Can I eat Atkins Advantage Bars?

[Perry]

To answer this question we ask that you read the following exerts from several mods and other ADBB posters. This will be one question you will have to decide for yourself. Our plea is simply that you gather as much information as you can, move VERY cautiously, do NOT eat these during the Induction phase, and after moving to OWL or beyond, eat these bars "at your own risk"! Please read on ---

Posted by 2big, August 8, 2003: In chapter 11 rules of induction rule 5 it says eat nothing that isn't on the acceptable foods lists. It goes on to say one bite is the "kiss of death" on this way of eating.

If you have any doubt about how much of a problem bars are read the Atkins web site. They actually have a whole section telling you what to do for stalls caused by the bars. Their advice? STOP EATING THEM!

Posted by Brook , August 22, 2003

Consider this. Who's trying to make money off you? Let's be real here.
Dr. Atkins was incredible, but his editors sucked eggs.

The rules of Induction and Chapter 11 go hand in hand, but Chapter 18's induction rules & the website allow all the crap foods that they're making big money off of. Several things between the two chapters are contradictory, and of course the website is going to advertise that stuff.

Dr. Atkins own rules go against the things that were listed in that <ahem> menu at the back of the book and the things advertised on the site. I mean, who has time to cook like that? Sheesh. - And then there's the evil low-carb products. The Atkins Center would have been fools to let the low-carb market potential slide by them, especially since they were instrumental in creating it! Look at all the companies out there that have put low-fat snacks/shakes/bars on the market and told us how fabulous and harmless they are. We now know that to be false, and I think it's fool hardy to assume that the low-carb products are going to be the "holy grail' of sorts. I'd suggest you take the time to really look at the low-fat industry and all the garbage food they've put on the market. Of course it has a billion ingredients you can't pronounce and wouldn't know if it bit you in the butt - the low carb products are no different. Bleck. Again reading on the sugar alcohols and glycerin and the debate in how they should be counted makes for some pretty interesting reading.

The food industry is expanding in leaps and bounds where the low-carb market is concerned. They're bringing out new products all the time, and those products don't typically fall in line with the base rules of the program. I look at it and think this: I can't blame the Atkins people for trying to compete in the market. $$ is $$ is $$. I do, however, recognize this as a huge conflict of interest, much like exercise programs who say that the exercise won't work unless you take their ultra-expensive supplements/foods/etc.

Generally speaking, experienced long term successful low carbers espouse the dangers of eating these things because of their personal experiences and what they see and hear from other low carbers.

I advocate for a strict Chapter 11 induction because of my personal experiences, and so do the Induction Rules. I have never seen anyone post on the boards and be sorry about following a totally clean induction, but I can't tell you how many people show up on the boards I run/frequent wondering why they're not losing or they're losing slowly and they're *constantly* listing low carb products in their menus. It's a recurring trend, and not one just noticed on one or two boards - but on all of the low carb boards I've frequented over the last 15+ months.

Personally I think if you want to add those things in after induction - have at it and see if it works for you. But going with a strict Chapter 11 induction will produce the best possible results you can get and give you the most accurate picture of what your level of metabolic resistance is. It has us stick primarily to whole, natural foods. It begins to teach us how to rely on *real* foods to feed our bodies. It squashes our sweet tooth if we let it. It can begin to break a lot of the habits and dependancies we have on food. It can show us what we're made of and what we're capable of if we put our hearts and heads into it full bore. It's the first step in a life long journey to healthy eating habits, and yeah, I think that's pretty worthy of reverence - because it WORKS. Besides, it's two lousy weeks. ONLY two weeks.

You're going to have to decide what it is you want to do and how you want to accomplish your goal. Are you looking to change your habits or are you looking to find substitutes for the very things that caused you a problem right off the bat? Again, it really depends on what your ultimate goals are. Are you looking to change your eating habits for life and learn to live off of whole, natural foods? If your answer is to change eating habits for life, a clean, Chapter 11 induction will serve you very, very well. And that's my $.02.

Posted by atkinsgirl, August 22, 2003

I have to say I had a few and paid for it. I fell of the Atkins wagon andwent crazy for a few days. I htink it is better to avoid these products until you are well established with your weight loss and nearing your goal.

Posted by Skank, August 26, 2003

Everything had it's place, I've figured out how to use the bars to my
ADVANTAGE.

For me & I think most of us, my weight loss is not linear, my cycle is that I stay at the same weight for 7-10 days & then have 2-3 losing days where I drop 2-4 pounds, then come up about a half pound & then sit at the same weight again for another 7-10 days before I lose again.

My biggest problem with this WOE is not constipation per se, I eat the psyllum husks etc & have daily movements but I start to feel clogged up. This is where the bars come in. Eat a couple of those, one in the morning & one at night & boy the next morning you will become completely unclogged.

Yes I never seem to lose weight on bar days, but I use them like 5-6days into my holding pattern for a treat & cleansing & then stop & w/i 2-3 days the old 2 day woosh factor sets in.

I'm fine tuning this stuff all the time, anybody else have same experience as myself?

Posted by RedDirtWoman, September 30, 2003

Oh no. I'm feeling pretty betrayed right now.

I just spent about $40 on shakes and snack bars and breakfast bars. I like the taste and I hate to cook, and they've been pretty great for a quick meal on the go, or a snack at work.

Eating them did not throw me out of ketosis completely, though I noticed I was off somewhat. I've also been wondering why I haven't lost more weight during induction. This explains a alot. Every tiime I ate one I would think "This is too good to be true" -- and of course, it was. (((((sigh)))))

Posted by zelda26, October 5, 2003

Hi all.. My name is Emilie and I am just starting Atkins again.. I did it earliler in the year and lost 20 lbs, but then had some unrelated health problems and fell off the wagon..

I know that for myself.. the bars did not really make that much of a difference.. it did not slow down my loss at all.. I am not a breakfast person so in the morning i have a atkins shake for breakfast, then I eat lunch, a afternoon snack of celery or something like that a sensible dinner and i use the bars for my nighttime snack..

Posted by MidnightJulliett, December 1, 2003

I agree with most of you about the advantage bars, and all your key points. My experience as a newbie with the bars is, yes they can stall me. They have. I found that those Atkins crisp wafer snacks and peanut butter cups stalled me for about four days. As soon as I stopped eating them I began to lose weight again. Although I have found some small peanut butter cups by Russel Stover (.5 carbs each) and a delicious little chocolate bar that is sold at Wal-Mart (3 net carbs) I wish I could remember the name. that have not halted me at all. As long as I eat them in SERIOUS moderation. One peanut butter cup after supper for instance. They are better then going out and eating real candy, and they do satisfy that sometimes IRRESISTABLE urge. But like another user said, they can kick off thoughts of munching on real sweets, so use caution. I think its totally different for everyone. But I must mention, watch those other brand low carb bars! I brought home one, and reading the label a second time, saw it had two grams of sugar! Be very careful with non-Atkins products. They don't always state the "net carbs". Some of them say "Zero sugar carbs", which throws me off a bit. I just don't trust it.

Another thing is Aspartame sweetner. I didn't realize diet caffeine free pepsi was sweetened with Aspartame, and that was part of my stall. As soon as I stopped drinking it and replaced it with more water things went back to normal.

The best thing to do as far as sweets go, I would say avoid any completely during induction. They can aggravate your cravings a bit. If you must, and if you can, eat them in great moderation. I've found keeping adequate food in my tummy, and snacking on cheese, eggs, celery and cream cheese, and even a few strips of bacon between meals keeps food off my mind. And drinking a lot of water.