I have 4 kids. I would like to try a low carb, high protein diet but can't afford *extra* food for me and my kids really need all the fat they can get, if you know what I mean! Any advice?

Thank,
Amarie

You don't need *extra* food for you. Just prepare a meat/protein and veggie for everyone (including you), and then prepare an *extra* starch (i.e., rice, potatoes, etc.) for them. It works great!

Search/look around on this website, and you'll find lots of GREAT information. Plus, if you have questions... just ask. Everyone here is very helpful, supportive, and knowledgable. It's an awesome place!

Best wishes to you in your journey!

__________________
Debby
182.5/162.8/130?140?
--------------------------------------------
LC (with a few sidetracks) since 1/12/03
Starting weight of 206.5

Welcome Amarie - there are lots of ways to approach low carb eating, so I'm sure you can find a plan that fits with your lifestyle. One thing to remember is that low carb and high protein doesn't not mean low fat! You don't need to put your kids through the pain of a low fat regime! There are several good books that explain that metabolic dynamic*.

I'd go the route proposed by Debbie, myself, if I had to feed kids. You know, it's probably best not to feed kids lots of the sugary foods pushed by the giant food manufacturers in any event. More veggies and protein would probably do them a lot of good. Focus on fruits for treats and desserts (meaning real fruits, not juices, not fruit leather, and other candy-type fruits).

I highly recommend a book called the Secret to Low Carb Success by Laura Richards. It explains low carb eating very well, has a comparison of the different plans, and lots of useful tips and hints, do's and dont's.

__________________
~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

Another good book is Living the Low Carb Life by Jonny Bowden.

We had our grandkids over for dinner last night for my 8 yr old granddaughter's b-day. We had a TOTALLY LC dinner AND dessert. I made chicken on the grill with Carb Options BBQ sauce, Steamed and buttered Cauliflower, fruit salad (made myself with cantaloupe, braeburn apples, peaches and strawberries) sauted mushrooms. For dessert I made "Tiramisu" with white chocolate and vanilla sugar-free pudding, almond cake (you can find the recipe for the cake under my strawberry shortcake recipe in the data base up at the top of the page in the green buttons, under "desserts" and then "cake") I whipped up some heavy whipping cream and folded in some softened cream cheese. I cut up the cake into "fingers" and lined a deep baking dish with them. Then I layered the pudding, and then the whipped cream and cream cheese (sweetened with splenda and stevia) and then I sprinkled instant coffee mixed with splenda and cocoa powder over the whipped layer. I repeated another layer. The kids loved it.

They had full little bellies when they went home. There wasn't one bit of processed sugar in anything they ate, they were happy campers and the 6 yr old didn't go home bouncing off the walls.

I think it's okay to get little ones used to eating whole grain pastas, whole grain breads and unprocessed rices. If you avoid the sugar plague and feed your kids WHOLE unproccessed foods, you will be doing them a HUGE favor!!!!!!!
It can be done!!!!!

And besides, have you priced the awful processed garbage they throw at kids incessantly? That stuff is EXPENSIVE!!!!!! I am going to be writing an article pretty soon on LCing on a Budget.

__________________

__________________
Debby
182.5/162.8/130?140?
--------------------------------------------
LC (with a few sidetracks) since 1/12/03
Starting weight of 206.5

I have 3 kids, and they all eat a modified LC diet, rather like what Barb described. Actually, I'm just finishing my 3rd cookbook, and everything in those books is what I feed my family. The only modifications I do is possibly add whole wheat toast, or applesauce or a bit more fruit to their meal than what I have.

My kids are healthier than most of the other kids we are associated with, and I believe it is largely because of my not allowing sugar. The only time we do sugar is for special things like a potluck at church or some such, and then I require they have a good protein food along with it. It happens less than once a month. Otherwise, we are sugar free at my house. Even for their birthdays I make LC cakes, etc. They love it, and are slowly working on their friends about the benefits of healthier eating