Christin Sherburne leading a lawsuit against the Kimkins diet
Most people who have been following my blog for any length of time over the past year already knows about the Kimkins diet scam and the ongoing class action lawsuit that has been brought up against the diet's founder Heidi Diaz, aka "Kimmer." One of the leading voices against Kimkins now is a woman who was featured on the front cover of Woman's World magazine in June 2007 touting her 100-pound weight loss in just five months. But a series of strange events involving Diaz and some potentially life-threatening health complications opened up her eyes to the dangers of the Kimkins diet scheme.
Click on the "LISTEN NOW" link below or download it to your iPod to hear Episode 163:
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 163 [29:56m]: LISTEN NOW | Download
Christin Sherburne takes us through this up-and-down journey over the past year when she was in support of Kimkins because of her incredible weight loss on it and then to her fervent opposition to this diet plan that threatened her health and is harming the lives of real people even to this day. I've been privileged to get to know Christin over this past year and met her in February this year on our first annual low-carb cruise (she'll be coming on the cruise in January 2009 as well!). She really is one of the nicest people you will ever meet.
In the podcast, Christin opens up about those confusing days following her experience as the Kimkins cover-girl when she became the public relations spokesperson for the diet, how she ran into a brick wall when she asked Heidi Diaz/Kimmer to answer some of the questions that had been swirling around the Internet from concerned onlookers, the role Laura Dolson played in helping her see the fraud this diet and its founder is, her unending determination to expose this scam wherever she can to help protect others from falling victim to it, what's happening with the class action civil lawsuit and potential criminal lawsuit against Heidi Diaz, and the positive things that have come out of this entire ordeal that are impacting her life today.
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So what did you think about Christin Sherburne? Regardless of your stance on the Kimkins diet, did Christin convince you one way or the other? Share your thoughts about today's interview in the show notes section of Episode 163. Check out more from Christin Sherburne by visiting her at her LivinLowCarbDiscussion.com page as well as her inspirational "The Journey" blog.
Come back next week for a highly-requested two-part follow-up interview with Dr. Keith Berkowitz who will answer a slew of questions that came in following my first podcast interview with him a few months back about the subject of "reactive hypoglycemia" while on a low-carb diet. If you sent me a question about this, then tune in on Monday and Thursday to hear it answered by Dr. Berkowitz. THANKS for listening to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore."
The beautiful and articulate AmyB shares her painful Kimkins story
In Episode 123 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore", I'm happy to share with you an exclusive interview with someone who has been at the center of the ongoing Kimkins diet controversy over the past six months since the founder of that company has been outed as a morbidly obese scam artist named Heidi Diaz who has bilked tens of thousands of people with her devious and dangerous dietary advice. Her name is AmyB and she knows all too well about the manipulation that Diaz can inflict on people and was a personal victim of such while she was a member at the Kimkins site. Hear AmyB speak candidly about how she was taken advantage of by "Kimmer" and why she is now one of the most outspoken critics of Kimkins today.
Click on the "LISTEN NOW" link below or download it to your iPod to hear Episode 123:
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 123 [36:45m]: LISTEN NOW | Download
It's amazing to hear AmyB talk about Kimkins and Heidi Diaz as she does now with all the innocence and honesty of the entire situation. Even as everyone else was becoming privy to the truth about this increasingly obvious scam (myself included!), she stayed for months afterwards. It wasn't about Heidi, but the people she grew so close to at the Kimkins site that kept her there. Now she's reaching out to them to rescue them from the snares of a delusional woman who is under investigation for fraud. AmyB's message to anyone still at Kimkins: GET OUT NOW!!!
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Whether you are engaged in the whole Kimkins debacle or not, what did you think about AmyB's comments? Do you think her concerns about the impact this diet had on her health got her banned by Heidi? Or was it something else that drove this decision by Diaz to suddenly happen? Chat about it and tell us what you think in the show notes section of Episode 123.
Special thanks to Elle from "Grilled Cheese with Pickles" for providing a full transcript of the podcast interview I conducted with AmyB. She volunteered to do that and I am very grateful for her service. You can access this transcript right now by clicking here.
Be sure to tune in again on Thursday when I'll be sharing another interview with a fellow health and weight loss motivator named Nicki Anderson from Reality Fitness who I have talked about before. Nicki's perspective has been radically changed after reading Life Without Bread and Good Calories, Bad Calories over the past year. You're gonna LOVE what she has to share as we enjoyed "meeting" each other during this incredible interview. DON'T MISS IT!!! And thanks so much for listening to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore."
The notorious Woman's World magazine Kimkins cover story
It took them eight months to do it, but Woman's World magazine has FINALLY acknowledged the cover story they did on the now-notorious Kimkins diet contained some "inaccurate information" from and about the founder of the low-fat, low-calorie, starvation scheme--the lying and manipulative Heidi Diaz.
Ever since a private investigator released photos of a morbidly obese Diaz back in September 2007, literally thousands of concerned readers have flooded Woman's World with letters and e-mails begging them to print a retraction of their June 2007 story featuring the Kimkins diet prominently with two real people--Christin Sherburne and Deni Huttula--and a fake photograph and story of Diaz who referred to herself in the magazine as Kim Drake.
Christin Sherburne and Deni Huttula have repudiated Kimkins
Although Heidi Diaz alleged to have lost 200 pounds, it was one big lie and it took a class action lawsuit deposition for her to admit that after many months of speculation following the private investigator's shocking photo discovery. In the meantime, some of the most ardent former supporters of this diet have been speaking out about how the Kimkins diet program has negatively impacted their health and even got a local television station in Los Angeles (KTLA-TV) to pick up the story in October 2007.
Despite this, Woman's World was eerily silent.
But then the Kimkins diet fraud was given a nationally-televised audience for the first time in November 2007 when it was featured on FOX-TV's "The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet" where Christin and Deni shared their concerns about Diaz and the ultra-low-calorie diet plan she was pushing on the members of Kimkins who joined as a result of the Woman's World story. They warned that this diet simply promoted "anorexia" and should be avoided.
Even still, Woman's World did nothing.
The public spokesperson for the Kimkins diet at the time was a woman named Jeannie Battinger who severed ties with the organization in response to her own concerns about the now-exposed Kimkins founder. Even as Battinger was trying to defend the indefensible during her appearance on "The Morning Show," you could tell she knew that something was awry. Her resignation took place about a week after the show aired.
A statement from Woman's World Magazine. Please accept our apology. We at Woman’s World pride ourselves on finding inspiring diet successes to share with our readers every week. That's why we were so distressed to learn that Kim Drake, the founder of Kimkins.com, gave us inaccurate information about herself and her weight loss. Though the article appeared several months ago, in our June 12, 2007 issue, and nutritionists assure us the diet information we provided was accurate, we deeply regret having shared with you a story we can't stand behind. Your trust means everything to us, and we want to bring you the very best magazine we can, each and every week.
All I can say is IT'S ABOUT TIME!!! Considering all the preponderance of the evidence that had previously come out in the eight months since the story was published, it should not have taken this long for action to be taken. They are now asking for people to e-mail them at dearww@bauerpublishing.com if they have any concerns or questions about this decision.
