not dead. He has lost over a quarter ton - not with risky bariatric surgery or a dangerous crash diet, but the Zone diet. Sane, healthy, controlled carb. WTG!

I wish this man all the best for continued success, health, and a happy life with his future wife. He has far to go, but has come very far indeed. I am deeply impressed.