[LadyNASDAQ]

Maybe someone here has some advice for me?

I want to try a different approach to losing weight and keeping it off. I met a Pharmacist at a nearby Pharmacy today who uses and rotates many of those meal replacement bars ie. SlimFastLuna,SpecialK and told me she eats them in between meals and can eat a half portion of what she used to do and has lost 70 lbs. already doing this. She told me she uses those SpecialK snack bars like a snack if she goes to a movie or needs a snack later in the day and has lost this weight effortlessly without counting calories or anything else. She eats meats,veggies,carbs,fruit and low cal desserts on occasion.
My question to everyone is this... maybe this is a route I should try but wanted to know if anyone has had their appetite greatly suppressed enough to eat a 1/2 portion of their normal meal portions and which bars could make you that full. I need to lose around 100 lbs.

Thanks for your input because it sounds great on paper as they say but I want to know about people's experiences w/this.

[randomcards]

I do meal shakes for breakfast because I just can't seem to actually make and eat a real breakfast.

However, I do not advocate regular replacement of meals with bars. I'm no whole/natural foods person, but even for me this just seems like sooo much processed food. I view them as a "pinch-hitter" in the right spots in my diet.

I eat PowerBar ProteinPlus bars. The taste is good enough for me and more importantly they are really filling and pack a ton of protein. I use the for a meal replacement when I'm on the go, or sometimes a larger snack if I'm going to go way too long between meals. I also sometimes like to eat half a bar before and after a workout.

I've tried other smaller meal or snack bars. Actually if they are too good and tasty (or airy) I find that I end up eating several which defeats the purpose.

[LadyNASDAQ]

I see your point but what I'm trying to do is suppress my appetite to eat a 1/2 portion of what I usually eat. It's like eating a lunch portion vs a dinner portion at mealtime. Not looking to not eat at all but to have my stomach full enough with a bar to suppress my appetite enough to stay eating a balanced diet that isn't over the top in portion size.
Not looking to drink a shake but to eat less instead.

[Theresa]

I have one Luna Nutrition bar for Woman every day. It contains soy protein and many vitamins and minerals. When I was in my weight loss phase, I ate a Pria Nutrition bar every day mid afternoon with a glass of water. Pria contains only 110 calories and Luna contains 180 calories. Get them fresh. That makes all the difference in the world in taste.

In my weight loss phase, I cut my intake of food in half and never had seconds. Now in maintenance, I still never have seconds.

[evoo]

I tend to lose best when I eat 100-200 calorie snacks all day long with only 1 or maybe 2 larger 300-400 calorie "meals" -- I eat both Kashi and Odwalla bars for those snacks occasionally and am always satisfied with them. I look for a good protein and fiber content as indication of how long they're going to keep me full. The higher the better.

[Shannon in ATL]

I have three meals & three snacks, did it while losing and still do it during maintenance. I do find that I eat smaller portions at meal times when I have the morning and afternoon snack. That sounds like what you are trying to do - I would say it doesn't have to be meal bars. Anything with a decent amount of protein and fiber as the morning and afternoon snack should do. I used to eat a dry serving of Kashi Go Lean as my afternoon snack. On the bar front, I like Kashi & Luna bars, Gnu Fruit & Fiber bars, I've done Special K bars in the past.

ETA - I should add that a lot of the bars are pretty high calorie. Be careful that you don't eat more than you were before with the addition of the bars. It was easy for me to lose track.

[jardinzoo]

I have started eating some sort of small snack between breakfast and lunch while I am at work. Now by the time lunch time rolls around, I'm not starving because I've had a snack...So I end up not feeling that I have to stuff myself to make up for the hunger. It hasn't cut my portions in half, but they have been reduced.

[me4life]

i don't think it really matters what you eat as long as you have a small healthy snack prior to meals to make you feel fuller when meal time comes around

[serendipity907]

If the idea of the bar is to fill you up, I'd say drink lots of water between, and especially with your meals.

[theCandEs]

I love, love, love the Larabars. They are not really protein bars, I think, but they are all natural and sooo good. They are made with fruit and nuts. I like the Apple pie ones the best. I can have one as a snack between breakfast and lunch and it holds me over nicely. I think they are around 140 cal.

[VeggieGirl84]

Those bars tend to make me crave sugar like crazy.