Protein bar, that is. 🙂
Let me preface this by saying I usually do not eat store-bought bars. Of course, I stay away from them for the obvious reasons…they are usually full of processed junk, they can be a trigger food, etc, but my main reason is that you just don’t get much bang fo’ your buck.
Not all bars fall under this category. I can have a Larabar and usually be perfectly satisfied. However, when I eat a bar covered in chocolate (think Zone) I am usually 1. ravenous shortly afterwards and 2. looking for the nearest piece of chocolate.
I would always remind my clients that a bar (well, a select few) are great in a pinch and most of the time will be better than that Big Mac. One possible exception: The Big 100 Colossal bar. Have you guys seen this whopper??
The Big 100 Colossal has around 410 calories PER bar, with HFCS listed as one of the first ingredients. I once watched a guy at the gym eat this bar as his ‘pre-workout snack.’ He then did 20 minutes of cardio, and proceeded to make himself a ‘post-workout shake‘ – about 500 calories worth. I’m still laughing about it now.
Today I was super hungry and must have been smoking crack in a daze when I packed up my food for the day, because I barely brought anything. I don’t even know me anymore.
I grabbed this bar. I’ve had it once before. I didn’t really like it then either.
My choices didn’t range from much. It was basically pork rinds, Milky Ways, or this Fullbar. I chose the least vomit-inducing option before I gnawed off my fingers one by one.
Let the record show that I only ate about a 1/3 of this bar. And it certainly was not because it made me ‘full.’ Pun intended.
I completely lost my appetite as I read the back of the package. It shows the ‘Fullbar system,’ and how one can lose weight by choosing this bar. Ok, not much different than most weight-loss gimmicks, but what is the gag-inducing Fullbar system?
1. Eat a Fullbar with an 8 oz glass of water 30 minutes before your meal.
2. Then eat less and be completely satisfied!
Exclamation points and all. Like, ‘WOW! You have to try this! Eat less! The Fullbar is magic!’
Sooo…let me get this straight. If I, Jessica, eat this 170 calorie processed, rectangular, hard-as-a-rock slice of garbage before I eat my fruits and veggies, I will eat less of my fruits and veggies? And therefore lose weight? And this is healthy?
Just one more time for clarification – I will eat less of my nutrient-dense, multi-flavorful lunch and dinner, and in it’s place eat this modified, nutrient-lacking sliver of cardboard?
Most of us know that this is not ‘healthy.’ Those of us that are educated in properly fueling the body would rarely grab this bar (like I did), unless they were in a pinch (like I was) for it’s intended purpose: to eat before a meal we eat less at the meal.
But what about everyone else? The large population that does not know how to properly fuel themselves? Those that will eat this bar and then continue to eat the same amount at the next meal, either because they are emotionally eating or simply, just plain hungry?
Granted this bar IS all natural and there are worse choices out there. But the guidelines state to eat this bar before a meal.
Not ‘hey, pick me up in a pinch because I’m better than those chicken gorditas from Taco Bell.’
Or, ‘if you are stranded on a dessert island and your only option is Cold Stone Creamery, eat me!’ (ha – as if! If I was stranded on an island, which would imply I was about to die, I would eat as much Cold Stone as I could get my hands on. )
Even, ‘I know you are craving that huge slice of 3400 calorie cheesecake today, but save it for Saturday and eat me now instead.’
Nope. Nada. Instead it says ‘eat me 30 minutes before a meal, and eat less later.’
Is everyone eating a vast array of fruits, veggies, healthy fats, grains and proteins for their meals? Of course not. Americans are said to average restaurant dinners 4-5 times per week. With the indulgence of a high-calorie meal quite often, what benefits does eating the Fullbar before a meal truly give?
- It does not teach portion control.
- It does not show us how delicious and exciting a healthy diet can be by choosing from an endless assortment of produce, lean proteins and grains.
- It does not exemplify a realistic lifestyle change.
I have to say I was most disappointed because this bar is fairly new to the market. The bar’s ingredients are not terrible, yet the bar is marketed in an unrealistic, decieving way. I thought we were becoming more educated on eating whole, unprocessed foods and surpassing the Slim Fast days?
What are your feelings on bars?
I try not to rely on them. I occasionally enjoy them when I’m traveling, am in a pinch and very hungry, am stuck in a place where eating a meal isn’t possible or when I’m craving something sweet and that is my only option. My first choice is always to make my own.
Have you tried a Fullbar? What are your thoughts?
How Sweet It Is 
I’m with ya on this one…there are really only a few “good” bars out there. I usually try to reach for real food whenever I can, but in a pinch- I will give a clif mojo or a lara a go.
I don’t usually like store bought bars, either. Unless I’m traveling. Then they can be my savior, depending on where I’m traveling.
I much prefer to eat bars I make myself. Or, as I recently learned, eat Glo Bars!
