So sorry to hear about your problems with Full Bars DesertDiva. If you found you were eating fewer calories as a result of the bars, maybe you can try incorporating puffed wheat into parts of your diet? Perhaps eating puffed wheat without the rest of the stuff in the bars will help you with appetite satisfaction and won't give you the gas problems as much..?

One of the things I do is put 2 scoops of chocolate whey protein powder in a bowl along with about 1-2 cups of puffed wheat and maybe a little less than a cup of skim milk. Then I stir it up and knock it down. This is delicious (tastes like chocolate coco puffs), VERY filling (even for a 4000+ calorie foodaholic like me), can be taken either before a meal or as a meal replacement, is virtually devoid of fat while being packed with protein, and clocks in at around 350 calories or so. You can also try a bowl of puffed wheat with skim milk and cinnamon for even fewer calories.

My point is that if you saw weight loss success with the diet, perhaps you could try homemade versions that might not give you the gas problems. It might be worth a shot to experiment?

I personally haven't had any problems with gas on this diet until the last day or two. I started taking Alli with Full Bars 3 days ago and they are giving me some gas issues, but I'm holding tough to see if they can help me with the weight loss.

I've tried 5 different times to make my own full bars. Although I can replicate the calorie content and achieve an even better taste, I haven't been able to get them to stick together the way the store bought full bar does.

The one thing I like about the store bought full bar is that I can eat it in the car very easily. It doesn't crumble or slip on my clothes or get too sticky on my hands. It seems to use a combination of Brown Rice Syrup, Soy Protein, and Acacia Gum to achieve this, but I've used similar things that I can buy in the store and haven't been able to pull off the texture yet. I should point out that I've tried to make sugar free versions exclusively up until now.

I've tried gelatin envelopes, agar, syrup, margarine, whey protein, vegan marshmallows, and different combinations of heating, baking, and cooling. Tonight I'm going to break down and do a version with marshmallows, but I would really prefer to make them without sugar. I'd also prefer to avoid gelatin. I'm not a vegetarian, but when I read about what gelatin is, it grosses me out.

Any ideas for making a sugar free homemade full bar that achieves the same texture as the one bought in the store?

I have just gotten the fulls bars the other day and have used them for 3 days and i can tell the differnts with my eating. I went to lunch with my mom and i could eat a bowl of soup and hambuger and fries. i ate the soup and 2 bites of the buger. i will let you know how much i lost.

I read through this thread a while back after I saw an ad for Full Bars. Someone mentioned how he had purchased them, then pulled one apart and decided, pretty much, that it was a glorified Rice Krispies treat and posted a recipe.

I gave it a try, and I love them! My big trouble times are 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Now, I have a small FakeFullBar with a glass of water and I am totally satisfied for several hours.

This is how I make them (a bit different from the poster's recipe). The recipe makes a huge batch, which lasts a couple of weeks if you enjoy two small squares a day.

3 tablespoons of whatever you prefer (butter, margarine, really fake stuff)
1 bag of mini-marshmallows (I hear they make sugar-free, but I haven't been able to find them yet).
Melt marshmallows in melted butter in large saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.
After melting, stir in several cups of puffed wheat, Fiber One cereal and Rice Krispies. Keep stirring it in until you can't work anymore in.
Spray PAM into a large baking pan. Press mixture into pan as hard as you can.
Cut into 2" x 2" squares.

Now, I know people will scream at me about the calorie content, etc. but, I figure, a small FakeFullBar is better than hitting the snack machine. Marshmallows and butter, even though not the best choices, are better than whatever chemicals used to hold together to purchased bars. Also, it immediately satisfies my hunger and keeps me from even sampling the candy dishes around the office.

Oh, and I've lost 8 lbs. since I've started enjoying them six weeks ago.

Hepzibuh

I tried a batch with Suzanne's Vegan Rice Mallow Cream which is free of processed sugar. Unfortunately the bars didn't bind. I've tried 7 different combinations of homemade full bars and the only ones that fully binded were when I used real marshmallows (I only used four big marshmallows btw).

The marshmallow version I made only had 5 grams of processed sugar per 150 calorie bar though. Which I guess isn't too bad but I'd still love to figure out how to make a sugar free version. I used four large marshmallows and about 3 cups of puffed wheat along with some other things. I combined the marshmallows with sugar free maple syrup which I can buy at my local grocery store and agar which I buy from the local asian market. I suppose you can use gelatin envelopes instead of agar or just use more marshmallows.

I think the real trick to the dieting success that many of us have had with full bars and homemade full bars is the Puffed Wheat. I buy the Kashi brand since that's the only sugar free version sold at my grocery store. As I've previously written in this thread I pour puffed wheat in everything that makes sense and I also eat it separately with milk and whey protein powder or agave syrup for taste. I've been able to maintain 1800-2000 calories per day pretty easily this way without feeling deprived in any way (I naturally burn about 2600 calories per day and I'm a major foodaholic who could easily eat 3500 calories and not even feel satisfied).

I say if this diet works for you and you have the money, just buy the Full Bar product. If $2-$2.50 retail cost a bar is more than you want to spend, please join our experiment together and make your own. Once I get the optimal recipe that works for me, I'll post the exact ingredients and measurements that I use.

