Protein Bars...suggestions?

Hey Ya'll!

"Tigger" lost her bounce the past few weeks....considering how hyper I usually I am that may not be such a bad thing, but ANYWAY...

It was brought to my attention that perhaps I'm not eating enough, and since I increased my intake I've started dropping again.  YAY!

I CAN EVEN WEAR THE JEANS WENDY2 GAVE ME!!!

Do any of you eat protein bars?  I like to have one in my purse in case I need it, but can't find any that don't have a ton of sugar grams in them!  Suggestions? 

Thanks guys!

Hi Honey, 

I really like the South Beach Diet bars. Just happen to have a box here at work. They have 140 cals per bar, 5 gr fat, 15 gr   carbs and 7 grms sugar. 10 grams of protein, too!

Good for you for upping your intake to get things started again. Early out it's hard to bring yourself to eat more.

 

Gotta go, client just came in

OMG, I cannot believe it!!!!  Awesome!

Hmmm, protein.  Clif bars are a little too high cal, IMO, but they're the best tasting of the bunch.  Same for Odwallas.  Maybe a Kashi bar?  Those are more sensible on the calories.  Also, you don't have to eat a whole bar at one whack... spread it out over the course of the day.  Generally, I look for a bar that has 15g or less of carbs.

South Beach breakfast bars rock! I also found a new brand (compliments of Shari on the RNY board) @ healthsmartfoods.com. On the home page, there is a link at the top to sign up and get 30% off your first order. I signed up and saved my coupon. For my first order, I ordered 2 of each protein bar so that me and my husband could try all of them out and pick our favorites. After we have tried all the flavors, we are going to place a larger order and save 30% off on that one! 

Anyways, select the chocolite protein bars and you will see 5 different kinds. They are not very large (probably the same size as a SB bar, but about half the thickness) and pack a good protein punch. PLUS, they have 0 sugar and very few sugar alcohols. The stuff rocks. It tastes like a candy bar. Low cal, low carb, low sugar alcohols, good amount of protein...can't beat it!

Pure Protein bars are delicious. I buy them at Wal Mart and they have a ton of protein. 18-20 grams per bar. I love the Blueberry Crumb Cake and the Chewy Chocolate Chip and the Peanut Butter. I get my protein from these now instead of the nasty protein shakes. I tried upping my protein and calories too and nothing happened. Still holdin steady at a 2 pound weight loss per week. Sometimes only .5-1 but always losing. But hey, when was the last time I lost 118 pounds????

Tina

Congratulations!!!

I do eat protein bars - too much lately.  I'm so busy, I'm in a protein bar RUT because that's about all I have time for.

There are some really good ones out there.  The main thing I am watchful for with protein bars is what some experts refer to as the "glorified candy bar", otherwise known as a "protein" or "meal replacement" or "cereal" bar with so much sugar in it that it might as well be a candy bar.  (After all, a Payday candy bar has 8 grams of protein in it. http://www.thedailyplate.com/nutrition-calories/food/hershey -company/payday ) 

When I look for good protein bars, I look for ones with the lowest possible sugar, carb and calorie counts (in that order) and the highest protein count.  I also try to look for ones that seem to be more "meal replacement" bars as opposed to just "protein bars" since I am going to eat them INSTEAD of a meal (as opposed to body builders who would eat protein bars in ADDITION to meals) because I want to get as many of the extra nutrients included in my bar as possible. 

Most Atkins Advantage bars have just 1 gram of sugar in them, are low in sugar alcohols (typically 0 - 2 grams only), 18 - 20 carbs (usually 6 - 10 grams of that is fiber which is decent IMO) and about 16 - 18 grams protein usually.  They are usually around 35% fat (give or take depending on the bar you choose) - but definately doable in a day and DEFINATELY better than some others.  The Atkins Advantage Chocolate Chip Granola Bar and the Atkins Advantage Peanut Fudge Granola are my favorites. 

I had a coupon for $1 off 2 single Atkins bars, so I tried the Smores and Caramel Chocolate Peanut Nougat bars because that was the only 2 single bars they had for sale.  I tried the Smores and loved it - but it was higher in calories & carbs than I like - so I won't be getting them again.  I recently tried the Caramel Chocolate Peanut Nougat Bar and loved it too - but it tasted so much like an actual candy bar that I won't be getting them again either.  (I want to feel like I've eaten a MEAL - not a candy bar, you know?  And how in the HELL they made it taste like a REAL CANDY BAR with only 1 gram of sugar and 0 sugar alcohols I will NEVER know.  It's somewhat scary.  It tastes like a real candy bar... with 1 gram of sugar.... and no sugar alcohols... so what IS in it that makes it taste so much like a real candy bar......... yea.... I don't know either.)

Kroger recently put a close-out sale on their South Beach singles bars ($.84/each at my local Kroger), so I bought a few of the Caramel Peanut Butter Crispy Meal Bars and a couple of the Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispy Meal Bars.  I love them both.  They are a little higher in carbs than the Atkins Advantage bars (while being a little lower in fiber and a little higher in calories).  The fat % is comparable to Atkins Advantage bars, as is the taste IMO.  I like them quite a lot.

However, I recently noticed that the South Beach High Protein cereal bars are much higher in sugar than the other South Beach bars, so I'm going to finish what I have left of those and I'm not buying them again.  (I don't need 6 grams of sugar in a "high protein cereal bar" when I can consume 50 - 60 more calories, get 0 sugars and double the protein by choosing a different bar.  So I foresee a return of merchandise in my future (since I stock up on multiple boxes at a time).  That will teach me to read the labels more carefully BEFORE I purchase.  All South Beach bars are NOT alike!!!

I think really the best choice are the Atkins Day Break bars.  I love the Peanut Butter Fudge Crisp bar, the Chocolate Chip Crisp bar and the Apple Crisp bar is good too.  They are higher in fiber & lower in carbs, calories & sugars.  They usually have 10 grams of protein per bar, which is definately decent too.  It's not as high protein as some of the larger bars, but these are actually SMALLER bars - so you could eat them WITH something else (or eat 2) as opposed to the larger bars which are so large they almost have to be eaten alone.  But what do I know?

 

You crazy woman..."but what do I know"?   You obviously know ALOT, you pay attention and, IMO the biggest thing...you remember!  Heck, I eat something just for the #'s and then forget an hour later what it tasted like. Hmmmm, too much like old behaviors, if you ask me.

If you want, I'll buy those bars from you if you want. I put one in Gary's lunch every day for a snack.

See you tomorrow!

I'm reading this late.  I sent them with James when he left today to get a refund on them.  SORRY! 

Thanks everyone!  Ya'll rock! 

I picked up a variety pack of the South Beach ones and also some of the Adkins Sunrise bars, and  I'll try some from the recommended website as well. 

I knew my OH Peeps would come though for me!