Kimkins.com Part III - Kimmer: Who Is She Really? (Includes Pictures)
This post is third in a series (you can find the first post and the table of contents here, and the second post here) about the multimillion-dollar Internet diet marketing phenomenon that is Kimkins.com — and its controversial diet guru, a mysterious woman known to most people only as “Kimmer.” My wife, Catherine MacDonald, was a founding partner of the Kimkins.com startup, and I’m sharing the story of this business venture as a case study in business partnerships.
SEPTEMBER 2007 UPDATE: We now have real pictures of Kimmer. As many people suspected, she is a morbidly obese woman — not the svelte 118-pound diet success she has claimed to be. See the pictures here: Kimmer surveillance picture, Kimmer at the Kimkins.com mail box, more surveillance Kimmer photos.
In 1993 — almost 15 years ago — New Yorker published what has become one of its most famous cartoons. One dog, sitting at a computer keyboard, says to another dog, “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.”
This post is about the topic that is at the root of the raging Kimkins/Kimmer controversy. Who is Kimmer? Did she really lose 200 pounds and is she really slim now? Why are there only four known “after” pictures and why do they all look different?
This is also about the way that the Internet has changed how people do business. My wife Catherine founded Kimkins.com with a woman she had never met before, and has never met to this day. This is not unusual — in the information age, people routinely enter into contracts with one another without meeting and sometimes without even talking on the telephone.
Kimmer has always been secretive and evasive about her personal information and photographs. As a private individual posting at the LowCarbFriends.com boards, it was reasonable for her to defend her right to privacy. However, she now uses her story and what she claims are her photos to market a million-dollar weight loss business. There are a disturbing number of unanswered questions and inconsistencies, and a growing number of consumers and dieters are demanding the truth.
Although the recent Woman’s World cover article names the creator/owner of Kimkins.com as “Kim Drake,” (a pseudonym Kimmer had once told Catherine to use for publicity purposes) we’re quite certain that the real name of the woman known as Kimmer is Heidi Kimberly Diaz:
- Heidi Diaz is the name Kimmer gave Catherine and the name she used on their Kimkins.com partnership contract.
- Heidi Diaz is the name that was on the PayPal account to which Kimmer’s share of the website profits were deposited.
- Heidi Diaz is the telephone directory name associated with the phone number Kimmer used for telephone calls with Catherine and has listed on press releases — (951) 808-0482. USSearch.com databases associate the name Heidi Kimberly Diaz, age 49, with the telephone number and telephone directory address.
The pictures below show one of Kimmer’s “before” pictures on the left and a picture on a Classmates.com profile under the name Heidi (Miller) Diaz. They are clearly the same woman on the same day:
In the five or so years that Kimmer has been discussing her weight loss success and acting as a role model and mentor, she has published only two “before” pictures and four “after” photographs. The after pictures are remarkably different from one another:
The second photo is Kimmer’s original LowCarbFriends.com “after” photo (which she was still using at the launch of Kimkins.com). Kimmer came up with the third photo about a month after the Kimkins.com launch after much pleading for recent after pictures from Kimkins.com members. The final picture on the right is a recent picture from the Woman’s World article, and it is now the only “after” photo on the Kimkins.com site. Bizarrely, a Kimmer before and after combo with an “after” of a heavily-airbrushed woman in a leopardskin blouse (I am unable to post the picture here because of copyright issues) was also published in the same Woman’s World article.
To the best of my knowledge, nobody who has interacted with Kimmer online claims to have met her in person. Whenever Kimkins.com members have requested seminars or get-togethers, Kimmer has declined. There is a Kimkins sea cruise being planned for February 2008, but no commitment that Kimmer will be onboard. This is odd behavior for a woman who trades on her personality and life experience to provide motivation to her customers.
Questions have been raised about well-known low carb diet blogger Jimmy Moore’s interview of Kimmer — did he interview Kimmer in person? The answer is no. This interview was arranged by Catherine, via email, and conducted between Jimmy and Kimmer also by email. Jimmy sent his questions to Catherine, who forwarded them to Kimmer, and Kimmer then emailed the answers back to Jimmy. This interview fueled Jimmy’s successful affiliate relationship with Kimkins.com which is still ongoing. It’s worth noting that the old Kimmer “after” picture (seated black blouse shot) Jimmy used to have on his site has entirely disappeared, replaced by the red dress “after” shot.
