Let me start off by saying that I am not one that normally writes articles or reviews on products or services of any kind. I'm just an average everyday person like yourself, yet somehow feel I'm more than qualified to give my honest unbiased opinion on what is now known as one of the newest and "hottest" low carb weight loss plans out there. Kimkins. I figure if anyone writes this review, it should be someone that knows what they are talking about right? I'm ready to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So if your interested in learning more about Kimkins low carb weight loss plan before you jump right into trying it yourself. You've come to the right place! I'm ready to tell all.
To tell you a quick bit about myself so you can see why I feel I'm qualified to give a good bit of advice regarding Kimkins; I'm a 34 year old single mother of 4. One of which is a 6 year old with Cerebral Palsy. I've been overweight my entire life tipping the scales at a whooping 310+ pounds so needless to say, I was in trouble! It didn't seem like enough for me to want to lose this 160+ pounds of extra weight for myself. I tried for years, and just didn't have any level of success. However things were different this time. My kids were depending on me, and I needed to do something, and do something QUICK! I used them as the motivation I needed to take my first step .. and somehow managed to stick with it. To date I have shed 93 pounds, however I have 68 yet to go. To view my progress photos, please find information on how to do so below.
To make a long story short, that's how I've stumbled upon Kimkins. I've given this new way of eating a fair go, and was really amazed at the speed of weight loss I've had compared to other weight loss plans I've tried. Only it wasn't all roses. Let me explain.
You may have heard of this "Atkins tweaked" low carb eating plan at least once or twice by now. Especially if you are familiar with low carb eating in general. If you get around on some of the more popular low carb forums to post for weight loss support, it's almost guaranteed you've run across her name at least once. It seems like everywhere you look, someone is talking about Kimkins. Something you'll see is that Kimkins is either a "well loved" or "well hated" way of eating and people are not shy about giving their opinions about it.
The whole Kimkins diet plan was started by a woman known by the nickname "Kimmer." Kimmer was an active poster on some of the more popular low carb weight loss boards. Rumor is, someone made a comment that her plan was wonderful, and because it was so much like Atkins, yet very different at the same time.. she should rename it "Kimkins".. per her nickname "Kimmer." From that moment, the name stuck!
Prior to this all, Kimmer, on her own personal "Atkins tweaked" weight loss plan dropped an amazing 198 pounds within 1 years time. Just for the record, she has also managed to keep that weight off for 5 years.
Kimmer took the basic Atkins plan, and in my opinion brilliantly personalized it to her own specifications. Just to give you a few examples of how she tweaked the program; one of the biggest things she changed was the types of meats she ate. She traded in the full fat foods that Atkins allowed for leaner cuts of meat. For instance Atkins allowed ground beef, bacon, and chicken wings. Kimmers plan only allowed for things like chicken (without the skin), turkey, fish, and other such low fat meats. The lower the fat, the better. Another change being, there is no cheese allowed or at least in very limited portions. Unlike the Atkins plan where cheese is a full "GO" because it is free of carbs. Kimmer's response would be, though it is free of carbs, it is not free of calories and those calories add up quick!
In time, Kimmer then turned around and began to personally coach countless numbers of other individuals who wanted to know the big secret to her amazing lightening fast weight loss. Mainly those posting on the same Low Carb weight loss boards. She began helping them achieve weight loss one after another after another. This is what had so many people either SUPER EXCITED about her plan and ready to jump on board, or very angry because they did not agree with her ways! They feared her plan was dangerous because it limited fats and carbs and the number of calories were so low, but her claims the plan was not only effective but 100% SAFE stood their ground without fail. In my opinion, after reviewing countless threads over the past 8 months, it seems as though every person that followed Kimmers advice and was strict with her eating plan WAS successful in losing weight, just as Kimmer claimed they would be. All without exercise!
This new found fame came as a surprise to Kimmer to the point it eventually overwhelmed her. She was flooded with personal messages and questions she could no longer keep up with though she certainly tried! Her compassion and care for others success was very important to her and it showed. However, sadly it was taking up all her time and though she wanted to help people, she couldn't do it by herself anymore. With the help of a few good friends, Kimmer started the Kimkins site. Here she has created a more organized environment to handle the whole situation better. She requires a paid membership for her plan and personal coaching, as well as countless other perks for her members. One of which is the great price for a lifetime access. In my opinion, this paid membership is completely understandable seeing how so many PEOPLE WANTED HER FULL ATTENTION as well as her WISDOM & KNOWLEDGE. There's no denying Kimmer was in IN HIGH DEMAND!
Currently, Kimmer has close to 2,000 members to her site and I see that it continues to grow in number every day. Her site is still fairly new but is already loaded with great content and useful information with new tools and articles added everyday. One of which is the Kimkins Newsletter which is available for free to both members and non-members alike. At first her newsletters were not that great, but as time goes on.. I see they are improving. I'll get into more on this later.