According to our friends at Kimkins Scam, the retraction will appear in the March 4th issue and will be on newsstands the week of February 25th. The skepticism of the Kimkins Scam author about this is difficult to argue with or ignore.
"Now, you know this retraction will be buried way back in the back, in itty bitty letters. Just CYA...that's all it is...CYA."
She's right! But at least they took SOME kind of action to right this wrong that set in motion a flood of new Kimkins members to the web site to be sucked in by a professional scam artist who is still bilking members out of $80 even today (it used to be $60 before that $40 before that $15 before that $10...is it gonna cost a hundred bucks next, Heidi?!). If you're even thinking about joining this web site, don't waste your money.
There are plenty of FREE low-carb support groups like my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Discussion" forum, Low-Carb Friends, Active Low-Carber forum, The Low-Carb Cafe forum, Eating Low with Amy, Atkins All The Way, and MANY MANY MORE (my apologies for leaving some out...but there are a BUNCH of 'em)! The point is you don't NEED to pay money to get the support you need in your low-carb lifestyle. You can glean all the helpful support and information you need to get started right livin' la vida low-carb by relying on the collective wisdom of those of us who have been eating this way a while. We're ready to help you on this amazing journey to lose weight and get healthy, so hop on board one or more of these sites today to get started!
I think we should all e-mail Woman's World at dearww@bauerpublishing.com to thank them for stepping up and doing the right thing. Yes, it took them a long time to do it, but at least they did it and printing a retraction takes a lot of guts for a magazine to do. They don't like getting a story wrong, so let's encourage them and share how much we appreciate the courage they have taken in doing this. Perhaps you can send them your story of success by livin' la vida low-carb if they want to talk about REAL success the healthy low-carb way. Ladies only please! :D
The Kimkins fraud on full display on "Good Morning America"
As I shared with you last week, ABC News has been very interested in doing a story on the Kimkins diet scam that has fooled tens of thousands of people into falling prey to an unsafe and potentially dangerous anorexic nutritional scheme while lining the pockets of a morbidly obese woman named Heidi Diaz with millions of dollars. They are looking for people who have been harmed by Kimkins to appear on camera as part of their investigation. If you have a story you'd like to share with them, then please use this contact form to send the details of your experience to an ABC News producer.
In the meantime, the Kimkins diet scandal was exposed to a nationwide audience on Sunday morning when ABC-TV aired a segment about it on the weekend edition of their popular television news magazine "Good Morning America." You can read the column about this segment by clicking here and then watch the video featuring Kimkins diet victim Christin Sherburne and class action lawsuit attorney John Tiedt.
Momentum for this new national television bombshell investigation about the Kimkins diet scam has been building for months thanks in part to the grassroots investigative work of various anti-Kimkins bloggers and specifically an ever-growing thread at the popular online forum web site Low-Carb Friends, who I recognized in my list of Top 10 Low-Carb Movers & Shakers Of 2007 for the fabulous work they have been doing to spread the word about this crooked diet imposter.
Because of their efforts, a series of in-depth news stories came out on Los Angeles-based KTLA television in October 2007 revealing video of a 300-pound Diaz for the first time to the shock of so many former Kimkins followers. Then in November 2007, the Kimkins diet scam was featured on FOX-TV's "The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet" with Christin Sherburne and Deni Huttula (both of whom were featured in Woman's World magazine as Kimkins diet success stories in 2007) warning people about the potential health dangers of this diet pitted against the then-spokeswoman Jeannie Battinger and current Kimkins employee Delaney Deaver. Since that show aired, Battinger has resigned from Kimkins, although she still supports the flailing nutritional plan.
Deaver, on the other hand, is still fighting tooth and nail in defense of this program which she says has helped her shed 100 pounds. She was interviewed by ABC News on the "Good Morning America" segment and made some rather asinine comments justifying her own use of the Kimkins diet. It's pathetic that anyone at this point would be willing to put themselves out there as a supporter of a diet that we now know was created by a morbidly obese woman with no health or medical background and is unsupported by any doctor, nutritionist, or health professional. NOBODY respectable in the weight loss and health industry is touching this thing with a ten foot pole!
And while we're talking about Deaver's role in the ongoing Kimkins saga, I have to state the obvious--is she REALLY the BEST spokesperson for how well the Kimkins diet works? With all due respect to her 100-pound weight loss on Kimkins, with "no faster diet" available to her on the planet why is she still so overweight? I'm not meaning for that to be judgmental or mean-spirited, but I seriously question whether the Kimkins plan is really doing what Deaver claims it is doing for her. Just wondering.
There's quite a lively discussion in the comments section about this story and I encourage you to share YOUR comments with ABC News to encourage them to continue looking further into the Diaz Diet Disaster known as Kimkins! Too many innocent people are getting harmed by this scam that now asks unsuspecting would-be dieters to shell out $80 for access to the ultra-low-calorie diet plans. It's disgusting and even further exposure on a show like 20/20 or Primetime is certainly in order.
Here is the comment I left about this story:
Kimkins was created by a morbidly obese 300+ pound scam artist named Heidi Diaz who has been known to perpetrate frauds on innocent victims in the past. She has no regard for the people she is harming and is attempting to bilk millions of dollars out of unsuspecting would-be dieters. What she is doing is disgusting and I applaud ABC News for digging deeper into this scandal that is harming the health of people like Christin and others who have been sucked in by the allure of a "fast" weight loss plan. As someone who has lost 180 pounds on a truly healthy and proven diet plan, I encourage people to be smart about what they choose to shed the pounds and get healthy.
Get the word out and don't be afraid to share YOUR story with ABC News. You may be hurt and don't want to get involved. But think about all those people you could be helping by preventing them from signing up with a disgusting diet scam like Kimkins. Don't you wish someone had prevented YOU from trying it? Let's band together to help right this wrong and make Heidi Diaz pay for the pain she has inflicted on so many.
ABC News working on a story about the Kimkins diet scam
The Kimkins diet fraud perpetrated on tens of thousands of unsuspecting dieters by a morbidly obese scam artist named Heidi Diaz is about to get some major national television exposure on ABC News.
For those of you who think Kimkins is just another great diet, then you need to listen to the words of Heidi "Kimmer" herself. She has no education in diet, nutrition and health nor is she a licensed medical professional. If her "diet" that she has devised and charging $80 a pop for access to is so great, then why does "Kimmer" still weigh 300 pounds, hmmmm? That's not mean, it's just asking the obvious.
Perhaps you have been hurt by this woman and her crooked Kimkins diet. How would you like to talk about some of your medical issues from the comfort of your home with an ABC News television crew? Have you been to your doctor and have medically documented evidence of any health problems associated with being on Kimkins?
