Psoriasis & Diabetes Link

Of note for Kimkins members:

Did you know that women with psoriasis are more likely to develop diabetes than those without? Scientists think the link could be to the increased inflammation psoriasis sufferers have in their body.

Inflammation is a factor in many diseases including heart disease. Increased sugar (glucose) levels in the blood contribute greatly.

If you have psoriasis mention the possible connection to your doctor at your next office visit and ask whether diabetes screening is appropriate.

Debbie lost 83 lbs with Kimkins!

Meet Debbie!

Age: 48
Height: 5' 5"
Highest Weight: 260 lbs
Kimkins Start Weight: 241 lbs
Current Weight: 158 lbs
Total Loss on Kimkins “so far”: 83 lbs
How Long: Since July 2007 (I’ve had ups and downs)

Hi - My name is Debbie (a.k.a. mdsqueen) and I’m a carboholic, chocoholic, food junkie. I’ve battled my weight for as long as I can remember.

My earliest memory of weight issues is from 5th grade (maybe 10 or 11 years old). I remember feeling embarrassed as I was the heaviest kid in my class at 92 pounds. Gee, 2 years ago 92 pounds is probably what my left thigh weighed! I remember going on “diets” as a teen with my mom. I remember being embarrassed to change and shower in the girls’ locker room for gym class as I was “fatter” than most of the girls. Not obese by today’s standards, but fatter. I remember the boys in high school teasing me, calling me “Knockers” because I was "chesty" back then. I remember dreading going school shopping for clothes - nothing ever fit right.

I didn’t have a lot of friends in school. We lived in the country so travel was limited. Food was my best buddy - always there, available, never talked back or hurt my feelings, always comforting. Not to mention the fact I was lazy and hated to sweat, so exercise was not on the top of my “to-do” list.

When I moved out on my own and hit the “party” scene, I lost weight - but not the healthy way. I was not eating properly, drinking too much and dancing a lot. I was probably at my lowest weight at about 150 pounds. Then I met hubby and got happy. Settled down from the party scene, gained a few pounds. Then I got pregnant. Three times. Gaining significant weight with each pregnancy (73 lbs, 44 lbs, 28 lbs) and never taking the excess off, topping out the last weight I can recall at about 260 pounds in 2001.

I’ve tried various diets over the years - Low calorie, Richard Simmon’s Deal a Meal, a system similar to Nutrisystem where you meet with a counselor and buy their food (ewww), Curves diet - you name it, I’ve tried it - would lose a little but gain it back, plus some. But as the saying goes, “try, try again ”

On my 40th birthday, I made myself a promise at 260 pounds that I was going to lose 100 pounds by my 50th birthday. I was tired of sitting on the sidelines, watching everyone else “live.” I started watching what I was eating and continued with what I would now call a pathetic attempt at “exercise.” Over the next 6 years I managed to lose about 18 pounds. I needed to lose the weight before it negatively affected my health. I realized too late though, the damage was already done to some of my joints - my knees, hips, and back. I had just adapted to how I was feeling and moving. I joined a women’s only fitness club and got started with more “serious” exercise in 2005 or 2006.

On July 22, 2007, I was in the break room at work and saw a periodical laying on the table. The title caught my eye: “Better than Bypass Surgery.” The article was the Kimkins article in Women’s World magazine everyone talks about. At that particular time, two individuals very close to me were considering bariatric surgery, so the title was very intriguing. I wrote down the information from the article and took it home to read. I decided that night to sign up for the Kimkins program and started the very next day. It wasn’t long before I found a couple of close-knit groups to join up with - The Sweethearts and The Firecrackers - and have been with them for almost this whole Kimkins journey I’ve experienced. I’ve made so many wonderful online friends and two other groups I’m also enjoying are the Shakers and the Hangin In groups. The challenges and journals are so inspiring and encouraging to read and participate in.

Initially, I was able to stay on the Kimkins program without any “cheating” for the first 5 months with my weight going from a start of 241 pounds down to 195 pounds. I was sort of doing my own cycling between the regular Kimkins and the K/E programs. Then the Christmas season hit - my first season on the program. There were shopping trips, family gatherings, a birthday - all hitting at the same time. I decided, “I’ve been so good for so long, I’m going to relax a bit for the holidays.” Big mistake. That decision resulted in about a 3 week binge where I couldn’t get back on track for the life of me, resulting in some regain of what I’d worked so hard to take off. I felt miserable - I literally felt hung over. Did I learn from that slip up? Yes and no - I learned I don’t like the yucky feeling of carb overload but I still love my food I’ve had little slip-ups along the way, but I’m managing to get back on track quicker. Behavioral management is an important component to weight loss success as well. I'm learning to look at the "why" I want to eat when I'm not really hungry. I’m at the point now, if I over indulge, I have to work it off with exercise. “If I didn't burn it, I didn't earn it!”

I have had to find ways around the different foods that I thought I “loved.” The Cook’s Nook has been a wonderful resource as well as the Recipe Box. I copied my favorites and keep them in a 3 ring binder in my kitchen. I’ve come up with some of my own concoctions that most of the rest of my family won’t eat, but hey, it works for me. I learned how to cook again instead of everything being from a can or box for convenience. I learned how to “batch” cook and the pre-planning has been a life saver for me. I have kept a food journal notebook since the beginning and am now on my 3rd book - tracking daily intake, exercise, weight, measurements and yes, even potty habits.

My lab work has improved too.

• In November 2007 / November 2008
• Cholesterol: 188 (norm 127-199) / 185
• Triglycerides: 63 (norm 0-149) / 54
• HDL: 49 (norm >40) / 73
• LDL: 127 (H) (norm 0-99) / 102
• Very low density lipids: 12 (norm 8-27) / 10
• Cholesterol; HDL ratio: 3.8 (norm 0-4.5) / 2.5

Improvement in all areas. I’m anxious to see what they’ll be this year!

In 2008 I discontinued my membership at the women’s only fitness club as I seemed to have come to a standstill in my exercise program and I moved to a different fitness club with more to offer and continued to work out for about a year on the cardio and resistance machines. In April of this year, I again felt I was at a stand still in my progress so I hired a personal trainer - who, by the way, has his own exercise DVD on functional fitness training, Fit-n-Functional and Chris Nerat

I'm currently working on strength training with a goal of being able to squat my own body weight at least one repetition. I can squat 95 pounds, bench press 75 pounds, and military press 60 pounds - yes - TOOT TOOT!! I'm pretty proud of what I've accomplished by working out and staying on my diet plan. Making the decision to hire my personal trainer was one of the best investments I’ve ever made in regard to my health (next to my Kimkins membership fee of course!) Even though my weight numbers aren’t dropping as quickly as they were in the beginning of the program, my inches as well as my body fat percentage continue to go down and people are constantly asking me if I’ve lost more weight. There have been times when some of my own family members didn’t recognize me! I would recommend to everyone, as soon as you are able to start moving, do something for exercise. When you build muscle, you are increasing your metabolism which in turn increases your calorie burn and starts the toning process to help somewhat with the appearance of the sagging skin.

My measurements before and after and total lost:

• Bust: 45.5 - 36.5 = -9
• Waist 44.5 - 32.5 = -12
• Abs: 53 - 37 = -16
• Hips 49.5 - 38 = -11.5
• Arms 16 - 12 = -4 (-8 total)
• Thighs: 26 - 21.5 = -4.5 (-9 total)
• Calves 16.5 - 14 = -2.5 (-5 total)
• Total inches lost so far: 70.5"!
• Body Fat %: Start 46.5%; Current 27.9%
• BMI Start: 40.1; Current 26.3

My clothing sizes have changed from 2-3XL in nursing scrubs to size “SMALL”. Jeans - size 22-24 down to size 6-8 depending on the style and brand, tops - 2-3XL down to small or medium. NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS would I have imagined I’d ever be here!

I’m currently researching and considering having skin reduction surgery. I never thought I would consider surgery if I was able to lose the weight. I felt it was a vanity issue. Not!! The loose and sagging skin is uncomfortable - pinching and twisting.

Eating low carb and exercise will forever be a part of my life now - following the Kimkins program I’ve learned I can no longer eat the sweet treats and platters of spaghetti with slabs of thick bread and butter the way I used to. Those foods are poison to me and I have to consider myself “allergic” to them. In fact that is what I tell saboteurs when they try to tempt me with foods I need to stay away from - “I’m allergic.” I’m too sensitive to carb action and certain foods are “triggers” for me. I think what helped me to stick with the program in the beginning was the fact I was able to eat as much lean protein as I wanted. It satisfied my appetite and I was not hungry. I do have to say though that what Kimmer has said time and again is true - CALORIES COUNT! Starting out on the program counting just the carbs was an easy way of reducing my overall caloric intake. Once I was used to counting carbohydrates, I eventually I started counting calories as well - and have been attempting to keep my calories between 1200 -1500 per day. I have officially become a “label reader.”

