There and Back Again, Part 2

We don't see things as they are. We see things as we are.
~ Anais Nin

In my last post, I described how my time at Kimkins was going well, and any problems that might have flitted around a corner of my mind quickly vanished from view, because we had good stories and successes of happy people every day. Like most members there, I never even visited the main front page, let alone any other diet sites, but simply spent time in my favorite forums. As far as I knew, all was well.

In August of last year, Kimmer unexpectedly sent me a $50 Amazon gift certificate as a 'thank you' for my presence on the site. That was a surprise, but most welcome. Then, in November, she sent me a PayPal gift of $200, as a 'thanksgiving' gift, then another $200 in December for a Christmas gift. I was pleased by her generosity, and it did come in very handy, because money was very tight and Christmas had been looking very bleak. To me, it seemed a Godsend.

Then, in January, the People magazine with Mary Smith (CartBabe) on the cover, mentioning Kimkins inside, came out. That, combined with a rash of New Year's Resolutions, spiked membership up. Kimmer preferred not to deal with all the newbies (saying, "I forget not everybody already knows low carb"), so she asked if I would like to serve officially as moderator for $300 a month, and I was glad to say yes, especially since I was working a job at WalMart that I greatly disliked, and I could cut my hours a little with that. However, she stressed that it came with no promises, so it could go away at any time, depending on how the site was doing. I was already doing so much posting on the site anyway, just like so many other members were doing, so if she wanted me to delete double posts and sticky threads while I was at it, that seemed easy. I was to be a contractor, she said, so my duties and hours were not clearly specified --- just whatever I thought the $300 monthly was worth. Well, honestly, I already put in more than that on the site, so I mostly carried on posting greetings to new members and replies to questions that came up, etc. From my viewpoint, nothing changed except I could cut my hours at the store a little now that the Christmas rush was over, and spend some extra time at home online.

Kimmer and I never spoke on the phone but rather communicated by PM or email whenever something came up, which might be three times one day, then not for a week and a half. Neither of us wanted a friendship; we both already knew we had our differences. She wanted my help, and I wanted to hang out on the site, so it worked out for both of us. I had a little 'official' moderator work to do for the $300, and other than than that, I was free to post when and where I wanted, like I had done before.

This went on until an event that marks for me 'the beginning of the end'. That event was the banning of Amy(Cutie) and Kiki in mid-April. Amy and Kiki are good people, and I have been pleased to call them my friends. They were at the site from the beginning, and were hugely valuable in setting the tone there, especially all the fun and 'sparkle'. Amy was especially helpful and supportive to Kimmer in many ways, and was closer to her than anyone there. When Amy and Kiki they told me they had been banned on the spot, without warning, for daring to wonder, in private messages, about some questionable before-and-after pics on the early success stories, I knew then Kimmer was a liar. I had known all three of them a long time by then, and I never for one moment doubted Amy and Kiki or believed Kimmer as to why they were suddenly not there. Their word was good enough for me; had it not been, they had the emails to prove it.

I didn't know at that time if the pictures were fake or not. They went up after I joined, I think, or, if not, I hadn't paid them much attention. I followed my friends over, was happy, and never poked outside to look around much. Others had, though, and talk was starting to filter in, and Amy and Kiki had heard it, and were privately wondering. When I looked closer, I wondered, too, why some of them looked 'iffy', and why some of the people had never posted on the site. Kimmer offered some semi-plausible answers, and I did know we had lots of good, REAL success stories that had come through the site, including some I met in real life. So, it was kind of, sort of, almost easy to dismiss the shaky pictures, on the grounds that it would be crazy and pointless to dilute the potency of real success stories with fakes. What I could not dismiss, however, was Kimmer's outright violation of her stated promise to all the members that she could not and would not ever read PMs. (This had been a real sore spot for a lot of us when we left LCF.) I knew I could not see member PMs then, and I had believed Kimmer when she had said she could not either. So, now I knew that she was willing and able to lie to her members with a straight face and a smile, and cut off her closest 'friends' without a backwards glance. At the time, I thought it was more personal between the immediate parties. I simply had no idea how far the deception would ultimately go.

Here is the bad part, and I am deeply ashamed of this: I did not quit the site. I was hurt, confused, bewildered, and angry. My first instinct was to stomp out with my friends, just out of loyalty. But, I didn't. I didn't quite know why I didn't then, and I still don't. I should have. But my loyalties were divided. I was torn between my care for those friends, my care for the friends I would leave behind, my family's need for the money, and my selfish desire for peace and comfort. Mostly, it just didn't feel like the right timing. Here is what I said in an email at the time:

I know I will part ways with Kimmer sooner or later.
But, I have been burned a lot, and am leery of hasty
decisions made under emotional duress. I will take it
slowly and find my way. Anyway, what I do there is not
really for HER, anyway. It is for the members, and for
me. It happens to suit her for now, but it is not
ABOUT her, if that makes sense.

You ARE my friend! I miss you terribly! [deleted personal comments]

But, in fairness, you are not my only friend there.
I've spent almost a year with my challenge buddies
now. Supporting you would mean ditching them. That is
not a happy thought, either.

And, I don't know if I am up to starting a mass exodus
again. *sigh*

It is just a lot for me to process right now, and I am
taking my time with dealing with it. Maybe that is a
cop-out, but I am not ready to cause any more partings
or separations right now. I've had enough painful
partings for a while, and will chicken out of making
any more, if I can help it.

Sorry!

I would like to think that my waiting then, and leaving when I did worked to serve some greater purpose . . . and maybe it did.

If so, it was no thanks to me.

Please forgive me, my dear friends!

There and Back Again, Part 1

We don't see things as they are. We see things as we are.
~ Anais Nin

I said I would write up a brief short account of my Kimkins history, but I guess I can't write a short anything, so I will have to break this into parts. I have put this off, trying to even know where to get started. This may be more cathartic for myself than helpful to others, but I have to get it out, somehow.

In spring 2006, I was at my highest weight and lowest point in life, following a serious illness, heartbreaking family crisis, loss of a family business, unexpected cross-country move, and deep financial distress. Extended bed rest, immobility, steroids, stress and grief had taken their toll. I was morbidly obese, debilitated, and desperately depressed. I had almost reached the place of giving up and expecting to die young from obesity, and honestly I wasn't all that sad about the thought. However, life is so . . . persistent, and hope springs eternal, so I went looking for one more reason to believe and try again. That is when I came upon Low Carb Friends, and the Ask Kimmer thread that occupied center stage there.

Suddenly, it seemed people were really losing weight on Kimkins even if other things weren't working for them. I already knew cutting carbs was good for me from previous efforts at low-carb dieting, and reducing calories just made sense to me for people who were stuck or metabolically resistant to losing. I believe that, at the time, the stated guidelines for Kimkins there were less than 20 grams of carbohydrate (mostly from salads and vegetables), at least 70 - 90 grams of protein, and just enough fat to make menus work. Well, I already knew the under 20 carbs part, and that seemed like a good minimum on protein for a short, small-framed, sedentary middle-aged woman (me), and eating only reasonable amounts of fat instead of excessive amounts (which is how I had interpreted Atkins at the time) just seemed pretty fine and normal to me. So I tried it that way --- and it worked! I started losing weight, and feeling great, and having hope again. I simply cannot overstate how very good that felt! It was like getting my life back again! I was so extremely grateful.