As I write this, the “who is Kimmer?” question is being hotly debated on several diet message boards including LowCarbFriends.com. There are a number of people who are aware of Heidi K. Diaz’s address, contact information, and other personal details, and I suspect that investigative journalism or private investigation will soon bring about the disclosure of new information about her identity and the authenticity of her weight loss claims. On the Internet in 2007, it’s no longer possible to hide behind a monitor like the New Yorker cartoon dog.
Next: Kimkins.com Part IV - The Kimkins.com Early Days
July 5th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
[…] Next: Kimkins.com Part III - Kimmer: Who Is She Really? […]
July 5th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
[…] Kimkins.com Part III - Kimmer: Who Is She Really? […]
July 5th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
The walls are closing in on Kimmer…….maybe The Smoking Gun would be interested in investigating her story.
Hmm…..
July 5th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Well, that was disappointing. I already knew all that from reading Lowcarbfriends. The New Yorker dog bit was cute though.
According to her blogsite, Kimmer claims that Kimkins is the new celebrity diet (Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton all supposedly do it or have done it).
http://kimkinsdiet.blogspot.com/search?q=Jessica+Alba
Put gossip blogger Perez Hilton on the case of the mysterious Kimmer. He’ll blog about anything remotely related to celebrities. He’s in LA. Maybe he and Kimmer can “do lunch.” He’ll have pics! HA!
July 5th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
So the answer to the question is you don’t have the first clue who Kimmer is really.
July 5th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
What name should be attributed to this study? We know your wife’s name, though what is yours? I would think you’d be proud to attach a name…..
July 5th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
I’ll bet Kimmer is a 400 lb, agoraphobic who sits yapping on her computer all day.
Or this is a gimmick to have more go to her site.
July 5th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
so who is kimmer really?
July 5th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
This is being made up as they go along .
July 5th, 2007 at 11:53 pm
“What name should be attributed to this study? We know your wife’s name, though what is yours? I would think you’d be proud to attach a name…”
Martin Higgins is my name. I hadn’t noticed that there was no explicit attribution on this blog, sorry.
July 6th, 2007 at 1:36 am
The person called Whatever must either be Kimmer or someone that is clueless. lol
How would Kimmer even know any of those movie stars are doing “her” diet? They most likely said what they eat in the tabloids and Kimmer thought hmm that is close enough to kimkins I think I will claim them as doing my diet so people think they are acutally here on the site or that I have really talked to them. PLEASE! What a lie! I see Kimmer getting into a lot of trouble in the future. Call the better business bureau, IRS, Medical association and law enforcement and whoever investigates these cases. If you like her diet, fine do it, but don’t go putting money in her pocket when you can get every bit of the information at lowcarbfriends for free.
July 6th, 2007 at 11:18 am
I agree with Tonya. “Whatever” must be either Kimmer or someone paid by her to defend her. These stars probably don’t even know she is using their names to market her diet. I say someone call the FBI to investigate this fraud.
If you like her diet, like Tonya says there is lots of information on other website and if you really want the REAL diet by Dr. Stillman’s diet book. That is what it actually is. Don’t put a dime in this sheep in wolf’s clothing pocket.
July 6th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
I certainly hope that if Kimmer is giving names of the celebrities who use her plan, that she can back that up with proof.
July 6th, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Let me guess, 3 LCF trollbags who are too chicken shat to use their regular usernames.
July 6th, 2007 at 11:43 pm
And let me guess - You Whatever are also in that category.
Nice username there.
How interesting your attempt to call out other people, in the game of which you also play.
Pot meet kettle….
July 7th, 2007 at 5:34 am
[…] Yesterday, after I revealed the facts about his Kimmer interview here on the blog, Jimmy stepped up to the plate and openly admited that his first Kimmer interview was done through email, not in person or on the phone. He says that he had a long telephone call with “Kimmer” yesterday and they have a telephone interview scheduled for his podcast late next week — a case of strike while the iron is … uh, cold and with a well-prepared story. Jimmy asked Kimmer for an in-person interview to help clear up the controversy about her identity and weight loss claims, but she once again declined. To my knowledge, nobody interested in the Kimkins.com debate claims that they have met Kimmer/Heidi Diaz/Kim Drake in person. […]
July 7th, 2007 at 9:01 am
Kind of sad, really. Just do a live, in person interview and settle it once and for all. People adore Kimmer so they’ll probably forgive and deception about what she looks like if she’d only step up and set it straight.
July 7th, 2007 at 11:36 am
The only ones I “called out” were the authors of this piece of fiction blog - not others who left comments. Go back to your gooey butter cake and Big Macs and don’t worry about me
July 7th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Jimmy Moore states that he offered to meet “Kimmer” at her home or other place of her choosing, and yet she still declined.
