Atkins Advantage High Protein Bars/Shakes

[amberpenny]

Just curious what ppl think of these bars & Shakes. Taste wise? Cost wise?
& are they induction friendly? Have never used them before, so I am alittle leary....Want to know what all of you's have to say...ThX

[not2late]

Re: Atkins Advantage High Protein Bars/Shakes

It's been the collective experience of this Board, that those bars, shakes, etc. have a tendency to slow down or completely stop weight loss for some folks. Since the first 14 Days of Induction are very important in determining how the rest of your Atkins shall proceed, we don't recommend them or anything else that can potentially interfere with your weight loss.

The choice is ultimately yours. So if you do choose to use them, please be aware of any potential adverse effects to your weight loss.

[julirama723]

Re: Atkins Advantage High Protein Bars/Shakes

It's a volatile issue sometimes, and here is my opinion (based on DANDR rules)...

The bars and shakes are NOT legal for induction for a couple of reasons:
1. They contain ingredients not legal until higher rungs of OWL, mainly milk, nut, and soy ingredients.
2. They are more than the "net carb" number listed on the package, since many people digest sugar alcohols like regular carbs, simply subtract fiber from total carbs to get the REAL net carb count. (During induction, we are allowed to eat up to 20g/carbs per day, half of which come from veggies.)

As far as price and taste go, there are many other options that are cheaper, healthier and tastier!

Many people eat the bars thinking they're a good snack. String cheese, boiled eggs, veggies and dip, (and for higher rungs, nuts, seeds, berries, etc.) are a better snack choice because they are whole foods and are NOT filled with a bunch of chemically-engineered ingredients, like the bars are.

Strenuous exercisers sometimes look to the bars for protein. A better protein snack/replacement would be hardboiled eggs, or a smoothie made from silken tofu and heavy cream.

And let's not forget the price! Isn't it over $1/bar? Would you pay $1.50 for a candy bar? That's basically what Atkins bars are. You can have a snack of cheese and pepperoni, or veggies and dip for a fraction of that price.

This doesn't mean that I've never eaten an Atkins bar or shake; I have eaten them, but ONLY once I reached Rung 6, legumes. (Soy is a major ingredient in the bars and shakes.) I ate them while I was hiking. I even tried them during marathon training during long runs (13+ miles) and they did nothing for me. So my opinion is tried and tested, not based on heresay.

In the end the choice is yours, but long story short, there are better things you can spend your money on, and better things you can put in your body.

[amberpenny]

Re: Atkins Advantage High Protein Bars/Shakes

Thanks guys for your words of wisdom

[oneqtpieami]

Re: Atkins Advantage High Protein Bars/Shakes

Hi I see a lot of people on this board against their use even to the extent of accusing the diet industry of just wanting to make money so the "Atkins" products that say good for all levels is just a money grubbing lie.

In DANDR 2002 on page 201 his suggestion for day one of induction includes a controlled carb shake. I don't think that fact should be overlooked by the people preaching "clean induction". If the good Doctor himself recomends a shake on your very first day, as well as the seventh, I would say its not tabboo like it is being presented.

Sorry my first post is kind of defensive but I think the principals should be researched thoroughly before being spoken on.

[not2late]

Re: Atkins Advantage High Protein Bars/Shakes

Here's an exerpt from Dr. Atkins biography about what he really thought about the bars, shakes, etc.

The patients who stayed, however, were extremely loyal to both atkins and his low-carb diet. But they had one major complaint: In a fast-paced world where everything was low in fat or high in carbohydrates or both, it was difficult to find something that they could eat on the run while still remaining on the low-carb program. They had no time to prepare their own snacks. Perhaps something like the low-fat energy bars sold in convenience stores would be great, only low-carb instead.

Atkins hesistated, and for a good reason. One of the things he constantly stressed with his patients was that they should eat foods that were as close to their natural state as possible, and for him, any kind of energy bar was as good as poison since it was clearly a processed food...

But his patients continued to beg him for something---"you sell the vitamins and other supplements, why not energy bars?" they reasoned--and so, with great reluctance, he gave in and developed not only an energy bar but also a low-carb shake that would make it easier for patients to keep to their Atkins programs.

"As long as you only use it for emergencies," he reminded them...

The energy bars and shakes were a necessary evil, there only because he thought his patients were too lazy to prepare the real kind of unprocessed foods that were the mainstay of his diet.

