my 11yr old daughter is around the 150 mark, I have toyed with the idea of introducing low carbing to her, but is she too young..and am i puttting her on the diet treadmill much too young, I know i wish i would have never started dieting....what do you guys think..ta

It is never too early to introduce healthy eating choices. Dieting promotes the yo-yo effect. Learning portion control and healthy dietary choices promotes good health. You might start by slowly cutting out starches from dinner. Instead of meat-veggie-starch (potato/rice/noodle) try meat-veggie-veggie or meat-veggie-salad. Introduce some non-sandwich lunches like tuna salad or chicken salad or chicken ceasar or chicken greek salad. Limit desserts and make desserts healthier using whole grains and fruits. Make all of these changes gradually. Make the carbs she consumes healthy ones and limit the junk food to special occasions. It is amazing what kids pick up just from watching their parents choices. I noticed that you are using Southbeach. I bet your daughter is aware of you making better choices on carbs and nutrition in general. We have to be soooooooo careful with young girls and their body image. IMHO as moms we are our daughters mirror of their body image. It is so important to emphasize that what is most important is good health. And we choose to eat right and exercise not so that we can look like Barbie (because we can't) but because we want to feel good. Every body is different and special. It is a pain when the models in magazines don't have the same body as you but instead look around at school and at the mall. There may be plenty of Barbie/cheerleader types but there are also plenty of other body types. Each special and each beautiful. If the most important features of a person are on the inside, it is essential that we take care of our health so that we can let our insides shine

Hi Angipea

Your thread caught my eye because I also have a wonderful 9 year old daughter that needs to lose weight. She is almost 5 feet tall (I'm 5'3) and 113 pounds. She is very aware that she is the tallest and one of the biggest in her class. I just started lc'ing last month and have slowly changed the dinners I make for my family without commenting on the lc.

I know it is a fine line with children but I have never called it a diet. I told her I wanted to eat heathly and get in shape. My husband bought me a treadmill for xmas and she and I are on it daily. She has lost 4 lbs! I only let her get on the scale occasionaly because I don't want her self esteen on the scale.

I find myself asking her if she is really hungry or bored? Because I too was the same in the past.

If you have any advice for me that would be great. Just wanted to let you know you are not alone out there.

It's good to see other parents concerned. I should have posted here first! lol My son is 8 and is 4'9, in the third grade. On "beginning weigh in day", he weighed 114. I discussed going low carb with my family doctor, and he was all for it. The only thing he said was to add a multi-vitamin, and not go as strict as an adult on atkins. He still wanted him to have milk, and "natural carbs". not proccessed carbs. My son's done great, and just finished his first week losing 5 pounds. I went in and talked to his teacher so she would be aware of what we're doing, and was very supportive. One thing that I think is important is to let the child make the decision, (with a little encouragement) He came to me over X-mas break and asked to go on a diet. Rather than only having HIM be the only one watching what he's eating, I've incorporated the whole family into low carbing. The adjustment has been a little rocky (mainly for my hubby) but I think the whole family needs to be in support. I've been low carbing for over a year now, and I"ve lost 120 pounds. He see's this and knows it can be done. Best of luck!

HI Tburley1 I am amazed at your weight loss. Good for you and good luck down the road.

Since I am new to this I also have a reluctant husband but a willing daughter. My daughter is also in 3rd grade. Almost same weight but taller. I also talked to her doctor about weight. She agreed with cutting out things like juice boxes and empty snacks. The only thing against her would be all the meds for asthma and allergies. I too suffer from both. Now that we are both watching what we eat I wonder if those will subside? She has made comments like "why aren't I small like so and so"?? I tried to tell her gently that she is special in her own way and she rolls her eyes with "I know you think I am beautiful" I was always stick thin growing up so I can't imagine what our kids go through today. WE are on the right path.

Please keep me posted on things work out for your son. The treadmill has a been a lifesaver for both of us.

Thanks for listening and good luck

Hey PKV!!! How weird, my son has asthma too!!! Talk about dealing with the same stuff!!! I was stick thin too growing up. I thought that I had bucked the family obesity...till I got pregnant. hehe But yes, my heart just breaks for my son and kids like him. We've actually had to take him off the bus because of one particular bully calling him "fat boy", putting glitter on him then calling him "glitter girly boy". OOOOOOOhhhhhh...I wish I could get a piece of that boy. The school's aware and who he is...but I don't know if they've done anything about it. I just want to cry it hurts me so bad to see him hurting. Anyways...
My Dr. didn't say anything about his meds being affected by low carbing. Maybe he just knows how hard this is. His wife is one of my best friends, so he see's us outside the office more and see's how Jake interacts. I dont' know. But I would think that if he thought it might be a problem, he'd let me know. hmmm...maybe I'll ask him.
On a lighter note. Jake weighed in this morning, and lost another pound, so that's 6 pounds. I TRULY didn't expect him to lose THAT much so fast. (8 days) I'm so proud of him. I gave him a new haircut, and highlighted the tips (like all the boys do!), so I hope he's feeling just as good as I am proud of him. We don't have a tredmill, (used to...but it just sat there!) hehe But I work out with "The Firm", and he likes to do that with me. I'm going to search out ebay for kids excercise DVD's. That would be better than entertaining my 20 mo. old by dancing to the "Wiggles". lol
Well...let me know how you're incorporating LC. Maybe...just maybe we can get our kids on messenger so they can talk about it or something. It might help then to know that other kids their age are going through the same thing. Keep in touch!

Hello tburley1

Glad to hear from you. Sorry if I was confusing about my daughter's asthma and meds. What I meant was that I have noticed a big change in my allergies going away since I went lowcarb. I read the chapter in Atkins about yeast overgrowth and it was a lightbulb moment for me. I hope the same might be for her. I would never take her off her meds or blame the weight gain for them. Hope that makes sense. Had to take her to the dr today for strep thoat and forgot to ask about the lc'ing!!! Kinda tired because I was up all night with her.