I didn't much care for Kimmer's style, but her plan was working great for me. So, I quickly hooked up with some great people on a Camp Kimkins thread at LCF, who were pretty much doing Kimkins like I was --- 3 meals, maybe snacks, cheese in recipes but not as a snack, reasonable butter or oil in cooking, etc. To my mind, this was basically, Atkins without regular bacon for breakfast or cream cheese on pork rinds for a snack or whipped cream confections for dessert. I switched from cream to Half & Half in my coffee, gave up low-carb specialty products, and saw the scale move nicely enough. So, I did that, and hung out with my new online friends, whose support gave me encouragement to keep on going.

I hadn't been there long when suddenly Kimmer wasn't there and everything seemed weird and our posts started getting edited and deleted for mentioning her name. I got upset, and posted something like, "Hey! They're messing with our posts!" I got in trouble for that there, and my posts were moderated to smithereens, and my privileges got taken away. I found out Kimmer had her own site, joined up there, and my Camp Kimkins buddies came over soon, too, so we picked up where we had left off.

At first, it was like the golden age of Camelot. Everyone was nice and friendly and happy and losing well, and all seemed calm and bright. We had our own cozy corner, and were getting along beautifully, feeling good, having fun, and doing well. After all, we had initially come from a previous low-carb diet board, and most people knew something about low-carbing with Atkins, and brought that with them as a background and a basis. People generally did not cut things to the levels I saw later. In the various challenges and buddy groups and journals where people hung out, things were generally sane and healthy and happy. Friendships were knit, pounds were lost, and lives were regained. It could hardly have been better . . . almost.

Looking back, I can see things more clearly, but, at some level, I saw it then, too, I guess. In fact, I exchanged a few puzzled emails and PMs about this back then. In truth, it seemed like the less Kimmer posted, the happier most of the board was, and the saner the eating was. The best places were the places she never went, like the challenges and journals. She pretty much only visited the main lobby (called Q & A then, and Kimkins Cafe now) and even then, mostly the Ask Kimmer thread there, unless something else caught her attention. She was posting much less on her site than she had at LCF, often wouldn't post for days, and, honestly, that was fine with most of us, because sometimes we would just cringe when she would say things that were 'off'. So, a core group of members would just post away, have fun, and keep things going fine. The members made it a lovely place. To our minds, Kimmer was an almost non-existent non-issue. At least, that is how it was for me, and others can express their own opinions.

If there were health problems then, I didn't see it. Many people would have the usual few days of 'Induction Flu', and then move on to feel well and lose well. (I never even had that to speak of, because I started with Atkins, and slowly drew back on fat and calories, vs. jumping right in.) That is not to guarantee there were no problems like we have heard of recently, but I was not aware of anything out of the ordinary for low-carb dieters, if it was happening. After all, we were mostly still viewing Kimmer's guidelines through the lens of Atkins.

What I was sometimes aware of, though, were some women (five or so) I thought showed symptoms of eating disorders. I had seen that sort of thing at the other low-carb board, too, and though it concerned me, I did not know what I could do about it. When I would see potential warning signs, I would sometimes post, or otherwise PM the person with my concerns. I brought up situations to Kimmer several times, asking her to address things. I gradually noticed that some of the ones I was most concerned with were almost something like 'Kimmer's pets', who hung out in the Q & A, mostly in the Ask Kimmer thread, and seemed more devoted to her ideas. I didn't get it or realize all the implications, having not had anorexia or bulimia myself, but I just knew something was off, and I did not understand why Kimmer didn't see it and warn them instead of giving them gold stars.

Another nagging element to me was the SNATT thing. I never had it, thank God --- but then, I had eleven pregnancies and never a day of morning sickness, so I had no reference point for that. I was glad for the idea of diminished appetite, but mine never went completely away, which was fine with me. The people I hung out with would have at most a few days of feeling a little 'icky' like a flu bug, but then be fine. Every now and then, though, there would be someone who would get truly nauseated, and not be able to eat. One girl still haunts me a little. She was one I worried about, but she was a Kimmer fan, true blue.

My other concern was the 'moving target' nature of the plans. I also emailed Kimmer about this many times, asking her to spell things out with clear explanations, and then stick to it, but she would say it was simple enough as written. People would post to the Ask Kimmer thread, saying they were doing the plan and not cheating, but not losing as promised. They would be correct; they were within published guidelines, but were not losing as promised. Then she would tell them that if they REALLY wanted to lose, they would need to cut this and cut that - well below published allowances. I would think, "Who can eat like that?" Yet, people would often come back to her and praise her profusely for helping them, and actually take her advice.

Some of us worked hard to create a supportive, positive place, and to really address members' needs. That atmosphere spread throughout the site, and as new members gradually joined, they were mentored along by the members. Most people got connected with a group of friends, and many seldom ventured out into the other parts of the site. Most people never spoke to Kimmer, even in posts, let alone PMs or emails. In a real sense, for most people, Kimmer herself was very peripheral to the site, and apart from her input, it was a wonderful place to be.

I was an early member, instrumental in bringing people over from LCF, and in shaping the board in some ways, as were many others. I posted a lot, and was nice to people, which saved Kimmer a lot of bother. Sometime last year (and I can't find any record of when that was, but it might have been October, though I could be wrong) Kimmer asked me to be a volunteer moderator, which she said was essentially what I had been doing, except that I would now have a few extra buttons on my screen that would let me delete duplicate posts (we had a big problem with that for a while), move misplaced posts, set stickies, and lock threads. I said sure, no problem, if it will help. I was the only moderator, as the site was not too large, and we really had no squabbles or insults or anything to deal with. I literally never had to step in to intervene in anything or to delete anything considered 'offensive'. People simply weren't harsh or insulting to one another. It was a special time.

When I think of Kimkins --- well, when I thought of Kimkins --- that time, that atmosphere was what the name meant to me. I fought for it, hung on to it, thought really long and hard and agonizingly before leaving it.

But, leave I eventually did, because it is no more and never can be again anything like those 'glory days'. The magic is gone.

To those who remain, because you are still holding out hope that this will all go away and things can go back like they were, may I say, I deeply, truly do understand. It was something special at one time, and worth fighting for!

But, those times are over and gone. They are never coming back. It's over.

Kimkins is finished, whether it continues operation for a while longer or not.

I am sorry for our loss. Our loss. I lost a lot, too, maybe more than most.

I haven't done this to Kimkins. LCF hasn't done this to Kimkins. No one else has done this to Kimkins. Make no mistake. Kimmer did this to Kimkins. She has poisoned her own well. The sweetness is gone, and it is ruined.

Please, friends, leave. Leave now. It's OK. You'll be fine! There are lots of other low-carb and diet sites where you can recapture what was good, without the bitter taint.

