I have been having one of these 4 or 5 times a week and wondering what your opnions are. I really ahve liked the Pure Protein ones. I use them as a snack/meal between breackfast and lunch.

Also I heard from someone that you shouldn't use protein while losing weight does anybody have anything to say about that?

P.S. Sorry I didn't find an answer with the search.

Most protein bars are glorified candy bars with limited protein anyway. Look for the sugar content. There are a few limited exceptions.


What do you mean by "use protein"? Like meat, etc...or like a protein powder?

I personally find my best results with a high protein, moderate to high fat, moderate to low carb diet when I'm cutting.

Protein is more metabolically expensive for the body to digest, so making it a bigger part of the diet can increase metabolism a bit, plus it allows you to maintain muscle a bit easier while in a caloric deficit, especially when combined with weight training.

So getting more protein isn't bad, whether it be from whole foods or in a supplement.

I have been having one of these 4 or 5 times a week and wondering what your opnions are. I really ahve liked the Pure Protein ones. I use them as a snack/meal between breackfast and lunch.

Also I heard from someone that you shouldn't use protein while losing weight does anybody have anything to say about that?

P.S. Sorry I didn't find an answer with the search.

Protein works well in weight loss. The bars are a last resort thing. We don't call them snacks but mini-meals. Review all the other choices you might make for that second meal of the day by looking at what others do.

Here is an example

7:30 eat oatmeal
10:00 protein bar
1:00pm lunch deli chicken sandwhich and spinach leaf salad
sometimes I don't eat again untill dinner

I have thought about using a protein shake in place of the bars. Drink one inbetween breakfast and lunch and one between lunch and dinner and then one before I as a late night snack. How does that sound?

These threads always get on my nerves. I actually am with Mannish 90% of the time, but disagree completely here.

Yes, protein bars are not ideal. But as I say time and time again, we can't all be perfect. Besides, the kinds I buy I really enjoy as they taste awesome. I eat 1 or 2 protein bars per day and continue to lose fat just fine. One kind I eat has a mere 4g of sugar per bar. The others are more sugary, but big deal. A little sugar in one meal doesn't ruin everything. And while they don't boast 40+ grams of protein, they all have 20-30g, which I think is pretty good for a 200-300 calorie "snack".

Anyway, in answer to your question, I think protein bars can be a great, inexpensive, smaller meal.

These threads always get on my nerves. I actually am with Mannish 90% of the time, but disagree completely here.

Yes, protein bars are not ideal. But as I say time and time again, we can't all be perfect. Besides, the kinds I buy I really enjoy as they taste awesome. I eat 1 or 2 protein bars per day and continue to lose fat just fine. One kind I eat has a mere 4g of sugar per bar. The others are more sugary, but big deal. A little sugar in one meal doesn't ruin everything. And while they don't boast 40+ grams of protein, they all have 20-30g, which I think is pretty good for a 200-300 calorie "snack".

Anyway, in answer to your question, I think protein bars can be a great, inexpensive, smaller meal.


I agree in general. I used to eat quite a few of them. They can be a good start, but I eventually found them not to be as effective to me as other things I can pack with me.

I didn't say there were NO good ones, but MOST of them do have quite a bit of sugar. Sometimes it's in the form of cane syrup or other things not called sugar, but it's pretty much the same thing.

There are definitely exceptions. I had a Greens+ high protein bar the other day that wasn't too bad, and had pretty decent amounts of protein (of good grade whey), green foods, some healthy fat, and some lower GI carbs.

They're a convenience food. If you need that, great. I just find that most of the ones the average new posters are asking about don't look great nutritionally.

If I'm looking for a snack, I generally go for jerky and nuts or jerky and fruit. Others might not like this for their diets due to the high sodium, but it doesn't bother me with all the liquids I drink.

Also, everybody's strategy evolves differently. There are different ways to reach the end goals, some more effective than others for particular individuals. So what works for you might not for me, and vice versa.

I'll stick by the fact that most "protein" bars don't have a lot of high grade protein (most have a lot of soy for instance instead of more expensive whey), have high sugar levels, and lots of other processed stuff. So most aren't optimal.

Acceptable in a mix of an otherwise healthy diet? Possibly.

I have been having one of these 4 or 5 times a week and wondering what your opnions are. I really ahve liked the Pure Protein ones. I use them as a snack/meal between breackfast and lunch.

Also I heard from someone that you shouldn't use protein while losing weight does anybody have anything to say about that?

P.S. Sorry I didn't find an answer with the search.

You can absolutely lose weight consuming protein. Nothing wrong with it at all.

As far as protein bars, I'm split on them. If you don't have access to anything else, they are fine. They are somewhat high in sugar, but consuming one per day isn't going to wreck a diet. They are what...250 calories? It's better to eat one than to go into a catabolic state.

