Childrens Diets/Physiques

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I personally don’t see anything wrong with the occasional Mc Donald’s visit for a kid or anyone else for that matter. I think people who think in extremes can potentially do more damage long term than good. [/quote]

I let my kids eat it once in a great while. Sometimes I will finish a half eaten hamburger or have some left over fries and I always feel like dogshit afterwards.

It is not like my diet is insanely healthy either but I can’t handle fast food anymore.

My 6 year old is big on eating healthy and my 4 year old wants on live on ice cream.

Big and I have a 2 y/o son. Precious! We don’t feed him candy, cokes, white bread, basically no crap. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I’ll get him some chicken nuggets from McD’s…NO french fries! He loves it—you should see his build! People question our parenting ethics—we then proceed to discuss the childhood obesity epidemic and tell them that this is how we choose to raise our son—ACTIVE and healthy. We limit his t.v. time and encourage OUTSIDE play activites, he’s a happy child and doesn’t even know what he’s ‘missing out on’. If we would let him, he would live outside and eat bananas and drink protein shakes all day, everyday. You should see how excited he gets when we’re fixing our post-workout shakes—it’s like dessert to him! I do not regret raising a healthy, happy, active child!

maryjane,
That’s fantastic! It’s funny how much I can relate to how you and BIG are raising your 2yearold.

What is the purpose of feeding an infant or small child a protein shake? Sounds like a supurb waste of money to me.

Some of you seem like you’re trying to raise some superstar, I think it would be better to give them some old fashioned labouring chores - fitness and values.

[quote]Jerome wrote:
What is the purpose of feeding an infant or small child a protein shake? Sounds like a supurb waste of money to me.

Some of you seem like you’re trying to raise some superstar, I think it would be better to give them some old fashioned labouring chores - fitness and values. [/quote]

It’s not FEEDING him a protein shake—it’s him being curious about what mommy and daddy are drinking and letting him taste…afterwhich he realizes he likes the taste and allowing him to drink the last few sips once we’re finsihed! And trust me, he will have chores–once he is old enough. He already throws away his own garbage (diapers included/and enthusiastically at that) and will pick up his own room when prompted to do so. So please, don’t think I’m pumping my kid with protein…btw—that’s what formula is made of these days, whey protein!

[quote]StrongMan wrote:
maryjane,
That’s fantastic! It’s funny how much I can relate to how you and BIG are raising your 2yearold.[/quote]

All I would like for our child is to be happy, healthy, and active. I don’t plan to force him into any sport or activity he doesn’t like. I will encourage him to be active though! We will allow him to play any sport he wants—and he can stop when he wants. My only rule is that he finish the season; you don’t leave your team stranded. I’m sure that Big will also encourage he get into the gym, when he’s old enough of coarse!

[quote]maryjane wrote:
He already throws away his own garbage (diapers included/and enthusiastically at that) [/quote]

He doesnt throw them at YOU? Jeez, and they say we all evolved from monkeys…

[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
maryjane wrote:
He already throws away his own garbage (diapers included/and enthusiastically at that)

He doesnt throw them at YOU? Jeez, and they say we all evolved from monkeys… [/quote]

No, not at me—into the can. lol

[quote]StrongMan wrote:
I don’t want to push him, just guide him to exercises that he does as play.
[/quote]

Prolly one of the best things you could get the little man into would be Brazilian JuJitsu. Its a martial art and its relatively low impact(at a younger age) Its all bodyweight.

I know its sounds lame, but soccer would be another. Alot of sprinting! Good for the little t-man

Have any of you considered the implications of a 3 year old with no visceral/subcutaneous fat? They’re extremely young children, this is not a good idea. They need fat stores to grow. Honestly, it’s freaking me out to read this. All of your kids are going to grow up to be 5’6 at 7% bodyfat. Good luck raising a bunch of 124 lb. wrestlers.