Can someone tell me why drinking Fiber One or something before meals can't be done for the same effect?

I haven't tried Fiber One drinks, but I have tried protein shakes, metamucil, and the apple thing, but nothing works better for me than Puffed Wheat and at least 8 oz of some kind of liquid. But that's just me.

I don't think the Full Bar / Puffed Wheat is for everyone. Perhaps other people have come up with different ways to satisfy their appetites, but I would say that by eating 4 Full Bars (or FB equivalents) a day I've been able to reduce my overall caloric desire by at least 33%.

It may not be the only trick in the book, but it seems to be working for me.

I drink protein shakes for breakfast and sometimes for lunch. By mid-morning and mid-afternoon, I need something to chew on! My bars are crunchy and chewy, so it satisfies that part of me.

I tried the FullBars and now have a full box sitting (but surely not rotting) in my cupboard. They helped for a few days, but not so much beyond that. Maybe I developed a tolerance to them.

I have noticed something about this forum in re-reading it (hoping for a little more hope in the FUllBars). I notice A LOT of first time posters. The cynic in me wonders if some of them (not all) might be people who work for FullBar and this is one way they advertise? I've just never ever seen a thread with so many first time posters on it.

I found this site by doing a google search on "full bar review". I also know that for awhile the full bar website mentioned specifically that there was a forum discussion about full bars here. Maybe that explains all the newcomers like myself?

Edit: I just checked the Full Bar website and it's still there. If you go to their website and click on "Press", you'll see this website profiled. I doubt if they'll keep it up much longer though, since many of us have suggested making homemade versions for much cheaper.

Off topic, somewhat: Every time I see this heading "Full Bar" in recent posts, I keep thinking it's been posted by an engaged girl planning her wedding & trying to decide how much she & her fiance are going to finance the alcoholic beverages at their wedding reception. And that all the responses are 3FC members voting "open bar" or not.

The full bar sounds like a great idea. At $2 a piece to replace a meal the cost seems fair. I haven't bought them but have been eating 1 minute oatmeal without anything on it. I make it with an instant hot water dispenser so it only takes seconds. If you use too much water and it's soupy you can microwave it and it firms right up. it is very filling and I like that it is warm (or hot.) I must say that measuring the amount is important since you will end up eating more and more in a bowl, defeating the purpose, unless you use a scoop to regulate the volume you are making. This is satisfying for hours and I have lost several pounds in a few weeks. My wife wants me to get some new pants! You can buy it dirt cheap at the supermarket in a big box. The box cost me $8, and contains two 4.5 lb bags of oatmeal. Cheap, tastes good, works well and is extremely healthy. (it's isn't portable though unless you devise a freezer bag, plastic spoon approach for an office.) btw the bowl rinses clean super easy with water.

I was looking on the internet for info on the Full Bar and found this site and just signed up. Thanks for the great info and hope I can contribute something useful.

The reason for this post is that I found Full Bars at CVS for $1.99. They are on sale this week 3/1-3/7 for $1.25. The first CVS I went to only had the Cocoa. I went to a few more and they were sold out. Finally found 1 peanut butter bar at the last CVS. Will give them a try tomorrow.

BTW, if they are sold out at CVS, get rainchecks. They do not expire and can be used at any CVS.

The Full Bar isn't really meant to be a meal replacement. It's meant to be eaten 30 minutes before a large meal along with 8 oz of water.

Great tip! I bought a generic Hytop brand cylinder of 1 minute oats from my grocery store. It had 30 150 calorie servings for only $2! Not bad at all considering it's 100% whole grain. I tried it plain but it was just too bland for me. I put some stevia in there and that helped a little bit. What really works for me with this is to put half a cup of 1 minute oats in a bowl along with a scoop of whey protein and then add the hot water and stir. The sweetener in the whey protein sweetens the whole thing up really well. I keep chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry protein on hand so there's always variety. With one scoop of my costco brand whey protein along with one serving of the 1 minute oats this gives me 220 calories of nothing but highly digestible protein and fiber. Rock on!

Dude, that is so cool! Keep up the great work and let us know how you're doing. For me, using real full bars, homemade full bars, puffed wheat with skim milk, and now 1 minute oats helps keep my diet more interesting and diverse which helps me pretty easily meet my 1800-2000 calorie goal everyday.

I can't help but ask... If all of you eat the Full Bars because you feel that you need to in order to not eat too much, how will you be able to stop eating them and not gain back weight? Psychologically, you'll feel like you NEED it or you'll overeat.

In my opinion, these are very expensive, especially for a bar that doesn't even replace a meal.

And for those who are eating them right now, are you just going to continue to eat them even after you reach your weight-loss goal? The cost of these bars adds up. And if not, you don't have an alternate way of avoiding over-eating, so there is a huge possibility that you'll gain it all back.

If you were to eat something before a meal to stop from over-eating, I recommend (like many already have in this thread) to eat something affordable and something that has the same effect. Maybe it's water, fruit, or a small salad. Whatever it is, you are more likely to be able to afford and keep up with this plan then having to always pay for Full Bars.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.