Here's a list of possible health problems you may have experienced:
• Dizziness • Nausea • Muscle fatigue or weakness • Heartbeat palpitations • Moderate to severe hair loss • Bone and joint pain • Mental changes - irritability, forgetfulness, confusion • Bowel complications/symptoms of laxative abuse
If this is you and you are willing to have ABC News come to your home this week to speak to you about your Kimkins experience, then please send an e-mail to KimkinsOnABC@gmail.com with your name, telephone number, and a brief description of your story. Time is of the essence on this as they are trying to put this segment together quickly. The deadline for being involved in this unique opportunity is Thursday, January 17, 2008.
DON'T DELAY if you have been negatively impacted by the Kimkins diet scam. It's hard to believe but there are still people joining this fraudulent web site, so you may help protect others from being sucked in by the Heidi Diaz sham! If you know ANYONE who has a story to tell about how Kimkins ruined their health, then please share this information with them ASAP!
This was what Christin's vehicle looked like after the accident
I have always been a strong believer in the concept of helping someone out in their time of need. It is one of basic tenets of human nature to rally behind and support someone who has fallen prey to unfortunate circumstances. We've all had those times in our lives when the unexpected event suddenly happens and that's when you truly have the opportunity to see this on full display.
Right now, that need is with friend and fellow low-carb blogger Christin Sherburne and her family. On New Year's Day, Christin and her husband Brian along with their two children ages 2 and 4, were driving back to their home in Round Rock, Texas from a family gathering when they were involved in a horrific three-car pileup. As you can see from that photo at the top of this post, this was no simple fender-bender. It was life threatening.
But God's angels were certainly watching over Christin and her family because they all survived and none of them sustained any broken bones. The children were fine (Praise God!) and Brian who was driving received his share of bumps and bruises. But it was Christin who received the worst of the injuries with a concussion, swelling and bruising to her brain, a cut on her right eye, and severe bruising across her entire body. It really is a miracle she survived this, but Christin's faith is strong and she believes the Lord spared her life.
And let's not forget Christin has already been through her fair share of stressful health issues in recent months. After falling prey to the Kimkins diet scam in 2007 and appearing on the front cover of Woman's World magazine, Christin began having health problems with heart palpitations because of the dangerous starvation diet which led her to begin passionately warning people in a video plea about the dangers associated with Kimkins. She also bravely appeared on national television to share her side of the story about what Kimkins did to her.
In fact, she's so committed to exposing the lies and deceit of Kimkins diet founder Heidi Diaz that she published this new blog post on Monday even while she's still lying down in a hospital room bed! Here she is thinking of others not wanting them to fall victim to a diet fraud like she did all the while she is in the midst of fighting for her own health. It's this selflessness about Christin that makes her so special and I'm very proud and honored to know her as my friend.
Although she is expected to fully recover from her injuries over time, the medical bills are beginning to add up. Even before this accident happened, Christin and her family were struggling somewhat financially. She had taken on a side job waitressing to help supplement the family income and it was taking a toll on her. Since the accident, now she can't work at all and these hospital bills are expected to run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Yikes!
Here's where WE come in. I realize that most of us aren't even close to being rich by any stretch of the imagination, so I would never ask you to give hundreds or even thousands of dollars towards a cause like this. But regardless of the financial situation you are in, we can all contribute SOMETHING to help this dear woman and her family as they go through what could have been a fatal event.
Whether you know Christin personally or if this is your first time hearing about who she is, I ask you to participate in this fundraising drive to help her. She needs to focus on getting better right now and and not worry about how they're gonna pay the bills. Your contributions would certainly go a long way in bringing her and her family the much-needed peace of mind as they go through this. I could not imagine if my wife and I were involved in a similar car accident. It would be devastating!
So, what can we do? How can we help this family? Here are some simple instructions about how you can make YOUR contribution to the Sherburne family:
1. Go to PayPal.com 2. Click on the "Send Money" link 3. Enter bsherburne@dellmail.com next to the "To" 4. Enter your e-mail address next to the "From" 5. Enter your donation next to the "Amount" 6. Mark "Service/Other" next to the "For" 7. Click on the "Continue" link 8. Fill out the payment information 9. Pay with Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express 10. Click on "Agree & Continue" for final confirmation
Let's all do this RIGHT NOW and flood this family with a much-needed financial blessing today. I just sent my donation to them and I encourage you to give generously from the abundance of blessings you have been given. If you can give $100 or more, then that would certainly help them out tremendously. But even a $50, $20, $10, $5, or $1 gift would add up if we all participate.
There are thousands of readers like you who visit the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog on a daily basis, so it wouldn't take very long to get them a substantial cumulative donation if EVERYONE participated to get Christin and her family the money they need to take care of these medical bills. And I encourage you to share about this genuine need with your church, your co-workers, at your blog, on your favorite forum--EVERYWHERE you can think of to get the word out! They need us and we would want the same thing done if it was our family going through something like this.
THANK YOU for the generous outpouring of support that I know you are going to give Brian, Christin, and the kids to help them through this troubled time. Strengthen my belief in the strong spirit of charity that I feel exists within the heart of every man and woman who is reading this right now. Let's rally around this good cause and provide a glimmer of hope for some remarkable people.
After you donate, come back here and share in the comments section below that you did and provide any comments you'd like to share with Christin and her family. I know this will be an encouragement to them and uplift their spirits during this time. God bless you guys for what you are gonna do. Let's step up to the plate! :)
Battinger: I Still Believe The Kimkins Diet Works, But 'The Doors Are Closing' Soon
She has been the public face of the Kimkins diet scam over the past few months and even went on national television late last month to defend the indefensible--a diet fraud that we now see runs as deep as the lies told by its creator Heidi Diaz. But now Jeannie Battinger wants to tell her side of the story and answer the tough questions, so that's what I'm allowing her to do today in my exclusive interview with the woman known as "Tippy Toes."
Does she make a convincing argument for her actions and behavior since becoming the spokesperson for Kimkins? Does she sound contrite and sorrowful for the actions she caused others throughout this process? Is there anything she could possibly say at this point that would convince those she has hurt to even remotely put their trust in her again?
YOU will be the final arbiter who decides truth from fiction after reading her answers and drawing your own conclusions. She says some things that a lot of people will not be happy with while admitting there were mistakes made and errors in judgment she made as well. This is Jeannie Battinger raw and unedited sharing what's on her heart right now just mere days after making the decision to sever ties with Kimkins and Heidi Diaz forever.
Her words now speak for themselves.
1. Today we have with us here at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog someone who has become somewhat of an enemy in the low-carb community because of her association with the woman who was behind the Kimkins diet scam--Heidi Diaz. As the public spokesperson for Kimkins over the past few months, Jeannie Battinger--aka Tippy Toes--has attempted to keep up the appearance of normalcy regarding the Kimkins diet even as a class action lawsuit is moving forward against Diaz and questions over her true identity as well as many of the so-called "success stories" remain.
Thank you for joining us today Jeannie and for being willing to share your story with me and my readers about your previous relationship with Diaz and the Kimkins diet and to talk about why you recently decided to sever ties with Kimkins altogether. When the whole controversy started coming out about Diaz, aka Kimmer, and the pictures of her were out there, why did you decide to go and work for her when it was obvious to so many people at that point that she was both a liar and a con artist? Why would you want to align yourself with someone of such low character?