You'll find lots of friends when you do.

NOW I get it!

My deep thanks go to Stephanie, who posted a link for me to read in her comments on a recent blog post.

When I read this, I was completely blown away! It describes to a T, and much better than I could, exactly what I and the others who have gotten close enough long enough have experienced. In fact, I could think of vivid examples of every point, and i am sure others could chime in as well.

This is long, but if you are looking of insight, this is the best I've seen yet. It helps make a little possible sense of what has been a mystery to me:
http://www.halcyon.com/jmashmun/npd/traits.html

Disturbing Disconnect

I said I would post several more things, and I will post them. First, though, I want to take another shot at explaining a little better just how disturbing Heidi/Kimmer's remarks felt to us at the time, and why they precipitated a mass exodus of those of us on the receiving end. As I said, it is hard to describe without some context how it hit those of us in the conversation.

Bear in mind, we were people who had borne the brunt of the work load of the massive explosion of membership, working many long hours, most volunteering with no pay at all, and even the couple of paid people were voluntarily putting in many more hours than compensated for, because we truly wanted to help out and help others have success. We had gone to the mat for the members, for the diet, and, by extension, for Kimmer. We felt like we were having to address things we shouldn't have had to do, in essence doing Kimmer's work and making excuses for her, because she would not produce an ebook, would not clarify the vagueness of the diet, would not fix the site problems, would not take even the tiniest simple steps to clear up what should have been easily-solvable non-issues, like her name and appearance. (And, yes, that obviously DOES matter, both legally and ethically, if she promotes her diet business with herself as the prime example and selling point.) People who were working their hearts out for the site with little or no pay were being wearied and compromised and scrutinized and criticized, without thanks, while she deliberately hid herself behind them and let them take all the heat. We were the ones interacting with the members, answering their posts and PMs, hearing their concerns, watching their struggles, seeing things fall apart for many of them. Yes, we had success losing weight, and yes, others were, too, but we could not overlook the fact that others just as important, members who had paid money for this, were also having horrible health problems that were being completely ignored and denied with woeful disregard. And, we thought we finally had a chance to speak to her about these things.

We poured out our hearts about real issues, real problems, real people being hurt, and, instead of real solutions, we were answered back with corporate brainstorming about how to spin it. No acknowledgment that the people mattered at all. In fact, in another conversation at around this time, she went so far as to say she couldn't help it if they were 'too stupid' to go to the doctor with medical problems, because it could NOT have anything to do with the diet at all. Why not? Because she KNEW so - low carb never hurt anyone. So, I pressed back with the idea that, no, maybe not just low carb, though it does have a natural diuretic effect, but how about combined with low calories, low essential fatty acids, low sodium, low mineral intake from inadequate vegetables and supplementation, overuse of laxatives, and then exercise on top of that, which is a subject she knows nothing about. She basically answered that 200 calories a day from a piece of chicken and a cup of salad were all anyone needed, and nothing about adding fat or anything else would make that better. Period. The message to us was clear, and clearly disconnected from reality: she cannot be wrong, and she will not back down, so therefore those things must not be happening. End of subject.

We talked about how all the controversy was distressing members and causing them to drop out, and she answered back with glee about how Kimkins was financially solid and all this was good for 'sales'. (So, once you pay, she has your money, so you can leave for all she cares. After all, it saves her bandwidth, and she can just replace you with new paying customers.)

We talked about her responsibility to address these issues for the sake of the members and her business, and she just repeatedly went off on a paranoid rant about how Amy/Cutie and Catherine were out to get her and it was all their fault. That is simply not true, btw, and, even if it were, it completely denies her own personal responsibility for having banned them when they suspected her of her dishonest and illegal business practices. It became so clear that she cares nothing for us or the other members as persons, or their actual well-being, or even their weight loss, except as useful tools, a means to her ends, another selling point for her. It is, in her mind, all about her, all about her money, and all about 'us' vs. 'them'. It felt like a frightening peek into a disordered mind.

One of the admins disclosed her very deep personal concerns about the anorexia issues, and admitted that she had gone 'off plan' at a youth event, rather than let the teen girls see how little she normally ate. Kimmer answered with some bizarre non sequitur one-liners that of course all fat people having EDs, but not to worry about low calories because WLS people eat 500 calories and don't have EDs. What??? That doesn't even make sense on the face of it, let alone answer the real concerns. Kimmer just has a bank of flippant answers she tosses out like they mean something, and gets away with it because people don't call her on it. (Or, if they do, she leaves that site and starts her own where she controls the ban button.)

Oh, and about laxatives, well, one member's doctor gave her a prescription for a strong one daily, so there you go, doctors say it's fine for everyone and, anyway, it's not as if she is suggesting a FULL dose every day, just a partial dose.

When the admins pressed harder on the issue of teens on the site, Kimmer's response was classic - What! Teens here! No way! I'm shocked! Shocked! I'll refund their membership! Yet, elsewhere in the conversation, she frankly admits there are teens on the site. (And we know what happened later with a teen, and I might address that with some additional info in a later post.)

We were pushing her to address members' needs, and she answered that she was not ignoring the members' needs. Then, she launched into what is clearly her carefully-laid 'exit strategy' - how she would slap up enough of a forum so that the members could carry on helping each other without her, so she wouldn't owe them refunds if forced to cease operations (What? Forced to cease? I thought she said she was completely unconcerned and above the law?)

Oh, and if she was not ignoring member needs, then why are the plans vague, the ebook not written, the Ask Kimmer questions often going unanswered for days and days at a time, but she has time to read PMs, delete threads and ban people she doesn't like, and heap praise on those who praise her. If member needs have top priority, then why were the recipe box and other site bugs not fixed while the tech guys had time to put up all the sales and promo pieces and take the site down to scrub PMs and install tracking bots and open member PMs suddenly to all admins a few weeks ago. (Yes, multiple reliable witnesses can confirm this.) Why was there time to take the Who Is Kimmer blurb down to protect her (totally unconcerned?) but it took so long to take down Christin's blurb? Whose needs come first? Is Kimmer serving the members' needs, or are they serving hers?

How about refusing the cruise by making it Jimmy's and the bloggers fault, on the grounds that it won't be fun? She was talking to the people who were expected to make it a working holiday in exchange for free tickets (free to Kimkins as a kick-back from the cruise line) yet the one whose full-time, income-producing enterprise it is will not go because it won't be 'relaxing' for her? Anyway, she had already told me she never had the least intention of going, so no fair pretending it was suddenly a safety issue because of stalkers. She simply wouldn't let herself be seen.

Likewise, it was typical behavior to blame the bloggers for delaying the ebook, and to make excuses again about the Maintenance Plan, when she had told me before she had one ready to go up with the new site back at the end of May.

