Granola Bars and Water — New Fad Diet?
I recently saw part of an infomercial for a weight loss product I found pretty surprising. Created by a bariatric surgeon, the product is a type of weight loss bar.
Each bar has 180 calories or less. According to the web site:
Simply eat FullBar with an 8-ounce glass of water 30 min. before your 2 biggest meals of the day. The upper part of your stomach is stretched out and tells your brain: “Stop! I’m full!” That’s because FullBar uses the same principles as weight-loss surgery. By meal time, you’ll eat less and your hunger will be completely satisfied.
The plan is for 12 bars a week — participants eat two bars a day 5 days a week. On weekends they have the choice of 1 bar each day, or two bars one day.
I’m not a dietitian or nutritionist, so I can’t evaluate the ingredients or the nutritional value of the bars. However, the first ingredients are brown rice syrup and “puffed rice cereal.” Comparing that to the Kashi bars I like, the first ingredient is a blend of whole grains.
It doesn’t take a PhD to figure out how this plan works. The puffed rice cereal absorbs the water, expands and you feel full.
It takes about 30 min for your brain to realize you have eaten, so if you eat anything and drink water 30 minutes before a meal, you will feel less hungry and are less likely to overeat. Remember the apple diet from a couple of years ago? Participants ate an apple 30 min. before each meal. That worked, too. (Shoot, I’ve eaten a couple of saltines before a meal and been less hungry.)
Comparing prices — On sale right now, a three-month supply of FullBar is $175 or about $1.22 for each bar. The regular price is $2.50 per bar. A box of six Kashi bars range from $3.67 to $5.00 per box — 61 cents to 83 cents each. Even at the highest price I’ve paid, that is at least $55 less than this special diet bar.
I am skeptical of any fad diet. They just do not work for long-term healthy weight loss. But when I see something like this I just hope people anxious to lose weight don’t get sucked in.
If you are interested in trying this type of eating plan, buy some high-quality granola bars (such as Kashi brands) from Walmart and save some money.
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Comments
I think I am going to try the pizza and beer diet this weekend. And for exercise, I will watch all the NFL playoff games.
People, you didn’t gain all that weight in 30 days. Quit trying to take if off in 30 days.
Eat healthier, portion control, and move your butt.
BALANCE and MODERATION!
Walkingly yours,
Larry, from the frigid Columbus, Ohio
Hey Larry,
I’m surprised you would comment on this posting! I have to tell you, I could not believe that this is a diet plan that anyone would spend hundreds of dollars on!
I’d like to get rich with a diet plan, but who would pay to be told to eat less and walk more?
Cindi, no one will pay for that diet plan of yours. That is because people are lazy and want some quick fix (probably not your audience because they understand what fitness is all about, which is living a healthy life style).
So, if you want to get rich with a diet scam, I mean plan, first of all make sure you tell people that they will lose the weight fast, AND with minimal effort.
Let me know if you come up with something good.
Larry