Thanks to Kimkins and my trainer and lots of hard work and sweat, I’ve reached that ultimate goal I set for myself on my 40th birthday by losing the 100 pounds, over a year ahead of schedule. Since the start of Kimkins, I’ve lost around 85 pounds. My pattern has been that I drop, drop, drop, bounce back up, drop, then stabilize for a while before I start dropping again. So I know all about the infamous “stalls.” I’m getting very close to a “goal” weight now and I’ve switched my eating over to a more “normal” diet by incorporating more fruits and vegetables and some whole grains - not a lot, but more carbs than the regular Kimkins plans recommend. This is a part of maintenance, relearning another way of eating now that will keep me at a healthy weight.

In the past, I missed out on a lot of quality time doing things with my husband and kids. I was too tired, too sore, whatever excuse I could think of to not be physical. Now, they have a hard time keeping up with me and if I want to spend time with them, I make them go to the gym with me! I have grand kids now and I’m so enjoying being able to get up and down off the floor with ease, to run and to be able to keep up with them as they play.

I’m inspired to work toward another goal in my spare time - I’m studying to become a certified personal trainer and nutritional specialist. I want to help others learn how to live a healthier, more productive life.

Special thanks to Kimmer for this site and to EVERYONE on the site and in my life who has supported me on my journey - you ALL know who you are!

Stuffed Whisky Mushroom Burgers

Stuffed Whisky Mushroom Burgers (serves 6)

• 18 oz extra lean ground beef
• 8 oz Jennie-o ground turkey
• 6 .75-oz slices low fat pepper jack or cheddar cheese
• 2 green onion tops, finely chopped
• 2 egg whites, beaten
• 3 tablespoons whisky (optional)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons mesquite liquid smoke
• 1 1/2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon each garlic powder & ground chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon each onion powder & black pepper
  

Preheat outdoor charcoal grill to medium heat or tabletop grill on high. Combine ground beef, turkey, Worcestershire sauce, whisky, beef bouillon, liquid smoke, egg white and spices in a bowl. Mix well and shape into 12 patties, pressed thin.

Add .75 oz cheese on top of 6 patties, then top with the 6 remaining patties. Cook about 6-8 minutes on each side or until cooked to desired doneness.

Note: Not for kids or pregnant ladies because the alcohol does not cook out

Could You Have Metabolic Syndrome?

A topic that gets a lot of discussion among Kimkins dieters is "metabolic syndrome" -- and it doesn't have an absolute definition. People with metabolic syndrome tend to gain weight easily and have a harder time losing. If you have 3 or more of these factors your doctor may diagnose you with with Metabolic Syndrome:

• Tummy Obesity: A waist measurement of 35" or more for women and 40" or more for men.

• Low HDL Cholesterol: This is the "good" stuff that can protect against heart disease. Low HDL is <>

• High Fasting Blood Glucose: Defined by a blood sugar level of 100+ after fasting (not eating) for 8-12 hours.

• High Triglycerides: Considered borderline at 150 mg/dL and high at 200+ mg/dL.

If your health care provider diagnoses you with metabolic syndrome, the next step could be insulin resistance -- and that's the precursor to type 2 diabetes. How can you stop or reverse Metabolic Syndrome? With the same tools that help with insulin resistance or controlling type 2 diabetes! Read on ...

• Get a Blood Glucose Test: Your health care provider can order testing or you can check yourself with a home blood glucose test. Read the package instructions, do the simple finger prick and get your results in a few seconds. Confirm your result with your doctor, particularly if elevated.

• Don't Smoke: Associated with increased blood pressure, high triglycerides and metabolic syndrome. Just stop. Whether you try Nicorette, professional counseling, nicotine patches, hypnosis or lozenges, begin now to finally kick the cigarette addiction once and for all!

• Cut Back on Drinking: Alcohol directly affects the liver -- AKA "metabolism central". Damage to your liver can result in high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, cholesterol and weight gain. A damaged liver cannot metabolize fat properly and weight control is much more difficult. PS - The extra calories in the alcohol aren't helping either.

• Step Up Activity: Find activities you like and do them 5-7 days a week. Try a Slim in 6 DVD, bowling, Dance Dance Revolution, throwing a Frisbee, Wii Active, walking -- anything to get off the couch!

• Nail Down a Healthy Weight: A no brainer because you already knew this. Are you a procrastinator? Think you'll fail? Tried too many times and gave up? Welcome to the club! Don't beat yourself up. No dieter gets from start to finish without a few detours. Pick a weight loss program that fits your lifestyle and budget. Kimkins members have access to "back on track" forums, boot camp and diet challenge groups for $79 (not another penny -- ever).

Click here to join Kimkins now!

Kimkins Lawsuit: Motion Denied!~

See Kimkins Success Stories!
Why Join Kimkins?

If you're following the ridiculous Kimkins class action lawsuit a court hearing was held this morning. Opposing counsel, John Tiedt, had filed a Motion for Summary Judgment.

MOTION DENIED!

Our new judge stated the Summary Judgment motion was premature, that the class hadn't been defined nor damages proven. The nearly 3 year saga continues ...

Meanwhile, stay tuned for updates on the revised Kimkins website to be unveiled Labor Day weekend! If you haven't joined yet -- hurry! Prices going up Sept 9, 2009!

Pam lost 56 lbs with Kimkins! (see pics)

Success Story: Pam lost 56 lbs!

Age: 45
Start Weight: 211 lbs
Final Weight: 155 lbs
Total Loss: 56 lbs

The Beginning

I first started Kimkins after a friend of mine was talking to me about it. She had just joined and said that she lost 20 pounds in one month. WOW, was I ever motivated. I, too, wanted to lose a lot of weight really fast. I got all the information I could from her and the following Monday went online to take a look at the Kimkins site and see what all the fuss was about.

After reading the testimonials I immediately joined. I really did not get serious about the plan though until a few weeks after that. I wanted to familiarize myself with the plan and get as much information as I could so I would be successful.

But what really got me to get serious and start this plan was my before pic. WOW – I had no idea that I looked that bad. I always knew I was over-weight but when I saw myself in the mirror, I didn’t think I looked like what the scales said. But that before pic definitely told me (showed me) how bad I really looked. From that moment on, I knew I had to do something, and fast.

Not only was I overweight, but my blood pressure was through the roof. My doctor told me that if I lost weight and exercised, my blood pressure would most likely go down too. So in September 2007 I started the plan, weighing in at 211 and by Thanksgiving (2 ½ months) had lost 34 pounds.

Maintenance

Well, I call it maintenance, but not “Kimkins” maintenance. I was trying to maintain my weight on my own, while getting used to the new me and all the compliments that I was receiving.

My favorite weight-loss memory was when my in-laws came to visit for Thanksgiving. When they arrived it was dusk, so the lighting was not that great, and the person they thought they saw standing on the deck waiting for them was my daughter (who is very tall and thin – a junior size 9); but in reality it was me. It still amazes me that my silhouette could ever look like that of my daughter. What encouragement that was.

From there I had lost some additional weight, and after the first of the year had lost 41 pounds. I was doing pretty well maintaining for awhile until …. we went on a cruise for our 25th wedding anniversary.

Then there was the 3 weeks up at summer camp with, you know, the nightly routine: sitting by the campfire with friends we made from previous years, having beers (light) and snacks. I must say I did bring “healthier” types of snacks (good carbs), but even though they were “whole grain”, they were still high in carbs and calories.

Oh yeah, and then there were the holidays, starting with Thanksgiving and going straight through New Years. So, needless to say, after losing 41 pounds I had gained 20 pounds back within 1year. UGH – I was really disgusted with myself.

The End

So, with the infamous “New Year’s Resolutions”, and with the additional 20 pound weight gain, I refocused and recommitted to reach my “final” goal starting in January 2009. My first goal was to get back down to my original 41 pound weight loss, and then to proceed on to my final goal of 150. Within 2 months I had lost the 20 pounds regained, and as of the beginning of July 2009, I am down to 155 pounds – 56 pounds gone forever!

I have not reached my final goal (still have 5 months to go), but I know with the support of this [Kimkins] site, and the many friends I have made, I will certainly achieve that. If truth be told I really want to get to 145 mark so I can have that 5-pound wiggle room for when I really start maintenance – Kimkins style!

This is my story to date. My personal journal and the friends that I have made on this site, especially in the chat room (the best support group one could ever ask for) will be a tool for me to achieve my “final” goal. Please feel free to visit my journal My Final Journey to Goal. I’d love to be able to help anyone I can to help them achieve their final goals. This diet plan really works and I would recommend it to anyone!

Join Kimkins Here!