When we pressed her about our serious concerns for people's welfare, and the potential implications of that, she replied that we ought not be concerned for her sake. What the heck?! When one of the admins replied that, yeah, well, it is our real faces and our real names out there, and it wasn't just about her and her 'privacy' anymore, she proudly boasted that she was completely unconcerned for her liability. Yet, it was obvious she knew there WERE legitimate concerns. She had an elaborate plan to conceal her identity, she had structured the business to protect herself, had legal liability insurance for herself, had an exit strategy, and had published very little in her name, really, and that mostly vague and open to interpretation, while she set up her moderators to be the ones out saying things for her. She has clearly operated in such a way as to think she can brazen her way out of any charges or suits that might be brought for laws broken or harm brought to others. It is as if all that is irrelevant, as long as she makes a profit and gets away with it. And, by saying that if Kimkins is sued, it won't be her in court, she is also saying that she really doesn't care who gets burned, either as victims or fall guys, as long as it isn't her. AND, she is saying this to the very ones she had set up to take the rap for her! And, even then, she had to try to lay a weird guilt trip on US about, well, if we don't trust her word and her superior knowledge, and are unwilling to take a bullet for Kimkins, that we were on our own to hire an attorney! Hire an attorney at our own expense to protect ourselves from her misdeeds, for an unpaid or underpaid position? How bizarre and incredibly self-centered is that statement?

This was the clincher: With all the hoopla and probing, shouldn't people be coming out of the woodwork who "know" me? Nope. No one knows who Kimmer is.

It felt like she was losing it a little, like she just couldn't keep herself from bragging about how clever she feels to be putting one over on people.

To me, that is admission that she was lying in all those after photos. After all, she has put multiple photos on multiple websites, plus in a magazine. How could she claim no one knows who she is if ANY of them are true?

If any of those photos are her, she is irrational and delusional to say no one knows who she is. And, if they are not photos of her, as she strongly implies, then she has just admitted deliberate criminal fraud.

And what kind of person spends years constructing layers of false identities, anyway? Such a person would have to be either emotionally unbalanced, or extremely dishonest, or both.

Maybe you had to be there to get the full effect, but I came away believing that I was dealing with someone who is devious, manipulative, dysfunctional, disordered, smart, stubborn, selfish, greedy, and dangerous.

That is why I had to leave. And, that is why I finally felt I had to speak up.

And, from what I hear from inside the site, her behavior is only getting more desperate lately.

In Her Own Words

The following are excerpts from 3 days of exchanged emails.

July 31, 2007, 7:06 pm

I'm writing quickly because today is "social worker day" for the boys and they'll be here soon. It's a lengthy process and I won't be back on for a few hours.

Address the Issues

First, let's understand who the naysayers are. Many are the old crowd at LCF who are anti-Kimmer to the core and, frankly, seem bored so this is a great "keep busy" activity.

The catalyst behind all of this is Amy (Cutie) who got banned here and 183,921 times at LCF. She sent numerous emails to be reinstated which I refused and then she contacted my former partner, Catherine. She is the only person who knew Catherine's last name or email addy which she got because she asked Catherine for a quote for a website.

Amy sent me her last angry email to be reinstated at Kimkins. I refused. Two days later we began getting website "views" from Malta, the island where Catherine lives. I check tracking pretty carefully and we never had any views from Malta prior.

Catherine didn't know about the magazine. Once Amy told her and Catherine saw the member stats -- and no longer being a 50% partner -- the anti-Kimkins campaign kicked into full gear. Didn't Catherine's husband post their estimate of Jimmy's affiliate earnings (which were way wrong BTW).

This is all about $$$.

They figured by getting Jimmy out of the way (Amy, Catherine and the LCF naysayers), we would be $$$ hurt and have to fold up. I don't want to say Jimmy's earnings were insignificant, but their absence will have no effect on the financial stability of Kimkins whatsoever.

Kimkins is financially solid. We don't depend on anyone and we don't accept advertisers for exactly the "Jimmy" reason. We do what we want to do and don't cater to the whims of letter writers.

Don't ignore the issues? I disagree. Ignoring has worked which is why the anti-Kimkins blogs now have the "Open Letter to Kimmer". Amy can't stand to be ignored and her bully tactics didn't force a response from me. I've addressed their health issues a zillion times at LCF and here. They aren't looking for answers, they want to point and say "see, see."

Blogs Popping Up Everywhere

Yes, they are. Take a closer look. They are all from the same group, head up by Catherine or her husband. Catherine runs a home medical transcription site with a monthly fee and a web design business. She missed out on Kimkins profits from the magazine, so this is her way of recouping income. Since these blogs have nothing to do with "concern" for fellow human beings, they aren't going to go away no matter what I write or explain.

Notice how many anti-Kimmer blog posts have to do with "Kimmer's getting rich," "She's making millions," "The Kimkins Marketing Machine," "Kimmer is building an empire," or "She's taking money from poor people who can't afford it," (although it would be fine if they spent their money at Weight Watchers). The way to hurt my imagined fortune is by affecting sales so they use scare tactics.

I disagree about replying to the naysayers because there is no end with those people. Amy won't be satisfied until Kimkins is offline. Did you notice she posted immediately after me on Jimmy's blog of his "dropping Kimkins" announcement? She got what she worked for and couldn't wait to congratulate Jimmy.

From a business standpoint the controversy has been good. Sales have been up 17% overall since Jimmy's blog post (BIG sales day that day) and that includes today with the plethora of "Kimkins will kill you" blogs.

This is all about money. If I were still doing this for free, nobody would blog about anything.

Aug. 1, 2007, 9:56 am

Sorry for the delay, "Social Worker Day" can be difficult for the boys. Summer is very active for summer placements in foster care. Two unrelated boys thought their parents were working hard on completing requirements for them to go home in time for school to start. One parent has done nothing and the other parent can't be found. A third boy was invited on a day trip to Tijuana but leaving the country is absolutely forbidden by courts and he's crushed. I already knew he couldn't go, but he needed to hear it from an official source. I needed time with the boys after the social workers left.

Photos & Medical

What if we ask members to post their medical results? Christin, Suzanna, and a recent member whose doctor said OK to Kimkins AND a prescription laxative come to mind. Assuming they are willing, it can be an item on the front page "Kimkins & Your Doctor" or something.

Blogs

We can ask members to blog about Kimkins, but that seems a weak position. Our affiliates with blogs provide some balance. When I blogged about the Teachers Challenge losing 907 pounds in 5 weeks, Catherine's husband couldn't bury it fast enough with his anti-Kimmer blogs.

Laxatives

Amy and Catherine's husband can spin it however they like (starving and laxatives), but all I'm suggesting is someone take a regular dose for 1-2 days and then a 25-50% dose each day after. The member who's doctor prescribed a laxative (which is stronger than what can bought over the counter) and to take full strength daily.

Teenagers

We have teenager as members, but I don't know that they are teenagers when they join. Emails I receive of "My 15 year old daughter ..." (or any age), I politely refuse. I don't mention specifics because that seems to give people more incentive. I tell them Kimkins is strict and their child would have more success with a diet that offers a wider food variety to make it easier for them around their peers, etc.

Low Calories/Pro Ana

We are low calorie after ketosis kicks in or with the shake option, but those calories are identical to post-WLS patients (500 cal a day for months), original Optifast and Medifast (450-700 cal a day for months).

