Do Energy Bars Help You Lose Weight? - Part 1
Many “energy” bars are nothing more than glorified candy bars. The attraction is the word “energy.” According to the FDA, the word “energy” on any label means that the food item supplies calories to the consumer. Eating it will not necessarily make you more energetic! This is great marketing, but misleading to a consumer.
So do these bars help you lose weight?
Based on my experience people seem to lose weight more quickly and have more energy by consuming whole foods instead of processed items. An example of a whole food snack would be a nice crunchy apple and a small handful almonds. Additionally, the variety of food choices you can obtain from plant and animal type of snacks provide you with more vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals that the body regularly needs. You are lured into buying fancy bars because of their taste, convenience and easy consumption. Based on that they may have an occasional place in today’s hectic world. I would first encourage you to consider the following points before purchasing them, especially if you are trying to lose weight:
1. Use this type of snack more for “emergency” types of situations. Whole food snacks are preferable.
2. Be selective regarding the ingredients and calorie count in the bar you pick. (I’ll go into that on tomorrow’s blog.)
3. Determine why you are really consuming these foods in the first place. Are you simply eating the bar as a snack that you enjoy? Are you an athlete who needs the extra calories? Do you eat the bar as a meal replacement? (This is not always a good idea.) Are you eating it because you need the energy?
4. Be cognizant of the total calories you are consuming when you are in the process of losing weight. You need to create a calorie deficit of at least 500 calories every day to lose about a pound of fat a week.
5. If that bar is more of an extra in your food plan, those extra calories could prevent you from losing weight. I would definitely check out ND’s Daily Needs Calculator so you know just how many calories you need to lose weight and then track it.
Tomorrow’s blog will show you how to look for a better quality energy bar for weight loss.
 older posts |
home | newer posts  |
| Burn Fat Fast: Tabata Intervals | | Diet & Weight Loss Blog | | Cook Once, Eat Twice |
Posted by: Mel | Jun 6, 2008 6:09:31 PM
This is great information. I have lost weight too, actually 26 lbs in 4 months by using a treadmill desk. You walk while you work at slow speeds without sweating and the pounds just drop off. I made my own but I found a product called TrekDesk that I like at www.trekdesk.com. Thanks for the info on Herbalife. I will check it out.
Posted by: liz | Dec 29, 2007 2:12:17 AM
Hi Mary,
>From one mom to another I think I have a solution for you!! I want to lose 40 pounds, and I've lost 28 so far!!! I am feeling fantastic and have more energy than I did when I was in college. I went through three different Herbalife distributors until I found the person I felt really actually cared about me and helped me to start getting results. The bottom line was that I wanted to find somebody that could offer me good prices, but that could also check in with me to make sure I was doing ok.
I used to drive two hours to meet with my first distributor in West Haven, Connecticut. I even brought the girls with me a few times because I couldn't find a babysitter. Today my Herbalife coach does everything over the phone and it is much easier with my busy schedule. You can order Herbalife online on his website, you get the shakes a few days after with FedEx and then you can setup a telephone meeting once a week to make sure you are doing the program right.
His name is Danny Castello and his website is www.goshape.com. The number is (310) 928- 3835. He and his girlfriend Michaela actually do most of the coaching together as a team, but she has an Herbalife site as well: www.puresteps.com. He does most of the motivation on the call and gives you important facts regarding nutrition. He can be a bit tough but he really wants you to get results. She is a bit softer- so they make a good combination. Actually I also recommend joining his newsletter first so you can see the articles on nutrition. They also have videos so you can see who they are before actually calling them. Its nice because they actually use the products too. You can see on their websites.
Hope this helps!
Liz
Posted by: mary | Dec 28, 2007 6:37:15 AM
Hello, This is Mary
I am 36 years old with 2 toddlers. My youngest just started day care last week- which still feels a little strange. I haven't had this much time to myself in years. First thing I want to do is lose the extra pounds I put on during the last pregnancy. One of the girls next door has suggested I join her walking group two days a week. After my first pregnancy I lost around 35 pounds using the Herbalife products, but when I called the man that sold them to me three years ago he told me this week he doesn't sell them anymore. He told me to look on the internet. It's disappointing because he was really nice and he called me regularly to make sure I was using their products correctly. It was nice to have someone checking in with me every week to see how I was and it kept me motivated.
I searched on the internet for someone that sells Herbalife in New Jersey. I found many websites but I don't want
just to buy the products, I want to find someone trustworthy that sells the products so I can also meet them and get started again.
Could anybody here recommend someone in New Brunswick?.
Thanks, Mary
Posted by: Matt Johnson | Dec 15, 2007 5:12:59 PM
Thank you
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. We know that your time is valuable, and aim to give you the most value possible for the time you invest in reading our article. We have put together a 5 step success plan for losing weight.
Step 1: Goals
The first step to achieving the healthy body you deserve is setting goals. I’m not talking about vague goals like “I want to lose weight!” or “I want to look better in the mirror.” I am talking about specific goals, such as “I want to lose 5 kg in one month.” or “I want to lose 2 pants sizes in 2 months.” In setting goals, it is important to both make them a challenge and make them attainable. To lose 1 kg per month would not be much of a challenge & to lose 50 kg per month would not be attainable.
Step 2: Breaking it Down
The second step to achieving the healthy body you deserve is breaking your goal into smaller pieces. If your goal is to lose 40 kg in one year try breaking it down into losing 3 to 4 kg per month. If this still seems too high, break it into just 1 kg per week.
Step 3: Choose a Program
Now that you have clearly identified and broken down your goals, you are ready to choose a program. We have found Fat Loss 4 Idiots to be a real winner. It has been our # 1 seller, and we have received lot of positive feedback from our customers regarding the program. You can find it on our Weight Loss page.
Step 4: Exercise
One ingredient that is often missed in weight loss programs is exercise. Though you can lose weight without exercise, physical activity greatly improves your chances of success. This can be as simple as walking every day, or as complex as you would like to make it. Check out our Fitness page for some suggestions on exercise routines that may work for you.
Step 5: Success
With broken down goals, a winning program, and proper exercise, you are sure to succeed. Please post your success stories in our Guest Book at http://www.HotterThanHealth.com
