Helping my son who has epilepsy

[4Tony]

Hi everyone,

I'm not new to weight loss...10 years ago I lost 72 pounds through hard work and watching portions sizes. Since then I got married and had 2 kids. Of the 72 pounds, I've only gained 15 back. I do have an initial goal of losing 35-40 pounds but I have more than one reason for starting this journey.

My son Anthony was diagonised with Childhood Absence Seizures in August of 2007. After 2 years we still have not achieved seizure control through medication so our next step is to put him on a "Modified" Atkins diet. I'm not sure of the specifics for him (we will work with a dietician next month) but to show my support, I'm doing the Atkins to show him I'm making a sacrifice too. Tony will turn 5 years old next month and I'm sure this will be a hard step for him. Can you imagine denying a child cake & ice cream for his birthday. I know there are many alternatives and that is why I decided to join this forum so I can get as many ideas for him. This will not only help my son (lord willing) but I can benefit from this too!!

Let this next journey begin

[jsj0305]

Re: Helping my son who has epilepsy

First, Welcome to ADBB Congrats on your success in the past, and I'm sure you'll be down those 35-40 pounds in no time

Secondly, I am very sorry to hear about your son. I couldn't imagine not only going through that, but not being able to provide any relief for my child. My sister had seizures as a child and it was a very hard thing to witness. I have heard of incredible things happening to those who do Atkins and I hope you and your son are no exception How incredible would that be...You both get healthy and teach your son a very good way of eating...all while *hopefully* helping him with his seizures. I truly hope this works out to be everything you hope

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me anytime!

[imagood1]

Re: Helping my son who has epilepsy

You will soon see that this way of eating is not a "sacrifice" -- we eat much better than the normal American families do on this plan. You have to cook your own food and buy fresh meats, cheeses and vegetables, it won't be coming out of a box or from the frozen food section of the grocery store. Once you get through the first 2 weeks of induction you will move on to OWL (ongoing weight loss) and start adding back food groups one at a time (the way they are written, not skipping aroung).

There is a different book used for children written by an associate of Dr. Atkins that may help you and the dietitian. The name is "Feed your Kids Well" by Dr. Fred Pescatore. If you can't find a copy locally try www.half.com or www.amazon.com for it.

To help get you started:

Check the stickies (information posts) at the top of this page – it’s a condensed version of the DANDR book. http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/


*Before you start take your measurements and get on the scale so you have accurate numbers to start with - don't weigh again until the end of induction - there are too many variables daily and hourly that can cause your weight to change, so weighing at the end of induction is what Dr. Atkins suggested.
*Eat a variety of meats, cheeses and vegetables. Also make sure you get your fats, carbs and protein in daily.
*Drink 64 ounces of pure water (nothing added ***– see below for more info).
*Take your supplements and exercise
*Stay away from the shakes and bars (they aren’t legal on induction) and any processed or chemically enhanced foods – we eat whole foods.

Make sure you drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water each day, including:
Filtered water
Mineral water
Spring water
Tap water

*** Crystal Lite, sugar free teas, sugar free kool-aid & diet sodas do not count they are chemically enhanced and most include aspartame (also not allowed on Atkins) – PURE water is the only thing that counts toward your daily water intake. If you need a “flavor” in your water float a lemon or lime slice on top of your water

The recipe sites are a helpful way to make your meals more enjoyable – just make sure you use Induction Recipes to begin with.

Recipe Sites
http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/menus.html
(Never ending induction recipes)http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/58513-never-ending-induction-recipes.html
(Induction Recipe Basics--More recipes added)http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/6807-induction-recipe-basics-more-recipes-added.html

If you ever need anything we’re here to help you!! Good luck.