Michele

I first bought a People magazine in early January of this year, the new issue of “ Half Their Size issue”. At the time I had been making my 7th attempt at Weight Watchers, with very slow results and half-hearted motivation. Even though all the people presented had different methods for losing the weight, I was immediately drawn to the name of one. “ Kimkins”. Sounds like Atkins, yet has a woman’s name attached. So I visit the website, see that there is a fee to join $39.95 for a lifetime membership. At the time I didn’t think the price was too high because I was already paying $9.95 monthly to the Weight Watchers website. Even though there was not a lot of information regarding the plan, the lure of quick results was my biggest draw. And it wasn’t the quick loss of 20 lbs; it was the big losses that had me excited. I had done Weight Watchers on and off for 10 years with never losing more than 20lbs. And I was nearly 90 lbs overweight. With every attempt to lose weight, I would inevitability gain it back.Once I joined and read what was going on I was at first excited, then scared. Excited by the amount of weight people had lost in such a short period of time, all the time thinking I would never be that lucky. Scared by the amount of calories people were eating. Thinking it sounded like you are expected to follow the plan as directed for the fastest results. I was thinking there was no way I could only eat 500-700 calories a day. Yet when I looked at other members journal entries I could see how little people were eating. Eating 500-700 calories a day, going by the different plans outlined by the plan is very easy to do. It comes very naturally when you are going by the rules and following the posts on the forums.

You start to see how everyone else is doing “the plan” and you follow by example. You think it is normal, even though in the back of your mind there is a nagging feeling that it is not normal. You ignore it. You ignore the feelings of nausea, and dizziness for months on end because you know that is part of the plan. You begin to accept the feeling of SNATT (Semi Nauseous All The Time) as a badge of honor for this new way of eating. You start using laxatives as directed to by other members because of “potty issues”. You’re armed with Epsom salt, Milk of Magnesia and Smooth Move Tea. You tell yourself you feel leaner, your clothes feel good when they are baggy. You know you are finally getting somewhere with your battle of the bulge.

That is until your hair starts falling out, and you notice others are posting about the same problems. And you notice how low your energy is, you can barely work an eight hour day, come home for your kids, cook supper and sit in a chair till bedtime. Then you notice you drink nearly a gallon of water a day, yet you don’t go to the bathroom like you used to with other plans.

After all this… I started to finally question what am I doing to my body when I’m eating 600 calories a day, losing globs of hair everyday for two months, and my heart feels at time to be skipping beats and other times it was racing? I’ve lost over 60 lbs and was still trying to lose the last 30lbs. I found it hard to let go, but I finally reached out. I finally started investigating other sites, found familiar faces and started asking questions. I also went to my doctor. EKG and blood tests revealed I have a heart issue and some questionable readings on kidney function. I will be back in a few weeks for a Holter monitor and further check-up.

I want to say thank you to everyone who have brought this issue of the questioning the diet’s safety out. This is stuff you will never find on the Kimkins website. I would have never let go of this plan had I not found what the controversies were and why.

You’re doing great work, please keep it up and keep coming forward.