I gave Kimmer the benefit of doubt and I was wrong to do so. I really wasn't convinced that she was the heavier woman in the pictures. But I thought even if she was her crime was obesity. Because I know too well what obesity is and how life-destroying it is, I could not fault her for this possibility. And she kept insisting to me over and over that she was not Heidi Diaz. I do have a certain respect for people's privacy on the web and I did respect her decision to remain anonymous. Now, you asked why I wouldn't believe what was so obvious to so many? Simple, Jimmy. I read lies in that thread all the time and that makes it very difficult to sort the truth. My blog today has some recent examples. So it isn't that I wanted to align myself with such a low character...I was not convinced she was.
2. It was one thing to be excited about a diet plan that you believed in, but yet another thing entirely to become an employee of a company that you knew was based on a lie. Heidi Diaz has since been found to be a morbidly obese woman who has not lost 200 pounds as she claimed. Since she is not a doctor or nutritionist nor does she have one who endorses the Kimkins diet plan as written, why do you continue to support that diet in particular even now?
If you are eating more fat and calories than the Kimkins plan calls for, then it's not the Kimkins diet--it's probably closer to Atkins instead. And if you weren't ever following the Kimkins diet strictly, then why did you take the job as spokesperson? Don't you think the PR person should be able to support the Kimkins plan 100 percent without any need for alterations to it?
I did not know the company was based on a lie when I took the job. The worst remote possibility was that she could be obese and I didn't see that as a huge crime. The possibility that she was indeed an obese woman made me feel pity for her. In fact, I will say being obese does not mean you don't know HOW to lose weight.
So why do I continue to support this plan now, even with no medical endorsement? Because I stalled out on Atkins after losing only 50 pounds. I still had over 50 to go. I tried other plans, EFGT and more. But the bottom line is I could not lose any further weight on those plans. Then I tried Kimkins and presto--fat be gone.
I honestly believe that the Kimkins plans could have offered hope to even the most metabolically resistant...The plans do work. I have lost 68 pounds doing Kimkins to date. Perhaps eating more calories and fats is not the way Kimkins diet once was but she did allow me to make those tweaks and I felt it made the diet healthier. I have always felt that Kimkins diet should be able to make positive changes and be allowed to do so.
3. One major area of concern was when people began getting banned from their "lifetime membership" to the Kimkins web site and you became the default scapegoat for many of these. Were you indeed personally responsible for banning members or was it others as well? If it wasn't just you, then provide the names of those who were doing the banning?
Also, why were people banned for a "terms of service violation" when they clearly had not committed one and how many of them are there? By the way, how many people are actually running the Kimkins business? Is it just Heidi Diaz?
Every admin can ban and so can Kimmer herself. I cannot list all admins who could ban as many came and went at the blink of an eye. Currently SingingLass, Kimmer and Gary can ban or at least could when I left. I did ban a small handful and I mean 4 or 5 people. They were on a mission and had clear intent of being banned for going out in a blaze of glory. I did not go into other web sites to look for offenders but other admins did. And I'll not throw them under the bus for taking orders from Kimmer. They did the job that was assigned.
I know nothing of the TOS bannings that were not clear. But again, no one had to ask me if they could ban a person. They didn't have to ask Kimmer either. So I don't know. I also have no idea how many were banned in total. I also don't know how many people run Kimkins. Kimmer told me she sold out too. Now I see this was not true. Believe it or not, she hid things from all of us too.
4. You signed on to work for Kimmer/Heidi at Kimkins AFTER much of the controversy was already out there for all the world to see following the departure of Becky, Christin, and Deni--three major admins who decided to leave after opening their eyes to the truth. Did you really think you could actually defend the indefensible once the truth started getting out there? Do you wish you could take back everything you did after being informed that Heidi Diaz was a liar?
I had no idea what the real truths were at the time. And I was not convinced of anything people told me. I am funny about these kinds of issues. If someone today told me Jimmy Moore is a bad person I would disregard that until I saw it for myself. For me it is a dislike of participating in gossip--particularly hurtful gossip to a fellow human being. And sorting lies from truth is still a challenge because BOTH exist to this day on these very issues.
As far as wishing things would have turned out differently, well of course I do. But Jimmy, I just can't regret helping people learn how to do Kimkins in cycles and I cannot regret preaching more calories. I think I helped many people in these ways. And helping them seems far more important to me than Heidi. Yes, it came at a huge price for me. But you know what? Kimkins members are worth it. And I miss them all so much. I hated leaving them. There are days I am tempted to go back to them. But I know I cannot and it is hard.
5. Just before you decided to leave Kimkins, you appeared on national television defending the Kimkins diet on FOX-TV's "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet." If you had a chance to go on that show again, would you use the opportunity to recant your previous stance? Was Heidi pleased with your television appearance after you seemed to be putting Kimkins in a bad light with your comments? Was your encounter with Christin and Deni a positive one?
I have learned more things about Heidi since the show. I regret that new members may sign on and not have a home for long. To do all over I would NOT have accused Christin and Deni of setting poor examples. And Heidi and I both knew upfront what I was walking into. She was not mad at me for what I said at all and I was not kicked to the curb for it. And it brought in a lot of sales.
Every time Christin went on TV it brought people to Kimkins. Meeting Christin and Deni did surprise me. I found myself wanting to be friends and take a better look at their stories and stances. I hugged Christin and said I wished her well and that I didn't want her to be sick.
6. On that show, you noted that the Kimkins diet had gone through some recent changes, including now calling for 800 calories consumed daily as a minimum. Where did you get that number and did you realize that is still well below the 1200 calories needed for basic basal metabolism? Were you pressured by Kimmer/Heidi to deny any references to low-calorie intake on the show although many Kimkins members reported consuming less than 500 calories a day?
I read a brochure at my doctor's office concerning low calorie diets. The medical profession has deemed that less than 800 calories a day is indeed starvation. I asked my Doctor and she confirmed it. So I decided Kimkins should not be LESS than 800 calories and looked for ways to increase the levels even more.
I am all for 1200 calories a day and then some if the person can still lose weight. I was not pressured by anyone before the show. I researched old posts at Kimkins and saw for myself what moderators told others. Those people now have made me understand that it was Kimmer who instructed this behind the scenes. I very much regret blaming staff for following orders from their boss.
7. You have come under fire, some probably justified and some not, from the members of the low-carb forum community Low-Carb Friends and you haven't backed down from them either as you faithfully defended Kimkins. Some have said you made threats against members of Low-Carb Friends which brought on a lot of bad blood between you and them. Do you regret threatening members of Low-Carb Friends when many believe you had no reason to?
Would you like to offer a public apology to them and others you may have harmed by your behavior towards them over the past few months? And knowing what you know today, and seeing what you've seen, do you currently hold any grudges against the members of Low-Carb Friends? How do you feel about the work they have done and continue to do in their pursuit to shut down the Kimkins web site?