Get Free Recipes Here!

Could you have Metabolic Syndrome?

A topic that gets a lot of discussion among dieters is "metabolic syndrome" -- and it doesn't have an absolute definition. People with metabolic syndrome tend to gain weight easily and have a harder time losing. If you have 3 or more of these factors your doctor may diagnose you with with Metabolic Syndrome:

• Tummy Obesity: A waist measurement of 35" or more for women and 40" or more for men.

• Low HDL Cholesterol: This is the "good" stuff that can protect against heart disease. Low HDL is <40.>

• High Fasting Blood Glucose: Defined by a blood sugar level of 100+ after fasting (not eating) for 8-12 hours.

• High Triglycerides: Considered borderline at 150 mg/dL and high at 200+ mg/dL.

If your health care provider diagnoses you with metabolic syndrome, the next step could be insulin resistance -- and that's the precursor to type 2 diabetes. How can you stop or reverse Metabolic Syndrome? With the same tools that help with insulin resistance or controlling type 2 diabetes! Read on ...

• Get a Blood Glucose Test: Your health care provider can order testing or you can check yourself with a home blood glucose test. Read the package instructions, do the simple finger prick and get your results in a few seconds. Confirm your result with your doctor, particularly if elevated.

• Don't Smoke: Associated with increased blood pressure, high triglycerides and metabolic syndrome. Just stop. Whether you try Nicorette, professional counseling, nicotine patches, hypnosis or lozenges, begin now to finally kick the cigarette addiction once and for all!

• Cut Back on Drinking: Alcohol directly affects the liver -- AKA "metabolism central". Damage to your liver can result in high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, cholesterol and weight gain. A damaged liver cannot metabolize fat properly and weight control is much more difficult. PS - The extra calories in the alcohol aren't helping either.

• Step Up Activity: Find activities you like and do them 5-7 days a week. Try a Slim in 6 DVD, bowling, Dance Dance Revolution, throwing a Frisbee, Wii Active, walking -- anything to get off the couch!

• Nail Down a Healthy Weight: A no brainer because you already knew this. Are you a procrastinator? Think you'll fail? Tried too many times and gave up? Welcome to the club! Don't beat yourself up. No dieter gets from start to finish without a few detours. Pick a weight loss program that fits your lifestyle and budget. Kimkins members have access to "back on track" forums, boot camp and diet challenge groups for $79 (not another penny -- ever).

Click here to join Kimkins.

Does alcohol burn off when you cook?

Kimkins Question

I've heard when you cook with alcohol that it all burns off. Is that true?

No. It's actually impossible for all alcohol to burn off. According to the USDA a flambé only burns off 25%, simmering cooks off 65% and even braising for 2 hours burns off only 90% of the alcohol. Critical info for calorie counting or cooking dishes served to children.

Read more questions & answers in the Kimkins newsletters. Get your free copy today!

Recipe: Creamy Cherry Protein Shake

Who couldn't use a quick on-the-go Kimkins breakfast smoothie in the morning?

Grab a personal smoothie maker that fits in your car’s cup holder to take with you! Try freezing your smoothie and savor a cool summer Frostie!

Ingredients (makes 3)

• 20 oz diet black cherry soda
• 2 oz light cream
• 2 scoops Syntrax 0 carb cherry protein powder
• 2 teaspoons cherry extract
• 1 tablespoon lecithin granules (for thickening)
• 4 packets Equal

Mix everything in a portable blender. Blend on HIGH for 10 seconds then let sit for 10 minutes for lecithin to thicken. Blend on HIGH for 1 minute until frothy and pour into serving dishes.

Nutrition Info

• Calories: 132
• Protein: 16 grams
• Carbs: 2 grams
• Fat: 6 grams

Who lost 23 lbs in 30 days with Kimkins?

Overheard at Kimkins in the Pinky Swear Challenge:

"Good Morning! I am so excited today! This is one month I have been on plan and I have lost 23 lbs and a total of 8.75 inches!!! Makes me want to keep going and see what this month will hold!

I didn't eat any wedding cake, not even tempted after baking and frosting the darn thing ... Yuck ... I think it's because I inhaled the powdered sugar while mixing! Ha, Ha No taste for it."

Now that's darned impressive -- and well done! Get free Kimkins recipes now!

Free Medical Insurance & Prescription Links

Kimkins members listen up! Struggling with health insurance costs? Check out free and low cost programs in your state!

Eligibility varies and some programs may be on a "sliding scale" and depend on your income. Other plans are 100% free if you qualify so check it out today!

• Medical Coverage For All
• Pharmacy Assistance
• Uninsured Help Line: (800) 234-1312
• Mental Health Support Groups
• Counseling & Depression Resources

Recipe: Cheesy Chili Burgers on a Stick

JULY 4TH BBQ BASH MENU!

* Cheesy Chili Burgers on a Stick
* Antipasto Salad 2 Go
* Kimkins Creamy Cherry Protein Smoothie
* 28 Calorie Deviled Eggs

Cheesy Chili Burgers on a Stick

Ingredients (makes 8)
16 oz extra lean ground beef
2 egg whites, beaten
1/2 cup shredded spicy Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup dry grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup canned green chile peppers, finely minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
1 teaspoon each chili powder, garlic powder & onion powder
1/2 teaspoon each ground cumin, pepper & salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Divide into 8 portions and form around a popsicle stick (slightly square makes easier grilling). Grill each side 2 minutes or until browned and cooked to desired doneness.

• Calories: 159
• Carbs: 0 grams
• Protein: 17 grams
• Fat: 9 grams

Kimkins Sample Menu and Back on Track

Are you ready to get back on track with your diet? Is your weight loss stalled? Are you looking for a cheap internet diet that works?

Read this note from Kimkins member, Abby, at Kimkins on Facebook, who's restarting her Kimkins diet plan to lose belly fat after pregnancy.

Abby writes:

"I started your fabulous diet plan back in 2007, but got pregnant & had to stop. I had lost 50 lbs in just 3 months & was thrilled!

I jumped back on plan in January of this year & dropped 20 lbs, but just lost my motivation somewhere. I think the addition of a second child was just more than I expected.

I am trying so hard to get back on track, but just cannot seem to find it in me for some reason. I need every bit of support I can get because I KNOW this works for me & it is SO easy if I can just find the willpower!

I am tipping my scale at 240 lbs now, an all time high for me, any tips for really getting motivated?

Kimmer's reply:

"... Your best motivation will come from quick weight loss. Promise yourself that you'll be STRICT for 14 solid days (including weekends). You can do anything for 14 days -- come on and commit!

1) Login at the Kimkins site and see the new sample menus for each diet plan. The menus are very simple on purpose -- our members told us they wanted SIMPLE because everyone's busy with family, jobs & kids and everything in between.

2) Choose the Kimkins diet plan you want to try. I'd suggest Kimkins Classic with allows unlimited protein. We're getting excellent feedback about the new Kimkins Flex 1-2-3 plan which alternates our most popular diets: K/E, Kimkins Boot Camp and Shake It Off and gives quick weight loss. We've got recipes for homemade protein shakes to make it quick! Try this recipe for Chocolate Caramel Protein Shake

3) Read How Emily Does Kimkins and see how "she" plans a week of meals, what food she buys and gets the cooking done in 1 hour (the cooking is 1 hour!)

4) Print out the Kimkins Shopping List so you can stock up on chicken, fish, turkey, eggs, fresh veggies and low calorie drinks. If you're cooking for a family plan dinner around Kimkins protein and veggies, then add starches for them.

Get friends to lose with you! They can join at Kimkins and you can motivate each other.

5) Join 1 or 2 Kimkins challenge groups that fits your personality and goals. Try a 30-in-30, one for new moms or try mine, Kimmer's Pinky Swear ..."

Get a few friends to join Kimkins with you -- the best built in diet motivation and fun!

Calorie Restriction and Extended Lifespan?

Previous studies with worms and forced periodic fasting life expectancy increased several generations (the equivalent of a human living to 150 years old or more).

Read this is summary of recent research with rhesus monkeys. Split into 2 groups, the calorie restriction (CR) monkeys died 3 times faster than the non-CR group:

"A 20-year study on rhesus monkeys suggests that substantially reducing caloric intake slows the aging process and leads to longer life spans in primates.

Previous studies with yeast, worms, flies, and rodents have suggested that this kind of caloric restriction – a reduction of about 30 percent, and very different from malnutrition – can lead to such health benefits in some mammals, but given the many parallels between rhesus monkeys and humans, this study suggests that these benefits might occur in humans as well.

Ricki Colman and colleagues began their study at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center in 1989 by assigning adult rhesus monkeys, each between age 7 and 14, to either a caloric restriction group or a control group.

