I'm thinking of trying the Nutribar or Slimfast plans for a few weeks just to get me started. Does anyone know which one is better for your? They seem kind of the same to me, although the slimfast bars are fewer calories.

Personally, I stay away from bars, since they are generally loaded with transfats and sugars and the protein is not the best quality. I haven't seen the Nutribars but I did check their website...and there is a LOT of sugar in those puppies.

250 calories...24g sugar...in other words almost 100 calories of the bar come from sugar! I also noticed that High Fructose Corn Syrup is the SECOND ingredient listed. After that, sugar is mentioned in the ingredients list another SEVEN times. Also mentioned are HYDROGENTATED oils - i.e. those deadly trans fats. This is basically a crap bar.

Slimfast is about the same...just sugary crap with a small amount of low-quality protein.

I gotta tell you a little secret about losing weight - one of the BEST things you can do to lose the weight and keep it off is to get SUGAR out of your diet. I've found (as have SO many people) that even a taste of sugar can set off a huge craving for the stuff. (I do eat fruit in moderation though - a cup of fresh strawberries or melon has WAY less sugar in it than this stuff...)

Trust me - save your money and eat REAL food.

I guess I knew they were loaded in sugar. I'm just looking for something quick and easy I can do for 1 or 2 weeks that will get me back on a roll. I can't seem to find my motivation. You're right, I need to stay away from sugar, cause sugar sets me off. I'll keep looking.

The easiest convenience foods to get you back on that roll are probably going to be fresh, tinned or dried fruits. They not only travel well they aren't so lethal or unnatural (read the packet on the dried ones) AND they get you into the healthy balanced habit of 5+ fruit and veg a day!

I know it's a boring answer - you want a meal replacement no brainer right? - but you have to think long term - honest!!!

I don't THINK I contradicted Mrs Jim there - did I? I'd hate to do that

Don't think you did Stef - but personally I'd stay away from the dried fruit myself - too high in calories and sugar. I generally stay clear of canned fruits because of the high sugar content (even the ones 'packed in their own juice') and of course fruit juice itself is LOADED with sugar, without the satity you get from eating a piece of whole fruit.

And ya need protein too - probably one of the easiest and most portable meals would be hard-boiled eggs in the shell and fruit such as oranges or apples. I always buy fresh fruit in season, and supplement with frozen unsweetened fruit, which is good for adding to protein shakes as well.

When I find myself off-track, the key for me to get back on is dumping all sugar and emphasizing lean protein in my meals. Protein keeps me from being hungry and helps to banish those carb cravings. For me, fruit -- especially dried fruit -- is just another source of sugar (fructose) and it seems to end up making me hungrier and craving bad carbs. Personally, I HATE being hungry, so I try to avoid those triggers.

I think we're all going to react differently to the different kinds of sugars -- lactose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, high fructose corn syrup etc -- and may each need to experiment to see what works for us and what doesn't.

Another thing that helps me stay on track is eating every 2-3 hours, like the other girls eating a protein with a carb whether it be a low g/i fruit (dry fruit for me is not good either) oatmeal, brown rice, a protein drink mixed with strawberries. This helps me with cravings and keeping the insulin on an even keel....

Hi, Janett! Just wanted to add a ditto to what's been posted above. For me, eating mini meals every few hours with a good quality carb/protein is the way to go, with some good fat, vege, some fruit. I cheat too often, though, but at least that's what I aspire to. I don't like the bars you mentioned ... I do use rather too much of a low carb protein drink ... not because I'm low carbing but because it doesn't have sugar, is low in calories and a good protein source that's easy to fit into my crazy life. If you do use bars, I'd suggest you find some that don't have the sugar, transfats, etc., and that have a really high quality protein. One of my favorite mini meals currently is a smoothie of berries and fat free cottage cheese. Just blend. Frozen fruit (no sugar) works great. You can buy a blender that has an insulated single serving blending cup, throw some healthy stuff in there, blend and take it with you. Just as convenient as a bar, IMO!

Well with Slim Fast, I've lost 50 pounds, so no complaints here! I would die without a lil bit of sugar here and there...

Yo, guys! I keep coming back here to read this for the encouragement to get the sugar out! Goddessholly, I feel like that a lot ... that I'd die if I went too long without sugar (felt that way just today, with unfortunate results) ... and I used to do a lot of Slimfast and it did originally help me lose weight. For me, it just got to the point where all I wanted in my body was Slimfast, but we're all different and have different approaches. Congratulations on your 50 pounds down!!! That's awesome!!!

I agree with goddessholly, I am at 48 pounds lost eating one chocolate chip Slim Fast granola bar every morning. I was never a breakfast person but I kept reading that you need to kick start that metabolism every morning so I tried them. I have found that the one slim fast bar a day keeps all of my other sugar mostly chocolate cravings away. I really do feel that I would have given up by now if it weren’t for the chocolate granola bar that I have allowed myself everyday.

I strongly dissagree with some of the pervious posts. Slim Fast Bars may have some sugar in them, yes - but how else would they be so tasty and yummy? I have been on the Slimfast diet for 2 1/2 months and have lost 20 pounds((got 10 to go)) by replacing lunch with a bar ((I love the Granola ones! Yummy, especially PeanutButter, and all the bars range from 210-220 cals)) and breakfast with a shake. Well with that being said, in all means I say go for it! It really DOES work =)

Just to share my experience- the high sugar, low fat diet that I ate kicked me into Pre-Diabetes a few years ago, and weight loss came to a standstill. It's taken me a couple of years to heal my body and get control of the insulin resistance. These bars may help you lose weight now, but the excess sugar can affect some people in the long run. If I really need a meal replacement bar, I usually buy Zone or Luna. They average less than half the sugar, have more protein, and they are as tasty as the Slimfast.

Yo! This is for Pattie, who sent me a nice pm today (Easter) after reading this thread and I wrote a reply but the computer dropped her member name and I can't find it again because the member list is disabled!!!! I'm still trying, but if you see this, Pattie, thanks for the message and I'll try to respond when I figure out how to find ya!

Jennifer, thanks for sharing your experience ... mine's kind of the same!!! Thanks also to 3Kids and 4Hawks for your perspective, I love to read everyone's thoughts on this subject and think different things work for different people, so it's all good.

I personally love the Myoplex Lite crunch bars ... but today I pitched a bunch of 'em out the door (well, in the trash anyway). For me, they just have too much sugar and I'd rather go get a candy bar from the drugstore if I really need it (now that I'm kind of not doing BFL for awhile). At least I have to unlock the gate, drive to the store, pick out the candy, pay the cashier, get back in the car, drive home, tell Old Dog she can't have my candy, settle on the couch and eat the candy while Old Dog stares at me. Sometimes it's worth it. Sometimes not.

When I did Slimfast, I just ate and drank Slimfast, which is one of the reasons (and not meaning any offense to anyone, because, again, it's only my personal experience and not relevant to anyone else) I'm in the mess I'm in now!!

I did notice today that Slimfast has come out with a lower sugar, lower cal variety that was kind of calling to me ... resisted, though.

My nutrition is not good and I really don't need sugar calories so much as I need salmon, brown rice, vegetables, fruits, chicken breasts, cottage cheese, whole grain bread and lots of other stuff! But I plan on having some treats once in awhile!

There are many paths to Nirvana!