I had reason to believe one member there was contributing to and responsible for the Ducky blog. I do regret sending her an email saying I knew it was her and to pull the blog before I exposed her. That was the threat. I acted in haste and should not have and to her I do apologize for the email.
And I have had problems at LCF since Atkins quit working for me and I chose to do the Kimkins diet instead. In fact, every problem I ever had there, Kimkins was attached. Do I hold grudges against some there? Yes. People who do not know me, have never known me or encountered me at all are running on hearsay. They say they read my postings and find me mean.
While I have made 3 or 4 mistakes in posts I wish I could take back, there are hundreds and hundreds of posts showing me helping others. I even buy Atkins books and mail them to those in need at my own expense. And I have always been glad to help others. My posts are nice and cheerful and I am NOT what they say I am. The BS makes it hard to sort the truth.
And posting about my husband and that I said this and that is mostly lies or twisted versions of my attempt at being funny. I challenge anyone to this day to show where I mentioned anything bad about him at all. True we had a few spats and I whined...well, we have been together for a very long time. He is and always will be the love of my life and Low-Carb Friends will never divide us.
They can search for his email all day long and tell him whatever they want. He knows exactly what is happening to me and why and he isn't too happy with Low-Carb Friends. But he is VERY happy with me. Our marriage is rock solid and will remain that way. You asked me if I am upset with LCF for trying to close Kimkins. In a way I am because there are a lot of wonderful people there who may lack support. But, now knowing what I do (learned much from the class action lawsuit attorney John Teidt) I see some justification to their cause.
And before I forget, I want to comment on Jeanessa. We may not have been on the same side of the fence before but I think you have shown an enormous amount of class with your actions. I wish the rest of my critics would pay more attention to you and learn. And I want to thank you for not being a nasty, gossipy person. You have a cause and you never lost focus nor were you sidetracked by the gossip pit. That is class.
8. So what was the actual turning point for you, Jeannie? How far did Heidi Diaz have to go before it was too far for you to stick around? When did you decide that it was time to get out? What did you know and when did you know it with regard to the fraudulent activity happening at Kimkins? Do you know how many people are still at Kimkins as of the time you left? Do you know how many people have joined Kimkins in the last few months since you took over for Christin as the public spokesperson?
And I have to ask this question because I know it's on the mind of many people reading this interview right now: If the Kimkins assets hadn't been frozen as part of Diaz' legal woes and you were still being paid, then would you still be the spokesperson today?
The turning point was having given her a chance to come clean and she couldn't/wouldn't do it. I was thrilled she had admitted being Heidi and thought she had a chance to make things right. I recruited the husband/wife team on the front page and I did see that while the wife lost about the same as Heidi, Heidi appeared 100 pounds less. And there were more lies I finally was able to see for myself. Lies that came from her own deposition in conflict with emails to me. It was this and the realization after reading parts of her deposition that I fully began to understand just how much trouble she was really in.
The Russian Bride thing was the first fraud I saw aside from thinking she could be Heidi and we were ALL horrified. I do not know how many members are at Kimkins now nor do I know how many new ones came since I was there. Another admin can see new membership welcome emails but I could not. That admin told me sales spiked when Christin went public. But not everyone who joins posts so it is hard for me to say.
If Heidi's accounts were not frozen, would I still be there today? Well, the fact that it takes some pretty serious accusations for a judge to do this has much to do with my answer. If her assets had not been frozen then there may not have been merit to this case. Some don't know this but I was willing to stay on for free and did so. So yes, I would have stayed without being paid if there was no problems. It wasn't all about the money. It was the legal trouble. And the legal trouble was from the fraud. That I cannot handle nor wish to be a part of.
9. Now that you have gotten out, are you willing to cooperate with the ongoing legal investigation against Heidi Diaz? I noticed you recently created a blog to help tell your side of the story about this whole Kimkins fiasco, but you stated it was only going to be temporary.
If you are committed to exposing the Kimkins diet fraud to the world like Becky, Christin, Deni and others have, then why wouldn't you want to keep it up at least until the web site is shut down for good? Are you going to actively denounce and warn others about the inherent dangers of attempting to do the Kimkins diet?
Yes I am working with John Teidt. In fact, I am waiting for some paperwork from him now and am very willing to give him anything I have which may help his case. I pulled the original content from my blog (see the original post here) as I learned it offended some people. I think I should have left it up but was trying to do the right thing.
I now see that yes, people will be offended as we sort the real truths. I don't think my blog will help shut down Kimkins though as I do believe the diet can be used safely and is effective. I also believe no one should go on ANY diet without medical supervision and this includes Atkins as well as Kimkins.
10. THANK YOU so much for being with us today, Jeannie! It takes a lot of guts and courage to answer these kinds of questions and I'm so thankful for your willingness to share openly and honestly about this. What would you like to say to SingingLass and the thousands of others who are still at Kimkins to help them see the light NOW before the Kimkins site is shut down for good in the very near future? Is there anything encouraging you'd like to tell them to offer guidance about what to do about their weight loss and health efforts when that happens?
SingingLass, you know how I feel about you. And I respect how you feel about Kimkins diet and the site. I feel the same way. I know we tried and did make Kimkins plans better and safer. But there are legal problems coming your way, not from what you have done but from Heidi's doings. She will not be able to pay for an attorney to represent you and I am so afraid you will need representation. But I understand why you stay.
I wish I could have too and I miss you and the others more than you will know. I will always have a place in my heart for you. Anytime you feel like emailing or calling me you can. I know you are in a tough spot. I wish I could share what John Teidt has shared with me but I cannot. You will learn it all soon enough. Even if you want to stay, if he does contact you, please do cooperate. He really isn't after us--he wants her.
But if he has to steamroll over us to get her he will. And for other members, please stay safe and don't do crazy extremes to the diet--even if Kimmer says she does. You should all see your doctors anyways--everyone on a diet should no matter what diet. Listen to your doctor and always be honest. I have shown the diet of original Kimkins to two doctors now and one prefers it to Atkins. The other gave me a list of supplements to buy and take and had no problems either.
You can maintain a Kimkins loss. But you don't have to try to lose 100 pounds overnight either. And I miss you all. Gather emails of friends and form a buddy system. I do think the doors are closing. And I want you all to have my email if you want to stay in touch--contact me at baitingerjeannie@yahoo.com.
Incidentally, Jeannie insists she is NOT behind the new Magic Chicken Diet and she believes it is possibly Heidi Diaz trying to reinvent Kimkins again under a new name.
USC Journalism Student Doing Project On Kimkins Diet Scam
Meet Heidi Diaz, aka Kimmer, at her deposition last month
So much is happening behind-the-scenes regarding the Kimkins diet scam that it's a little hard to keep up with it all. Here's a recap of some of the most recent happenings:
In the meantime, a journalism student from the University of Southern California has been so intrigued by the Kimkins controversy story that she has decided to do her final project of the Fall semester on it. Her name is Alexandra Houck and she needs your help whether you are a former or even a current members of the Kimkins web site.
