I'm also really curious about the lose skin. I am 40 and weigh about 198, much less than Kim did when she lost weight, and I am certain I'll have lose skin and maybe need face/neck lift. I'm actually not as worried about stomach as I am about neck/face, and a little bit about legs/arms. Kim's facial skin on the cover of her book looks very tight for someone having lost that much weight. Is it surgery, airbrushing, or did her neck fat just shrink and become tight? I'm very interested because I'd like to know what to expect, and I'm always curious about loose skin when I see/hear about people losing lots of weight... esp. women my age or older.

Kim has been very honest about much of her journey, but it IS interesting that she doesn't wish to answer the direct questions about her own skin sag. She says we should NEVER, NEVER let concern over what might be keep us from getting to our goal, and yet, I've heard more problems from sagging skin after massive weight loss than I care to realize. Some women have said that prospective romantic partners are even more turned off by all that loose skin than they are by the fat! So, since this IS a legitimate concern by many of us, I wish Kim would please address it by telling us what she did/does with her own skin, or give us examples of exactly what other women have gone through in dealing with their loose skin, AND how that loose skin affects their self-confidence and their attractiveness--if attractiveness is a consideration.

Kim, why can't you answer whether or not you had surgery for loose skin after your weight loss? I have searched your boards and all you say is "tape it, tuck it or cut it off," but you won't say what you did! And I love the photo on your book, but it's hard to believe that it's not touched up a lot, or you had surgery! What gives? You've been so upfront about everything else....

Kim,

I just finished your book and was thoroughly mesmerized at your journey. There was a reason for you to be heavy; God had a plan for you to help millions of other overweight people. Thank you for your candidness and honesty in many difficult situations. I have just now begun to realize that you cannot diet and then magically stay thin; it takes just as much hard work staying there as it did to get there. Hopefully my daily visits to your website and making the right choices will help me to lose this lasy 30 pounds and forever keep it off!! Thanks for being a great inspiration, P.S. Keep writing - you did a phenomenal job!

Kim I plan on getting your book as your story is inspirational but the same old fears plague me. I am 66 yrs old and I feel it is too late to achieve weight loss and that my skin will look horrible and I am not a candidate for surgery. These fears stand in my way and I need help to get past tehm.

I have read your new book and have found it very motivating. I have one question to ask you. In the recipe for "whole-wheat pizza dough" (on page 252),I am unsure as to how much a "serving" constitutes. I realize the recipe makes 2 pizza crusts, and I see the nutritional info per serving, but I don't know what a "serving" is. It isn't the whole pizza crust is it? (I wish...) Hope to hear your answer soon as my husband and I have been waiting to make the whole-wheat pizza dough for our Friday night treat! Thanks, Kim!

Hi Kim,
I just started reading your book and I would like to thank you. You are so motivating!

Hi Kim,

I'm looking forward to learning to stay at goal with your help - but first I have to lose the 35 pounds I have gained since reaching it exactly one year ago. I've done that three times now. I have 3 25lb stickers on my refrigerator from weight watchers.

I hope to go you your book signing in Milford tomorrow and look forward to meeting you. But, I just heard there's a snowstorm coming - will you cancel if that happens? Post it on your website?

Where are your meetings held in Connecticut? I love my leaders, but I'd love to go to one of your meetings for a change.

Thanks!

Kim, I'm so proud of you my friend! The night of the book signing, came home and read the entire book. You have inspired so many. I am back to meetings after my 24lb weight gain BACK! I'm down 8 and am very motivated. I am working with Linda S. and keeping eachother accountable. The first few weeks weren't so good, but I started on the treadmill and within days I'm seeing a change in my body!

Have an awesome day! Nothing is impossible with God!

Love Deb

Hi Kim,

I also pre-ordered your book and am almost finished with it. You have an amazing story that we can all relate too. Thank you for being so honest. I plan on ordering more books for my family and friends...I don't want to lend mine! I have the feeling like "it's MINE" and it's not going to leave my hands! I look forward to any media appearances you may have because I enjoy listening to you also. Take care.

Hi Kim, will you be coming to fort myers, florida as part of your book tour? will you be on any of the programs like the view, today show or good morning america, etc? and when?

Hello Kim,

My mom was telling me about you yesterday and I came home and had to look you up. You are amazing,and what an inspiration to me. I weigh probably 380 lbs. I have not been on the scale in a while, too scared to see the numbers. I am going to purchase your book this weekend and I really look forward to reading it. I have lost 107 lbs in the past so I know what it takes and the hard work and determination to do it. Its just getting back to it! Thank you for being so open about your life, it sounds much like mine. I hope and pray that I too will have the same results as you and would love to meet you when I make it to my goal. Thank you for the inspiration. Love Nancy C.

Hi I was just wondering since you lost so much weight...do you have an issue with extra skin and lack of elastiscity? I suppose I should worry about that WHEN I have that problem...however I'm curious now...bye the way ...you look amazing and you look like you feel great! Thanks for being an inspiration.