Kimmer has different phases to her weight loss plan. The first known as "K/E" which means "The Kimmer Experiment." This is a very specific eating plan that lasts about 3-5 days with the purpose of achieving real ketosis. K/E has a carb count of nearly "0." The "experiment", basically, is to use this way of eating to determine whether or not you were over on carbs in your prior diet. If you drop a large amount of weight within a short period of time, that means you were over on carbs and should adjust your eating accordingly. Being over on carbs seems to be the number one reason so many people on other popular low carb diets were failing. Kimmer does not allow for net carb counting either. It is very complicated, however Kimmer does a great job of explaining the science behind the whole experiment to all her members.
Once in ketosis she would then suggest that you switch into what is called "Kimkins" for the remainder of your weight loss. The one main difference between the two plans is K/E does not allow any form of veggies. Basically, it is only lean meats and eggs and enough oil/fat to make your menu work. Once you move into Kimkins way of eating, you would then be able to add a certain amount of veggies to your daily menu. That's about the only difference.
Kimmer also has a suggested maintenance plan that you can follow too. It appears this plan includes some dairy, some fruit, and some grains. I haven't looked much into this but I do know she has a good number of recipes posted on her site for maintenance as well as K/E and Kimkins. New recipes and cooking tips are added daily.
On her website, she also has a few other popular threads going that I see. One being a "Fasting For Weight Loss & Detox" and "Kimmers Bootcamp" which are NOT part of Kimmers official way of eating, but some choose to take these routes for yet quicker results. More times than not, these are done in the form of a challenge of some sort that only lasts a certain amount of time. You choose if you want to take part or not. There is much debate (though not on Kimmers site) about the dangers of fasting for weight loss. I see there are just as many people that support it as are against it.
"Bootcamp" is a specific and ultra strict eating plan designed by Kimmer for those that want super charged weight loss to an even higher level. One of the main differences that Bootcamp offers is it includes a required 30 minutes of cardio per day. Bootcamp is the ONLY plan that requires any form of exercise and this is strictly for members that choose to do so.
The amazing thing you'll find when looking through her site is that EVERY plan no matter which one.. is kicking out weight loss results at lightening speed. It's actually quite amazing to see. On the front page of Kimkins website, you can read testimony after testimony of member comments telling of their experience. Kimmer has this labeled something like "Overheard In The Kimkins Forurms" or something to that effect.
Now let me mention a few things that makes Kimmer's plan unique. One being what is called the Domino Effect. Kimmer teaches her members why "1 cheat" causes you to stall, thus breaking your "domino weight loss effect" and bringing it to a screeching halt. Once this stall happens, it takes up to 7 days for your "dominos" to be set back up and your weight loss rolling again. Basically, if you cheated, you would have to start back at square 1. Which is to do K/E until your body is back into ketosis and then on to Kimkins again. This does not mean that you will gain your "fat" weight back, though you WILL gain some if not all of your water weight back depending on the size of your cheat. Once you do K/E for a few days, you will lose this water weight again and eventually be back to where you were prior to cheating. This information alone has been priceless to me and so many others I'm sure would agree. I have tested this all out and found this information to be quite true. In my own personal experience and opinion, this information alone has been well worth my membership fee. It is also very motivating for members following Kimkins plan to know that if they should cheat, it would set them back up to 1 week. I see this often motivates them NOT to cheat, and therefore results in quicker weight loss.
Another thing that makes her plan unique is the AMAZING appetite suppressant caused by being in REAL Ketosis. Until one experiences this, you'd never believe it. There are people on her boards, like myself that are coming from out of control binge eating habits to all of a sudden being able to control their eating 110%! In my opinion, when on Atkins or any other low carb type dieting that I've done in my past, when I "thought" I was in Ketosis.. I now know I was not. Comparing the two now has made me a believer in Kimmers acclaimed "REAL Ketosis."
Something else that makes Kimmers plan unique is lightening speed weight loss. If you are first starting out, you can expect to lose anywhere between 5-10 pounds easy within the first week alone. This is known as your official starting "WHOOSH." Yes, most of it is water weight, but this kick starts your fat burning and puts it into high gear. Once you hit your "whoosh", which will be a huge drop on the scale literally overnight it seems, you know it's time to move into Kimkins mode. IF you remain faithful to plan, you can then expect to lose UP TO 1 pound PER day. However I have seem many of Kimmers heaviest members drop more weight than that per day. Sometimes as much as 2-3 pounds per day, at least for the first few weeks then down to about 1 pound per day. This, Kimmer says will continue at a steady pace and will only slow down when you are about 20 pounds or so from goal. From what I have read over the past year via member testimonies as well as my own personal weight loss experience, this I believe is true at least for the most part.
Things that I DO NOT like about Kimmer's plan. If I have to be honest and say what I don't like about her plan it would without doubt be the menu. It is just down right boring! Basically, you'll be eating lean meats, such as chicken, fish, turkey, seafood, that type a thing. Not to mention lots and lots of eggs! She does provide you with a huge list of choices, but if your not that good of a cook, you'll be forced to stick with the basics. However, even so, I think most people would agree with me on a few things.
#1 THE MENU IS BORING but...
#2 YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE EATING ANYWAY. (Ketosis).
