Keto for my 11 year old son - day one

#21

Organic, nearly carb free sausages of course. :slight_smile:

(Linda Culbreth) #22

The first couple of weeks can be really rough on the sugar cravings. Hang in there.

Here’s a tiny suggestion, print up some business cards and have something like this on it: “My child is deathly allergic to certain items. Please help us by not offering any kind of edible treats. Thanks!” And then hand them out when you meet someone that might offer that blasted “just one won’t hurt” carbage treat.

#23

I’m sorry, I would rethink this approach. I think statements like this should be reserved for those real life and death situations involving food or environmental allergies. I’m afraid if many people did this, we’d create a “Cry Wolf” situation and people will begin to think, “Oh, it’s probably not a real allergy.” I would prefer us not dilute the urgency and care that most people should exercise when they hear the word “allergy” (and especially when used in conjunction with the word “deathly.”)

My two cents, only because I feel strongly about this issue due to personal experiences.

(Linda Culbreth) #24

In my opinion, slow death by diabetes is just as deadly as fast death by peanut or shrimp allergy or milk and wheat allergy as my son had. I had to be his advocate - and I had to be quick before it was a battle to take something away from this cute little kid that was crying and screaming at the top of his lungs in public because somebody, somewhere, gave him something that would toss him in the ER in an hour and in ICU for the next couple of days.

Each parent must do what they feel is correct. In my area, every bank, every hair cutting place, every insurance office, and many other places pass out the suckers and candy bars. It’s like trick-or-treat year round. Until these well meaning folks who pass out this stuff get educated and stop it, the spiral of obesity and all that goes with it just feds itself. I know, one sucker will probably not knock someone over. But, the cravings that it triggers and then the fulfillment of those cravings day after day after day will do someone in. “Just one won’t hurt” is a lie, a dangerous, deadly lie.

Speaking of trick-or-treating, stickers make a good alternative to carbage. Wish the sucker/candy bar people would buy stickers. They’re cheaper anyway!

#25

Thanks all.

Justme, I think the sugar cravings have gone. Not one mention of carbage today, despite there being chocolate icecream in the freezer.

Yesterday he weighed in 1.5kg lighter (all up total over 5 weeks - only on keto for less then a week, and the water weight has been lost this week). He’s so happy!!

He’s also full of energy! So much that I can’t keep up - bring on hubby and 15 year old son to pick up where I left off at the end of the day. There is only so much foam sword fighting, chasey and hide and seek that I can do - not to mention squeezing in school work.

Speaking of school work, yesterday we watched the documentary In the Defence of Food, and I asked him to design a poster for kids displaying healthy foods. Looks great!

Today we discovered that he can have pork rinds (in moderation). Oh happy days! The snack that keeps on giving.

We leave for Thailand in one week, one day. I’m praying everyday that he get’s so used to the keto way that he won’t be tempted as much by all the buffet food and carbage. But I will just let him go for it on the holiday, and re-start again when we get back.

(Linda Culbreth) #26

That is great news!

You might warn him (and any others doing keto with you) that doing the carbage on the trip may make you feel bad and may set you way back on your keto journey. I’ve seen people posting about that time and time again in various places in this forum. And, then let him make his own decision - he might decide the carbage is just simply not worth it! And he really might decide that after he’s done some of it.

Oh, Jools, there are so many things that can be made with the pork rinds that he will enjoy from waffles to “keto puppy chow” to breading for fried chicken. My trouble is I like them too well!

(Doug) #27

For sure - the similarity to a crunchy carb snack is huge.

Hey, they are available in Thailand - one brand is: ออง-เทร่ แคปหมูทอดกรอบ :stuck_out_tongue:

(Patrick Belair) #28

This is a great book for an 11YO.
https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Head-Kids-Stuff-Health/dp/0998673404/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490545382&sr=8-1&keywords=fat+head+kids

#29

Quick question my new friends.

I am making roast chicken for dinner - JJ will have broccoli, cauliflower and capsicum with his chicken.

He has asked for potato wedges, if he can have them. I know he can’t eat potatoes, but he has had bacon and spinach leaves for breakfast, steamed fish and spinach leaves and a little cucumber for lunch, 25g pork rinds as an afternoon snack. I’m calculating that he is still well below 20g carbs.

I’ve put two (2 only) medium sized beer battered frozen wedges in the oven for him, but I know that potatoes are a killer.

Do the experts think this is ok for only two wedges? I don’t want to throw him off course and he has been wonderful the last couple of days…not asking for anything, but I do want him to know that ‘sometimes food’ is ok.

Oooh, and I should add that he has gone down in the scales again. Definitely in keto, but losing water weight.

#30

Whether potatoes are ok really depends on your and your son’s goals. I guess my concern from this thread is consistency physically as well mentally, creating good bad food barriers. Would maybe a general low carb approach work better?

#31

Wonderful news! It all sounds great!

I got 2 good used Keto cookbooks from Ebay this week (thinking of the future) for $6. Perhaps he’d like to choose his own recipes too?

#32

Celeriac wedges? Better option and he eats celery already.

(Linda Culbreth) #33

Jools,
It takes 21 days to break habits, cravings, and addictions, even to carbs. And only one “just this once” to end up going back to where you don’t want to go.

I took some radishes, red and the long white ones, washed them, sliced them, wrapped them in bacon and baked them and then finished browning them in a skillet. The white ones, sliced like French fries, really do look like fries. I supposed you could just slice them and fry them without the bacon.

(Jenn Monaghan) #34

I’d offer him some keto fried mozzarella sticks instead. So goood.
http://www.tryketowith.me/2015/09/09/easy-keto-mozzarella-sticks/

(Linda Culbreth) #35

Jennifer - wht an awesome recipe! Adding the cheese sticks to my shopping list. Thanks for posting this.

(Bacon, Not Stirred) #36

FYI, I already looked it up… Dum Dum’s are 25 carbs per sucker.

Don’t beat yourself up, or let him do it. There’s a learning curve here. :slight_smile: Good work so far!

#37

Hi all,

I just wanted to post an update on JJ.

We flew in from Thailand a few days ago (he was off keto for 8 days). Prior to leaving he had lost 4 kilos. Upon return he had gained 2 kilos. Since our return, and straight back on keto, he has lost one kilo.

The transition has been fantastic today back to the keto diet right from our exit from the plane. Today he told me has SO much energy, and he was bouncing all over the place - something not seen for quite a while!!

Hubby is on board now so that makes three out of four fully keto. Our 15 year old proclaimed that he will do it too, but I’m letting him make his own choices outside of the home (he is 15 afterall, old enough to know the consequences of carbage). At home, our 15 yo happily eats the keto dinners. :slight_smile:

How is everyone else going? :slight_smile:

(Linda Culbreth) #38

Glad JJ is doing well and that hubby’s on board. JJ is still very fortunate for you to get his health on the right track.

#39

Thanks Linda, it’s hard work and I feel like a fry cook! But worth it to see the weight melt off.

(Allan L) #40

Please keep the updates coming. Really enjoyed reading about your progress and wish you all the best of luck.