Once the monkeys were assigned to a group, the researchers determined their baseline food intake and began reducing the diets of those monkeys in the caloric restriction, or CR, group by 10% for 3 months until they reached the desired 30% restriction.

At the end of the study, 37% of the control group had died of age-related causes while only 13% of the CR group had. This finding means that the control monkeys experienced a death rate from age-related conditions such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and brain atrophy three times that of the CR group.

Any monkey that died over the course of the study underwent a complete necropsy by a board-certified pathologist, so that age-related deaths could be distinguished from other unrelated conditions. These results indicate that caloric restriction in adulthood can delay the onset of age-associated pathologies in this species of rhesus monkeys"

Note that life span increase is based on subjects of normal weight. Life expectancy increases when obesity is conquered on a weight control diet, including Kimkins. Increased average life span or health benefits from water fasting, occur with subjects of normal weight.

Why Pick Kimkins for Weight Loss?

A new post this morning from the Kimkins forums:

"I know some of you have seen this posted in another forum, so bear with me!!!! After I wrote it I thought, "If I had seen this when I first joined Kimkins, I may never have left in the first place!"

WHY KIMKINS????????

The best thing about Kimkins, for me, is that it's ALWAYS there. It's just a one-time fee...and you're in it for good!!!

I, too, thought that I would find something better out there. First, I signed-up for Kimkins thinking that I would try because it worked so well for my manager. Then, I cheated....a lot! I blamed the cheats on the diet...because it was so restricting. Then I spent a ton of money on....you guessed it, 4 other diets!!!!! They all had their high points...but the low points out-weighed the high ones! Check it out!!!!

-Nutrisystem $300 a month with prepackaged food (that tastes as good as my socks)

-Weight Watchers $30 a month with uncomfortable meetings. (if you weigh in...if you haven't lost that week, you feel too guilty to go)

-Cabbage Soup Diet $50...(this pays for all the groceries for a two-week supply of soup plus the new pair of panties you're gonna
need to buy after your first two days)...need I say more?

-Diet Pills/Slim-Fast Plan $100 for a month's worth of non-food bars and shakes and jitters, oh my!

-Kimkins $60...for a lifetime?....PRICELESS!

After all of the above???? I was SOOOOOOOOOOO grateful that I had my Kimkins membership. And you know what? if you actually do it, it works. How easy is that?

Only you can make the judgement call: Do you try Kimkins now? or....Do you spend hundreds, if not thousands, of $$$ finding out what DOESN'T work?

I'll see you on the forums!"

... Kimkins member, katie

See Kimkins success story photos here!
Kimkins plans & sample menus here!
Join Kimkins today here!

Kimkins Success Story: Nurse Jen Loses 50 Lbs!

KIMKINS SUCCESS STORY: JEN!

Age: 35
Start Weight: 240 lbs
Current Weight: 190 lbs
Goal Weight: 135 lbs
Total Loss: 50 lbs (45 to go!)
Occupation: Critical Care RN

Hi, my name is Jennifer. I’m a 35-year old nurse from Charleston, West Virginia, and this is my story.

I can remember being on a diet the first time when I was in grade school. My late mother was constantly on some sort of fad diet throughout the years -- a Cabbage Soup Diet, a popcorn diet once, Physician’s Weight Loss Centers -- and more often than not, Weight Watchers.

When I started going through puberty at age 9, hormonal changes brought on weight gain. I made my first trip to a Weight Watchers meeting -- complete with my little ‘weight tracking’ book and miles and miles of food exchange lists. I was excited at first, it was a little like discovering a new challenge and unchartered territory -- but I lost interest very soon, and lots of activity melted the weight off anyway over the next 4 years.

My freshman year in high school, I became obsessed with my weight. I ate nothing but salads and a little meat here and there, and I would do Kathy Smith workout videos every day as soon as I got home from school, then step on the scale to see if I’d lost any weight. At 5’5”, I weighed in at 125 pounds and thought I was still huge.

Then, my boyfriend got sent over to Iraq the next year during Desert Storm and my battle with emotional eating emerged to the forefront. I had long comforted myself with starchy foods -- macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, etcetera during my childhood. By the time he came back to the States, I was devouring family size pizzas in one setting and I clearly remember waiting for my food to settle mid-stride, then going right back at it. The particular emotion wasn’t important -- happy, sad, frustrated, distraught. I turned to food to deal with my problems.

Over the next 15 years I made the diet rounds to end all diet rounds. I tried almost everything. I was getting ready to have gastric bypass surgery in 2002 when I discovered the Atkins diet. Suddenly, the weight started melting off. I lost over 30 pounds eating pork rinds, cheese, deli meats, chicken wings and countless other foods that make me cringe to think of them now. I also discovered low-carb beer, and started working their carbs into my daily intake. Not surprisingly, the weight came crashing right back.

In 2008, I journeyed to California with my best friend on a 4th of July trip. I had ballooned up to over 240 pounds. I could barely fit in the airplane seat. I was down to one pair of jeans that fit, and they were skin-tight, because I absolutely refused to buy anything over a size 20.

I had found the Kimkins Diet 2 years before on a low-carb thread and purchased my membership. I think I started and stopped 4 or 5 times right after I discovered the WOE [way of eating], then filed it under “too hard” in my mind because it [Kimkins] wouldn’t let me have my beer, my cheese, and it discouraged cheating.

While I was in San Diego, my mind kept drifting back to the plan -- and a little voice told me firmly, “Just try it when you get back.” Always afraid of my emotional eating habits sabotaging me, I began making small changes when I got back home. I wasn’t ready for the plan in its entirety, because losing weight would mean change for me, and change (I knew from experience) brought all those old fears to the surface -- and required the comfort of binge eating for compensation.

I read through [forum] posts, prayed, posted, and finally started the plan in earnest late November of 2008. I think at one point I read every post in the ‘newbie’ section, and finally, the light turned on: low carb, low fat, moderate calories = success ...*lasting* success. To this day I have lost over 50 pounds on the [Kimkins] plan. I have made countless friends on the forums, and am currently involved in several challenges. Kimkins works -- and it is continuing to work for me, as I have around 55 pounds left until goal.

I have battled my emotional eating disorder throughout my weight loss thus far, and I am winning -- as a matter of fact I am in the home stretch. In my current challenge, the members have been working through many emotional issues we face from day to day. We’ve uncovered different strategies to help us overcome our saboteurs -- and we’ve made wonderful friendships during the process.

My success at Kimkins has been twofold -- the plan has given me the tools I need to reshape my body and chip away at my damaged metabolism. My hypertension is gone. I have tons of energy and I have discovered a new healthy respect for my body -- it’s an engine, and I own the key as well as operate the controls.

Conversely, I have discovered a new ‘family’ of sorts on the site forums -- and more than once their support has pulled me away from consistently beating myself down -- and taught me ways to build myself up.

I am so grateful for the Kimkins plan. Had I not put it into action, I probably would have been well on my way to weight loss surgery by this time -- and possibly very ill. Kimkins has given me free reign to undo years worth of metabolic damage and the opportunity to reach my goal of 125 pounds again. I can’t imagine ever looking back at 240 again -- and I never will. See Jen's photos here.

Tracy’s size 0 *** Beth’s triglycerides 1367 to 107
Karen lost 82 lbs *** Jan down 180 lbs
Cindy lost 48 lbs *** Derek lost 125 lbs
Deb lost 144 lbs *** Jennifer lost 95 lbs

JOIN KIMKINS

Diet Questions: Potassium, Protein, Sugar Alcohols

HOT DIET QUESTIONS!

Which foods have the most potassium? Surprised? You probably thought it was the banana. Nope, it comes it dead last against low carb Kimkins foods. See more Kimkins friendly high potassium foods here.

a) 1 zucchini (980 mg) **
b) 5 oz tuna (742 mg)
c) 5 oz beef (546 mg)
d) 1 banana (361 mg) surprise!

Which has more protein: steak or chicken? Ounce for ounce chicken is higher in protein because beef is higher in fat:

a) 5 oz chicken breast (cal: 229 pro: 43 grams) **
b) 5 oz porterhouse steak (cal: 275 pro: 38 gram)
c) 5 oz tilapia (cal: 181 pro: 37 grams)
d) 5 oz burger patty, 90% lean (cal: 376 pro: 36 grams)

Do sugar alcohols count as real carbs? Yes. Sugar alcoholics including sorbitol, maltitol and xybitol are eventually processed in the liver as carbs. They’re marketed as more slowly processed than traditional sweeteners. You’ll notice “net carb” nutrition labels on all sugar alcohol products. However some type 2 diabetics report blood sugar spikes soon after eating “net” carb candy or energy bars. In fact, if you check candy products manufactured for diabetics the package clearly states “not for weight loss”.