It’s just not safe to put young children on a calorie restricted diet. Don’t kid yourselves, what you all eat are calorie restricted diets. You may eat in quantity, sure, but the foods you’re all mentioning (high protein, high fiber, high fat, low GI) are designed to provide satiety earlier than other foods might. It’s highly possible that a child doesn’t know that he needs to eat when he’s not hungry, because he needs 2,000 calories a day or whatever. He might just feel his stomach full after a bunch of broccoli and stop, 27 calories later.

[quote]LoneLobo wrote:
Have any of you considered the implications of a 3 year old with no visceral/subcutaneous fat? They’re extremely young children, this is not a good idea. They need fat stores to grow. Honestly, it’s freaking me out to read this. All of your kids are going to grow up to be 5’6 at 7% bodyfat. Good luck raising a bunch of 124 lb. wrestlers.

It’s just not safe to put young children on a calorie restricted diet. Don’t kid yourselves, what you all eat are calorie restricted diets. You may eat in quantity, sure, but the foods you’re all mentioning (high protein, high fiber, high fat, low GI) are designed to provide satiety earlier than other foods might. It’s highly possible that a child doesn’t know that he needs to eat when he’s not hungry, because he needs 2,000 calories a day or whatever. He might just feel his stomach full after a bunch of broccoli and stop, 27 calories later.[/quote]

We don’t limit our son’s caloric intake, rather feed him better choices of calories. He still has some baby fat and a little cute gut. We just don’t believe that “fun” foods should be the bulk of his diet. We are setting him up for later in life to eat sensibly and avoid the crap diet rut so many adults fall into. Believe me, the boy eats to his satisfaction.

[quote]maryjane wrote:
It’s not FEEDING him a protein shake—it’s him being curious about what mommy and daddy are drinking and letting him taste…[/quote]

that’s what I do as well. Both my kids love the Low-Carb/Protein shakes. It’s not like a serve them to them…with one exception. When they are sick…it’s another way to force liquids/food when they won’t eat/drink.

When your kid has a fever of 104, you will do anything to keep him/her from getting dehydrated.

[quote]LoneLobo wrote:
You may eat in quantity, sure, but the foods you’re all mentioning (high protein, high fiber, high fat, low GI) are designed to provide satiety earlier than other foods might.[/quote]

I grew up eating this kind of diet and I’m 6-5, so I don’t think the foods consumed are necessarily the problem.

I think the real concern here is that the foods these children consume are nutrient dense. These foods all provide staiety earlier than others might, however, so long as macronutrient needs are exceeded (these are growing children after all) there should not be any adverse health effects.

I do find the bodyfat percentages cited here to be cause for some limited concern, but I am anything but an expert on human physiological development, and I do think most(probably all) of those posting to be responsible and knowledgible.

That said - keep raising those kids healthy.

[quote]StrongMan wrote:
maryjane wrote:
It’s not FEEDING him a protein shake—it’s him being curious about what mommy and daddy are drinking and letting him taste…

that’s what I do as well. Both my kids love the Low-Carb/Protein shakes. It’s not like a serve them to them…with one exception. When they are sick…it’s another way to force liquids/food when they won’t eat/drink.

When your kid has a fever of 104, you will do anything to keep him/her from getting dehydrated. [/quote]

Damn right! A high fever like that will make a parent scared as hell.

Just to parrot what’s already been said - variety in motor patterns is going to be what’s most important right now.

If he wants to lift weights, though - I know a lot of kids often want to do what daddy does - a broomstick with cardboard weights or something else light would be just fine if you don’t have a light enough weight set around.

-Dan

[quote]BigPaul wrote:

That said - keep raising those kids healthy.[/quote]

As long as I have a pulse I will.

[quote]LoneLobo wrote:
Have any of you considered the implications of a 3 year old with no visceral/subcutaneous fat? They’re extremely young children, this is not a good idea. They need fat stores to grow. Honestly, it’s freaking me out to read this. All of your kids are going to grow up to be 5’6 at 7% bodyfat. Good luck raising a bunch of 124 lb. wrestlers.

