Kimkins--Wonder Diet or Fraud?

[Dane]

Many of you may be familiar with the "Kimkins Diet"--basically a low cal/low fat/low carb/low protein--heck, just LOW diet.  Featured recently in Women's World magazine, it's become quite the fad in some circles, mostly because of the superfast weight loss it offers. 

The creator of the diet, Heidi Diaz, aka "Kimmer" on the low carb boards, used to charge a modest fee for access to her Kimkins forum, where you could interact with other Kimkins supporters, and get direct access to her.  Since the article came out, she has tripled her fee and is making big bucks, hand over fist.  Not a big deal to me, but irksome to others--so much so that there is a backlash against her and her diet. 

Turns out--she may be a fraud and a scam.  Promoting an unhealthy diet, giving out medical advice, lying about her own weight loss success with the plan, etc--it's a mess.

Google the internet for more than you ever wanted to know about her.  There are threads discussing her and her plan at a few low carb boards--I frequent www.lowcarber.org, and the threads there are currently discussing fraud and pursuing a class-action suit against her.

Here's the main thread, with links to earlier threads and other pertinent sites:
The Kimmer Thread Continues

And this site is interesting:
http://www.slamboard.com/category/kimkins-diet/
She includes surveillance pix taken of Kimmer (Heidi).

I would urge anyone interested in the Kimkins diet to read and educate yourself before starting or continuing this plan. 

[Built]

She's tried to spam my log.

The 400 calorie a day diet. No WONDER people lose weight!

[Dane]

And the sad thing is, they are losing health, too, IMO.  The protein levels of some of the participant's menus is scary!!

[JackieLeigh]

There is a thread about her on low carb friends too, about her being a fraud.

She really treid to spam your blog MA? How'd you know?

[BadgerGirl]

Interesting reading. I had also bookmarked some other links about her diet, which I have been meaning to read:

Kimkins Exposed

Kimkins Controversy at The Steaks Are High

And, as JackieLeigh mentioned, the (currently) 363-page thread on Lowcarb Friends:  Why the fascination with Kimmer?

I have read that some people think her before and after photographs are a fraud; that is, they aren't of her.

[Squid]

I was wondering when a private investigator would come on the scene? It's about time. Fucking with other people's lives while she sits at home binging on potato chips.

[JackieLeigh]

Here's another good one

http://kkatastrophediet.wordpress.com/

[Just_Moe]

I thought it was illegal to promote anorexia type things?

[Squid]

This is getting more interesting by the hour.

Class Action Suit Under Way

[tholian8]

Oh this is going to be good.

[Built]

I can't wait to see the court images.

[JackieLeigh]

Did you guys see the logo on some of her merchandise?  SNATT which stands for Semi-Nauseous All The Time

It is because of people like her why there are so many young men and women with eating disorders 

[tholian8]

Yes I did see that, and I was absolutely horrified.

[BadgerGirl]

Wasn't ALC posting advertising for her diet?

[BadgerGirl]

One More Link in the Chain

Kimmer recently tried to claim she is not Heidi Diaz while confirming the recent surveillance photos of the woman in question were indeed Heidi Diaz.

In the Woman’s World article that spawned the surge in traffic to the website, the article named Kim Drake as Kimmer.  This led to speculation about her real name since it was already known to be Heidi K. Diaz.

Heidi Diaz is found on Classmates.com and there we learn her maiden name is Miller.

Ancestry.com provides the leap to Drake, as it is her mother’s maiden name!

The California Birth Index is online (at Ancestry.com, by subscription).
–> Heidi K Miller 10 May 1958 Female Drake Los Angeles

 Kimmer was, is and remains Heidi Kimberly [Miller] Diaz, nee maternal Drake.