If you want to lose weight quickly, avoid sugar alcohols. If you’ve decided to eat SAs anyway, count the carbs at full value in your daily carb tracking. That 25 carb “low carb” energy bar really is 25 carbs -- not the “3” net carbs shown on the label (and 200+ calories).

How many calories will I burn for 60 minutes of horseback riding? A 200 lb person will burn 364 calories during 60 minutes of “active” horseback riding (trotting, posting, cantering, jumping). Or 636 calories for 60 minutes of singles tennis. Really blast calories with a martial arts workout for 909 calories! Check dancing, walking, swimming, bowling and more at the Kimkins Exercise Calculator.

Party Stuffed Mushrooms

A perfect first course Kimkins appetizer, Super Bowl munchie or classic cocktail party hors d'oeuvre. These savory tidbits are always popular!

Ingredients (makes 16 appetizers)

• 16 button mushrooms, stems removed & chopped fine
• 8 large black olives, minced fine
  
• 2 tablespoons red bell pepper, minced fine
• 2 oz lean sandwich ham, minced fine
• 2 oz turkey salami, minced fine
• 2 tablespoon dry grated parmesan cheese
• 1 oz shredded skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon nonfat plain yogurt or chicken broth
  
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder and black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

Wipe mushrooms with damp paper towel. Remove stems and chop fine. Spray mushroom caps with cooking spray or Misto oil sprayer on all sides. Mix all ingredients and mushroom stems well and mound into the mushroom caps.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until done and cheese is melted. Serve hot!

Nutrition Info:

• Calories: 25
• Protein: 3 grams
• Carbs: 1 grams
• Fat: 1 grams

Kimkins Essay Contest Winners!

We've got winners! Everyone who entered is a winner in my book. Reading through the entries was an emotional experience. Some of the entrants I "know" and a few are lurkers who quietly went about their weight loss never posting a peep (oops, sorry Beth!)

Here are our winners:

1st Place: heatherb
2nd Place: beth
3rd Place (tie): donetta & vixladyfox

Some entries were sent by regular mail and those are being scanned. I'll post the winning entries with photos today. Awesome job ladies! Thanks so much to everyone who entered and we'll be having another contest for Fall 2009 (ideas anyone?)

1st Place: heatherb

I would love to say Kimkins is an awesome diet but I can’t. The word diet brings up horrific self depriving images and implies only a short term in which you can’t wait to go back to the way you were, trust me, I know!

I’ve tried so many diets that I truly lost count. You name it, I tried it. I wanted to be able to pop a pill and eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted and never understood why it didn’t work for me. Truth is, THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL. There, I said it! It took me years for that simple little statement to sink in; simple words, but they say alot when your looking for the weight loss answer.

I’ll never forget the day I was standing in line and saw the Woman’s World magazine displaying a lady who lost so much weight so quickly. I grabbed the magazine and immediately thumbed to the article to find her secret and was amazed at how simple and easy it sounded. “I can do this,” I thought and bought the magazine without hesitation. I couldn’t wait to get home to finish reading, so I sat in my parked car and read the whole article … twice!

When I checked the Kimkins site I became so excited about all the information and success stories that I had no choice but to become a member. The more I read, the more I was sure that this was for me, but doubt once again reared its ugly head and I began questioning myself; that’s exactly what overweight people do. Believe me when I say low self esteem and low self confidence was an everyday occurrence in my life.

Although I was a member and checked the site every day, I never joined a group, convinced I could do it on my own, but somehow that always got put off till another day … there was ALWAYS a birthday or holiday or some special occasion where I just couldn’t diet at the time but promised myself “tomorrow or next week” for sure.

Then one morning I got up, looked at myself in the mirror and decided enough was enough! There would be no more excuses for me, no more putting things off for tomorrow. So I immediately went back to the Kimkins site with a new mind that was set and determined to succeed no matter what. I joined a group and found an awesome group of ladies that have meant the world to me! We stuck together month after month, encouraging, motivating and calling each other out when the time came and it has made all the difference! Knowing that you have to report in and be there for someone else everyday, sharing your struggles and your victories is simply inspiring.

When I cheated I felt more horrible about disappointing my friends than I did to myself, but they were always there to help dust me off after I fell off the wagon and were always, ALWAYS there to cheer me on when I lost, even if it was only a half a pound … off is off!

I have lost a total of 92.5 pounds in a 7 month time and I’m not done yet. I started Kimkins weighing 252.5 with a goal weight of 150 and I now weigh 160 and have reset my goal to 140 simply because I know I can and will make it! I went from a size 20/22 to a size 8!

I remember walking into the kitchen to tell my husband how excited I was, how serious and determined I was to make this work and since he’d already heard me say this a thousand times before. I got the skeptical “of course you are dear” look that we all know and hate. But guess what … the first week alone I lost 13 pounds and in one month's time I had lost 23 pounds!!! To say that I made him eat that look and those words are an understatement!

I am now smaller than when we got married (then a size 14) and now on June 11th we will have our 15th wedding anniversary and I cant think of a better gift for myself than to be able to look and feel the way I finally want to!

It’s amazing how fast the weight seems to melt off; one week you're in a size 18, and the next your clothes are loose and baggy and then your having to reach for a smaller size! There is no greater feeling than when you go shopping and realize you can no longer shop in the plus section because they’re ALL too big!!! It’s an absolutely, positively, overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and you feel ready to break out in a little happy dance right there in the isle … oh wait, I think I actually did!!!

That’s why I can’t call Kimkins a diet because it’s not … it’s a life change! It teaches you how to eat and what to eat so that you look and feel your very best. It completely changes the way you see food.

I feel great and my body feels like it’s running cleaner, smoother and I feel so powerful, like there isn’t anything I can’t do! I have more energy, self confidence and will power than I have had in my entire life!

Kimkins has helped me learn to love myself again and gave me the ability to see the me on the outside match the me on the inside. It has taught me a new self awareness of my strengths. I know that my life will be forever changed because of Kimkins. I am now a much happier and healthier person and there is no way I can ever thank Kimkins enough for helping me change my life around. I feel like a totally new person and I know that none of this would have ever happened without Kimkins!

Kimkins is a way of life … PERIOD!

2nd Place: beth

For several years, I used to lie in bed (after a late-night snack, of course) and wish and pray and imagine that somehow, some way I could lose a lot of weight and look and feel great again. You know, show up at a party not having to be the funny one or be the one who will sing at karaoke (although that is really, really cool). I wished I could walk into a room not being self-conscious of my weight and appearance and have people go, “Wow! Who is that?”

Summer 2007. 5’5” and 228 pounds. Grumpy, grouchy, frumpy and dumpy. I was 38 years old with 3 young boys (7, 5 and 3) and married to a handsome, fit-looking stud. For at least 5 years I had high-cholesterol and high-triglycerides and I had been taking medication. I had blood-sugar “spikes” when I would overeat (you know … wanting to nap and drool 20 minutes after a meal). I was gestational diabetic for my middle pregnancy. My mother was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes in early 2007 (I was doomed!) My BMI (Body Mass Index) was 38- defined as OBESE.

I was becoming increasingly anti-social (not wanting to hang-out with old friends and not wanting to make new ones, not going to work-functions with my husband, lying to friends about wanting to stay home). My self-esteem and confidence were at an all-time low. I was depressed and did not really know it!

On top of all that, I had let myself go in regards to my appearance (I didn’t wear jewelry or make-up anymore, wore a bandana over my hair most of the time, and baggy jeans and t-shirts were a majority of my wardrobe). I just did not care.

September 2007. I am not sure what exactly happened, but found myself sitting at my computer desk with my head down and crying. I was frustrated and tired of being out-of-shape, unhealthy, fat and unattractive. I Googled low-fat/low-carb diets and Kimkins was one of the hits. I clicked on it, read some success stories, got my Visa Card out and signed up.

My weight-loss party had started! I had never dieted before, but found Kimkins to be simple and straight-forward. Other than my husband, no one knew that I was dieting. Therefore, the Kimkins website was (and still is) a very important part of my success! I read everything I could! The personal journals, the before and after pictures and the success stories kept me motivated and inspired. The ability to post questions and read other folks’ input was very valuable and I strongly encourage anyone who does Kimkins to utilize the website! I still go to the website daily!

In the first 40 days I lost 38 pounds. My cholesterol and triglycerides dropped to normal levels within the first 12 weeks and the doctor took me off of meds! By April 2008 I had lost 88 pounds on Kimkins and had dropped from a size 20 pant size to a size 4! Today, May 2009, I find myself 95 pounds lighter, much more toned-up and wearing Junior Pant sizes of 3 or 5! (In case you did not know, the major difference between Junior and Misses pants is curves in the hip and rear area ... unfortunately, I have never had a shapely behind, but nonetheless enjoy wearing Junior sizes!)