With a meeting set up in her own home, her “agoraphobia” should not have been an issue.
Also, how did she manage to drag herself out of the house and to a shoot for Women’s World. Seems like if anything were going to be a real stresser and cause for panic attacks , it would have been that.
Obviously, whether or not her diet “works” or not, Kimmer herself has some serious credibility issues.
July 7th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Whatever you’re free to read your own post:
“Let me guess, 3 LCF trollbags who are too chicken shat to use their regular usernames.”
July 7th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
I thought the Women’s World interview was also done over the phone or via email. Kimmer had the photos made and sent them to WW. She wouldn’t even meet in person with Christin, the WW cover girl, and Kimmer’s “big loser” when WW flew Christin and her husband to LA for the shoot.
If Kimmer really did the WW interview live, in person, then I stand corrected, but that is NOT how I heard it went about.
July 7th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Whatever are you craving a gooey butter cake or a big mac? Stop being a kimkins poser and admit you want to be on the dark side. See what eating 800 cals a day does to a person makes a complete ahole.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Kimkins is a cash cow for Jimmy Moore.
July 8th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
# Phantom Says:
July 8th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Kimkins is a cash cow for Jimmy Moore.
You sound like someone from LCF.
July 8th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
“You sound like someone from LCF. ”
…….BIG WAVE!……
July 8th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
The Kimkins WOE….No exercise? Fasting. I’m okay with that, if you do it sporatically. Severe calorie restricting. I think that is also best done on a very limited basis, and can do more damage to your metabolism long-term. Did it? Your mysterious pictures? Well, you’re still hiding. Or something. So, that appears to be our answer for now. I don’t condemn anyone for gaining back weight. And I have talked to you many times before. My free advice
You may want to try exercise this time. it might be valuable…. I’ve kept my weight off. Good luck!
July 9th, 2007 at 9:24 am
Kimmer posts on her site, her weekend plans and day to day activities. She travels out of her house a lot and puts herself in contact with many different people. At one point (posted at LCF) having a party of fifty or more guests to her home. She has insulted Mr. Moore with her reasons not to meet.
Even if Mr.Moore met her face to face, there still will be doubts from the naysayers. Was it really Kimmer or an imposter?
At this point, nothing short of the FBI doing a DNA test on The Great and Powerful Kimmer will do for them.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
When will we get to enjoy : Kimkins Part IV - The Kimkins.com Early Days ?
July 9th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
[…] According to the low carb boards, in the past day or two at Kimkins.com there have been bannings, with and without refunds, of members who have questioned or criticized Kimmer’s lack of forthrightness about her identity and pictures. […]
July 10th, 2007 at 1:33 am
PEE ESS GUYS:
This is a publicity stunt.
The more “drama” over the “mysterious” kimmer there is, the more interest in the product is drummed up.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the author of the blog is kimmer herself (and if not, this “catherine” individual, is still probably her business partner… you cannot possible tell me that anyone who is “business savy” can’t possibly understand posting this drama is just going to fuel the kimkins fire?)
July 10th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
[…] This post is part of a series about the Kimkins diet and its controversial, secretive creator, Kimmer, aka Heidi Diaz or Kim Drake. My wife Catherine was Heidi’s founding partner when Kimkins.com started and the business partnership taught her some harsh lessons. Meanwhile, the Kimkins controversy is ongoing and new developments happen daily. You can find the first post in the series, along with the table of contents, here. Over the past few days, with Catherine’s permission I’ve been able to delve into her email records (thank God for Gmail) to establish a more accurate chronology of the dates of start-up. For the better part of a year, Catherine has tried to put the details of the failed business partnership out of her mind while she works on more productive things, and so her memory was less than clear on the date of startup. Here’s what I’ve established: […]
July 11th, 2007 at 12:19 am
For anyone who wants their money back at this point here is what you can to do.
Since Kimmer has everyone paypaling their payments, go to your paypal account. Open up a dispute on Kimmer. There are a few ways to get your money back and you have to check one of them. I suggest the first one.
Item dispute: I did not receive an item I purchased or the item I received is significantly not as described.
This I believe is how she has to give the money back. Those that are banned did not get what was described. The ebook has never materialized. Therefore grounds for money back. I am sure there are many other reasons to get your money back and I suggest that any of the ones banned or unhappy with her site do this right away. Contact and complain to paypal. She may even be investigated. Kimmer is really taking a huge chance not returning peoples money and it would be in her best interest to do it because the law does not look kindly on someone committing fraud to get peoples money.
