I was "Semi-Starving"

It is a well known and well published fact that Heidi Diaz of the Kimkins Diet does not believe in what the medical community deems "Starvation Mode." This was one of the topics that I addressed to her in the letter which resulted in my termination. Although there is plenty within the scientific community to prove and explain this phenomenon, Heidi has always held to that these beliefs were falsehoods and that "she didn't buy into it."

Here is just some of what she claims to believe (taken from conversation with Kimkins Admins, August 1, 2007):

"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....

I don't believe in starvation mode. 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."

Heidi would also regularly compare victims in concentration camps surviving on 300-600 calories or less a day. What she failed to acknowledge in this analogy was that most of those prisoners DIED. Many due to starvation. It was because of those horrible restrictions that the Geneva Convention specifically addressed the treatment of POW's and their dietary needs.

I have often compared the symptoms that many people have experienced utilizing the low calories that NATURALLY come by using the Kimkins program, to the side effects experienced by anorexics. I have seen bits and pieces of the scientific studies on this, however none more concise than those found in a study recently provided to me by a reader here on my blog.

"Sixboymom said:

Christin, I'm not sure if you remember me, I'm sixboymom from the kimkins site. Anyway, I read this article yesterday, and it explained to me what I went through after starting Kimkins the first time. I never got as bad as the sever cases, but I did develop MANY of the symptoms. I wanted to pass along for other Kimkins survivors to see.

The Effects of Semi-Starvation"

This study, performed on men, consisted of restricting their calories to HALF of what they were accustomed to eating. If these participants were eating according to average consumption for men, that would be approximately 3000 calories. Half would then be about 1500 calories for the purposes of a SEMI-STARVATION study. This is more than DOUBLE what the average person on a strict Kimkins diet is eating.

Many of these symptoms I experienced and didn't even realize that it was due to my eating habits. For example:

"One of the most of the striking changes that occurred in the volunteers was a dramatic increase in food preoccupations. The men found concentration on their usual activities increasingly difficult, because they became plagued by incessant thoughts of food and eating."

"...as well as corresponding declines in interest in sex and activity during semistarvation"

"They made what under normal conditions would be weird and distasteful concoctions," (This reminded me of the "weird" concoctions that I made while participating in the Egg White Challenge)

"Sexual interests were likewise drastically reduced....One subject graphically stated that he had 'no more sexual feeling than a sick oyster.'... The fact that starvation perceptibly altered sexual urges and associated conflicts is of particular interest, since it has been hypothesized that this process is the driving force behind the dieting of many anorexia nervosa patients."

"As the 6 months of semistarvation progressed, the volunteers exhibited many physical changes, including gastrointestinal discomfort; decreased need for sleep; dizziness; headaches; hypersensitivity to noise and light; reduced strength; poor motor control; edema (an excess of fluid causing swelling); hair loss; decreased tolerance for cold temperatures (cold hands and feet); visual disturbances (i.e., inability to focus, eye aches, "spots" in the visual fields); auditory disturbances (i.e., ringing noise in the ears); and paresthesias (i.e., abnormal tingling or prickling sensations, especially in the hands or feet"

The list goes on. I would encourage you to take a few minutes to read this article as it is very informative. Thank you Sixboymom, yes, I do remember you. I hope that your health has turned around and that you are improving now. Heidi, I ask you again, please show me the proof that Starvation Mode does not exist. I would wager that you will be hard pressed to find it.

Used or abused?

It has recently been suggested that people such as myself abused the Kimkins plan by cutting our calories to unhealthy levels on our own in opposition of the true intent of the plan. I am sorry to say that this is not true.

Tippy said: "I think it was well said previously that Kimkins diet has been abused by some members at their own doings who now point the finger in blame towards us." This statement is incorrect. This is the way we were instructed to follow the plan "correctly."

It saddens and sickens me to admit this about myself, but I feel that I must share in order to bring to light proof of the eating disordered behavior that I not only engaged in, but was encouraged in.

February 14, 2007 - I wrote:

"TOPIC: Kimmer, Becky, anyone!! Check my Fitday please - I need help!!!!"

