BabyBug

This is long and I know you didn’t ask for all this but I have wanted to get this off my chest and give information about my personal situation with Kimkins.I have lost 100 pounds and about half was with kimkins. I was actively doing the Kimkins for 2 months.

To understand my situation my life had been recently out of control due to an illness that caused the weight gain of 167 pounds in less that 2 years.The low calories of kimkins when combined with not being hungry made me feel like I was in control of something….my body…

Like I shared in another post while I was doing kimkins my husband would make comments like, “Is that all you are eating.” or “You haven’t eaten today..”

In my mind I felt pride and a sense of accomplishment. Although of course that was not what he was saying at all. Then one day my daughter who is 6 said, “I haven’t eaten all day” (talking about herself). Now I NEVER told her about what I had or hadn’t eaten…. but kids watch.

What hurt me so much was she had pride in her voice. I got so mad and went into how she is supposed to eat and health all that biz. But I realized that I had to set an example. I have been trying to add back into my diet but I am truly having a difficult time.

I found that for me there was this sense of pride in having control over my appetite. It was very empowering to not have to worry about food. I am not saying I have an ED or trying to play that role to anyone….I am just saying that after discussing it here and reading about ED some of the emotions sound the same…Control, pride, empowering, that sort of thing.

I have asked “Why” or “How” could my eating habits change that drastically and that fast. After pondering things I think it is because everyone starts with k/E and once you get passed the first 5 days the appetite is gone. So then that need to eat is not there. We are encouraged to do K/E long-term and that we need to stay in ketosis , count fiber, limit vegetables, measure EVERYTHING and weigh daily.

Combine that with the fact that a person is losing weight. Then add in that wonderful high of control. Then the icing on the top is everyone is telling you how great the weight loss is which reconfirms that it is the right thing to do. That is where the sense of pride comes in.

When I first heard the rumors about how kimkins promotes ED. I actually laughed. I thought how can you have anorexia unless you want to have it. I mean just eat!!!

Of course now I know that is not the case. I mean does anyone with an addiction or disorder really want it?? I thought that would be like saying “You wouldn’t be an alcoholic unless you want to be an alcoholic.” It’s not that simple. I mean no one wants those things.

But the kicker is you are praised for losing the weight in the forums and in the support. Also, praised in you personal life by friends and family. So you think you are doing something right. Oh the pride.

But of course that would never happen if another type of addiction was causing you to lose weight. For example if a person said “Hey I’ve found that snorting coke helps me lose weight and I have been doing it daily.” No one would say “Oh you look great, way to go.” ….with limiting food they do because that is dieting but there is a fine line.

This is where the danger lies I think because if someone has a lot of weight to lose, like myself, you definitely don’t look like you have an eating disorder so no one notices. Even the person eating the low calories.

You continue the eating behavior longer with the idea that you are just “dieting” because you have to diet that extra weight off. You will lose fast so you will only be doing this WOE short term

Keep in mind I also never had a history of an ED and like many always thought you can’t develop one in your 30’s. I mean that is a younger person’s issue….Right?!?!

I did K/E most of the time because I was afraid to get out of ketosis. Which now I feel is all bunk… but that mindset had already kicked in and I am finding it difficult to add things back.

I know K/E says ALL the lean protein until you feel full, but the problem is there is only so much chicken, fish etc…that a person can eat so one’s calories are low as a result. I usually stayed under 600 calories and .many days under 400 calories I found when calculating things. Not on purpose….Just due to the appetite suppression and not wanting anymore damn protein.

I started having symptoms (decrease in energy, mood swings, dry skin, insomnia, less menstrual flow) I thought they were related to not enough fat and also the low calories so I started adding some fat. But I am finding that I am afraid to do too much because I don’t want to gain back the weight.

I do and always have taken several multi supplements…NOT a multi-vitamin which is all Kimmer has officially stated. AND even on the website page you can view before you sign up it just says an only a “good multi-vitamin”.

That is why there is a big difference in someone doing 500 calories a day after a gastric bypass or band surgeries and kimkins. Besides the fact that you are under a doctor’s care…you are also monitored by labs for the need of supplements like electrolytes, iron, calcium etc…A member is not getting near enough of what they would need in a multi-vitamin.

Then the weighing everyday that Kimmer encourages or the boards “whoosh fairy” was the term coined for when you didn’t lose weight for a few days to let you know it would soon. I think that weighing daily also feeds into that mentality too. Then if someone does laxatives will there you go an ED. I never did the laxatives because I just drew the line on that one.

But to answer your questionI am an “un-banned member” but no longer doing the Kimkins plan. I still have 50-60 pounds to lose and I am at a loss as to what I should eat, so I don’t at times and that isn’t a good thing.

from Active Lowcarber Forum “Kimmer Kimmer Kimmer”