July 16th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Did someone seriously think that those pictures would fool anyone? The 4th picture - of the girl in red, not only implies that Kim lost 200 lbs, but that she lost 30 years on top of it!
July 18th, 2007 at 11:33 am
You are all just jealous of the great success Kimkins is showing….just leave it be and stay on your fat induced diets and be miserable.
just grow up already!
July 18th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Why, lisa. If there’s nothing to hide, no worries, right? No jealousy anywhere from what I’m seeing. A whole lot of desperation coming from the Kimkins camp, however.
July 20th, 2007 at 1:48 am
Why are you slamming Kimmer? Help me understand your side.
July 27th, 2007 at 12:16 am
You know what I dont get? All the ignorance. All of the pointing of fingers and determination to prove someone wrong. Privacy is a BIG issue to some ppl, including myself. So her name is Kimberly Heidi Diaz. Big deal! How many AUTHORS you know have changed their name for pulicaion purposes? Actors? Musicians? It’s all the same really, just wanting to protect her *right* to privacy. And we all have the right, dont we?
As far as the pictures go……backin the 80’s we all had big hair. By the 90’s we were highlighting it. Cant expect her to have the same cut all the time do you? SHe has OPENLY admitted to having some plastic surgery done. You can bet your butt that I’ll have a tummy tuck done too after I realy my goal weight. So WHAT if she also had some facial surgery done? The features in the pics ARE the same. Same chin, smae bsic cheekbones, same nose. After loosing THAT much weight, dont you think you’d look different too?
What’s it truly matter that no one has ever met her? Maybe she’s a very private person with social anxieties. It’s possible isn’t it? Of course it is, but here we go back to that thing, our determination to PROVE someone is full of it…..
I have rad so many statements where ppl have put words into her mouth and are bending over backwards just to call her a liar. Just because YOUR ass is still fat, you dont have to make trouble for the ones of us who are losing ours…….
July 27th, 2007 at 2:28 am
[…] I would like to express my gratitude for all the comments made on my blog in relation to the series on Kimkins. I am happy to say that I have been able to approve every relevant comment regardless of the opinion of the commentor. I just approved a very adamant defense of Kimmer that anyone following the story will want to check out. The new comment is on Part III. […]
July 27th, 2007 at 10:30 am
right on Steph!!!
I have rad so many statements where ppl have put words into her mouth and are bending over backwards just to call her a liar. Just because YOUR ass is still fat, you dont have to make trouble for the ones of us who are losing ours…….
September 2nd, 2007 at 9:22 am
“Heidi Diaz is the name that was on the PayPal account to which Kimmer’s share of the website profits were deposited.”
Whose/what name was on the paypal account for the site registrations?
From the above statement it seems that the PayPal account for Kimkins.com where memberships were paid for is in a name other than Heidi Diaz and her “share” was then funneled out of that PayPal account into the Heidi Diaz account at PayPal.
What is this name?
And, even with Heidi Diaz on the Paypal account…was there any additional information attached to that account (address, phone, etc.) that would indicate that the name on the account itself was fictitious but the real information beyond the name on the account indicated who owned the account more accurately?
September 3rd, 2007 at 7:14 am
Miss Prissy — Membership payments were sent to Catherine’s PayPal account while Catherine was a partner, in other words until the end of September 2006. Catherine paid all site expenses and then divided the profit 50/50. Heidi’s share of profits went to Heidi’s PayPal account. There was and is no reason to believe that the name on Heidi’s PayPal account (Heidi Diaz) was fictitious.
September 3rd, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Did Catherine, when the partnership dissolved, transfer payment to go directly into Heidi’s Paypal once everything was wrapped up with their buyout? Basically are payments for memberships now into Heidi Diaz Paypal, or another name was designated?
September 8th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Funny thing just happened…when I put this link on one of the Kimkins forums, within two minutes I was no longer able to log into the site. I guess I’ve been kicked out of Kimkins! I’m so glad you posted this information. Working as a fraud investigator and knowing I got scammed by Heidi the lard-ass really pisses me off…the phony pics, the foster case BS, etc., it makes me sick. We need your blog on the front cover of Woman’s Magazine with “Kimmers” REAL photos…
October 1st, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Does anyone know where the real Heidi is now?
November 23rd, 2007 at 2:54 pm
that heidi gal or may i say cow………. is a big fat beach whale, with a lot of other fat people’s money………………..
December 1st, 2007 at 9:21 pm
this whole thing is really just so sad….
June 2nd, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Lindsay Lohan is such a crazy chick!
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