Especially if you live in or around the Los Angeles, CA area (although it doesn't really matter what part of the country you live in), then Alexandra would like to interview you about your experience on Kimkins. If you left or were banned from Kimkins, then share with Alexandra about what happened. Or if you are still on Kimkins despite the controversy around the scam that Heidi Diaz has admitted to doing, then she would like to know why.
Time is of the essence since her project is due on Monday. Please e-mail Alexandra Houck at ahouck@usc.edu no later than Friday, December 7, 2007 if you would like to participate. ONLY SERIOUS RESPONSES PLEASE!
So far, she has an interview set up with a representative from the Better Business Bureau as well the woman bringing the lawsuit against Heidi Diaz. Help out this college student so she can put together an investigative report about Kimkins for her class project. I will request a copy of the finished paper from Alexandra after she receives her grade so it can be published on my blog if she agrees.
THANK YOU for assisting her with this project. Contact her ASAP!
ATTENTION TO EVERYONE SEEKING A REFUND FROM KIMKINS!
According to the sudden change in policy regarding refunds for banned and disgruntled former members on Monday at the Kimkins web site, you are eligible for a FULL REFUND of your membership fee if you...
1. Signed up prior to November 1, 2007 2. Request your refund NO LATER THAN Friday, November 16, 2007
If you qualify, then send a JavaScript-enabled e-mail to support@kimkins.com with the following information:
- Your full name - Your former user name at Kimkins - The PayPal transaction number - Your PayPal email address
REMEMBER, you only have a few days to do this, so GET YOUR REQUEST IN ASAP! Interestingly, if you paid for your Kimkins membership in any other way besides PayPal, there is no plan in place for you to receive a refund. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
11-13-07 UPDATE: The "Kimkins Lawsuit" blog is now encouraging people who were scammed by Kimkins to REJECT this refund ploy and to join in on the lawsuit.
Kimkins Diet Scam Shared On FOX's 'The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet'
For anyone who still buys into the weight loss scam known as the Kimkins diet, today had to be a really bad day for you. As I previously blogged, this low-fat, low-calorie starvation diet scheme had a pretty rough day today. While the perpetrator of this diet fraud was sitting in a Corona, California courtroom with her attorney facing civil charges of misconduct alleged in a class action lawsuit, her public relations spokeswoman was hemming and hawing her way through an embarrassing performance on the national FOX program called "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet."
That would be Jeannie Baitinger, aka TippyToes, who actually dropped some pretty big bombshells on the show today, including confirming that the creator of the Kimkins diet Kimmer is in fact Heidi Diaz (just revealed during a phone conversation a few days ago to Jeannie and in this post today on the Kimkins web site, although it has been well-known for over a year), that she is indeed 300 pounds again, that the Kimkins diet is an ever-evolving plan, and that no doctor is currently endorsing the diet publicly (although she claimed that a "bariatric specialist" would be making a decision about joining up with Kimkins following the show). You could tell a lot of CYA was happening today and the hosts weren't buying into it.
The following is the entire appearance by former Kimkins dieters Christin Sherburne and Deni Huttala, both of whom did a fabulous job of talking about the dangers of the Kimkins diet. There was also a nutritionist (that Jeannie kept calling a "nutritionalist") and an internist on the show who made some pretty damning points against this awful diet (although the doctor got in a rather misleading comment about ketosis that was 100% WRONG!). Nevertheless, the overall result of the show was extremely positive for those of us who have been warning about this diet.
Watch these four segments NOW:
Go leave comments and rate the video segments at YouTube for each of these so we can help spread the word to other uninformed potential Kimkins dieters. Here are the links: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.
1-31-08 UPDATE: Get the lowdown on all the latest happenings with the Kimkins diet scam by clicking here.
FOX-TV's "Morning Show with Mike and Juliet" to feature Kimkins fraud
I once heard a preacher give a sermon about sin and his catch phrase was "pay day someday" for those who refuse to ask God to forgive them of their transgressions. For one Heidi Kimberly Diaz, aka "Kimmer" from the online diet scam Kimkins, that day is Monday, November 12, 2007. She is scheduled to be in a California courtroom that morning while on the other side of the country in New York City the diet will be debated and discussed on a nationally-syndicated television talk show.
I've been blogging quite a bit in recent months about this Kimkins calamity because it really is hurting innocent people who just want to find a way to lose weight and keep it off while maintaining their health. Unfortunately, the health of some of the diet's most ardent supporters has been endangered while allegations about the true identity of "Kimmer" have surfaced with a rather shocking revelation--she's still a morbidly obese woman who hasn't lost 200 pounds and kept it off as she claimed. In fact, this podcast show reveals many more questionable statements that now have the mastermind behind the Kimkins fraud in a whole lotta trouble.
First, Heidi Diaz is set to face the jury--LITERALLY!--about this scam she pulled that allegedly earned her millions of dollars in profits which she is now refusing to refund to disgruntled ex-members who have left the program on their own volition or were subsequently booted from the web site by "Kimmer" herself. Attorney John Tiedt from Corona, California is set to present the class action case against Heidi Diaz and Kimkins on Monday morning. Whether the defendant shows up or not is another story.
Meanwhile, at the same time that the court case is set to begin in California, the hot new FOX television program "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet" is set to shine the national light of exposure on the Kimkins diet with a segment called "A Popular Online Diet: Is It A Scam?" They teased what is sure to be a bombshell outing of the fraud known as the Kimkins diet by taking it much further than the KTLA-TV series that ran last month.
Set your DVR or TiVo now to record this show because it is sure to make lots of waves. Find out where the show is airing in YOUR area by clicking here. The anti-Kimkins bloggers, who I recently named in my Top 10 Low-Carb Movers & Shakers list for 2007, should be very pleased with this turn of events and proud of what they helped bring about by questioning the claims of this supposed weight loss panacea.
Sadly, there are still people who haven't heard about the dangers of following an ultra low-fat/low-calorie diet like Kimkins and still consider it as a viable option for weight loss despite the many reports of adverse side effects. With the majority of ex-Kimkins dieters complaining of hair loss, even Dr. Mike Eades weighed in on Kimkins recently to help ease their concerns. Nevertheless, the fact that anyone is still on that anorexic diet is beyond my comprehension in light of all that has come out about it.
Thankfully, there are some people who are finding Kimkins, but deciding against joining because of the efforts those of us are doing online to spread the truth about the diet scam that it is. Here's an e-mail I received this week from someone who found my blog right before plopping down $60 for a Kimkins membership:
Just wanted to thank you for your writings on Kimkins. I found Kimkins earlier this week and thought, let me try it, maybe it'll be better than South Beach. Fast weight loss--what could be better than the thought of weighing what I did before having my kids and to do it by Christmas!!
I tried joining but had trouble with my PayPal account. Then I googled Kimkins thinking I at least could find some recipes and that's when I found your blog. Thanks again, I think I'll just try South Beach and work hard on appropriate portion control.
WOW, isn't that AWESOME? I wrote back to this e-mailer and encouraged her to keep reading up on livin' la vida low-carb and to follow it exactly as prescribed by the author. This way of eating works and is healthy--an important distinction between legitimate low-carb plans like Atkins compared with fly-by-night, get-rich-quick diet schemes like Kimkins. YOU HAVE BEEN FOREWARNED!
