This picture makes me cry!

This picture makes me cry!
Thought it was time to change my picture

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Tears of Anger and Sorrow.....PLEASE READ THIS!

I had a post all typed out about my semi-blah day, my weight training at the gym and just overall daily struggles but then I read this article about the KIMKINS Diet. I'm not sure if you know which diet this is but it was featured on the cover of Women's World Magazine with a tag line that read "Better Than Gastric Bypass Surgery". The creator of this diet boasts of losing 198 pounds in 11 months. Now it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that this diet is a) bullshit or b) really, really, really unhealthy or c) BOTH. I am opting for C - I actually read the article and thought - is that a feasible diet plan?? It is a low carb (less than 20 grams), low fat, high protein diet. Evidently, the website lured people in by promising great support and weight loss advice all for the nifty price of like $60 bucks - what these people got was a restrictive, 500 calorie diet that was based on feeling semi-nauseous all the time........WTF is up with that??? That was the question that I asked myself, who in their right mind would do something like that to themselves and then I realized who would do it - ME.

That realization sickened me - now I'm not saying the me of now but the me of yester-years was desperate, scared, depressed and hopeless. I weighed almost 400 pounds and I was 24 years old. I couldn't fit in a booth at a restaurant and I lived in fear of riding in a car with someone because the seatbelt, all to often, would not latch. I rode in an airplane with no seatbelt because I was too embarrassed to ask for an extender, I couldn't ride amusement park rides, hell I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs! As sad as it sounds, my overweight friend and I would make a game out of who could dump a whole bag of M&M's in their mouth and eat them the fastest. Even as I write this I am ashamed of my behavior. Food was my drug and I like most drug addicts, was desperate to change but I didn't know how! That is how people get sucked in to these diet myths & ridiculous weight loss schemes. This feeling of desperation is how people become dependant on pills, laxatives, chemicals......OR they starve themselves.

I would be lying if I said that I hadn't thrown around the idea of how to lose the weight. I went through my bouts of eating only brocolli and even contemplated pill popping. My fear of failure and my depression at each failed attempt only provided more ammunition for my downward spiral into "diet hell". The never ending cycle of "I'll start Monday" - only to starve for three days and then down 2 double cheeseburgers, a large fry and a milkshake. After the binge, you go home, look in the mirror, call yourself every derogatory name in the book, curl up into a ball and figure out HOW you will make it work next "MONDAY". Of course then you walk down the grocery store aisle and right in front of your favorite stop (the candy racks) is a magazine that offers amazing weight loss with no exercise - this sounds appealing because a) you weigh 400 pounds - what the hell kind of exercise can you do effectively and b) you really need some instant gratification to keep you motivated - losing 4 pounds in a month ain't gonna cut it. So you dig out the $1.49 for the magazine - take it home - read it and think it sounds a little kooky but hey desperate times call for desperate measures, right? The sad thing is you will lose weight fast because you're starving and that only magnifies the need to continue on. Thus the cycle has begun...........thousands of people get sucked into this - people die because of this......because of their despair about their weight and their inability to see a better way.

The fact that people prey on this and profit from it, sickens and saddens me. I sat and read this article with tears streaming down my face. Tears for who I was and for who I struggle to be - tears for every overweight person that has been scarred by society and it's definition of acceptable. For every housewife who feels ugly, every child who is made fun or teenager who doesn't get asked to the prom......for those that feel desperate enough to go beyond what they know to be sane and sound to prove that they are worthy. I'm sorry for rambling on about this but it just hit home for me and angered me.

The article http://www.3fatchicks.com/Diets/Diet_Articles/Kimkins%3A_Anatomy_of_a_Diet_Scam/ suggests sending a letter to Dateline for investigation - I'm going to do that AND I'm sending a letter to Woman's World, letting them know how appalled I am that they would support something like this - I will NEVER EVER buy this magazine again.

12 comments:

Amanda said...

All I can say is WOW.

