Daughter + Atkins???

[Jamithatcher]

Hi all,
My name is jami and I have been doing Atkins for quite some time. I lost all of my 115 extra pounds, but then made some mistakes so I am starting phase one again. My daughter is almost 13 and weighs 132lbs. I know the diet verry well, have read the book, know how to follow it correctley, and have succeeded at it. She is really wanting to start the atkins lifestyle herself. She is insisting on walking with me everyday ( I walk 2 miles) and I'm proud of her, but, is it okay for a 13 year old to go into ketosis? She is verry determened to do this as she has seen what it has done for me, but I cant find anywhere in the books or the Atkins website where it says it's okay for pre teens. Doese anyone here know??

[thefemalegreenday]

Re: Daughter + Atkins???

I think perhaps not atkins, maybe just general LC for her, just cut the bread and sugar.
Keep her to meat, nuts, fruit, vegetables and good fats. Shes still a growing girl so her metabolism is likely to be better any way.
But she'll have to watch her nut and fruit intake.
If that doesn't work then go to a doctor and ask if atkins is okay.

I used to walk with my mum too, unfortunately I was to shy to say something to her about me wanting to lose weight so instead I went to the extremes of starving myself.
No girl, specially at that age, wants to wear big clothes.

=) I really hope it works.

[poobears1972]

Re: Daughter + Atkins???

I agree, set her up on something more like maintanence. There's nothing harmful about her skipping the junk food and high processed foods and eating more natural. But at her age she needs to be under a doctors supervision if she undergoes an actual weightloss program. Yes she'll see great results I'm sure but at what cost? If she cuts out the junk and starts walking with you I think she'll see very good results and being doing it in a healthy way. I wouldn't start her on strict atkins at that age though without a Dr. involved.

I do believe Atkins has a teen based book that is tweaked a bit for kids. But again you need a Dr. keeping an eye on things.

[mizski]

Re: Daughter + Atkins???

I do believe Atkins has a teen based book that is tweaked a bit for kids. But again you need a Dr. keeping an eye on things.

Dr. Fred Pescatore worked with Dr. Atkins for years and published a book, Feed Your Children Well where he adapts the Atkins diet for children ages 6-18.

From the book's product description: "Building on the low-carbohydrate principles of the hugely popular Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution—which has helped millions of adults lose weight permanently—Dr. Pescatore applies the Atkins Center's proven nutritional program to children and teenagers. Thoroughly tested over years of exhaustive research, his Next Generation Diet is the first health program to recognize that simply applying adult diet plans to children is ineffective—and often dangerous. The author argues that the real culprit behind dietary problems is not fat, but sugars and starches."

[Jamithatcher]

Re: Daughter + Atkins???

I've just ordered the book through amazon, I'm exited to see what it has to say. I will let her do the meintnence plan untill then. I know fruits and grains are important. I just dont know if she'll get the same results that way. I live in a really small town at the moment and the docters here still frown on the Atkins , so I dont know if bringing her in would do any good.

[Elizellen]

Re: Daughter + Atkins???

I know fruits and grains are important.

In my opinion, grains are not really important at all - particularly if by 'grains' you mean the normal breads and pasta etc that are commercially available. Most breads and pasta etc are made of plain highly processed white flour with very little nutrients in them and most of us would be better off never eating them at all. And looking at most ready-to-eat cereals - the cardboard box they come in has more nutrition in it than the contents.

[cleochatra]

Re: Daughter + Atkins???

I started on Atkins '72 at the age of 14 and thrived--it was far more restrictive than today's Atkins plans. My sister started at 12.

I say so long as she is learning healthy eating and not obsession, scale-angst and 'dieting', she's better off for any reasonable weight loss plan!

[mizski]

Re: Daughter + Atkins???

Jamithatcher, this post might be useful until your book arrives. It outlines Dr. Pescatore's eating plan for teens. At 132#s your daughter doesn't sound like she's very overweight. Cleaning up her diet and her exercising (like the walks with you) should be very helpful and more important, teach her good habits so she doesn't become an obese adult. Good job mom!

[not2late]

Re: Daughter + Atkins???

Even if her doctor frowns on Atkins/low carb, still have her seen by her doctor so that her labs can be monitored.