My son starting PPLP.

[Pam O.]

My son is 12 and is starting the PPLP at level II. Really he is doing Level I plus 2 glasses of milk, so about 55 Carbs a day and 100grams protein. He needs to lose 5#'s by Wed. so he can continue to play football. He has struggled with weight since 4 years old. We do not eat junk food, pop, sugar, white flour and all those white things, but he still struggles to lose. Since I have been doing the PPLP for two weeks and have lost 5 pounds he is encouraged to join in. He is 5'5", 188#s and very active. No health problems except his extremely so metabolism.

So my question is what is the protocol for children? Seems like a lot a meat.

Thank you,

Pam O.

I am bummed I lost 5 the first week and none the second. This is so typical for me. Sticking strickly to Level I. Has anyone done any of the metabolic testing and how did it help? There is a MetabolicIinstitute in Spokane Wa. that Drs Eades recommended. Anyone know of the benefits.

157/ 152 Goal 125-128

[Gaelen]

My son is 12 and is starting the PPLP at level II. Really he is doing Level I plus 2 glasses of milk, so about 55 Carbs a day and 100grams protein. He needs to lose 5#'s by Wed. so he can continue to play football.

Pam O., one thing at a time. First, your son...has he been checked by an endocrine specialist to confirm that 'extremely slow metabolism' and/or to rule out any other possible issues? While it may be appropriate for him to change his eating habits in an effort to lose weight, and while PPLP is a fine plan to choose, you DO need to rule out physical issues first.

Second--kids have all kinds of body image issues, just like adults, and it's up to us to give them guidelines about our bodies and our eating habits as long-term investments, no matter how we look *right now*. Ask yourself, is it truly the right guidance to give a 12 y.o. that he should change his eating habits in an expectation that he'll lose 5 lbs. "by Wed." for whatever reason? Weight loss from this or any plan isn't instant, nor is it intended to be a quick fix--and teaching an adolescent that a sudden change in eating habits to reach a weight goal less than three days away doesn't really seem the best nutritional approach or use of any eating regimen...nor the best way to build his own healthy self-image.

As for the protein intake level and phase you've chosen for him, perhaps this excerpt from the old site's FAQs section will help (sorry it's taking so long to get it converted to .pdf--lots of things on my dance card lately!):

Is this program safe for a child?
Yes, with some modifications, and with qualifications, depending on whether the child is of normal weight and looking for a healthy diet or overweight and needing to make a correction. An excessively over weight child or teen should be evaluated by an endocrine specialist to be certain there aren't any hormonal disturbances or even benign pituitary gland tumors contributing to the weight problem. If there are no contributing problems, the child could begin a modified Phase II program, deriving calories from lean protein, good-quality fat, and about 60-100 grams of carbohydrate per day, mainly from low-starch vegetables and fruit.

Additional calories, if necessary, should come from protein and fat, not carbohydrate. Growing children (and interestingly enough, the elderly) need more protein per pound of lean body weight than adults. Calculate their protein need based on activity and rate their activity level as one activity category higher than their actual level of exercise. Normal weight children need extra protein and good fat, but can tolerate in the neighborhood of 120-150 grams of carbohydrate daily. It should come mainly from low-starch vegetables and fruits, but a modest amount of starch is acceptable. We would still recommend that you limit or avoid sugar in all its forms.


Also from the FAQ, to figure the appropriate level of protein based on activity categories:
How do I calculate my protein requirements?
Your protein requirement is based on your lean body mass and your activity level. Ideally, to have a body composition analysis will give you the most accurate lean mass. Colleges and Universities often offer to students and the public, a hydrostatic body fat test, which is considered the gold standard method or health gyms and health providers may offer a Bio-impedence or Tanita method. It is important to use the same method each time you have a test performed. If you do not have these services available then you can use our height/weight chart, follow the calculations in Protein Power, chapter 4 or base your protein intake on 0.6 to 1 gram per pound of lean body mass multiplied by your activity factor:
• Sedentary. A person who gets no physical activity needs 0.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass.
• Moderately Active. Someone who exercises 20-30 minutes two or three times per week needs 0.6 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass.
• Active. Someone who exercises 30 minutes or more three to five times per week needs 0.7 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass.
• Very Active. A person who exercises an hour or more at least five times per week needs 0.8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass.
• Athlete. A competitive athlete who trains twice a day for an hour or more needs 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass.
We also recommend that if someone is more than 40% overweight they should increase their protein requirement one level.

If you figure that your son is 'active' (which would coincide with the practice schedule I remember for 12 y.o. football teams ;)), then you should calculate his protein requirements at 'very active,' or 0.8g protein per lb. of LBM. If you haven't done LBM calculations for him with actual measurements, you could go by the adult protein charts for a 188# , 5'5" man in PPLP--a minimum of 102g protein per day (more is fine, since he's a child.)

So my question is what is the protocol for children? Seems like a lot a meat.

The protocol is to check with your pediatrician and endocrine specialist FIRST to rule out any hidden health issues, and then to proceed as outlined above. Kids DO have much different dietary needs and metabolisms than adults.

I am bummed I lost 5 the first week and none the second. This is so typical for me. Sticking strickly to Level I. Has anyone done any of the metabolic testing and how did it help? There is a MetabolicIinstitute in Spokane Wa. that Drs Eades recommended. Anyone know of the benefits.
157/ 152 Goal 125-128

Pam, I know that everyone wants instant and consistent results, but most of us didn't gain weight instantly and consistently, and it's just plain unreasonable to expect that we're going to lose it that way. Some of us start and stop many times along the way. Some of us have some initial weight loss, and then maybe nothing for a couple weeks (or longer) while our bodies adjust--or we don't lose AT ALL for the first month or more, and then once our bodies begin metabolic healing, we begin to drop weight. Some of us have a lot more to lose than others, so those losses seem greater and steadier-- when in fact smaller people are actually losing a greater percentage of body weight with each pound gone...and losing a larger percentage is harder, no way around it.

You've had a good start...now why not stop focusing on the scale and start focusing on the other health benefits--improved energy, sleeping better, reduced heartburn, more able to exercise, improved blood pressure or blood sugars or just setting a better example for your family? Because if you're looking for a plan that ensures that you'll steadily lose a pound or two every week, guaranteed, I'm afraid there isn't one. Well...maybe serial liposuction, but that's a bit drastic...:)

Anyway, glad that your son is interested in joining you in healthier eating habits...now, the thing is to focus on a healthier *approach* to your bodies as a lifetime investment, not something to which you apply emergency repairs and quick fixes.

[Pam O.]

Thank you Gaelen for your reply!!!

In total agreement. My son has been checked by his MD not an endrocrinoligist though and stated his metabolism is very efficient so he does not need a lot of food. Well that is his opinion.......

The 5 pounds by Wed. is crazy, but he is an awesome football player, loves it and those are the rules. I disagree with the whole thing but I am supportive for him to start losing weight and hope a miracle so he can continue to play ball. I worked up the same protein requirement of 102. Glad to see he can have more carbs. Poor boy has had a high fever the last 2 days and really doesn't want to eat at all. Get a little in here and there always with a protein.

Perhaps we will get some metabolic testing done.

On my deal, well this is par for me. Perhaps I just lost some water weight and am now losing fat and will get caught up to the initial loss. I feel great and actually did before I started. My health problems starting the PPLP was weight and continual gain and some low sugar issues, everything else is great.

Thanks again!

Pam