Integrity

Integrity . . . . . something that has always been important to me both in myself and others. Even with the "diet" I choose.

When I joined Kimkins initially (back in 01/07) and saw that a real person had lost over 180 lbs and maintained the loss for over 5 years . . . . that was very impressive! And she was sharing her WOE with a lifetime membership of only $39.95!!!! After paying for so much more for e-Diets, WW, LA Weight Loss, just to name a few I again was impressed.

When the controversy started I initially (for a very short time) kept my head in the sand. After all I was losing weight like never before; and for the most part was feeling ok. But I like to read and I like to learn and it wasn't too long before I found Becky's blog and started reading. Talk about INTEGRITY! I felt the same as I read Deni's and Christin's blogs.

As I assimilated the info I had learned reading their blogs I still logged into Kimkins and continued with the 2 small group challenges I had started. At this point I was believing that Kimmer would come forward with her side of things and she would show herself and everyone would see that she was still maintaining the weight loss.

When this didn't happen I started doing more research. And things started coming up that were hard to ignore. And Kimmer still didn't come forward . . . . . and I felt betrayed as did so many others. I may have had a lot of doubts about the way she lost her weight (500 calories, etc) but I believed that she had in fact lost over 180 lbs and I believed that she had maintained that weight loss for over 5 years.

I would read some of the posts on Kimkins: "It doesn't matter to me if Kimmer lost weight as she claimed", "It doesn't matter to me if she gained all of her weight back" It doesn't matter to me that Kimmer lied . . . . . " HUH??? When did honesty and integrity become so unimportant? When did your desire for weight loss become more inportant than your integrity? How can anyone choose to support a person with no integrity, a person that cares so little about others except for how much money she can scam from them? Just by continuing on the Kimkins forum with their heads buried in the sand they are showing their support for a fraud, for a con artist, for a liar, for a diet that can cause serious health problems!!! I am not talking about those who are "information gatherers", those who are trying to get some sense into those who are still there.

I've read comments from people that are staying with Kimkins because "I am doing it my way so it is ok" or "I am staying for the friends I've made", etc. And I see so many people who "cheat" over and over again. Doesn't that tell you anything? Is Kimkins something you can really see yourself doing for the rest of your life? AND if Kimmer couldn't keep the weight off (if she ver lost it to begin with!!!!!) what makes you think that you can? And what about those that have never "dieted" before or have never done low carb before? They do Kimkins as written, or they try their best to and then feel like failures when they can't eat only 500 calories of protein every day?

Integrity
When you respect, treasure and maintain it, it can bring enormous value to whatever you set out to accomplish. It is your integrity, and it is very much worth the effort you spend to keep it intact.

For if you compromise your integrity to get ahead, you'll severely limit how far you can go. If you give up your integrity in exchange for anything else, you will always be on the losing end of the bargain.

The compromise of integrity is its own worst punishment, and is a price that is never worth paying. The worth of integrity cannot be calculated, because it adds value to everything you do.
There will come moments when you'll be tempted to take a shortcut, moments when it will seem foolish to hold on so steadfastly to your integrity. But deep down you know that the day will come when that integrity will be worth far more to you than anything for which you could trade it away.

One day you'll reach a bridge that can only be crossed if your integrity is intact. One day you'll come upon an opportunity that can be yours only if you have arrived at it with integrity.
Live each moment with integrity, with whole and genuine positive purpose. All the while you'll be building something of real, lasting value.
-- Ralph Marston