I totally know how you feel about he bullying thing. I volunteer a lot in my kids classrooms and the girls are ruthless!!! Not only is my daughter overweight but super smart so they take turns!!! Not all of the girls are like that of course she does have a couple of great friends. It just doesn't seem fair. My son is in 5th grade and is 80 pounds and everything comes easy for him. I must say he is very good to my daughter.

congrats to your son on his weight loss!

Hey PKV...sorry I haven't posted in a couple days...my work is crazy. Anyhow...my son has lost 7 pounds, and you can REALLY tell! I"m so proud of him. I"ve dropped another 8 since we started "low carbing" as a family. So I'm very pleased. Another few pounds and I'll have to update my data! hehe My hubby's getting discouraged cause he hasn't lost any weight... I say...."DUH...you're still drinking your beer!" He just doesn't get it! Or maybe he does but just doesn't want to give up his loyal can! lol Well..gotta get going. 3am rolls around REAL quick. I'll catch up more later!

congrats to you and your son

My daughter needs new jeans because they are falling down. Now keep in mind they were plus sizes but hey she losing weight. Not sure how much but she is losing. Thought I scared you off

You sure do have a busy schedule. Have a great weekend.

Ya know Miller Lite has only 3 carbs....not that I would know hehe

Have a great weekend.

You will have to read my journal for my latest info.

I am so happy to see that I am not the only one with kids dealing with their weight and being confused on whether or not they should be on Atkins. I have two daughters ages 8 & 11. My 8 year old is at 98 lbs. and my 11 year old is at 153. We are in our 6th day on Induction and my 8 year old has lost 5 lbs. and my 11 year old had lost 11, but gained 4 back when she started her monthly yesterday. I told her not to worry it was bloat. I have lost 16 pounds as of today, and hubby has lost 13. I have not been as strict on the girls though, I have bought the Atkins Low Carb. Ice cream bars for them to eat and the low carb bread and ketchup. I want them to adjust and not hate the changes. I would love it if we all could somehow keep updating and maybey we can help each other and send little tips that we have learned to one another. I need all the help I can get..I am so scared I am doing something wrong with the kids. I don't want them to be like me, fat and fustrated.

Welcome and glad you are here. Sounds like you are doing the right thing so far. My daughter is not on induction but scaling back on the high carbs. Our biggest thing since I started lc'ing is no more fast food. And the kicker is that haven't missed it so far. Good luck and keep me posted.

Oh and we have to exercise daily no excuses. We have a treadmill and that is all we do but I think that has helped my daughter's weight stay off.

Have a great day

Good Day!

This is a great discussion. I also don't think that 11 is too young to get started. I also have an 8 year old son who is 4'10" and weighs 144lbs. He played football for the first time this year and did great! Made the all-star team his first year! This was great for him for a couple of reasons.

1. He got a lot of exercise with practice 3 nights a week for 2 hours each night, and games on Saturday.

2. It got him thinking about his body. He didn't like the running laps part of things, or the fact that he couldn't carry the ball - he had to play the line

Because of this he wanted to lose weight and so we are all on the Atkins diet. He still has a glass of normal milk a day, and has low carb bread on his sandwich at lunch - but he has lost 4 lbs in 5 days!! He loves this way of eating - in fact - the other night we went to a BBQ place here and he was a little upset that he couldn't have Chicken Strips and fries. He ended up ordering the Low Carb Chicken Plate, which was a bowl of chopped white meat chicken in a vinegar based BBQ sauce, and loved it. He even said he liked it better than the strips.

I don't know how much he will be able to lose - I know 144lbs sounds very large for a 4'10" 8 year old, but I think his ideal weight is around 105 - he has big wide shoulders and very large muscles, and a large frame he gets from his dad.

Hey Sha, welcome...yes...this is a great place. I had the same fears about my kids growing up and being big, so I know where you're coming from. Sounds like you're doing the whole "family LC'ing" too. Congrat's on your wonderful "family loss" That is fabulous!

Hey kenkobiz, congrats on your boy's weight loss. Sounds like he's really doing well too. I think 105 is a reasonable weight to set a goal. I think that when they really want to lose weight, that's a perfect time to get involved.


Hey PVK...I know...the fast food thing is the hardest! lol. I'm fighting a terrible sinus infection, and after working 12 hours, I thought to myself.."Oh what I wouldn't give to just order a pizza, instead of having to cook". BUT I didn't voice it outloud, and struggled to cook a meal with what energy I had left when what I really wanted to do was curl up in a little ball (I can do that now! lol) and go to sleep. OOOOOHHHHH the sacrifices..hehehe Jake's doing awesome...weighed in this morning and he's lost 9 pounds! YEA! Well...I need to scout the recipe sections for some new alternatives. I'll check back in a bit!

Oh yea...Had some blood work done on Tuesday...GREAT results!!! Here they are!

Chol: 144
Tri: 59
HDL 50
LDL 82
VLDL 12

Dr. was really impressed! GO LOW CARB!!!

Tburley....congrats on everything My daughter is doing well too. Everyday on the treadmill. She is either my cheerleader or I am hers depending on the day and who wants to work out. I am finally running instead of walking and it isn't easy

My daughter had her birthday party today and I didn't crave the cake or ice cream and I couldn't believe it. I did not say one word about the carbs to her...it's her day and she is only 9. Tomorrow is a new day and soon the cake will be gone. The kicker being she didn't eat much, maybe she isn't craving it so much either

Hope all is well with everyone and our lc'ing kids!! Have a great weekend.