Great post, girl! You make such a good point – I guess the “full bar” concept would really only work for someone that would normally eat a big mac and a large fries, but might cut back and only eat the big mac if he/she had a “full bar” first? But then, that’s certainly not teaching any healthy habits, huh…
I’d love to try my hand at making my own bars some time. I absolutely try to resist purchasing them (except for the occasional Larabar), because they have so damn much sugar in them! Why do they need to be soooo sweet??
I like bars once in a while. Most of the time I can find something better to snack on. I do like to have a bar on hand for when I’m hungry and don’t have other options.
I haven’t tried full bars but agree with you. I don’t like systems like that because they don’t teach you how to eat healthy.
Although, if I’m stuck on a dessert island I would choose Cold Stone over a full bar any day! 🙂
No bars here! The Larabars are really yummy but they have WAY too much sugar for me. I’d rather have more oats if I need carbs 🙂
Couldn’t agree more…..I saw those in Walgreen and laughed right by them after taking one look at the label!
Very good points about the whole “full bar” system. I do like to eat Larabars and Clif Mojo bars on occasion, but I try not to rely on them for snacks. Nothing beats the convenience of having a bar stashed in your purse for when hunger hits you unexpectedly.
Great post, yeah I saw this on tv…..
the only bars i like are the ones that serve me booze.
oh god and those sweet and salty bars. which are CANDY bars marked to look like a granola bar.
What a great post! I completely agree. I’ll grab one when I’m in a pinch, and they definitely taste good, but I prefer to make my own.. though I’m definitely still perfecting them!
i totally saw this bar at my grocery store the other day, flipped it over and thought it was the strangest thing! eat this bar then eat less at a meal? YEAH RIGHT there is no freakin way that bar would not make me eat my full REAL food dinner!
I do like bars but I have to recognize all the ingredients on the back of them, such as amazing grass bars or lara bars, I do like the luna bars sometimes, they are a great pre workout snack, but in general I do like the real food better!
great post, jess!! 🙂
I’ve heard about these bars, and the idea totally freaked me out! A bar should be a snack, not a meal, and I want to know what is actually in it!
I am of the same bar-skeptical disciple. I really only eat bars–even the healthier Laras, Clifs, etc.–when I haven’t planned well for food on-the-go. I always keep one in my bag–but the same one’s been there for months now haha.
I’ll also eat one before working out sometimes bc I reeeeeally can’t take eating much before workouts–but sometimes I know I need a little somethin somethin–and the bars sit best with me
I agree- that bar sounds like crapola. I used to rely too heavily on bars in the past and now they are just not my thing. I will eat a Larabar and I have a nasty love for Balance Bar Yogurt Honey Peanut so I’ll grab that sometimes and enjoy it’s chemical goodness.
Thanks for this informative post!
Wow, thank you FULL Bar….. I hope……no I am SURE the pounds will melt away now that they have let the cat out of the bag.
If I had only known sooner……
You EAT LESS and LOSE WEIGHT…… What a concept.. My life is now changed forever……
Though your post I really enjoyed…… maybe they can have you help design their next package…… And possible provide the recipe for their bar……
I’m proud of you for tying the bar, sadly I would have chosen one of the other two options you had….
Not proud of this, but honest……just sayin’ that’s all..
OMG. Someone who shares my dislike for bars? Can I hug you?
I really, really, don’t like bars. I’d rather eat a real sandwich. Or even a bit of pasta. I just don’t get why all that fake-tasting bars are so popular.
But! I used to eat them. After I downed two Supersize McD’s french fries, I felt guilty, so I ate a nutrition bar to feel “virtuous”. How stupid was I?!!
I tried bars once, and only once. I was left with such a bad taste in my mouth and I wondered how people can eat these.
Haven’t seen these Full bars but the logic behind it really doesn’t make sence. You can eat an apple or banana accompanied by a glass of water before a meal and you will surley eat less during your meal. So why pollute your body with crappy, chemical tasting bars? I guess don’t get it.
People need to learn how to eat and what to eat, really that’s the only thing that will work.
I tried the Fullbar a few weeks ago and had the same thoughts. I mean, two apples have the same number of calories. I bet if I eat a couple apples before a meal, I’d eat less too! If anything, you’re just eating unnecessary calories!
I have a rampant sweet tooth though, so I find bars kinda help me out sometimes in that respect. I like to choose bars with a decent ingredient list, and a good balance of carbs/protein/fat, and it knocks out my sweet tooth for the day 🙂 I DO make a point of not eating them a lot though. Maybe 2-3 a week? I’ve gotten into the habit of eating homemade trail mix instead when I need a grab-and-go snack.
I totally agree with you. I don’t eat a lot of bars and only when it’s an “emergency.” Like when I’m starving and there is no other food available… Which shouldn’t happen, but it does…
It sounds like the Fullbar is marketed to people’s desire for a quick fix. I think many people prefer to be told that they can eat this bar and then eat less and “magically” lose weight than to be told that they should eat healthy fruits, veggies, protein & whole grains and that they have to watch their portions. I so agree that many people will eat the bar and probably pretty much eat the same they would have eaten without the bar. Plus, they may eat fewer healthy veggies…
Never had Fullbar.. I don’t mind bars as long as they arent totally full of crap. Lara’s are great bc their ingredients are simple and healthy. They are good to get if you are traveling etc but in all honesty bars can be expensive.. grabbing a handful of trail mix is just as good!