I don't think we can fight the "1200 calorie a day mentality". Some people cannot understand that your body takes the calories it needs from body fat if the calories you eat are too low to sustain current weight. If you need 2500 calories (250 lb person) and eat 500 (number picked for easy math), the other 2000 are taken from body fat.

In Jimmy's interview I meant what I said about take a Weight Watcher or Jenny Craig meal and remove the starches. What's left? Kimkins. There is no health advantage to adding carbs or extra fat, so why is removing them (and having less calories) dangerous? 1200 calories a day is an arbitrary number (like 8 glasses of water).

Anorexia is a psychological disorder. Do we have people with ED on Kimkins? Of course. I weighed 318 pounds and you don't get that big without an improper relationship with food so I have an ED. But low calories aren't an ED, otherwise all of the WLS patients would be medically classified anorexic.

What if regular Kimkins changes guidelines from 0-20 carbs to 10-20 carbs and 0-3 cups to 2-3 cups List 1? Then again, I'm stuck with what to do when you're not hungry. Forced eating sounds ED to me. I'll find someone I trust to make a Recommended Supplements list.

If we make changes it will be announced with the Maintenance Plan (which will be a work in progress from member feedback). The announcement will be general and not in response to any outside pressure.

BTW, I asked Aliyar (tech support) to take the stats down from the homepage 4 days ago. Magically, no visits from Malta in the past 3 days.


August 1, 2007, 1:58 pm

A 13 year old in chat? No way! Not OK ever. Please all/any of you let me know so I can talk to the account holder and tell them "nicely" about no kids and probably refund/cancel.

I'm sure I could find a doctor. It honestly never occurred to me before the controversy. I'll make sure the doctor knows what he/they are getting themselves into.

Becky, I'm reading your email now, so I'm adding my comments here:

Thanks for your well thought out comments. Of course I don't agree with everything. You've laid out a lot of info and I won't go into all of it now, but here's a basic summary.

I cannot support a twisted version of Kimkins that turns into a mini-South Beach.

I'm not ignoring the needs of the members. Worst case scenario if we're forced to stopped operating, is a separate forum-only site will be set up for paid members todate. I'll pay the expenses for that forum, but I won't post and there won't be any frills (no chat, no PM, no ???)

SNATT - I can understand, although the symptoms of ketosis are covered fully in Dr. Atkins' books, including nausea. We are adding a few things to Kimmerwear and Christin can replace SNATT items with those. Anyone with heart palpitations, fainting or other serious conditions should see their doctor of course, not post on a forum asking for advice. There is nothing about removing carbs to cause those symptoms.

August 1, 2007, 2:55 pm

Amy/Cutie is a youth pastor. That has me scratching my head.


August 1, 2007, 4:21

Becky and all -- Chat continues to be a problem. What if we take a Chat Break for awhile? I know it desperately needs maintenance. ;)

Becky, I'm not ignoring your comments. Just asking for feedback on chat. It's a HUGE drain on resources and may eventually need it's own server.


August 1, 2007,

I disagree about WLS and Medifast. WLS patients regain for the same reasons people on all diets do. They still have psychological needs for favorite foods and stop the 500 calorie program. Even with a stomach opening of .75" diameter they can eat milkshakes, sugar cereal & milk, chips, alcoholic drinks, cheese, mashed potatoes & gravy, candy, etc. Both Al Roker and Carnie Wilson said in TV interviews that they started gaining because they went back to their old eating habits.

I cannot and will not say anything about minimum calories. A grilled chicken breast and a 1 cup USDA serving of mixed greens is 200 calories. It just is. Adding fats or starches isn't "healthier" to up the calories.

I'm not against all fats, why do you think that? I encourage minimal use of fats. All protein is at least 25% fat, plus butter, salad dressing, olive oil, cheese and other fats that are allowed on Kimkins.

Photos - I will not add new photos or explain of current ones anymore than I have. There is not end with this. I told the publicist that a new photo wasn't a good idea (just I told Jimmy that the interview wasn't a good idea). Both insisted and I was right. I didn't want a photo at all and I'm still leaning in that direction.

Medical Boards/Dateline - I'm completely unconcerned. If Kimkins is sued, it won't be me in court. I have no legal connection to Kimkins. I'm not the blithering idiot Catherine and others think I am. There's no sinister reason for my secrecy. I'm not a felon on the lam. I am a private person because I want to be. I write articles under pen names because I want to and have for 23 years. With all the hoopla and probing, shouldn't people be coming out of the woodwork who "know" me? Nope. No one knows who Kimmer is.

Cruise - What a "relaxing" 5 days that would be. Staring, photos, whispering and full blog exposes when I return ... not to mention sitting across the table from Jimmy. And don't forget the stalkers. I never considered the cruise as a personal safety issue before.

Anti-Kimmer Blogs - I know there are more than Amy and Catherine's husband. I had quite an anti-Kimmer following at LCF.

K/E Limit - Hmmm, this is possible. What about 2-4 weeks? But then we have the people who hate veggies and won't move on but that's their choice.

E-Book - I'll be honest, in view of recent events and everyone's comments the eBook will be different than what I wanted. Some sections will be omitted including personal stories I've never talked about.

Maintenance Plan - I'm working on it. Every day seems to bring new time consuming challenges that suck hours out of the day. I'll get 'something' up. It will be simple. It will need revision.


August 2, 2007, 12:25 am

Just as I'm not a doctor, I'm not a lawyer. I would STRONGLY encourage anyone who is concerned about liability in this situation to contact a local civil attorney.

For Kimkins there could conceivably be an issue of liability in tort ... once they get through jurisdiction, causation in fact and proximate cause. As I've mentioned, please don't be concerned on our behalf.

As to whether any of you can be held liable, you cannot -- but I'm not a lawyer so ignore me. None of you are Kimkins employees or partners and that is key. Most of you are contractors or affiliates, and barring those then volunteers. None have liability and the rules of agency or indemnification don't apply. But ask a lawyer, please.

Separately, if anyone has concerns in this area I fully understand. If anyone is interested in resigning as moderator or any other position -- no hard feelings!

If I sound flip, I apologize and that's purely unintentional. It's only that if I have one more "well meaning" person email me about concers for my legal liability I'm going to scream. It is a non-issue for me, no matter what my association. If it is an issue for any of you, I understand. Please seek legal counsel.

My outlook is different because I probably grew up differently than most/all of you. I have different way of looking at things and what I hold valuable.

Again, if anyone isn't willing to take a bullet for Kimkins (and why on earth should you), no problem at all. :)



In a later email, I asked if she had an attorney check into her and our liability. I also asked if she had any sort of insurance policy against damages to protect the moderators (whom she had said were all contractors or volunteers). Her reply:
"However, contrary to popular belief we don't have unlimited funds and the site is fairly expensive on an income/expense ratio. We need to spend wisely. Our liability insurance covers employees which doesn't include contractors."