Hi Kim,

I got your new book on the 2nd... I am almost done reading it. I am in love with that book. My husband is funny when we go to bed at night he will say will you stop reading that book and pay attention to me... He knows that you are my hero though and that I will be done soon... I cannot tell you how many times I cried in part one. I have called freinds and read them about your experience at your Lifetime meeting. I cry everytime I read it to them... Every time I read something it seems that I can relate... Like praying to God for assistance, telling God "Boy, you must be really getting tired of hearing from me. You know the one that promises this is going to be it, the one that says if you help me try just one more time!!" You opened my eyes. I too believe in my heart and soul I CANNOT do it by myself. I truly need him to push me through this whole ordeal. Until I have enough strength to grab those reins and lead myself to the finish line...

So Thank you Kim for all that you have done to so many people in this world. Your story and your strength is AWESOME!!!! Thank you for what you have done for ME!!!

Love your friend,
Shelley

PS... Been to a Seadogs game lately??? :)

Thank you so much Debbi and Carla and Donna and Melissa and everyone else who has blogged or posted elsewhere. If I've every given any of you encouragement, you give it back to me 10 fold. I was walking on eggshells before the release, I'm walking on air today. :)

You are all awesome! What you are doing to carve out a healthy future for yourselves and your families isn't easy. It's an awful lot of hard work! But so worth it! And YOU ARE DOING IT! Kudos. Way to go gals and keep it up!

As far as the meetings go, I'll start a new post about them. As far as the skin goes ...

I have members in my WW meetings say that they are afraid to keep losing weight because of loose skin. Here's what I told them: everyone is different. You may have lose skin when you get to goal and you may not. If you do, you have 3 options. You can tape it up, you can tuck it in or you can cut it off. But NEVER, NEVER let concern over what might be keep you from getting to goal! That's the most important thing!

Hope this helps! Thanks again! Kim :)

I ordered your book about a month ago and it arrived a few days ago. I have almost read the entire thing. I actually started my weight loss plan about 11 months ago and my story is SOOOOOOO similar to yours it is scary! My top weight was about 320 and I am today at 228. I didn't use Weight Watchers or anything, I just finally saw what I was doing to myself. Actually, the fact that I was diagnosed with Diabetes helped, it made me realize what I was eating and for the first time in my life I made some huge changes. (I haven't had a McDonalds double cheeseburger in 11 months!!) The biggest help was to plan meals and write down everything that I ate. That is the first thing that I recommend to anyone trying to lose weight and I saw that your opinion was similar in your book. My weight loss was at the beginning pretty fast but then the last couple of months I've been stuck at the same number. I found your website about a month and 1/2 ago and your article about the "extra 200" calories really, really helped me. That's why I've been staying at the same number was just a simple 200 - 400 too much during the day. Snacking mostly. PLUS, I stupidly stopped writing everything down, I thought that if I just kept track of everything in my head I was fine. Duh. Who keeps track of a few pretzels here and there. So I have new strength after reading your book and I am back to writing things down (quite obsessively actually) and I am SOOOOOOO wanting to be at my goal of under 200 for our June vacation. I am hoping that this summer I can actually go on rides at the amusement park and actually fit my butt into the tube on the lazy river! I do want to ask you a personal question if you don't mind. Do you have a lot of stomach skin left or were you able to tone that? I am so afraid of the gross sagging skin. Granted, sagging empty skin is better than fat and puffy skin. I sorta share your views on exercise, I haven't done a whole lot of exercise but I am trying. Thank you again for your book! You wrote down so many things that I WANT people to know!! I am no where near where you weigh but if people just knew how good it felt, they would totally do it. Although, I've heard that my whole life and never got it before. I'm so glad I finally did!

Hi Kim, Last time I was here was in Nov. I bought your book on Dec 31 (couldn't wait to order it!), and read it in one afternoon. I was near tears some of the time and laughed some. How well I related to some of your past wt related issues. When I was here in Nov to blog, I was down from 348 (first WW meeting in July) to 296. After gaining 7 lbs at Christmas, I'm down back down now to 287. I was having a very hard time getting back OP when I read your book. Between prayer and your motivating book, I'm back full force now. Thanks so much for bearing your soul and past and sharing your testimony of triumph to help motivate us who are still in this battle. I wish the best to you in 2009. Blessings...Carla

You said you will be beginning a meeting in town soon- will that be a weight watchers meeting? Or are you breaking away from them? (I would think that they would be okay with it because it is free publicity for them)

Will the online/virtual meeting be a weight watchers meeting?

What is the next book going to cover?

Hi Judy!
I'm so glad you like it! I feel like the actress on opening night. I've worked for a year and have just started getting reviews over the last few days. What a wonderful feeling to know it's enjoyed and helpful. Thank you!