My doctor said that the October 2008 results are terrific and reflect a stabilization of my diet and I should just keep on doing what I am doing! While my overall cholesterol is up, my HDLs are above average and outweigh the overall increase in cholesterol.

There is far too much to list what has changed for me, but here are a few:

• a new wardrobe
  
• I can run and jump with my boys
  
• I can cross my legs without getting out of breath
  
• I have made a couple of new friends
• my boys can get their arms around me to hug me
  
• I want to go out in public again
  
• I got a (No Peep) tattoo on my new-found hipbone to commemorate 90 pounds gone (dang … I still love those marshmallow creatures)
  
• I ran in a 5K run last July
  
• I volunteer at school
  
• my husband and I went backpacking for the first time in 11 years
  
• I have my own business with a great, new friend
  
• I am off of medication
  
• I have normal cholesterol levels
  
• normal triglyceride levels
  
• normal blood-sugar levels
  
• a BMI of 22.1 (normal!)
  
• I can wear high-heels again without my bunions killing me
  
• I am an assistant coach for soccer
  
• I like to go clothes shopping again
  
• I laugh more; I smile more
  
• I am not grouchy (well, not as much anyways)
  
• I have been called “petite” or “cute”, even “tiny” (what the …?)
  
• I have run into people I have known for years that did not recognize me ... at all (that is way, way fun)
  
• and the list goes on and on ... it is truly fun to be me these days!
  

I recently went to an event where I had to dress rather nicely and did not know a whole lot of people. For the first time in a long time, when we walked into the room I did not feel obligated to be the funny one or the one to sing “I Will Survive” at karaoke. And, (I say this sheepishly), for the record, several people did comment on how great I looked . A wish came true. I have never, ever thought of myself as a beautiful-to-look at kind of gal, but, guess what? For the first time in my life, I feel like I am! Kimkins has truly changed my life. Thank you.

3rd Place (tie): donetta

Actually I do not like Kimkins ... I love Kimkins! This is the one and only diet that has turned my life around. My name is Donetta Workman. With the help of Kimkins I have lost 115 pounds. I am a 53 year old mother/wife/secretary. I have tried numerous diets in my 53 years, and have had little success. I have had a weight problem since I was a child. My entire life has consisted of diet after diet. For years now I had given up on dieting. I had quit caring about myself and the weight kept piling on.

It all began in February of February 2008. I was at my "wits end". I was so large that I could barely walk, due to my bd knees. I was depressed over my weight and was tired all the time. I felt that I didn't enjoy life becasue I was embarrassed to be in public or around people. This may sound silly, but I heard a song on the radio called "Wasted" by Carrie Underwood. It talked about wasting your life. I cried because I felt like I was waiting my life not be able to do the things that I wanted to do because of my weight. I have watched my daughter grow up and have not enjoyed lots of things with her because of my weight.

I know that it was up to me to make a change. No one could do it for me. I began to pay that God would help me. I am a devout Christian and I know that God would help me if I helped myself.

My mother bought a copy of a woman's magazine [Woman's World] and she told me to read the article about Kimkins. I read it and it was like God spoke to me and said that I could do it. I began on the program but I also promised God that I would not eat sweets or carb related snacks, crackers, breads for one year. I believe that you not make a vow and break it. I know myself, I have to make promises because I am an addict when sweets are concerned.

The weight loss has been gradual and actually quite easy. In a year I have lost 115 pounds. I still have quite a lot of weight to lose but I am thankful for my new outlook on life. I feel that God used the Kimkins diet, along with my faith in him to help me. I know if I can do it, anyone can do it! Sometimes at your lowest point is when you find strength.

I went from size 28/30 to an 18/20 in one year. I have so much more energy and I actually feel good about myself. People says that they don't recognize me. I have had people pass me by because they did not know me. My 16 year old daughter says "I'm hot".

I want to encourage anyone that has tried and failed not to give up. With Kimkins, and a change of mind, you can do it. It all comes from the inside. You have to really want to change, take one day at a time, and work towards a goal.

I won't lie and say that I have not messed up. I have had days that I wasn't quite happy with myself and I felt that I ate too much. You have to get back up and try a little harder. Don't expect a miracle in a few days. The change gradually comes. While you are losing, try to think on things that make you happy, like friends, family and every day blessings.

I would love to be able to help others and encourage them to keep pressing on toward their goal. Never give up.

3rd Place (tie): vixladyfox

I started my journey with Kimkins in August of 2008…..that was the beginning of a wonderful new life for me!

I am 33 years old 5’’ tall (ok ok 4’11’’ don’t judge me! Haha!), last year I tipped the scales at 207 pounds!! 200+ pounds on a 5 foot; I mean 4’11’’ frame is nothing pretty! I was truly in denial about how heavy I was. My life has been blessed with a loving partner and a little girl who just couldn’t be any sweeter ... why worry about my weight?

Well one day I was cleaning up the house, listening to my little girl play in her room. My daughter runs into the kitchen asking for a snack. I asked her if she wanted something that was a bit of a treat and she hurried towards me with a smile on her face and threw her arms around me! She said “Mommy you are the best Mommy in the world!” At that moment she said “Hey I can’t touch my fingers together.” WHAT? Honestly my brain didn’t compute what she had just said. She squeezed me as hard as she could and with a strained voice said it AGAIN!!! I told her to stop as I got her snack together and hurried her on her way. She walked out of my kitchen and I burst into tears! I tried to cry quietly into a dishtowel. I leaned over the sink howling like a banshee trying to get a handle on my emotions but I couldn’t stop!! I was doing that trying to catch your breath breathing thing that you do when you start crying really hard. I looked up and saw my reflection in the window!! I stopped crying ... I stood staring at myself looking at my double chin and my rosy red cheeks. I was looking at a person that I didn’t recognize. I guess I must have been standing there for a while because before I knew it my beloved and daughter were standing behind me. “Did you hear me?” my love asked. I said NO and told them I had to go to the bathroom and off I ran!!

That day was one of my lowest days in my life and today right now in this moment as I type this … is one of the BEST days! Today thanks to Kimkins I am 153 pounds and losing!!! I found Kimkins and read the success stories and thought to myself “IF THEY CAN DO IT I CAN TOO”!! Now 7 months later I am 54 pounds lighter and have a whole new outlook on food!! I have tried every diet out there and Kimkins is the only thing that has worked for me. It not only worked it has taught me how to eat sensibly to sustain my loss and live a healthy life. I am no longer “Living to eat” I am now “Eating to LIVE”.

The encouragement and support I have found here with Kimkins saved my life!! The friendships I have made are relationships that I will keep close to my heart for years to come. I went back and forth fighting with myself about staying on plan. My personal journal helped me though that. Posting my feelings and thoughts opened me up to the Kimkins community. They embraced me all 200 + pounds of me with out judgment. I also went into the chat room and was welcomed with open arms! I found a community of people all striving for the same goals. The information, encouragement, and acceptance I found with Kimkins changed my life for the better ... I will never go back to being that girl who was crying in the kitchen ever AGAIN!!

Soon after I found Kimkins something wonderful happened ... my love PROPOSED!! We are getting married October 11th 2009. I am working towards the ultimate “after” picture. The one where I stand confident, happy and beautiful next to the man of my dreams in my wedding dress!!! I post “before and after” pictures often in my journal too keep myself focused ... looking ahead is the only way to go!

Thank you, Kimmer, for helping me through all the “cheats”, and questions. Thank you for giving me back the chance to run and play with my daughter and the ability to feel sexy in my own skin. Thank you for helping me realize how strong I am and opening up a whole new world to my family and I ... and making me understand that I can NEVER FAIL IF I DON’T STOP TRYING!!!

Peace~Love~Light
Vix

For more info on Kimkins see our FAQs & Sample Menus

For free low fat low carb recipes click here and sign up today!

Ready to join Kimkins and be a "loser"? Click here and start today!

Salad Bar Causing a Weight Loss Stall?

The other day I saw a woman (early 30s) with a newborn & toddler. She was with a group of friends and chatting about trying to lose the baby weight. Her weight loss idea was to get a "loaded salad" because it‘s low in calories.

Take a look at what she added. Might you make the same choices?

4 cups mixed salad greens -- cal: 38 carb: 7
3 cucumber slices -- cal: 4 carb: 1
2 bell pepper rings -- cal: 4 carb: 1
3 raw onion rings -- cal: 7 carb: 2
3 cherry tomatoes -- cal: 9 carb: 2
2 boiled egg "quarters" -- cal: 39 carb: 0
2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese -- cal: 49 carb: 1
4 tbsp ranch dressing -- cal: 290 carb: 4 (2 ladles)

Salad: calories: 440 carb: 18 grams protein: 11 grams fat: 38 grams

Might you guess your “low carb” salad at 4-5 carbs -- not the actual 18? Would you probably also guess your “diet” salad at about 200 calories -- not the actual 440? Her husband also made a salad and added more items (man, it was a huge salad!)