---Excerpted from:
Dr. Robert Atkins: The True Story of The Man Behind the War on Carbohydrates Lisa Rogak. Chamberlian Bros. 2005. Ch. 6

Again, it's been the collective experience of this Board, that those bars, shakes, etc. have a tendency to slow down or completely stop weight loss for some folks. Since the first 14 Days of Induction are very important in determining how the rest of your Atkins shall proceed, we don't recommend them or anything else that can potentially interfere with your weight loss.

If you choose to use these products, just be aware of these potentially adverse effects on weight loss. No one here can guarantee the products will or will not negatively affect you. So, just be aware of the side effects of these products.

[oneqtpieami]

Re: Atkins Advantage High Protein Bars/Shakes

I have never read hi bio but I thought this board was sticking to the DANDR and the fact is that he "recommends" the shakes on his induction menu in DANDR.

If in fact people see that it interferes with their progress I'm sure it is an individual result but I do not think it should be smashed by some peoples results or possible perceptions.

If you are sticking by the book it should be fully followed not selectively, much less cautioned against.



“We count our miseries carefully, and accept our blessings without much thought”

[not2late]

Re: Atkins Advantage High Protein Bars/Shakes

I have never read hi bio but I thought this board was sticking to the DANDR and the fact is that he "recommends" the shakes on his induction menu in DANDR.

If in fact people see that it interferes with their progress I'm sure it is an individual result but I do not think it should be smashed by some peoples results or possible perceptions.

If you are sticking by the book it should be fully followed not selectively, much less cautioned against.



“We count our miseries carefully, and accept our blessings without much thought”

Well, you asked that "the principals should be researched thoroughly before being spoken on." So Dr. Atkin's biography is fair game if one wants to "thoroughly" research the principals behind the diet. Afterall, if we want to know what Dr. Atkins intentions and visions for his Diet was, we should look to the ultimate source---Dr. Atkins himself, shouldn't we?

As for "selectively" following the book, Induction Rule #5 says " Eat nothing that is not on the acceptable foods list" and Induction Rule #4 says "Eat absolutely no fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starchy vegetables or dairy products other than cheese, cream or butter. Do not eat nuts or seeds in the first two weeks. Food that combine protein and carbohydrates, such as chickpeas, kidney beans and other legumes are not permitted at this time." As Juli wrote, some of these bars/shakes contain soy (a legume) or peanuts (a legume) or tree nuts. These aren't allowed during Induction phase according to Induction Rule #4.

Again, it's been the collective experience of this Board, that those bars, shakes, etc. have a tendency to slow down or completely stop weight loss for some folks. Since the first 14 Days of Induction are very important in determining how the rest of your Atkins shall proceed, we don't recommend them or anything else that can potentially interfere with your weight loss.

If you choose to use these products, just be aware of these potentially adverse effects on weight loss. No one here can guarantee the products will or will not negatively affect you. So, just be aware of the side effects of these products.

[Jace]

Re: Atkins Advantage High Protein Bars/Shakes

I have never read hi bio but I thought this board was sticking to the DANDR and the fact is that he "recommends" the shakes on his induction menu in DANDR.

If in fact people see that it interferes with their progress I'm sure it is an individual result but I do not think it should be smashed by some peoples results or possible perceptions.

If you are sticking by the book it should be fully followed not selectively, much less cautioned against.



“We count our miseries carefully, and accept our blessings without much thought”

Also keep in mind that the shakes and bars we have now are NOT the same as the ones that Dr. Atkins talked about in his 2002 book. After he died they were reformulated (and have gone through many ingredient changes) and while the bars back in 2002 may have been okay in an induction emergency they certainly are not now. By advising people to avoid them, we actually are sticking quite close to the book.

If one is really committed to losing weight, you need to doff the processed crap and break your addiction to sweets. This is a way of eating to last your life and, as I've said previously, if you can't do it right for 2 weeks the prospect of making a life change is slim to nil.

All the best,

~Far la bella figura!

[easttexasdaisy]

Re: Atkins Advantage High Protein Bars/Shakes

just as a side note about sugar alcohols, if you can eat them without tummy distress you are digesting them, if they upset your tummy then you aren't. either way not a pleasant thought.

[sugarsack]

Re: Atkins Advantage High Protein Bars/Shakes

i have used the bars for an occasional snack.... tried the shake once but tasted very gritty.. yuck