Many questions

What type of work do you do?  How will healthier foods happen every day for you? Do you currently exercise? Is fast food an issue? Do you have other health problems that will hamper weight loss issues? By profession, I am a teacher.  But I am homeschooling both of my sons who have AD/HD and learning disabilities.  I volunteer with our local AD/HD CHADD chapter.  It is wild with both boys at home, but it is far less stressful than dealing with the school system for both them and me right now.  I continually juggle everything.  It is amazing how many doctor appointments the boys have.  We are working on getting their medications balanced.  The younger one has complex partial seizures and a genetic condition that caused his feet to turn in.  He had surgery and may need it again on one of his feet.

Healthier foods are happening for me right now.  I keep plenty of protein bars in my tote bag for when I am out and get hungry.  I can easily make a shake whenever I want at home. I was exercising at Curves and I loved it.  But it was hard to get there before they close when I waited for my husband to be home.  I had tried going during late afternoons for that brief time, but the boys don't get along and it was better to wait for my husband. I plan to check out the Lifestyle Family Fitness and see if the three of us can go.  I need a place where kids as young as 13 can work out.  That could be PE for the three of us.  If that doesn't work, then maybe we can just do a program at home. Fast food hasn't been a real issue.  I can always keep my protein bars with me or even get a healthy salad at fast food places. Since last February, I have had to start taking Methotrexate for the Sarcoidosis (COPD) that was progressing.  It made me feel horrible.  I am adjusting to the medication better than I did.  I have had problems with asthma and sinuses lately.  But other than that, there is nothing major.  My glucose levels are in the normal range with my diet and medications.  My doctor says it is great. Really, I feel I am ready to get moving toward improving my health.  Instead of regular bread, I have gone with high fiber, low carbohydrate bread or high protein tortilla bread. I have been working with helping both boys eat healthier and trying new foods.  I have cut alot of the fat out of their diets by changing to wraps instead of sandwiches.  They melt cheese with ham instead of putting huge globs of mayonaise on their bread.  I found a low fat version of seasoned mashed potatoes on Food Network and I fix that instead of baked potatoes.  My younger son was using a half a stick of butter on baked potatoes if we didn't stop him!  Gross! It has been a challenge to get the boys doing their work independently.  I have to work with them one-on-one to get the most out of them.   So I hope that answers most of your questions.  My main question is whether I can do it myself.

Fast food hasn't been a real issue.  I can always keep my protein bars with me or even get a healthy salad at fast food places. Make sure the protein bars are low sugar and better yet, low carb or they won't be "healthy" and can defeat your WL.   Re: salads at FF joints, throw away the dressing as it's a terrible choice and the nuts are "candied" in major places.  Keep it to veggies and o/o for best options. Hope that helps.

The nutritional analysis is the first thing I check on the protein powder and the protein bars.  I found one bar I like by MLO sports nutrition called Extreme.  It has 30 grams of protein, 5 grams of creatine, , 2 grams of fiber, and 44 grams of carbohydrate.  The total calories are 370.  It is so big I can eat half of one if I want.  I love the chocolate mint flavor.  It costs $1.57 at Super Wal-Mart and is sold in the grocery section.  If I can find it for less online, I may buy it in larger quantities.  It satisfies my taste for chocolate and candy while it has more of the good stuff in it. I have tried a couple of other bars that have 20 grams of protein and they are good.  But the chocolate mint is my favorite right now. Thank you for the heads up on the dressings.  Many of them are not healthy.  As far as low carbohydrate dressings, I have found them at all of my sons' favorite FF restaurants.  I can get broiled chicken in the salads.  It is filling but it takes me longer to eat it.  The boys are finished with their food first.  The small Wendy's chili is also supposed to be a good choice.  But it has been a long time since I read the nutritional analysis on that.  I had to learn what I could have when I was first diagnosed with the diabetes. I took diabetes classes and learned that 45 grams of carbohydrate per meal and 15 grams for one snack per day is the maximum I should have. Now I need to know how much fiber is recommended per day.

44g of carb in the protein bars!!  HOLY COW!  That's a wallup of carbs.  My concern is what are they from--very often it's sugar.  Most of my protein bars and shakes are 2-7g.  If I have one higher than that, some have 30g, it's only preworkout so I can burn it off. I am low carb, but the grams you suggested makes me think there's a ton of sugar in them.

You're right.  30g's of sugar.  I bet they do taste good though!!

I was that low with carbs when I was losing weight.  Most of my shakes are as low as you use.   Which ones are your favorite? Thank you for pointing that out.  I am sure that is an area I had better watch closely.  It is great to have others who can help me find my errors in a gentle and nonjudgemental way.  I really want to get this weight off forever.  You are right.  The proteins are listed higher than the sugars.  But they are in there: http://www.genisoy.com/HostedStore.LassoApp?-ResponseLassoAp p=detail.lasso&ID=83d007dc57185d1f# Fortunately, I don't have these every day.  I will make it a point to have it as an occassional indulgence.  But if I really want chocolate, it is a better option than having the candy that has no protein in it.  I had better stick to the shakes and hot cocoa. What do you use if you also like chocolate?

Have you tried the sugar free chocolates?  They're void of any nutrition but they're not too high in calories and will cure the chocolate craving.  I eat some from time to time. You can tell a difference but the same goes with the chocolate protein bars.

Which brands have you tried?  How bad are they?

I've only tried the hershey's brands.  I like the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. IMO, they weren't bad at all..on the contrary actually..  but then I like the taste of artificial sugars. Some can't stand it.  It's been a while since I've had any of them.  They don't have near the amount of calories the real thing does but they also don't have the density of a protein bar.  You have to be careful because you can of course eat too many.  I remember thinking "Oh these are sugar free so I can have MORE of them than the real thing!! hahah yEs!"   Bad idea because the cals will add up!   They have 19% fewer calories than the real thing but that doesn't mean you can eat 19% more of them! hahah  See the calorie ratings below and at: http://www.hersheys.com/products/details/sugarfree.asp This is for the Reese's Cups:

Kosher Status: OUD
Serving Size  5 pieces (39 g)
Amount Per Serving	%DV *
Total Calories 160
Calories from Fat 100
Total Fat 12 g	18%
Saturated Fat 5 g	25%
Cholesterol less than 5 mg	1%
Sodium 120 mg	5%
Total Carbohydrate 24 g	8%
Dietary Fiber 5 g	20%
Protein 2 g	4%
Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	0%
Iron	2%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
	Calories:	2,000	2,500
Total Fat	Less than	65g	80g
Sat Fat	Less than	20g	25g
Cholesterol	Less than	300mg	300mg
Sodium	Less than	2,400mg	2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate		300g	375g
Dietary Fiber		25g	30g
Hershey's goal is to keep each product's nutrition information up-to-date and accurate but please consult the label on the product's packaging before using. If you notice that something is different on a product's label than appears on our website, please call us for more information at (800) 468-1714.

And looking at these in more detail... I say go with Neecee's idea and split the MLO bars in half.  They are a much better choice nutritionally.  Probably a lot more filling as well.   Best choice is to just say no to both and eat something natural I suppose...  However, if you can't go natural and the bars aren't satisfying your cravings then these probably would since they're from Hershey's and they're almost like eating the real thing.