I didn't read through all of it, but caught the highlights. WOW. I am shocked that this hasn't been on dateline! It would be a great story especially since she won't see anyone or agree to meet and all the pictures are of different people.

Wow. I am speechless.

On another note...I hope and pray that you can take over being knocked up Barbie when I deliver...but I would rather see the stork visit you sooner rather than later! :) We could be knocked up together!

MtngirlinCali said...

Once again, you take the prize for most articulate, thought-provoking post of the day. Weight loss is a big business, but it's sickening to see the measures some will go through to make a buck at the expense and health of those who don't know any better.

WeightBGone said...

It is amazing the drastic measures some people will go through to make a quick buck for themselves and prey upon those facing life altering issues.

This woman needs to be exposed on Dateline so I for one will be writing them. Hopefully we all can do this and get something done to help prevent her from endangering other lives.

Thank you for such a thought provoking post. You always do bring things like this to light and make us all aware. You are an amazing woman!!

Jo said...

Thank you so much for sharing this. I understand it must have been hard reading about others who are willing to do anything for weight loss and be able to relate to it. But you are doing so well now - you've changed your life and did it in a healthy way. You are provide great motivation for others and I hope that will show at least one person desperate for answers that there is another path to take. Love you and all that you do!

The Price's Wife said...

Even with 50 extra pounds on, the feeling of being overweight is the same... the self hatred and feelings of desperation... you put into words what we have all felt. I'll take a look at the link.

Greta said...

Great post- thank you so much for sharing this info. Its scary and disgusting to think a magazine like this would print such crap. I too know that feeling of desperation- the willingness to do almost anything to lose the weight. And I DID do things like this. This and countless other scams that played on feelings of worthlessness if I was not thin, depression, hopelessness. It sucks and is totally F*ed up. Arg this makes me mad. I WILL be writing a letter!

Anonymous said...

This has been hotly debated on some of the low carb sites/forums I viit. Here's a link if you want more info:

http://goodcarbma.blogspot.com/

Her sidebar has some very informative links! It's atrocious what this woman has done to her "followers"!

-Chris

MMalloy said...

Tears are strolling down my face. Why? Becuase for the first time in a long time I am thinking back to all the life threatning attempts I took to loose weight. A 200 lb. senior in High School, I would have jumped on this wagon...and you are right...it would have failed and I would have been even more upset with myself.
I am horrified that this type of "diet" is recognized and advertised in such a magazine. Thanks for sharing your feelings on this, reminds us where we have been and how far we have come.
((HUGS))

Candace MacPherson said...

Amazing! I've heard mention of this program, too, but never paid too much attention to any restrictive or low-carb diet. I think that unless there's a medical reason for needing to reduce carbs then a healthy diet has to be something I me and my family can substain.

She certainly deserves persecution. I imagine there will be those who sue her. Hopefully something like this becoming public will make some people think twice.

Unknown said...

It makes me SO ANGRY when people take advantage of others, especially when it's for monetary gain and the victims have more to lose than some weight and their money (dignity, self-esteem, etc). It sickens me that this stuff just sits there at the check-out line in grocery stores, right next to the articles about "500 ways to satisfy your man" and "cooking comfort foods for fall"... ARGH! Enough already! It's bad enough I have to read it, but some day my kids will be able to also... Don't EVEN get me started about THAT! One of my top priorities is teaching my kids about healthy food choices NOW so that they don't have to undo the damage of bad eating habits later in life!!
I have starved and binged my way through the last 15 years of my life and I'm FINALLY aware of what I've been doing. My problem, along with many others, isn't so much about being skinny rather it's about not liking ourselves... These friggin' diet scam people know that and they prey on the desparation and low self-esteem that's comes with being overweight.
You had better believe I want to tell these people where they can stick it!!
-Renee B.

Hortencia said...

Thanks for posting this. What you said is so true and I know so many people that would jump at the opportunity that a magazine promises. I know better...we all know better now. You are such an inspiration!

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