My comments -

That Kimmer would agree to discuss this at all, and to include us all at once was unprecedented. I felt that meant she was feeling the heat. I almost could not believe that she had made that misstep, in that we now had each other's contact info apart from the PM system, so we could actually communicate privately with one another.

Rereading these emails, I remembered how wary we moderators were (or at least I was) wondering what was 'safe' to say, or who could be trusted.

It may be impossible to pick up just from what I have posted here, without the surrounding context, just how deeply unnerving and horrifying this was to watch unfold. In my experience, Kimmer normally doles out information, misinformation, and false information like the proverbial carrot and stick to manipulate and co-opt, and plays one person against the other to isolate and control. In this joint session at this time, I think she felt a little cornered and panicked. She mostly maintained herself as cool, calm, and collected, but the more we went on, the less she could hide sudden swings and flashes of paranoia, gleeful gloating, and blindly callous self-centeredness. She said some things that showed her true colors and maybe accidentally let a little too much truth slip out. Though none of it rises to the level of irrefutable evidence in a court of law, it added up in my mind to an accidental acknowledgment of willful ongoing fraud.

I began cautiously emailing a few other of the moderators, testing the waters, and wondering if they saw it the same way I did. That they did you can see from their subsequent actions. In fact, they began mentioning other little things that added to the pattern of willful deceit.

Have you ever seen or heard something that seemed a little 'off', but you didn't have a category or reference point for it, so you sort of dismissed it, filed it away until something else came along to make sense of it? I began remembering things that had nagged at me in the back of my mind. I do not have a saved record of these things, but I could testify to these under oath:
- Catherine's tentative, wary remarks to me in Chat back in the very early days about how odd that Kimmer sure typed a lot for someone on disability for something like carpal tunnel, and later, asking if I had heard anything about some Kimkins spam on Craig's List, because something funny was going on.
- About six months later, Kimmer's chuckling about putting off a request from Mary Smith (Cartbabe) by saying something about having to ask her 'partners', and how Mary did not need to know that the 'partners' were just a loose term for whoever happened to be around, like her son or some other relatives.
- Much later still, when Christin and I were scrambling to enter recipes into the new software for the site move and realized we needed to include images to be able to save the recipes, Kimmer suggested we scour the internet, saying "I am not above 'lifting' images! LOL"

Again, I do not know how these words read to outside observers, out of context, but I do know that to those of us in the conversation, the message was unmistakable.

I have procrastinated pushing the 'publish' button all day, just sick to my stomach with grief. I feel I am betraying Kimmer and bringing turmoil to Kimkins members. I have no desire to do either. Kimmer was at times good to me, and I have lost weight successfully on her plan (my version of it, anyway) at her site. I was happy at that site. I cannot forget or fail to be thankful for that, and my loyalty makes me want to see everything in as kind a light as possible. However, I also cannot betray those who have suffered negative consequences from her plans, and I absolutely cannot be a party to what I now believe to be criminal misconduct.

So, here goes.

All In

I am a peace-lover. In fact, I am a coward. My first instinct in times of conflict or trouble is to hunker down in a corner and hope it goes away. I just want to go back to my nice quiet life, spend time with my family, and type pretty thoughts in my harmless little low-carb blog and newsletter. Oh, how I want that!

Nevertheless, there comes a time when duty trumps fear.

After much thought, I have decided that any potential harm to others allowed by my silence outweighs any potential risk brought about by my speaking.

Therefore, before this day is over, I intend to publish 3 things:

~ Quoted replies in her own words to the issues raised by the various former admins, which others who participated in that email exchange at the time can verify or refute

~ A short version of the whys and wherefores of my personal journey in and out, including financial disclosure and an honest admission of the compromises I feel I made

~ To set the record straight, my personal layman's opinion of the physical and mental health risks of the diets, for what it is worth

Did I leave anything out?


I have been told that an apparently supportive and magnanimous statement has been publicly made about me. I do appreciate that. I also know how that works.

But, this isn't about me - or about you, Kimmer. This is about the hopes and fears and health and lives of people who trusted you and paid you based on your promises to deliver.

I fully expect that I may expect to see a flurry of my own words taken out of context and used against me.
After all, desperate times call for desperate measures.

You mistook decency for weakness.
I will take my hits. Bring it on.

Reasonable Appeal

Generally, I believe there is a process to go through, if possible, to address things that need resolution. I expressed my concerns privately to the individual involved. When that was not satisfactory, I presented my concerns along with a larger, but still private, group. Since that was not satisfactory, the next step would be to take these to the members at large, but that is not possible, so I put them here, so that some may read them if they wish.

The following is one of a series of emails exchanged among the founder and the moderators of Kimkins from July 31 to August 2. It began with a PM (private message) from me to the others, and we exchanged maybe 1 or 2 more PMs before taking it to gmail. (I do not recall exactly those initial PMs, and do not have a copy of those.) We exchanged 27 more emails, and this was #9 in that series. I include it here as I wrote it in haste at the time, with minor edits to remove names and details of others. Some of it refers to statements that had been made earlier in the discussion by various people.

I am sharing this email as a step in walking out the process I mentioned, even though it puts me in a somewhat unfavorable light. This represents me as being more conciliatory and accepting of some things than I was (and am) but, in an effort to be heard and to move the discussion along, I thought it best to tread softly. My actual personal views are stronger, but this is what I presented at the time:

Well, so much to address! The thing has become a mess, and apt to get messier, so it really isn't enough that we admins agree things are not as accused --- it matters how it is perceived in many ways in larger circles. Though I do not want to be argumentative or over-reactionary, I will be quite blunt and play the devil's advocate here, for the sake of adequate discourse. No use pussyfooting around – but no desire to go off half-cocked, either.

I do not need the approval of others, and don't expect everyone ever to agree with Kimkins; I know what it has done for me. But I do care about supporting our members and fulfilling basic responsibilities to them for morale and welfare. A lot is at stake, legally, morally, and financially, and, frankly, Kimkins (and Kimmer) is a big target. Enough people are concerned or upset enough to have already contacted authorities and investigators, (State medical fraud boards, business fraud boards, diet oversight panels, Dr. Phil, Dateline, and others) This goes far beyond idle drama and gossip.

[name]/[name] may have stirred a lot of this after she was banned, but it was already out there before that, from other people. [Name] may be posting blogs, but she is not the only one. This is not just the opinion of a few, or it would never have gotten this far. Honestly, the best thing to do would be to see where their concerns are, and address what part of them have a basis in validity – and there is some.