For a visual reminder 1/4 cup is half of a tiny jello cup:

1/4 cup cottage cheese -- calories: 54 carb: 1
1/4 cup kidney beans -- calories: 54 carb: 10
1/4 cup potato salad -- calories: 65 carb: 9
1/4 cup shredded beets -- calories: 15 carb: 4
3 broccoli florets -- calories: 11 carbs: 2
1 tablespoon bacon bits -- calories: 33 carbs: 2
6 croutons -- calories: 7 carb: 1

What if they each added 6-piece chicken wings as a “light“ snack:

Wings + Ranch Dressing (typical 2 oz plastic container)
calories: 731 carb: 4 grams protein: 37 grams fat: 31 grams

Salad + Wings + Dressing
calories: 1171 carb: 22 grams protein: 48 grams fat: 69 grams

Salad + Extras + Wings
calories: 1408 carb: 51 grams protein: 72 grams fat: 77 grams

Don’t fall into the Salad Bar Danger Zone! Be smart about dressing calories and plan ahead. Bring packets of your own low calorie low carb brand (Walden Farms 0 calorie honey mustard) or ask the restaurant to offer a type that fits your Kimkins weight loss diet guidelines.

Know what you're choosing or you're setting up for an unintentioned weight loss stall.

Kimkins Member Loses 19 Lbs in 1 Month!

Another Kimkins Success in Progress Testimonial!
"Laminix" lost 19 lbs in less than 1 month

Hi!

I posted this over at the newbie thread for encouragement for them, but I also wanted to share my success here.

I restarted for the umpteenth time on May 8, but this time was different, I can't explain why, I could just feel it. I was at my all time high of 165.4, and I am only 4'11".

After following Kimkins almost to the letter, I am down 19# in less that one month. I feel better than I have in years, and plan to keep going all the way to goal.

This is a great board, and the stories are phenomenal! Thanks for "listening"!

Laminix 4' 11"
Start Weight: 165
Goal Weight: 100

Kimkins members can chat with Laminix in the Kimkins Success in Progress forum!

Beth & Robert Lose 184 Lbs With Kimkins!

Take a look at 2 of Kimkins most popular success stories!

Beth: Triglycerides 1367 to 107!

"September 3, 2007 is when I decided to start my new diet -- Kimkins. I'm currently 39 years old with a great husband and 3 young boys (ages 8, 6 and 4). My family health history (diabetes, high cholesterol and high triglycerides) led me to research lo-carb/lo-fat changes of diet -- which led me to choose Kimkins ... Read More

Robert: Melts an amazing 93 lbs!

Robert’s weight loss success is nothing short of spectacular! How did he do it? Read this excerpt from his Kimkins journal:

"I am more happy today than I have been in YEARS!!! I am blessed with the knowledge I gained on what and how to eat. I gained the knowledge of what kinds of vitamins to take to compensate for foods that I don't eat or like. I research the internet constantly looking for things to make me more ... Read More

Creamy Sour Cream Enchiladas!

Yummy comfort food with a Tex Mex twist! Perfect to serve for a cozy Kimkins family dinner! You can't beat 156 calories & 5 carbs per serving! Low fat, low carb and low calorie make this yummy dish a winner on any weight loss plan. Save yourself time and make a double batch & freeze one for later on! Get the Recipe

*** ARE YOU READY TO BE A "LOSER"? ***

JOIN KIMKINS TODAY

(CLICK ABOVE FOR PAYPAL OR GOOGLE CHECKOUT)

Personal Smoothie Maker Wii Fit
Boil Eggs on the Counter Lisa Rinna Dance DVD

$4 Microwave Omelet Maker Jack La Lanne Juicer
Biggest Loser Cardio Max

Join by Check/Money Order:
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Questions: webmaster@kimkins.com

Happy Mother's Day! Candy Trivia

Happy Mother's Day!

In honor of the Kimkins moms (and moms everywhere), here's 2 candy secrets I'll bet you didn't know:

At Russel Stover Candies in Kansas City, MO, maraschino cherries are coated with a fondant mixture made of sugar, water and Convertit, an enzyme that makes sugar molecules break down. When the fondant hardens, the cherry is dipped in chocolate. But over the next 6-8 hours, the Convertiti makesthe sugar crystals disintegrate and become liquid again.

Mars makes more than 100,000,000,000 M&Ms every day, but no outsiders are allowed to watch the process. The rocess is similar to offset printing. Just imagine the individual M&Ms coming down in many lanes and running through the offset printing roll. Of course it's a very gentle imprint. The printing roll normally contains only Ms, but on certain holidays it is filled with bunnies, chicks and trees. The challenge is to print it at high speed, but to get 99% accuracy when no one is proofreading it.

Kimkins May Success Story -- Link Update

Read Jennifer's Success Story

The Kimkins May 2009 newsletter just emailed out. A few readers have notified us that the link to Jennifer's success story doesn't work for them (but it's working for the majority). We know how popular the Kimkins success stories are and we apologize for the inconvenience!

Please go here to read Jennifer's story and see see photos chronicling her 53 pound weight loss! We've notified our vendor to resolve the problem.


We've notified the vendor and they're working on it.

Salad Bar - Diet Friend or Foe?

I've written in the Kimkins forum previously about 2 sisters at a salad bar restaurant who loaded up their plates so high I figured it must be their dinner. Except they went back 3 times and then their pizza arrived.

The other day I saw a woman (early 30's) with a newborn & toddler. She was with a group of friends and mentioned she was trying to lose baby weight so she was going to get a "loaded salad". (You read a lot of low carb menus with "loaded salads").

Take a look at what she added. Might you make the same choices? Might you also have figured your salad came to less to 5 carbs instead of the actual 18? Would you probably guess the salad at 200 calories (and not the actual nearly 450?)

This is how she decked out her salad:

• 4 cups mixed greens cal: 38 carb: 7
• 3 cucumber slices cal: 4 carb: 1
• 2 bell pepper rings cal: 4 carb: 1
• 3 raw onion rings cal: 7 carb: 2
• 3 cherry tomatoes cal: 9 carb: 2
• 2 boiled egg "quarters" cal: 39 cal: 0
• 2 tbsp cheddar cheese cal: 49 carb: 1
• 4 tbsp ranch dressing cal: 290 carb: 4 (2 ladles)
  

Salad

• calories: 440
• carb: 18 grams
• protein: 11 grams
• fat: 38 grams
  

Her husband also made a salad and added more items (it was a HUGE salad!)
(For a visual reminder 1/4 cup is half of a tiny jello cup)

• 1/4 cup cottage cheese calories: 54 carb: 1
• 1/4 cup kidney beans calories: 54 carb: 10
• 1/4 cup potato salad calories: 65 carb: 9
• 1/4 cup shredded beets calories: 15 carb: 4
• 3 broccoli florets calories: 11 carbs: 2
• 1 tablespoon bacon bits calories: 33 carbs: 2
• 6 croutons calories: 7 carb: 1

Extras
calories: 237
carb: 29

Salad + Extras calories: 677 carb: 47 grams

• protein: 35 grams
• fat: 46 grams

Imagine making a salad like the woman (or man) above. Since you figured you made a "healthy" salad you might go ahead and get an order of chicken wings since they're 0 carb:

1 order wings (6) calories: 441 carb: 0
1 order ranch dressing calories: 290 carb: 4 (typical 2 oz container)

Wings & Dressing

• calories: 731
• carb: 4 grams
• protein: 37 grams
• fat: 31 grams
  

Wings + 2 Dressing (wow!)

• calories: 1021
  

Salad + Wings

• calories: 1171
• carb: 22 grams
• protein: 48 grams
• fat: 69 grams
  

Salad + Extras + Wings The calories racked up for this guy's "light"lunch:

• calories: 1408
• carb: 51 grams
• protein: 72 grams
• fat: 77 grams
  

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Win $300! Kimkins Essay Contest 2009

Kimkins Essay Contest
Win $300! $150! $75!

We're celebrating our 3rd Anniversary with the 2009 Kimkins Essay Contest! The Kimkins diet principles began in 1997. Over the past 12 years many Kimkins diet participants have shared heart warming stories of what losing weight has meant to them. New self esteem, a new social life, improving health conditions or discovering self-confidence are indeed the benefits they reap.

Now is your chance to share how Kimkins has helped improve your quality of life. Tell your personal story and express yourself! The deadline is short to encourage natural and spontaneous writing. Don't over think it. You don’t need to have reached goal weight. Just speak from the heart and have fun!