Jessica, I love your post. We spent a lot of effort when my daughter was small, trying to ensure she had a healthy attitude toward food. And it really bothers me to see things like this when many of us, myself included sometimes, don’t eat as well as we should to begin with.
Bars – We keep one box of Builder Bars (made by Clif Bars) in the house. My daughter’s an Irish Dancer and takes them with her when she competes. They are excellent sources of fat, protein, and both complex and simple carbs (for the long day and quick depletion of energy resources). However, she eats regular meals those days also. The bars are specifically for one purpose – sustaining peak energy for an athlete. And there’s no way one could rely on them for nutrition. Or weight loss at 270 calories per bar and 70 g of fat – hah!
The fullbar is weird. Why not just eat a handful of nuts, fruit or extra veggies? Plus – yuck!
I completely agree with you on the bars. I think I tried one way back and hated them. Now that I am working on clean eating I just can’t imagine putting that stuff in my body. Even as a snack. Greek yogurt w/granola will top a nasty brick bar any day.
i have tried a full bar (the chocolate one) and also found it less than exciting – but i enjoyed i crumbled up on my greek yogurt (like a granola substitute) and that made it better. i do like bars on occasion, but have to 100% agree w/ you that fruits, veggies & wholesome WHOLE foods are 100x better. bars are a “trigger food” for me b/c the lack of volume makes me want something else immediately.
Yeah that full bar business is rather shady. I do eat bars more often than I should. I try to stick to organic varieties w/ some protein like Clif or Lara or Odwalla. I like them as a late afternoon snack before the gym. But I eat lots of fruits/veggies/whole grains the rest of the day.
Oh bars. When I was quasi ‘rexi in the beginning of college, I basically lived on PowerBars — one a day, and tons of Diet Coke. Obviously a pretty healthy time in my life. And when I started dieting about a year and a half ago, I definitely got addicted to those yummy Kashi bars until I realized, dude, I could eat like three apples instead and actually be full (plus not so chocolate-lusting that I end up either licking the wrapper or eating like five more.)
I support the Full Bar’s implicit idea that eating lots of mini-meals through the day helps you refrain from over-eating at your major meals. But why not eat a cup or two of practically calorie-free chicken broth, or an apple, or a whole wheat pita and hummus or — well, pretty much any real food with some nutritional punch?
holy crap people eat out 4-5 times a week?! dan and i to go out once a month! we only order in once a month too, incase you thought i got around it that way :). since you’re miss healthy you’ll have to tell me…did you ever read “YOU: on a diet?” you know i don’t diet, and don’t care as much as i should about how many calories i consume, but i like that book. i’ve switched out a lot of the “bad” stuff for that whole grain goodness. one trick i learned from that book is eating a handful of peanuts b4 a meal, bc that actually does take the edge off and i eat less at dinner (dan however thinks sitting there with the peanut bowl in his lap and eating half of it is the same thing, lol) anyway, i never have bars of any kind in my house bc the soft ones are never good for you, and the hard ones that are actually healthy hurt my jar. have you found a good one that won’t cause me to have another jaw surgery?
Generally, I think bars are all marketing. The protein variety (MetRX, Zone, etc) are filled with synthetic, processed junk basically. The natural varieties (Larabar, etc) aren’t particularly healthy. One Lara bar is nearly 200 calories and loaded with fat and carbs. Nothing wrong with healthy fats and carbs, but there are much healthier ways to fuel.
Amen!
I completely agree with you. Insert my rant about unpronounceable and mysterious ingredients here. Isn’t it just so much easier to grab an apple and a yogurt on the go? I do eat Larabars, but that’s because they are made of dried fruit, dates, and nuts, all of which you might find in my trail mix on any given day. The ingredients list on a Larabar is approx. 3 items long. Natural is better. Why are we cramming our meals and nutrients into bite-sized bars, anyway? We’re all going to turn into Violet Beauregarde from Willy Wonka after she eats the gum that tastes like a roast beef dinner with blueberry pie. I swear.
I’m glad we had this talk.
Me too. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I’m not sure why I thought this, exactly, but I thought the Fullbar was some new technology that was supposed to, when consumed with water, expand in your stomach to LITERALLY fill you up – like instant, temporary stomach stapling. Is that not the case? They’re actually just claiming that you’ll eat less because their bar is so satiating?
I can’t stand the idea of those bars as snacks, but I do sometimes like a clif bar or two for lunch if I’m on the road or even at work sometimes. They’re certainly not the best option all of the time, but they give my body what it needs quickly, easily, and tastily, and I do kinda love how little thought they require.
since i have an INCREDIBLY decreased appetite in the mornings, rather than eat nothing, i’ll pick up a fiber bar or one of those chocolate-flecked ones. but i wouldn’t eat them normally, or if i am actually even hungry in the mornings.