The concerns are two-fold ---- Kimmer herself, and the diet itself. Those are related, of course, but both are in play. Obviously, Kimmer, you are who you are and don't want to change that, and I understand, and that is your right. But, you do have a LOT at stake here, more than anybody else by far. More disclosure and moderation of responses would go a long way toward helping. It won't completely put out fires, but it will keep from adding fresh fuel, and let the fires now raging start to die out eventually. Is it impossible for you to go on the cruise, post more pics, clear up the before-and-after controversies more head-on, etc.? I know, I know, I am asking a lot, but the issues raised are fair, if we can step back and not get defensive or stubborn. You are selling your story, in a sense, like it or not. Your opponents have contacted business fraud boards to have you investigated, and they see your silence as admission of guilt. They should not have the right to demand your private business, but they say you've made yourself a public figure and profited handsomely from your story, and can't prove it. So, if you prove it, that takes away a leg they are standing on. Moreover, your members feel hung out to dry that you won't remove this cloud, and end up thinking that 'where there's smoke, there's fire'. Many of them have told me so and left the site. And they don't just leave ---- they spread trouble. Eventually, you will not be able to keep enough people coming in the front door and happily posting if this continues to spread. Controversy may be good for business ---- but only to a point. Low-carb board gossip is one thing, but a national mag doing a retraction or expose would be another. Let's not kid ourselves --- big media will get a hold of this, sooner or later. So, I know this is upsetting, but they intend to see you in court (or at least on a TV expose) eventually. If you can stop that now, it would be to your great advantage. The stance that served at LCF or on a start-up board is not adequate at this level. And I disagree that ignoring it worked. Worked for sales, maybe – at least for now, if that is all that matters --- but too much is at stake now for you. Sorry to probe into painful matters, but there it is --- the elephant in the middle of the room, that cannot be ignored.

As for the diet itself, in my opinion, there is room for moderation in how it is presented. Even if you disagree, there is a responsibility and a liability that goes along with dealing with the public where money and advice are concerned. One big accusation is 'the plan behind the plan' and I can see that. The plans as published are not bad, but the culture of pushing for lower and lower to lose can be. Also, assuming everyone who isn't losing all the time quickly is cheating is both hurtful and untrue. People do have different bodies and different responses. Also, I see (or hear later of) the reports of weakness, dizziness, erratic heartbeat, almost (or actually) fainting, etc., and that even persisting a month or two or longer into the diet ---- that is serious! These are people in our midst, taking it too far, but it has happened. If anything said or done, or the culture created feeds into that, there is liability, both legally and morally.

I think we need to consider several things:
1) Really reconsider how far is safe to push things, and what number guidelines ought to be in place. Rather than 0 – 20 carbs, for instance, just say 20 or less. Don't say 0 - 3 cups List 1 veggies on the Kimkins plan – say 2 –3, etc. Add a couple of ounces more of protein to the Boot Camp dinner, like it was before, and a little more fat. Etc. Stress that Boot Camp is not for beginners (even though the name sounds like it is the place to start).
2) Do not create a 'plan behind the plan' culture. Don't always assume lowering everything is the answer. Don't assume cheating with slow losses – not always true. Don't treat all fat as unnecessary. Continue to stress that required nutrient levels (including calories, fats, etc.) vary from person to person, and that we should feel well doing this.
3) Encourage Kimkins more over K/E, for the fiber and nutrient benefits. Reconsider fiber addition, maybe. Back way off on laxative recommendations. Reconsider recommendation for how long it is safe to stay on K/E at a time.
4) Be on the lookout for ED signals, and caution individuals who are displaying unbalanced behavior in eating, exercising, binging and starving, laxative abuse, going for goal weights in the underweight category, etc. Publish a warning and disclaimer on the front end.
5) Back off on the SNATT. Nausea over food should not be a diet strategy.
6) Back off so much on the WLS, Medifast comparison. Yes, WLS patients eat little at first. But, many have health problems, and the low calories quit working after a while, and loss levels off for them. Early shake fast diets had big problems, too.
7) Drop the Fasting and Detox forum. (I know it has its place, but that is a big target. Most of us never even check there, but there really is some extreme stuff that has happened there.)
8) Get a Maintenance plan up there, with hope of ever having a decent number of calories.
9) Get the eBook done, (and run past an advisor).
10) Stronger disclaimers and more direct address are needed, as [name] said, especially with pregnancy, nursing moms, medical conditions, teens and children,, eating disorders, etc.
11) Medical support and advice would be valuable. How to get? I do think we have medical personnel as members already, so you might contact them. A published research bank would be helpful.
12) Have you gotten legal counsel on this?

So, this is more than anyone wanted to hear, and more than you want to do, I know.
I tried to bring up everything I have heard leveled against Kimkins.
I realize that some people cannot be satisfied, and what is done is done. I am hoping, though, that all of this can be humbly looked at with fresh eyes and an open mind, and addressed with honesty and compassion where change is warranted.

I will do everything I can to serve the Kimkins members well, and hope we can sort things out for the good of all. Thanks for listening to all this, Kimmer. I know it's a tough spot to be in, and I'm sorry.

Catching My Breath

Well, it has been an eventful few days since I posted last. I do so very much appreciate the outpouring of love and support I have received. It has been literally overwhelming.

I haven't wanted to say too much, while I was laying low and waiting for some friends to finish doing what they had to do.

Actually, I still don't want to say too much. I feel like a Hobbit who has accidentally found myself thrust into an adventure I wasn't looking for, when all I really want is my cozy home, a lovely meal, and some pleasant conversation with friends and family.

Ah, well.

I will try to catch up here on answering some of the comments that have come in, while I think about how to address the bigger issue of why I left. I don't want to tell other people's stories, but I will tell a little of mine.

My Goodbye

Dear Kimkins friends,

I am so sorry that the circumstances of my absence from the site have caused confusion and consternation. I have never meant to hurt anyone there in any way, and I am sorry. You have meant so much to me, and I treasure you, the wonderful relationships we had there, and the time we shared. It was so special to me --- the encouragement and support and just plain fun we often enjoyed. It is amazing how so many people, most of whom I haven't even met yet, could become so dear to me. Many of you know me better than some of my 'real life' friends do.

I loved cheering for your victories and being there in your time of need, and I truly appreciate, more than I know how to express, how you did the same for me. I know I would never have made it this far without you. Because of what we had there for a while, I not only lost the weight, I got my life back. I got hope back, when I had almost given up hope. I am healthy and strong and active again, and I wanted that for all of us. I still do. I tried to make a positive difference, in my own small way. I would have preferred for things to have turned out differently.

What led to my dawning awareness that it was time to go was more than irreconcilable differences of opinion, more than self-protective concern, and more than current controversy. What led to my regretful realization that I would have to leave is another story for another time. I assure you, though, that it has nothing at all to do with diminished affection for the members. The members of Kimkins made the site what it was, and made it better by far than it would have been otherwise. Many of you had a part in that, and I thank you for your input into my life.

I am not hiding, and I am not hard to find. I posted my email address on the site a few weeks ago, the first time my password quit working, in case I ever disappeared suddenly. If that cannot be found, I can always be reached here.

Be well, friends. You've touched my heart. Keep in touch.

Interesting Times!

I suppose we have all heard the expression meant to be either/both a blessing and a curse: May you live in interesting times.

Well, lately my life has been . . . interesting.

I will probably want to talk about it someday.
Perhaps even someday soon.
But not today.

Today I just want to say that I and all my family are well and fine.

In fact, I feel more peaceful and content than I have felt in a long time.