I'll begin leading a meeting beginning very soon here in town. We'll be filming it and playing it ONLINE. But it will be coupled with a live on-line meeting and chat. We should have it all together by the end of January. A lot of what we offer depends on what people are looking for to stay motivated. We'll take any and all suggestions. :)

Thanks again Judy!

Kim,
I posted a comment yesterday after just receiving your book and bracelet and starter kit. I started reading your book last night and I could not put it down. I stayed up all night long and read, laughed out loud many times, and at the same time, I wanted to cry for you that you have gone thru so much humiliation and turmoil due to being overweight. I just had to write again today to tell you thank you so very much for being so open and honest and real in your book. God has diffently raised you up to minister to all of us still struggling with our weight issues and have gone thru so many of the same situations that you have described in your book. You are an inspiration to us all.
I did want to ask one question. On your website, it says Coming Soon.... Lighten Up! with Kim a virtual weight loss meeting
Will this be a live online meeting or something like that? If so, when do you expect it to be up and going?

Thank you so much! You know, some people can lose and be done with it. They have gained over time but don't really have "food issues". Not me. I have to track it every day, too. But that's ok. It's actually a great way to live.

Thanks for posting!
PS I gave RH about 30 pics but as a first time author they kept cutting back. Hoping the book sells well as I have my second ready to go. More pics this time!
:)

I got your book. I have thoroughly enjoyed it! You are an encouragement to me to continue on my weight loss. I think more pictures would have been nice :-) but that is me. It was well written and I am reading it a second time.
I am a weight watchers believer. I know it works, I just have to make it work. I have gone and returned many times. My latest was that I started again in March of 07, went to meetings off and on and only lost a net of 5 or so pounds from then. (lost and gained the same pounds for two years!) I was eating out of stress, boredom, and procrastination. I have resolved not to do that. I think the wake up call for me was that I had to go shopping for some clothes and I was in womens sizes. And also at a meeting, my leader mentioned that we are all here because we have 'food issues'. and I have grabbed onto that. I have food issues and every day the rest of my life, I will have to track how much I eat in order to lose and maintain. and weight watchers will help me do it. That has helped me to stay on track again since late November. This time I am on track, going to continue to go to meetings, and stay the course to get rid of this weight and keep it off. so far I have made 5%. working towards 10 percent and being in different digits.

Thanks for your book, your website, your bagels, the tv programs (and the internet to be able to see it). It would be neat to see you as the national spoksesperson for Weight Watchers. Would love to hear you speak at a meeting here in Tallahassee! If I ever make it to CT, I will definitely be stopping in!

Kim-

I just "happened" upon your website a few weeks ago (well, really I'm pretty sure I was led there unknowingly!). After reading your story, I immediately went and pre-ordered your book. It arrived yesterday and last night after dinner I sat down and read the entire first section. This is huge for me since I have three little girls (7, 5, and 3) and getting any time to read is rare! I am so inspired by your story!! I have been struggling with losing 20 pounds to get to my ideal weight. Its not a huge amount, but it has seemed impossible to me. I FINALLY feel motiviated and ready to make it happen thanks to you!! Thank you for sharing your story - I can't wait to read the rest of the book and start my journey!!

Melissa, Spokane, WA

Congrats Judy on your decision to go back! So you're back again and still 20 lbs ahead. Whoo hoo!! I'd love to take credit for the bracelet. WW had it years ago and it helped me as I was losing my weight. They stopped selling them and I couldn't get them for my members. So after begging for about a year I had something similar created myself. I love 'em and use it every day. Doing your program full force is the only way to do it. You go girl!!! Kim :)

KIM,
JUST GOT YOUR BOOK TODAY IN THE MAIL. I HAVE LOOKED THRU IT AND CAN'T WAIT TO SIT DOWN WITH IT TONIGHT TO BEGIN READING. IT LOOKS FANTASTIC AND JUST WHAT I NEEDED AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE. I HAVE BEEN GOING TO WEIGHT WATCHERS FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW. I LOST 38 POUNDS OF 108 POUNDS TO REACH MY GOAL AND THEN I HAD SOME SEVERE HEALTH ISSUES COMPLICATED BY SEVERE REACTIONS TO MEDICATIONS. DURING ALL THIS I HAVE GAINED 18 POUNDS OF THE 38 POUNDS BACK. WITH HAVING ALL MY HEALTH ISSUES STABILIZED, I AM READY TO GET BACK ON MY WEIGHT WATCHERS FULL FORCE. I WENT ON YOUR WEBSITE AND PURCHASED YOUR TRACKING BRACELET (WHICH BY THE WAY IS A VERY INGENIOUS IDEA AND I THINK IT WILL HELP ME TO KEEP TRACK OF THOSE POINTS WHEN I AM NOT ABLE TO WRITE DOWN MY FOODS AT THE MOMENT SUCH AS AT WORK, ETC.
THANK YOU FOR SUCH INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION IN ALL YOUR PRODUCTS. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING OUT YOUR BAGELS.
HAVE A GREAT 2009 AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!