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Kimkins, the diet plan that swept the internet and then the world, thanks in no small part to Woman's World magazine, where falsified images of the founder (both with different eye colors), has finally met with a California judge who ruled regarding fraudulent claims by the site's owner Heidi Diaz. After several grueling years in the court system, John Tiedt and those who were defrauded by the diet plan's morbidly obese creator finally met with victory.
The rise of Kimkins
Just a few years ago-- and at a very timely commencement of swimsuit weather everywhere-- a national magazine (known for touting sometimes sensational advice to those wishing to lose weight) featured a weight loss plan and marketed it to a nation of people, many of whom are young girls with hopes of quick weight loss. Claims were made that the diet was better than bariatric surgery and Atkins. Those might be considered by many to be lofty claims from a plan where the founder herself admitted publicly that she fasted, followed Atkins and didn't eat for weeks at a time to lose almost 200 pounds.
This plan is known as "Kimkins," a Hello Kitty adorable (and seemingly safe) name of cute affixed to a dark way of eating that the magazine is said to have actually modified due to its insanely low caloric counts. Now appearing to be barely more balanced at 1,000 daily calories, one visit to the fitday.com accounts of any one of many dedicated followers of the plan reveals numbers anywhere from 300-600 calories per day.
Additionally, merchandise for sale at a site store for Kimkins at one time proudly advertised SNATT (Semi-Nauseous All The Time) items, a desirable trait by those seeking to subsist on little more than the numbers which tend to be heralded as dietary plans provided at pro-anorexia sites. While these items have since been removed from the store, the message is the same: how can one eat when one is in a state of illness? As such, the SNATT message moves forward, positively enabling feelings of unwell and dysfunctional thinking.
Guerilla marketing
Some disturbing propaganda via viral advertising online and spamming sites with information, promises and links to Kimkins have been targeting the youthful audiences in the country through affiliate programs and aggressive marketing techniques.
One such internet user, at the age of 14 was looking to lose weight, and to lose it quickly. Like many today, he asked how he might do this at a popular on-line site where people ask questions and receive answers from potentially millions of users. He was almost immediately eagerly courted by a Kimkins follower, who promised him quick weight loss, and provided a link to a site which required $60 for membership.
It was discovered later, by the young man's own admissions at a different site, that his mother refused to give him the money to join.
Justice
Thankfully, links have since been removed thanks to the efforts of consumer activists. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), other links showing Diaz' activity on other questions and websites still remain, a testiment to her seemingly guerrilla marketing tactics to get the word out about her site, which charged a pretty penny for promises that were never kept.
At least according to the class action which was then brought against the diet's founder. Now, a few years later, and through the incredible efforts of attorney John Tiedt and litigants, some justice has been meted out in a civil court.
Following are the court transcripts from that final day of litigation as I received them. No text has been omitted, save for the line numbers which proved unruly during transfer, and some spelling changes for uniformity.
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