It’s just not safe to put young children on a calorie restricted diet. Don’t kid yourselves, what you all eat are calorie restricted diets. You may eat in quantity, sure, but the foods you’re all mentioning (high protein, high fiber, high fat, low GI) are designed to provide satiety earlier than other foods might. It’s highly possible that a child doesn’t know that he needs to eat when he’s not hungry, because he needs 2,000 calories a day or whatever. He might just feel his stomach full after a bunch of broccoli and stop, 27 calories later.[/quote]

Did you not read what I wrote? he eats like a HORSE? He eats until we stop him because he’s eaten more than any normal kid does…we stop him because he’s an orally fixated kids (like his father)

Breakfast:

  • bowl of instant oatmeal (one package, including sugar) with an additional scoop of (my) old-fashioned oatmeal
  • Cup of whole milk
  • a whole apple or banana (about 1/2 the time)

snack

  • cup of whole milk
  • some cheerios or peanuts or piece of fruit

lunch

  • cup of whole milk
  • 1/2 PB sandwich on wheat
  • peice of fruit
  • sometimes a 2nd piece of fruit

snack

  • cup of whole milk
  • some cheerios or peanuts or piece of fruit
  • low-fat yogurt with frzn blueberries/oatmeal

dinner

  • chicken, meatballs (homemade), or steak
  • some pasta (sometimes)
  • veggies (broc, squash, green beans or mixed)
  • fruit
  • cup of milk

and a cup of milk before bed.
He often will sneak in the fridge and take a small childrens yogurt (sugar added, but we buy the ones with the least yogurt)

Yeah, I’m starving my 30lb son.

It’s not like he’s vascular, he’s healthy-lean…with muscular legs.

Now lets compare to my sisters kids:
My niece (age2) has cottage-cheese-ass (cellulite) and no muscle. She lives on chix nuggets, goldfish, pasta, and juice.

My nephew is a stringbean, won’t eat anything since he was introduced to cookies/cake/candy at a young age…and won’t eat anything not 100% processed.

I feel bad for your kids, you obviously don’t care about their health.

All I want (like maryjane) is for them to be happy, healthy, and empowered with good eating habits…I wasn’t given the last skill from my parents, and neither was my wife.

[quote]BigPaul wrote:
I do find the bodyfat percentages cited here to be cause for some limited concern[/quote]

The 1-2% bodyfat reference was for Sandrak, when his father was making him WORKOUT DIEHARD at the age of 6.

I have no intentions of becoming one of those parents…personally, I hate the obsessive parents that start fights at soccer/hockey games because they think their kid will go Pro.

I am realistic, he will choose his own career. I gave my son a guitar for xmas too. Do I think he’ll be a rock star? nope. He’ll choose his path…my job as a parent is to guide him, not force him.

To say that giving your child the ammunition he needs to be a healthy eater when he gets older–is a bad thing–well shit–i don’t want to be good. I limit the crap he takes in–that’s it!!! We don’t give him candy, chocolate, chips, coke, white bread, cake, ding dongs, french fries, or sugar cereal!!! He asks for bananas—daily! He enjoys pb&j sandwiches (my mother makes the jelly) and he can’t get enough milk and orange juice. He goes up to our Kentwood water cooler and fixes himself glasses of water and enjoys running around outside for hours on end! My child is the farthest thing from deprived. I’m sorry that you believe filling your child with a bunch of empty calories and loaded sugar is “a part of childhood”–it’s not. I feel like I’m doing him a favor by teaching him how to eat healthy.

[quote]maryjane wrote:
I’m sorry that you believe filling your child with a bunch of empty calories and loaded sugar is “a part of childhood”–it’s not.
[/quote]
Did you just paraphrase and then quote something I never said? You goin schizo on me?

Also, I love how everyone’s references were to all clean foods, nothing processed, fruits and veggies, etc., then you get defensive and suddenly they eat cheerios, whole milk, sugared yogurts, sugared oatmeal, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. What you’re trying to say is you don’t feed your kids cheetohs. If so, congratulations. Kids don’t need coke, and they don’t need potato chips. That’s not the same, however, as your child eating the T-Dawg diet. The sample diet looks my mother’s, who is the world’s biggest fan of the food pyramid.

And the point still stands, a 2 year old should not be “leaning out”, and these foods are going to produce satiety faster than a non-weight control oriented diet would.