I have so very much missed being online, and missed my many dear online friends, more than words can say. Being absent has felt at times empty and lonely. Though I have a loving family around me, you, my online friends, have become important to me, too. I hope to reconnect with many of you.

I had reasons for my absence, interesting reasons. I'm still processing information and sorting through all my thoughts and feelings in my own slow, methodical way. I am generally a careful and cautious person, gathering my own evidence and coming to my own conclusions.

Interestingly, Wikipedia has this further to say about the referenced proverb:

It is reported that it was the first of three curses of increasing severity, the other two being:

May you come to the attention of those in authority
May you find what you are looking for

Here's hoping for a less interesting life!

Monday Menus: August 6

Here is this week's menu, with recipes following. I often simplify or rearrange things in the actual cooking, as events come up, but this gives me a plan for my shopping list and prep-aheads. I usually only end up making 5 or 6 of the entrees, because of going out or over to someone's house for dinner, or eating leftovers some nights when the kids are all out and it is just DH and me.

I usually have a protein shake for breakfast, or some kind of eggs. For lunch, I rotate a few basic 'lunch of the week' ideas. In that way, things stay simple and uncomplicated.

For dinner, I try to make a basic meal the whole family can eat, with variations.
I add the higher-carb, higher-calorie menu items for my non-Kimkins family [in square brackets].

Monday
B: Mocha Cappuccino Protein Shake
L: Grilled Chicken with Dijonaisse Dip
D: Taco Salad, [sliced avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips]

Tuesday
B: Strawberry Protein Shake
L: Tuna Salad on Revolution 'Bread'
D: Chicken a la Queen, salad of baby mixed greens, steamed broccoli, [parsley-buttered egg noodles]

Wednesday
B: Chocolate Mint Protein Shake
L: Egg Salad on Celery Sticks
D: Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry, [rice, melon]

Thursday
B: Denver Omelet with Canadian Bacon
L: Diet Coke "Float" Protein Shake
D: Texas-Style Low-Carb Chili, [favorite fixings, tortilla chips]

Friday
B: Fuzzy Navel Protein Shake
L: Texas-Style Low-Carb Chili
D: Salmon Bundles with Rosemary, Capers, and Lemon; Romaine/Red Onion Salad; [Steamed Red Potatoes}


Saturday
B: Chocolate Peanut Caramel Protein Shake
L: Tuna Salad on 'Revolution Bread', Celery Sticks
D: Chili-Lime Chicken, Garlic Cauliflower, [Corn with Mixed Bell Pepper Bits]

Sunday
B: Strawberry Kiwi Protein Shake
L: Rosemary Pork Loin Medallions, Lemon-Pepper Green Beans, [Seasoned Potato Wedges]
D: Any leftovers of choice from week

Drinks: Water, Coffee, Iced tea/Sugar-free Lemonade, Green tea, Peach tea
Snacks and Desserts: Sugar-free gelatin, Sugar-free slushies/snowcones/popsicles (homemade)

Taco Salad

This one is easy!


Taco Salad
Serves 4

(Ingredients:

1 lb. ground white turkey (or extra-lean beef)

1/2 to 1 tsp each: garlic powder (or minced garlic) salt, ground cumin, chili powder (to taste)
1/2 cup chopped onion (opt. - to cook with meat)
6 -10 cups lettuce of choice (I like romaine, sliced in thin shreds.)
1 - 2 tomatoes, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped green onion (or regular onion, for people to add to their own salads.)
1 cup cheese, Cheddar, or Mexican Blend, shredded
1/2 to 1 cup Salsa of choice (I use Pace Picante, or homemade)

Extras (for family, or maintenance):

1 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
1 can black olives, sliced
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 to 1 cup sour cream
Tortilla Chips

Salad Dressing, as desired (I just use salsa, but Light Ranch works, too.)

Directions:

1) In large skillet sprayed with non-stick spray, brown meat with seasonings (and onions, if using). Drain, if needed.

2) Place lettuce on large serving platter. (Or divide evenly among four salad plates.)

3) Sprinkle with layers of meat, cheese and tomatoes.

Serve with additional extras (salsa, green onions, olives, avocado, sour cream, beans, chips) for to add, as desired.

Chicken a la Queen

I like the cute little pearl onions, but you can skip those and just use egular onions, chopped, if you need to.

Chicken a la Queen
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I just eat 4 oz., but my family eats the rest)
Salt and pepper, to taste OR Montreal Chicken Seasoning (so good!)
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup red wine (or, use another 1/3 cup chicken broth instead)
1/2 lb. mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup pearl onions
1 tsp thyme

Directions:

1) Spray large skillet with non-stick spray (olive oil in sprayer works well)and heat to medium-high.

2) Season chicken, and saute 5 -6 minutes per side.

3) Add bell pepper, and saute a few more minutes until chicken is cooked through and peppers are tender-crisp.
Remove from skillet, set aside, and keep warm.

4) In the same skillet, add broth and wine; bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from pan bottom. (Deglaze.)

5) Add mushrooms, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer about 5 minutes.

6) Raise heat to medium, add pearl onions and thyme, and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes, until sauce is reduced.

7) Spoon mushroom/onion sauce over chicken and serve.

Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry

Well, this simple dish looks better than this, and tastes even yummier. (Of course, I really like cabbage!)
Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry
Serves 4

Ingredients:
non-stick spray
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 small head cabbage, shredded
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ThickenThin not/Starch thickener (low carb, in place of cornstarch)
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon ground black pepper


Directions:
1) Spray a wok or large skillet with non-stick spray, and heat over medium-high heat

2) Saute garlic for about 5 seconds, then add ground beef. Stir-fry until beef is evenly brown. (Drain if needed, but it shouldn't be if you used extra-lean beef.)

3) Stir in cabbage and pepper, and cook until vegetables are tender, and beef is fully cooked.

4) Stir in soy sauce. Mix together cornstarch and water, and stir in. (Or, omit thickener and water if you do not have the low-carb thickener.) Season with pepper. Cook, stirring, until sauce has thickened.

5) Serve, with rice for family, or plain for low-carbing.

Simple and delicious!

Texas-Style Low-Carb Chili

This recipe is made with no beans and no tomatoes - but you can add a can of spicy Rotel tomatoes if you like!

This recipe is made with no beans and no tomatoes - but you can add a can of spicy Rotel tomatoes if you like!

Texas-Style Low-Carb Chili
Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 pounds extra-lean ground beef (or lean white turkey)
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste
2 teaspoons cumin
1-2 teaspoons ThickenThin not/Starch thickener

Directions:

1) Brown meat, with onions and garlic.

2) Add seasonings, and enough water to barely cover the meat. Cook 1 hour, adding more water if necessary. (Add tomatoes, if you want.)

3) Towards the end of the cooking time, thicken with ThickenThin not/Starch thickener. Start with 1 teaspoon, stirred into a bit of liquid first, and increase amount to taste until the gravy is thick enough.

Serving Ideas : Dress with chopped tomatoes, onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc., as toppings for the family.

This tastes better the next day, and freezes well, too.