My weight loss photos have been stolen!
It has been four years since I’ve lost the weight and I’ve found that maintaining the loss is much more difficult than actually losing it. Although my weight has fluctuated, I remain active and most of the time make good food choices. Since 2010 I’ve run 15 half-marathons, a full marathon, a 199 mile Ragnar relay and become a Zumba instructor. Healthy living is a way of life for me and by sharing my entire weight loss story online, I know (because I’ve been told) that I’ve inspired countless people.
My story has been featured in Ebony magazine, Southern Living, and the Atlanta Constitution Journal. I’ve been recognized as a fitness professional in UPSCALE magazine and featured in a national commercial for EA Sports Active. My story was highlighted in the PBS show “The Weigh We Were” and on my local NBC affiliate. Despite all of the publicity around my weight loss success, my photos have been hijacked online and used to falsely advertise and sell products that I neither endorse nor use. My hard work is being undermined by people looking to make a quick buck using my image without my permission.
Companies both domestic and international (a Tanzanian company attributes my weight loss to eating mushrooms),
claim I lost weight because of what they are selling. Apparently I’ve lost pounds by doing everything from the apple cider vinegar diet to eating acai berries and taking garcinia cambogia supplments.
Companies both domestic and international (a Tanzanian company attributes my weight loss to eating mushrooms),
claim I lost weight because of what they are selling. Apparently I’ve lost pounds by doing everything from the apple cider vinegar diet to eating acai berries and taking garcinia cambogia supplments.
I am absolutely livid. After doing a google image search I have found no less than 75 instances of my before and after image on the internet.
I learned of this because my mother's friend saw my photo alongside Dr. Oz on his show outing websites selling garcinia cambogia. Despite his efforts to stop the scammers, these sites continue to persist. I am offended because my image is giving false hope to individuals interested in losing weight. The truth is that losing and maintaining weight loss is based on changing your personal relationship with food and moving your body. I have shed tears over this and feel helpless. I am hiring legal counsel to deal with this but I am NOT optimistic. If Dr. Oz with his cashflow cannot be removed from false advertising, what hope do I have?
I learned of this because my mother's friend saw my photo alongside Dr. Oz on his show outing websites selling garcinia cambogia. Despite his efforts to stop the scammers, these sites continue to persist. I am offended because my image is giving false hope to individuals interested in losing weight. The truth is that losing and maintaining weight loss is based on changing your personal relationship with food and moving your body. I have shed tears over this and feel helpless. I am hiring legal counsel to deal with this but I am NOT optimistic. If Dr. Oz with his cashflow cannot be removed from false advertising, what hope do I have?
This practice of stealing photos is ILLEGAL. This is my brand, one that I've spent 4 years building and to have these websites tell it, I used all different types of supplements and fade diets to lose weight. And I endorse them! This cannot be further from the truth. I believe it is important for regular people to know that if I can do it, they can do it too. Not with supplements or quick fixes but by committing to healthy living. It takes mental fortitude to avoid emotional eating and binging. I still struggle with this and honestly when I learned about all of the sites using my photos, my immediate thought was “where is the ice cream?” I can happily report that I suppressed those urges and haven’t binged on foods that I know will add inches to my hips.
By sharing my story that I can can get some justice. I want my images removed! I also want people to view these “get thin fast” sites with a wary eye. If my image has been hijacked, I know many others have been too. I can’t abide by this and although I am not confident that my image won’t continue to be used or that I’ll be remunerated for their illegal use, I can tell the truth and hopefully inspire others with my weight loss. I did it the old fashioned way by burning more calories than I consume. I watch my diet and exercise. It is a struggle but I do it. Please don’t believe all of the hype you see online! Here are just a few of the myriad "testimonials" about my weight loss. If you ever see my image, please let me know!
THE LIES THEY TELL!
Comments
It's so infuriating!!! I've left comments on sites saying it's a lie, only for those comments to be not ever shown or taken down.
There has to be a way to stop people from doing it - and even more for your case since your image is being used by MANY!
So sorry about that!
Sending love.