Not sure what to write about? What diets did you try before Kimkins? How did your life change after (or during) weight loss? Has the Kimkins website helped in your diet journey? Have you experienced health improvements or need less medications? Do you find reading the personal journals, seeing weight loss photos and getting support from Kimkins friends or challenge groups inspiring? Do you feel more confident about career opportunities?

Here's your chance -- tell us!

• TOPIC: Why I Like Kimkins
  
• PRIZES: $50-300
• ENTRY FEE: None
• DEADLINE: May 15, 2009
• WORD COUNT: Minimum: 250 Maximum: 1,000
• WINNERS ANNOUNCED: June 15, 2009

GUIDELINES

• Open to current and former Kimkins members and their families if they also followed the Kimkins diet.
• Entries will be judged on originality, sincerity and how well your message is conveyed.
• Essays may be typed, emailed or handwritten.
• Before/after photos may be included to demonstrate your message.
• Entries will be blind judged. Personal identifying information will be removed before forwarding to the Selection Committee.
• Entries must include first name, last name, Kimkins user name, email address and home address. Please write or type the information on your essay.
• Winners will be announced on June 15, 2009. Certified checks will be mailed to the winners by June 30, 2009.
• Winning essays may be published at Kimkins.com and personal information removed.
• Kimkins staff members, vendors and consultants are ineligible to enter or judge entries. The decision of the Selection Committee is final.
• Submit entries by email to webmaster@kimkins.com or mail at Kimkins, 575 Calhoun St., Corona, CA 92879.
• Entries and photos must be received by email or postmarked by May 15, 2009 12:00 a.m. Entries received after the deadline will not be considered.
  

PRIZES

• 1st Place: $300 cash & free Kimkins gift membership
• 2nd Place: $150 cash & free Kimkins gift membership
• 3rd Place: $50 cash & free Kimkins gift membership
• 5 Honorable Mention: Kimkins gift basket & Kimkins gift membership
  

Questions? Send an email to webmaster@kimkins.com

Faux Kimkins Garlic Mashed "Potatoes", Tex Mex Fritters & More!

Delicious Cauliflower -- Who Knew?

Try these low fat Kimkins friendly comfort foods courtesy of the underrated star of the vegetable world -- cauliflower!

Cauliflower is cruciferous (a cancer fighting pal) along with its distant cousins broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts. Overcooking these nutrient dense morsels not only alters vitamins and minerals, but entirely changes their taste -- not to mention the horrid kitchen odors!

You're sure to find high fat variations of these, but we've adapted these favorites with calories in mind. Even in low carb dieting, calories do count!

Cauli Souffle (serves 4)

2 cups cauliflower
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp chives, minced
1/2 tsp each garlic powder, white pepper & salt

Preheat oven to 375. Mash cauliflower. Mix all ingredients until well blended. Divide into 8 ramekins coated with nonstick spray. Place filled ramekins in baking pan, add 1" boiling water. Bake for 30-45 minutes until puffed. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Info: (per serving)

• Calories: 48
• Protein: 4 gm
• Carb: 3 gm
• Fat: 3 gm
  

Parmesan Crisps

Preheat oven to 400 F. Using a tablespoon, placed rounded mounds of shredded (not powdered) parmesan cheese on nonstick baking liner. Bake 2-3 minutes until beginning to brown (check often!) Remove from oven & let cool briefly before serving.

Nutrition Info: (each)

• Calories: 21
  
• Protein: 2 gm
• Carb: 0 gm
• Fat: 1 gm
  

Faux Garlic Mashed "Potatoes" (serves 4)

2 cups cauliflower
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
2 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tbsp green onion
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix together hot mashed cauliflower & butter until well blended, then add other ingredients. Blend well, check for seasonings and serve!

Nutrition Info: (per serving)

• Calories: 59
  
• Protein: 3 gm
• Carb: 4 gm
• Fat: 4 gm
  

Tex Mex Cauli Fritters (serves 4)

2 cups cauliflower
1 egg white, beaten
1/2 cup onion, finely minced
1 tbsp green onion, minced
1 tsp jalapeno pepper, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt & pepper

Mash cauliflower. Mix all ingredients & form into 8 patties. Cook in a nonstick pan treated with cooking spray until golden brown on each side. Serve hot & enjoy!

Nutrition Info: (per patty)

• Calories: 27
  
• Protein: 2 gm
• Carb: 5 gm
• Fat: 0 gm
  

Link Between Hypoglycemia & Dementia (Alzheimers)

A recent study of interest to Kimkins members published in JAMA points to a strong connection between hypoglycemia and dementia (Alzheimers) in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.

Researchers from Kaiser Permanente and University of California at San Francisco conducted the study with 16,667 participants between 1980 and 2007. The median age was 65.

Participants with no prior history of dementia or general memory complaints as of January 2003 were followed for 4 years. Compared with patients who had no hypoglycemia the researchers found that patients who experienced hypoglycemic episodes increased their risk of dementia for each episode.

Read the study summary here. A strong reminder that careful blood sugar control is important to avoid complications down the road. Hypoglycemia is often caused by excessive insulin doses in diabetics.

Need Potassium? Forget Bananas & OJ!

Kimkins Friendly High Potassium Dinner

Often during initial weight loss a temporary potassium depletion occurs. Why are doctors are so quick to suggest high carb options like bananas or orange juice? Diabetes and obesity are rampant, yet the best doctors can manage for potassium supplementation is ... fruit?

As I've posted before it's rather amazing that doctors don't take a single nutrition class in medical school. Not one! Not in premed either. Check any major medical school 4 year curriculum -- no nutritional training is required.

For anyone following a low carb plan it wouldn't help anyway. Nutritionists and dietitians are trained to the carb heavy USDA food pyramid.

This is why we get the parroted "1200 calories a day" and "8 glasses of water" mantra. They don't know that it's true, but that's what we've always heard and that's what they will repeat to you. It's a little like girls on a school playground repeating the wrong information. When questioned what's their answer? "Well, that's what I heard."

Moral of the story: Don't be afraid to question your doctor. And feel free to pick low carb high potassium foods that pack much more nutrition than high carb bananas or orange juice!

Potassium in fruits & vegetables (highest to lowest)

Summer squash, 1 large (zucchini/courgettes)
Calories 102
Carbs 22 gm
Potassium 980 mg

Spinach cooked, 1 cup
Calories 44
Carbs 7 gm
Potassium 881 mg

Tuna, cooked 5 oz
Calories 216
Carbs 0 gm
Potassium 742 mg

Mushrooms, cooked, 1 cup
Calories 43
Carbs 8 gm
Potassium 552 mg

Beef, 5 oz cooked
Calories 301
Carbs 0 gm
Potassium 546 mg

Broccoli, cooked 1 cup chopped
Calories 64
Carbs 13 gm
Potassium 536 mg

Orange juice, 8 oz
Calories 113
Carbs 27 gm
Potassium 481 mg

Collard greens, 1 cup cooked
Calories 61
Carbs 12 gm
Potassium 424 mg

Banana, 1 small
Calories 91
Carbs 23 gm
Potassium 361 mg

Chicken breast, 5 oz cooked
Calories 213
Carbs 0 gm
Potassium 330mg

Lettuce, romaine, 2 cups shredded
Calories 16
Carbs 3 gm
Potassium 325 mg

Bell peppers, 1 large
Calories 32
Carbs 11 gm
Potassium 287 mg

How's a potassium rich low carb peppers, onion, mushroom, spinach & feta Kimkins omelette sound?

Kimkins Espresso Protein Pudding

One serving of Kimkins Protein Pudding has more protein than an egg! This luscious pudding is perfect as a protein packed refreshing snack-on-the-go or Kimkins dessert! Make up several batches and pipe it for a fancy finish if desired.

Ingredients (6 4-oz servings)

• 12 oz water
• 3 oz light cream
• 1 small eggs
• 1 packet unflavored unsweetened gelatin
• 1 scoop VPX 0 carb chocolate protein powder
• 4 packets sugar substitute
• 1 teaspoons espresso powder or instant coffee
• 1 teaspoon chocolate extract (optional, but gives deeper flavor)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  

Heat 1/2 cup of the water to boiling and pour into a heatproof medium mixing bowl. Add gelatin and espresso powder. Stir well and let sit 5 minutes for gelatin to dissolve completely.

In a different bowl whisk the eggs together the rest of the water, cream, sugar substitute, protein powder, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Pour into 6 4-ounce ramekins treated with cooking spray or use silicone custard cups and you won't need the spray.

Place ramekins in a large flat skillet and fill with hot water to 1/2” from the tops of the ramekins. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the cups from the skillet. Place small pieces of plastic wrap over the pudding surface of each ramekin to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight until well chilled. Garnish with a dab of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Enjoy!

Nutrition Info (per serving)
Calories: 81
Protein: 9 grams
Carbs: 1 gram
Fat: 4 grams