We'll update you on any other news of note regarding the Kimkins class action lawsuit or other major media accounts of the scammer herself, Heidi Kimberly Diaz. The days of both her and her diet scheme are indeed numbered.
11-13-07 UPDATE: The case against Heidi Diaz in a Corona, California courtroom went on all day on Monday and the deceitful defendant showed up with her attorney. Lots of changes were announced by the PR spokeswoman during the national television exposure the Kimkins diet received. CLICK HERE to watch all four video segments from FOX-TV's "The Morning Show!"
It has been an ongoing "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog tradition since I started blogging in 2005 for me to share with my readers the ten most influential members of the low-carb community over the past twelve months. This list is totally subjective and is based on my own personal opinion about the people who have made a difference for the sake of the low-carb lifestyle.
You can see the honorees from both 2005 and 2006 to get a small taste of this rather distinguished group of leaders on behalf of livin' la vida low-carb. It's never easy coming up with a list like this because you don't want to leave anyone off who is worthy of being listed. But you'll have your chance at the end of this post to share other noteworthy names for this list if you feel I have omitted any.
We owe a great deal of gratitude and respect for these people who are sincerely making a real difference both behind-the-scenes and working directly with those who need to hear the positive and uplifting message of the amazingly healthy low-carb lifestyle. These are the real heroes in the realm of low-carb in my book and I am ecstatic to share them with you today.
So, without further delay, here are my top ten low-carb movers & shakers of 2007:
1. GARY TAUBES
What can you say about a journalist who decided to take the health establishment head-on by challenging their premise that it is fat that makes you fat? When Gary Taubes wrote his now infamous "What if It's All Been a Big Fat Lie?" column back in 2002, I don't even think HE knew the kind of impact it would have on our culture at the time. So, naturally, when he released his long-awaited book Good Calories, Bad Calories in September 2007 continuing this same topic of conversation, it should be no surprise that the public interest in low-carb has once again spiked. And the ripple effects from this book alone will be felt for many years, maybe even decades, to come.
2. DR. JEFF VOLEK
I've met Dr. Jeff Volek in person twice and he wouldn't necessarily stand out in a crowd by his physical stature. But the low-carb researcher from The University of Connecticut more than makes up for it with his high-quality studies on the impact of a high-fat, low-carb diet on fitness and health. He's mentoring the low-carb researchers of tomorrow like the great Cassandra Forsythe while working on some excellent studies on the positive role of saturated fat in the diet. He recently co-wrote the book Men's Health TNT Diet and is actively involved in educating the public about exercise and the health benefits of low-carb living.
3. ADAM CAMPBELL
Speaking of the Men's Health TNT Diet, the other co-writer Adam Campbell is the outstanding Features editor for the #1 men's health magazine in America and what an incredible writer he is. He made national waves last November when he wrote a column taking the American Diabetes Association to task for promoting a diet for diabetics that is making them sicker. His solution? Livin' la vida low-carb! Adam also has an excellent blog called "The Fitness Insider" with regular low-carb friendly news and information that you won't want to miss.
4. DR. LARRY MCCLEARY
Earlier this year, I had never heard of Dr. Larry McCleary until he and I were introduced by our mutual friend Dr. Mike Eades. But from the first time I began corresponding with this man who is one of America's leading neurosurgeons, I knew he was someone very special. He released a book about how low-carb diets can improve brain health called The Brain Trust Program (which he was kind enough to ask me to write a blurb for the back of his book) and has been actively promoting livin' la vida low-carb for treating all sorts of brain ailments, including Alzheimer's, migraine headaches, and even brain cancer. Find out more about what Dr. Larry McCleary is up to at DrMcCleary.com.
5. DRS. MICHAEL & MARY DAN EADES
What more can you say about the king and queen of livin' la vida low-carb since the untimely death of the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins. Even as all the other so-called leaders of low-carb living went into hiding, Drs. Mike & Mary Dan Eades who wrote the Protein Power books kept right on plugging away and have been for the past several years. That's one reason they are the ONLY three-time honoree on my annual movers & shakers list because they just keep the spirit of the low-carb lifestyle alive with all they do. Be sure to keep up with both Dr. Mike's always witty and sometimes eye-opening comments about the state of nutrition in modern times at his blog as well as the scrumptious recipes and food information with a creative flair Dr. Mary Dan give you at her blog. And don't miss checking out ProteinPower.com for even more about the work of this low-carb royalty.
6. DR. JONNY BOWDEN
How can anyone not like Dr. Jonny Bowden? The man exudes enthusiasm, excitement, and energy and he takes all of that, packs healthy nutritional messages it into a nice, neat package for people to understand, and then delivers a wallop of a punch right between the eyeballs for those who need to learn more about diet and health. Every low-carber should own a copy of his classic book Living The Low-Carb Life as well as his latest release 150 Healthiest Foods On Earth. Jonny has taken a more stealth approach to promoting livin' la vida low-carb and I can respect that because I know he still believes in this lifestyle at his very core. You can still hear those principles being taught in his motivating audio series. Get caught up on the latest from Dr. Jonny Bowden at JonnyBowden.com.
7. MICHAEL K.
Unless you live the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, you may not know who Michael K. is. But for the customers at the Low-Carb Central store there in Hales Corner, Michael was a very special man who helped positively impact the lives of the literally thousands of people who walked inside his store. I was even privileged to conduct a speaking appearance and book signing at Michael's store last year when I got to know this incredible man. It is with great sadness that this honor for Michael is happening posthumously because he went home to be with the Lord a couple of weeks ago. On behalf of all those people who were positively touched by the low-carb ministry of Michael K., I'd like to express sincere sympathy for his wife Marilyn during this difficult time. We are praying for you and love you very much. It was a blessing to have known Michael and shared even a few moments with him on this Earth.
8. JUDY BARNES BAKER
What a delightful woman Judy Barnes Baker is! When she decided to release a low-carb cookbook called CARB WARS earlier this year, I don't think even she realized it would become one of the bestselling low-carb cookbooks of the year. But that's exactly what has happened and I'm so proud of Judy. She too asked me to write a quote for the back of her book and I was happy to oblige. Don't miss her companion web site for her book for more recipes, low-carb information, and background on this super lady. Visit CarbWarsCookbook.com to catch up with all that's happening with this rising superstar in the wonderful world of low-carb.
9. DR. MARY C. VERNON
If ever there was the perfect illustration for passionate in the dictionary, then it would have to be Dr. Mary C. Vernon. As the current president of The American Society of Bariatric Physicians and on the front lines for the controlled-carbohydrate cause, Dr. Vernon has been a leader for those suffering from obesity and diabetes by helping them overcome their physical ailments. That's one of the reasons I nominated her for "Diabetes Educator of the Year" earlier this month because she has proven herself quite worthy. Being around Dr. Vernon is infectious and you can't help but get all excited about livin' la vida low-carb when she speaks about this incredible way of eating. Go to her "Ask Dr. Vernon" blog to find out why this back-to-back mover & shaker deserves this distinction.
