What about my kids?

[LittleLinda]

I was wondering if any of you might know if this "diet" is suitable for kids? My oldest is 3 (Jacques), and the baby is 8 months old (Andre'). I don't to put them on the induction at all, but Jacques demands candy instead of breakfast lately and I foresee serious problems if I don't get this sorted out NOW.

I'm still reading the book and haven't noticed that kids are mentioned anywhere yet. Does anybody know if I can put my kids on the maintenance phase of Atkins? I want to foster good eating habits before things get worse. Jacques is a little underweight, but all that sugar can't be good for him.

[RitaCeleste]

Re: What about my kids?

I don't see any thing wrong with putting them on a whole foods diet with plenty of fruits and veggies and meats. Or cutting the refined white flour and sugar out of what they eat. You'll want to feed them more stuff than what you will be eating and from the higher rungs too. They can have a sweet potato instead of a chocolate chip! It really shouldn't hurt them if you want to cut them off all the food additives and junky foods. I wouldn't worry about counting their carbs like in maintance, but real food is aways good.

[pagliaccia]

Re: What about my kids?

I think it's a great idea to try to move them away from highly processed and highly sugared foods. Big props for looking out for the future health of your kids!

[Atkins4MeNJ]

Re: What about my kids?

I can tell you that my son "mirrors" my eating (he's . We eat a lot of healthy proteins and I'm an advocate for whole foods / clean eating. He chooses water over soda and concludes for himself what's healthy. Of course he still eats treats but not regularly as I don't purchase them. My goal is not to put him on a diet, that wouldn't be appropriate, but to educate him to make healthier choices.

[chauber]

Re: What about my kids?

If you are going to put them on this plan, I would lean towards the maintanence stage..that way their growing bodies can have milk, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and proteins. Pretty much you are just going to cut out all the processed junk.

Good luck!

[not2late]

Re: What about my kids?

I was wondering if any of you might know if this "diet" is suitable for kids? My oldest is 3 (Jacques), and the baby is 8 months old (Andre'). I don't to put them on the induction at all, but Jacques demands candy instead of breakfast lately and I foresee serious problems if I don't get this sorted out NOW.

I'm still reading the book and haven't noticed that kids are mentioned anywhere yet. Does anybody know if I can put my kids on the maintenance phase of Atkins? I want to foster good eating habits before things get worse. Jacques is a little underweight, but all that sugar can't be good for him.

The Atkins Diet isn't recommended for children or teens because their nutritional needs are much different than ours.

That said, there was a low carb diet Dr. Atkins used for his overweight pediatric and adolescent patients. That diet is explained in Fred Pescatore, MD's book Feed Your Kids Well

Since your children are under the age of 5, it would be best for you to consult their pediatrician---especially for your 8 month old child. A baby's nutritional needs are VASTLY different that a toddler's, older child's or an adults.

It is true that eating minimally processed, whole foods is better than eating the highly processed "baby" food and toddler food in many supermarkets. I work in a doctor's office and the pediatrician here preaches to parents with babies and toddlers to not feed them junk food/candy because once they develop a taste for that garbage, it's very hard for that child to eat anything else.

But please talk to your pediatrician. Pediatricians have a better grasp of nutrition than the physicians who treat adults.

[boonie stomper]

Re: What about my kids?

Kudos... for starting to prevent eating problems before they develop!

I wish I knew how to solve the ones my DS is likely to already be fostering.

Soon, he may face the learn-the-hard-way lesson, that he has to eat not JUST what his taste buds like best.