I have been pretty much stalled all month. I'm under a lot of stress here at home w/ my daycare, but I don't know if that would contribute or not. I've been K/E pretty much for the most part w/ a few Kimkins days here and there. Is my body just confused by my mixing it up?? I try to drink 40-80oz of water a day on top of what is here and every now and then I do drink a diet soda, but I get the sodium free splenda sweetened ones. Please help!!!! I have got to get to goal!!!!

Here is a screen shot of my Fitday averages at this point in time:




Average Calories: 377 Fat: 11g Carbs: 8g Protein: 58g

By all indications medically and scientifically, I was in actuality, starving. I was showing very clear signs of grossly anorexic behavior. However, in my zeal to lose and blind faith in a program that I believed I was utilizing "perfectly" I failed to see the warning signs my own body was giving me.

Kimmer replied:

Your calories are low, protein good, but I have questions about whether quantities are accurate if you're not using a food scale and some days are missing.

Be sure of measurements. How do you figure .1 cup of salsa? .1 cup of olives? .1 cup of shredded cheese?

Skip all sausage, even turkey, if you're not losing
Skip bacon
Skip pork roast
Skip pastrami

What are you using to weigh protein like 2 oz, 3 oz? Use specific ounces, not "1 serving"

Measure coffee mug, very few are 8 oz, most are 12-16 oz

Keep veggie limits to 3 cups raw or 2 + .5 cup cooked. How did you measure .75 cup of cooked cabbage?

Egg beaters, 1 cup? That's quite a bit. Better to have fewer eggs & an extra salad serving or lettuce roll-up.

I have to ask -- what's with all the egg whites? And what do you do with the yolks?

Christin:

Kimmer thank you so much for checking this out for me. In answer to your questions. As far as the .1 cup thing - I couldn't find an option for a tsp measurement on those and I wanted to have it in there... so that's my best guess for the amt.

I have a food scale that I use to measure ounces and that's what I've used.

The 1 serving thing... those are individual servings _base_d on the packaging when they don't give me the ounces. Do I need to measure them anyways? I'm just going by the serving size (ie 1 piece).

I had a feeling about the pork roast thing... my SIL wanted German for her bday and that was the ONLY thing I could find on their menu that was remotely close to plan - that's where the cabbage was too... (sauerkraut, but fitday doesn't have that, so I know the sodium was WAY up there that day) The serving they put on the plate was aprox 1 cup. I didn't eat the whole thing, but I'm pretty sure I ate more that
1/2 cup so that's why I did the .75. It was an estimate since we were out and I couldn't measure exactly.

I've decided to cut coffee all together for a while to see if that helps pick it up... Pray for me, it's going to be VERY difficult.

I was doing the EW challenge that's what all the EW is for... higher protein less fat... forgive me but I throw the yolk out. I'm looking for boxed EW so that it will be a bit easier... But i'm out of pretty much everything so I'm having to make do with what I can till I get to the grocery store.

Thanks for your suggestions, anything else?

Kimmer:

Christin, you did really good at a German restaurant! My family is German and, yikes! Yeah, that meal will mess with your progress because restaurants do things to enhance their food -- but it didn't trigger a binge and you enjoyed family time!

No need to weigh prepackaged stuff, but is anything you could substitute the sausages with? Even diced chicken chunks? I still cook up 2 breasts (various spices), dice into "dice" size squares and keep them in a Gladware bowl in the fridge. I grab a couple whenever I want a quick snack.

If you're a fish fan, there's a whole 'sea' world. Sea World, get it -- I'm so funny (not!)

Christin, you're doing good and you've lost soooo much! Keep it up, it will come. Maybe try limiting protein to 3 oz portions, you can always get more if you need/want it.

Or, my sister's favorite "snack" during her weight loss. The romaine lettuce roll ups. Layout a big leaf, lay 1 slice of Oscar Meyer sliced sandwich ham, either a squirt of mustard or a drizzle of salsa, roll up & eat -- 10 calories. (emphasis mine)

Not only were my low calories praised and encouraged, but I was encouraged to cut even more than what I already was consuming on a diet of primarily egg whites which had received full blessing as well. I did not "abuse" the plan.

True that no one forced me to eat this way, or told me that I must follow everything that Kimmer said. But, when you feel as though you've been handed the keys to true permanent weight loss, and you are so close to achieving that goal, it is difficult not to be blinded by your own aspirations, especially when receiving such encouragement. I was affirmed that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. I used the plan. Plain and simple.