10. LOW-CARB FRIENDS/ANTI-KIMKINS BLOGGERS
Finally, I couldn't let this list of the year's most influential movers & shakers go by without recognizing and honoring the impact of a collective group of people who helped bring awareness and concern about one of the biggest scams to ever hit the low-carb community. Yes, even I was pulled in by it and later apologized to my readers for not knowing better sooner. But the members of the online forum called Low-Carb Friends did. The "Why the Fascination with Kimmer?" thread is chock full of the day-to-day soap opera that has surrounded what has been known as the Kimkins diet since early in the year. The egregiousness of this starvation/anorexic diet that has since caused some major health problems for the most ardent supporter spawned a whole boatload of anti-Kimkins blogs. The most famous one of them all is Kimkins Exposed by someone or a group of people calling themselves Just Ducky. The duck avatar soon became synonymous with those who didn't want to see the good name of the low-carb lifestyle being drug down with this dangerous diet scheme from a woman named Heidi Kimberly Diaz, a weight loss fraud who never lost a pound and a well-known scam artist. The low-carb community owes Low-Carb Friends and the anti-Kimkins bloggers an appreciative THANKS for all the work they did to expose this before more people got hurt.
So that's my list of the Top 10 Low-Carb Movers & Shakers of 2007. What do you think? Are there any glaring exceptions I left off of my list who should have warranted further consideration for their contribution to the low-carb cause? Feel free to share your comments below and make the case for other honorees.
The Kimkins saga is a hard lesson in how to avoid diet scams
When I agreed to interview "Kimmer," the founder of the fraudulent diet scam known as Kimkins, back in July, I had no idea what a pathological liar she was. From claiming she was that skinny woman in the red dress (when actually that is a picture of a Russian model) to promoting her diet as just another "low-carb" plan, this was not an innocent little oversight by a woman who claims to be "just a mom." Instead, it was a deliberate attempt to fool literally thousands of people into thinking Kimkins was the answer--myself included (for which I have apologized).
In Episode 94 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore," I went back to that interview I conducted with Kimmer, whose real name is Heidi Kimberly Diaz, and pulled out some essential and rather eye-opening comments she made about herself and her diet that have since been proven false in the less than three months that have elapsed since. Heidi does NOT want you to hear about this, but the truth needs to be shared for the sake of those who are still involved with this multi-million dollar scheme.
Click on the "LISTEN NOW" link below or download it to your iPod:
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 94 [26:08m]: LISTEN NOW | Download
You can hear the original interview I conducted with her in its entirety by listening to Part 1, Part 2, and Parts 3-5. When I was speaking to Heidi/Kimmer during this interview, it was becoming more and more obvious this woman was in serious need of psychological help because you could tell she was buying into her own propaganda and making it up as she was going along. And when you stop and think about the fact that she was so easily answering my questions about her alleged triple-digit weight loss when in fact she is a 300+ pound woman, it is sickening beyond the words I need to describe it.
Never miss an episode of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show" by:
Can you understand why anyone would still choose to associate themselves with Kimkins after learning that Heidi has lied so much to keep up the facade? Do you agree with me that whether the diet has helped people lose weight or not (although the health damage it has caused some former and current members is still a major concern), the fact that it was created by a woman who will say anything you want to hear just to make money warrants immediate action to shut it down for good? Express yourself and let's talk about what many are saying is the beginning of the end for the Kimkins diet.
Be sure to check out the full list of accompanying links to this podcast show for more information about the specifics shared in today's podcast. Anyone who wants to get out of Kimkins and find support for their low-carb lifestyle is still invited to make a home at my new low-carb forum at LowCarbDiscussion.com. We have nearly 1,000 people registered there now and many of them are former Kimkins members. Come join the conversation and learn about livin' la vida low-carb the healthy way!
In Episode 92 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore," we feature two guests, one special and another not-so-much, to bring to you today: 1) The beautiful and lovely Christine (that's my wife, by the way!) as we talk about dealing with mental health issues while livin' la vida low-carb, and 2) The deceptive and manipulative fraud known as Kimmer/Heidi Diaz from the Kimkins diet who tries to wiggle out of owning up to who she really is by pretending she didn't know me when I made an exclusive telephone call to her on Wednesday afternoon.
Click on the "LISTEN NOW" link below or download it to your iPod:
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 92 [16:50m]: LISTEN NOW | Download
I received the following e-mail from one of my readers recently requesting that I do a show on a topic of personal interest to him and his family:
Hello Jimmy,
I am really enjoying your blog, the new forum and the new YouTube videos. I wanted to ask if you had considered doing a show about the importance of livin' la vida low-carb to fight mental health issues like OCD, anxiety, and depression.
My wife suffers from all of the above. She has not had them all of her life, but they just started a year ago with a very serious case of all of the above at once. Just recently her new doctor recommended she cut grains out of her diet.
I researched a little further and discovered that grains are only half of the problem. It would appear that SUGAR is the big issue here. My wife has a HUGE sweet tooth. I am encouraging her to cut out the sugars. She is doing great on cutting out the grains.
If you have any more info please share! I would love to hear what you find out.
What an excellent idea for a podcast show and I was happy to oblige. It's interesting she has no trouble dropping grains, but sugar is the problem. For most people it's the opposite because they realize how bad sugar is for them, but can't get over why whole grains are unhealthy (because those carbs turn into sugar inside the body). Thank goodness there are some phenomenal sugar-free, low-carb sweets and sugar alternatives that can help with the transition.
I've blogged briefly before about the mistaken notion that low-carb makes you an angry and moody fool, but it's just not true based on my own experience. But with my wife Christine, she HAS gone through the exact same issues the wife of this reader did, so who better to ask about this than her? :) It was nice to have her back on my podcast show again for the first time since her first appearance a few months back.
You'll recall Christine started on a low-carb diet in May 2007 to help reduce her triglycerides down from the 250 that her doctor recorded (you can hear her talk about it in Episode 1 of our new "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube" video series). I told her at the time that livin' la vida low-carb would get them below 100 and that's exactly what has happened. But she's also benefited from a nearly 40-pound weight loss AND enjoyed some rather excellent improvements in her mental issues which she discusses in today's podcast. WOO HOO!
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Do you or someone you love deal with OCD, depression, anxiety attacks, and other mental issues? Have you tried the low-carb lifestyle to deal with these issues and what has been the result? Let's discuss this important issue more and see what the low-carb connection to mental health issues really is (I'm sure neurologist Dr. Larry McCleary would agree livin' la vida low-carb is an excellent answer to these issues)!
I posted the transcript of that call at my blog on Wednesday and now you can hear the audio with that very distinctive voice of the infamous founder of the Kimkins diet for yourself. It's UNBELIEVABLE how she tried to deny knowing who I was and that she was the same person I had interviewed for my podcast show just two months prior!
As always, THANKS for listening and feel free to e-mail me anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net with any comments, questions, or ideas for a future podcast show. Take care! :)