#3 THE WEIGHT LOSS FACTOR FAR EXCEEDS THE PAINS OF A BORING MENU so it's rewarding to stick to plan. Actually, most people do.. knowing they can add more food options to their menu at a later time.
Another thing I don't like about the plan is that it's so easy to gain your water weight back if your not careful. However, like I said earlier, this is ONLY the water weight and once back on plan, doing strict K/E, that weight drops right back off. It just takes time.
This can be really frustrating, especially for new members that don't yet understand what is happening. However once you realize the weight gain on the scale (sometimes up to 5 or so pounds) is due to some sort of sodium intake (a common culprit is deli type meats) or small cheat where you overate on carbs .. it's easier to deal with. Some folks, when starting out on Kimkins run into this problem and get discouraged right away until they learn what is happening and how to remedy it. Kimmer DOES teach/coach you through these struggles if they should come up. I notice she is very good at that and even takes the time to thumb through daily menu choices of that individual to find the problem.
The final thing that I don't like about Kimmers plan really isn't about "the plan" so much as it is "her site." Though there has been recent improvement, I wish she would have all of her basic CORE information all listed in one organized place. Especially her "ASK KIMMER" questions and answers. Currently she does have SOME of her information organized and easy to find and read through, but not all. Sometimes you think you might know everything there is to know, but until you read through pages and pages of posts, you find out you didn't. I see there are some members that are newbies who don't understand certain KEY points to her plan so they run into unnecessary trouble. This would be avoided (at least in part) if there was a place where everything was organized and in print, instead of hunting through countless post. Now, the good news is, I did hear rumor that Kimmer was working on an e-book with this information all compiled and every member was going to receive a free copy.
As far as the website itself. It is a very enjoyable warm place with somewhere close to 2,000 friendly members that are very supportive of one another. Mostly women but there ARE some men as well. There is a place to post a personal journal, photos, weight loss goals, challenges, menu ideas, fitness area, and lots more. I've been a member for quite some time now and have enjoyed it very much. If there is anything I would change, it would be some of the linking from page to page. There has been a problem with that I see. Sometimes when you click on 1 link, it takes you to the main page when that's not where you wanted to go. That can be frustrating at times, but not enough to ruin your visit.
Kimmer also has an "Ask Kimmer" thread where you can post any question you might have for her there and she usually answers in a fairly quick time frame. If for any reason you do not feel comfortable posting your questions in front of everyone, she does welcome personal messages and as far as I can tell, she answers every one personally.
My experience with Kimkins has been a pleasant one. If you ask me does the plan work? I would have to say yes.. 100% yes. Her ideas and thoughts toward low carb dieting are unlike any I have learned! It's not so much the foods you eat, it's really getting a strong understanding of how our bodies respond to food and using that power to your advantage.
Is it easy to stick to? For the most part it is. But NOT always! Ketosis helps in such a HUGE way to control your urge to eat, however there are times you just miss eating! Especially now a days when going out to favorite family restaurants is the thing to do. The good news is, your in control. You perhaps for the first time in your life have the control to say yes or no to food. Being a past binge eater as well as a HUGE overeater, I've found this true in my own experience, I really did finally gain the control I was lacking over food. This is a result of Kimmers effect on my life.
Is it worth joining her site? I would say that I've never regret spending the money to join but if you are not serious about doing the plan I'd pass for now. There are quite a few members that I see come and go; I think this is because they get pumped up and excited about giving it a try, but in reality, they aren't quite ready. I think if you know you indeed ARE 100% read to give it your all, go for it. I do enjoy visiting the site daily. I enjoy updating my weight loss ticker, and keeping up with other peoples progress. I do find that being a part of the support group is actually the biggest key to everyone's success but not all, it does take work. I also heard a rumor, don't know how true it is, that there are a few celebrities that are members.
As far as my weight loss progress, to date I've lost 93 pounds but still have 68 to go. The motivation I receive from Kimmers site has been key to my staying focused however it has taking a lot of work on my part as well. I began my weight loss journey in June 2006 but please know I was NOT faithful in sticking to plan the whole time. I struggled with the desire to eat other foods, like BREAD & CEREAL! I even jumped off Kimmer and joined Weight Watchers for a time. But when my weight was not dropping like it was previously as well as paying out that kind of money, I decided to quit and jumped back on board with Kimmer.
There are still days when I am tempted to throw in the towel and give up because of how strict her eating plan is. I'm not going to sit here and lie, I can't wait for the day I get to eat dairy, bread, and other goodies again. Raisin Bran has been calling my name! Taking the required daily vitamins/minerals these last several months to supplement my eating has really been a pain too. So the bottom line is, there is both good and bad points to Kimmers plan, but somehow the bad don't seem so bad when you put it in comparison with the final reward. Consistent weight loss. 93 pounds off does feel great!
My last bit of advice.. no matter what plan you choose to follow - Low fat, Low carb, Low cal.. give it your all. Your worth it!
I would like to invite you to view my weight loss progress pics and read my personal blog which includes my daily menu and thoughts for the day as well as more information on Kimmers plan. If you would like to do this, please feel free to visit: http://www.spankysvoice.com
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