Protein bars and fat
 

Quick question regarding protein bars. I used to eat them a lot as a quick afternoon snack and I usually keep some on hand in case I need a quick bite on the go. I've looked a little harder at the labels lately though and have concerns regarding the amount of fat in them, particularily the saturated fat. Is it OK to be eating those if the amount is small and the frequency of consumption is low?

Or does anyone have suggestions for brands that are better than others? Or are there some general guidelines for picking out protein bars that I should be following? I don't want to be eating a candy bar covered up by a little protein. Any advice is greatly appreciated, as always.

Yeah, there's nothing wrong with having a protein bar every so often. I normally just get PowerBar's... they aren't the best, but they aren't the worst. They have 24g of protein in them.

If it was a staple of your diet I would be concerned, but everything in life is fine as long as it is in moderation.

I ask because I'm planning to start up a new round of P90X and the plan seems kind of heavy on the protein supplements so I'd be eating a protein bar every day. I don't have the cash to be purchasing the beachbody products so I can't compare them to off-the-shelf products, but I do have some concerns about eating protein bars every day.

I'm already having a little bit of a hard time sticking to the portions of protein/carbs/fruit/etc., and still getting enough calories, so I like the idea of being able to pack in a high calorie bar. But I feel that since I dropped protein bars and granola bars out of my diet, I've significantly reduced my sugar intake, thereby helping me lose more weight.

I know it's important to not under eat during P90X so I'm trying to work out my game plan over the next week and then begin the program. Advice or tips are always welcome!

Buy a 10 pound bag of ON Whey Protein Powder - Gold Standard. Protein bars are extremely expensive... for ones with 24g of protein in Canada you're looking at $3.50-4.

You don't need to follow their diet plan and you don't need to buy beachbody products to get amazing results. They're a business so of course they're going to promote their merchandise. For the price of their merchandise you can definitely get it cheaper somewhere else.

I agree with SeiferWar, a protein powder may be your best bet. I like the Optimum Nutrition line also. I use their Pro Complex. With one serving you get 60g protein, 1g fat, and 5g carbs. One serving is two scoops so you could actually split this during the day if you wanted to.

I have used the Pure Protien brand bars from Wal-mart, I compared the label and they provided some of the best grams of protein to carbs/fat ratio. 200 calories, 20g protein, 5g fat, 18g carbs. They are also less expensive than others (about $6 for a box of 6). (I preferred the Peanut Butter Chocolate chip flavor). I don't use them as much anymore because of the total calories to Protein ratio. Instead I use protein powder (also from Wal-mart) Body Fortress Super Advanced in Vanilla or Strawberry (didn't care for the Chocolate) 135 calories, 26g protein, 2g fat, 3g carbs. If you are struggling to get enough calories you can mix this with a cup of milk (skim, 2% or whole depending on your situation and how many calories you want to add) rather than water. Mixing with milk is my preferred method and I can use it like a treat of a milk shake. I mix in the blender and drink with a straw -almost as good as a shake from McDs.

I also buy the body fortress whey powder. I'm up around 5 on weekdays, do 35-45 minutes of cardio, and follow it with a protein shake. (I do like the chocolate flavor though: cup of skim milk, cup of cold prepared coffee, and chocolate powder is a great cold coffee morning drink.)

In regards to the protein bars, I think I've decided I might not eat them daily like the program says (I just buy what is on sale at the store...not forking over the cash for the beachbody ones). I might just switch out a bar for a 200ish calorie snack that would be high in protein; cottage cheese, greek yogurt, etc., every other week or so. I'll just see how I feel and whether the scale is moving.

Thanks everyone for the input.

If you enjoy having snacks you can make protein powder ice cream.. all you need is 1 serving Fat Free Cottage cheese, 1 serving protein powder(any brand just a flavor you would enjoy eating as ice cream), about 75 grams or so of fruit(i prefer strawberries or peaches..they are for the most part low calorie), and peanut butter( you can put as much as you like in but keep in mind putting a whole serving will raise the calorie count by 180-200.. i usually use anywhere from 10-16 grams).....add a bit of water or if you can afford it unsweetened almond milk mix it all up and freeze it for a few hours... great way to make up protein/carbs/fat..... just add more fruit for more carbs, more protein powder for more protein, and more peanut butter for more fat.......

I eat this every night with a different flavor of protein powder and my weight still goes down, I've lost about 45 pounds in seven months (198---153)...(i eat around 1850 calories a day) about 45 fat, 140 carbs, 225 protein...


Good Luck

It has already been said and I will add to it. I am not a fan of protein bars because they are 1) processed, 2) expensive, and 3) are calorie dense with no added vitamins/minerals.

Some suggested protein shakes. That is a major plus. Also, an apple with a TBSP of peanut butter and a glass of milk (or some yogurt) ain't a half bad snack either.

peanut butter
 

I am kinda wondering about the peanut butter and apple idea. I struggle to get enough calories but I feel like my fat is through the roof. I never realized it till I started breaking it down on here. If I add peanut butter or hummus to any type of vegetable or fruit, I go over on my fat content for the day. Is there any less fattening dips or spreads that I can reach for with my fruit and veggies?