My stepson came home from school the other day and said in health class their nutritionist video explains that you can't burn fat without sugar. His argument is that this guy has studied this and knows what he's talking about.
How can I explain best that a) carbs are or will be sugars and how does protein work into this?

Kids at this age don't listen to the whole story so he's coming out thinking 'the more sugar I eat - the more fat I lose'. Help need some comebacks.

cc

Along the same line......

How does everyone handle the lessons on the food pyramid? It's hard sometimes to tell the kids their teachers are wrong! Last year, during a unit on nutrition the kids had to record there food intake for a few days and compare it to the pyramid. Recently, my 10 year old started LCing with me. If she has to record her food this year it will be WAY different than the pyramid.

My daughter started High School this year and one of her classes is cooking. The first day they were passed out the food pyramid and my daughter told her teacher that she is eating low carbs and more protein. The teacher asked what the diet was like so I drew up a pyramid that represented low carbing. The teacher liked it and discussed the difference to the class.
She asked my daughter why she eats low carb and Jenna replied that sugar makes her sick and makes her get into trouble. (She gets moody and aggressive)

My suggestion? Make a pyramid and send it in with your child with a note.

Considering eat won't put a vegetable in his mouth we felt it wouldn't be prudent. So he eats pretty much the typical junk food - Mountain Dew, potato chips and spaghetti. He's 14 and there's no use fighting him, but I'd just like to explain to him how food is used for energy (All food). I know they're probably more refering to glucose, but frankly I don't know how to explain how protein is used by the body.

Ah, there's the crux....

cc

cant help, cc, but I just wanted to say Im in the same boat
Im trying to educate my kids to eat a varied diet. They are not LC, but I dont want to give them any "issues" about food .

I doubt my DS realises Im LC. But on holiday this year he noticed I was ordering meat and salad only ( a bit challenging at times )
I was given a long lecture about how not eating rice, bread or potato would leave me with no energy at all. Hes also been indoctrinated that low fat is best , at school.
I just explained that your body needs fat, for fat soluble vitamins etc and left it at that. Then demonstrated how much energy I had by swimming 20 lengths. Asked him to keep an open mind.

The low fat propoganda in the UK is overwhelming.
Im hoping all I can do, is educate by example, by losing weight, improving my blood results, etc and convince my GP, freinds, family etc that way.

You can't burn fat without sugar???? Goodness...wonder what I've lost 72 pounds of then and on 30 grams of carb per day or less? It can't be muscle since my lean body mass is still 130 lbs. and it obviously wasn't water or I would have been dead before I started, so that leaves....hmmmm....FAT! Your body will quite happily burn fat without sugar present. As a matter of fact, if your body has enough carbs and sugar for it's energy needs, it won't burn fat at all and if there is an excess of sugar and carbs it gets stored as fat.
I'd probably be explaining to my child that just because someone has a video out and has a degree or title behind their name doesn't mean that they know what they are talking about although at that age it might be hard convincing them that not everything they see on TV/videos or in the news is actually true.

Probably need to give Dr. A another good read to be able to explain how the body breaks down carbs and proteins so that i have a good explaination for the sugar/fat comment.

Thanks for the feedback. Sometimes I'm just amazed at what kids walk away with after a day of school.

cc

I guess I would tell kids that the media, and teachers and even doctors are not always correct. This goes for everything, not just low carb eating. The best way to teach kids or anyone about the facts is by showing them results. People cannot argue when you lose substantial weight, and keep it off, and become healthier.

Just have to say Hi Ravens! Welcome!

Beth

Thank you, this seems like a nice site, I haven't gotten around it much yet though.

BTW, where in Maine are you? I just now noticed that.

"defending" and trying to explain my diet to my stepkids that I just gave up!!! They are ages 13 and 10 and their "REAL" mother does nothing but preach low-fat to them.........which by the way only works for her because she pukes up everything she eats. So anyways, I don't even bother trying to teach them that sugar and carbs is not healthy for them. I simply just say, "I don't like bread, pasta, sugar or potatoes." and I leave it at that..........I'm not going to bother explaining low-carb to them or anybody else with a close minded brain anymore. They can't argue about anything if you just tell them you don't like that stuff or that it doesn't make you feel good or something. Just my two cents.

Ravens, I live near Machias right now, but I used to live in Portland, on Congress Street in Portland Hall when I went to USM, and on Sherman St. for a year after graduation. I've moved a couple of times since, following the teaching positions to Gardiner and to Greenville.

If you start a journal I can talk to you there, or you can come by my journal and we can talk there.

A few of us have been kicking around the idea of a New England get together. Nothing in stone though. There is a thread about it at New England I am limited to school vacation times though.

Come visit my journal!

Beth

When I started atkins back in April, he really didn't think I would go through with it, all my son knew was that I didn't look like most of the moms at his school, all skinny and athletic. After a while he said, well, I guess you are staying on the diet, huh, mom? Now, when we are buying groceries and are going down the Italian section for alfredo sauce, he asks when we are going to have spaghetti like I used to make it again? I tell him, I can't eat pasta anymore. He gets kind of bummed out, but I still get him his snacks and drinks for his lunches. He understands though, and most of the time he reminds me if something has carbs in it and asks me, you aren't going to eat or drink that are you mom?
Belle