Instead of having 4-5 a week, try to limit it to 2 a week and for the other days, try these:

fat free tuna salad with a couple of crackers
fat free cheese and crackers
cottage cheese and yogurt or cut up fruit
string cheese and almonds

I've stocked up on the little packets of mustard and if I'm in a real hurry, I just grab a package of sliced meat from the fridge (I buy two pounds of deli turkey every week or so and then put them into individual storage bags and put them into the fridge) and toss a slice or two of whole wheat bread and a packet of mustard into the bag with the meat. Two hours later, I have an instant sandwich with about 24g of protein. Much better than a protein bar.

<3 detour <3

Most protein bars are glorified candy bars with limited protein anyway. Look for the sugar content. There are a few limited exceptions.

I like Advantage bars, like this one (http://www.atkins.com/products/peanut-butter-granola-bar/product_nutritional_popup). Low sugar, lots of protein, etc. I do eat one a day, but I'm trying to wean myself down.

I also have a Pure Protein once or twice a week. A couple of the original Lean Body bars had next to no sugar, too, but I haven't been able to locate them recently. :/

Early note: I do not intend to sound like a dick. Merely expressing my views on the topic. You happen to be one of my favorite posters here, we just happen to disagree here. And that's fine.

I agree in general. I used to eat quite a few of them. They can be a good start, but I eventually found them not to be as effective to me as other things I can pack with me.

I absolutely agree they are not as effective as other things. This is where the "not all of us can be perfect" comes in. 80% of what I eat throughout the day isn't the absolute best choice I could make, but I also don't wish to eat oatmeal, grilled chicken, nuts and broccoli all day, every day throughout the year. If I'm going to stray from "perfection", I find protein bars to be a fine way to satisfy me between meals.

I didn't say there were NO good ones, but MOST of them do have quite a bit of sugar. Sometimes it's in the form of cane syrup or other things not called sugar, but it's pretty much the same thing.

"Most protein bars are glorified candy bars with limited protein anyway."

If this won't scare a new poster away from them, I don't know what will. Only problem is, it's not really true.

I read this by some member every time someone asks about protein bars. See my response to this thread in regard to members' here general reaction to protein bars: http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showpost.php?p=480612&postcount=21

I know there's sugar in many of them. That's fine. The fear of sugar here is overrated quite a bit. One of the protein bars I eat which is very popular and touted as "garbage" around here has like 15g in a bar. Is that really going to stop me from getting cut? I hate to sound arrogant, but look at my avatar and let me know...

There are definitely exceptions. I had a Greens+ high protein bar the other day that wasn't too bad, and had pretty decent amounts of protein (of good grade whey), green foods, some healthy fat, and some lower GI carbs.

Ehh, the second I saw "Greens" and protein bar in the same sentence, I said "no thanks". If I'm going to eat something that's not ideal, I'm going to enjoy it, even if it means 15g of sugar over 5g.

They're a convenience food. If you need that, great. I just find that most of the ones the average new posters are asking about don't look great nutritionally.

They're not "great", but they're not nearly as bad as people make them out to be either. Too many people are led to believe without a perfect diet, success is impossible. Then, our new poster is miserable after a few weeks, says "I can't eat like this forever" and gives up. Now instead of 5 healthy meals and a "glorified candy bar", they're back to pizza and fried chicken.

If I'm looking for a snack, I generally go for jerky and nuts or jerky and fruit. Others might not like this for their diets due to the high sodium, but it doesn't bother me with all the liquids I drink.

I obviously have no qualms with those choices, other than they get very boring and expensive.

Also, everybody's strategy evolves differently. There are different ways to reach the end goals, some more effective than others for particular individuals. So what works for you might not for me, and vice versa.

I agree, and that's why I don't like it when I see someone asking if they can eat protein bars and people jump all over them and say "you might as well eat candy". It's a grossly exaggerated comparison.

I'll stick by the fact that most "protein" bars don't have a lot of high grade protein (most have a lot of soy for instance instead of more expensive whey), have high sugar levels, and lots of other processed stuff. So most aren't optimal.

Acceptable in a mix of an otherwise healthy diet? Possibly.

I wasn't talking optimal. I was merely pointing out I think it's unfair to write off protein bars because you don't care for them. Myself, and many people I know, eat them regularly and manage just fine. OP asked our opinions. You offered yours, but I disagreed and felt obligated to give another perspective since I happen to eat them regularly with success. My roommate's lost 20 lbs in the past 2 months, and sure enough, he eats protein bars almost daily as well.

Obviously I have a different outlook on fitness than many here, and I just like to offer the other side sometimes, so people realize it doesn't require perfection to reach your goals.

The Greens+ bars aren't bad, actually.

And we're just going to disagree on this one. I tried to qualify my statement by saying there are limited exceptions, but they aren't the norm.

IMO, most of these are just marketed as healthy, when they are still highly processed stuff with some low grade protein added.

So back to the original post. Are they "good"? I'd still say most aren't. Are the acceptable? With limited use, they are convenient and better than some other things. The individual has to make their own decision. I just find that there are better options for me than most of the commercial ones. I've made my own at times to pack with me, so there is also that option.

And your perfect diet comments are valid. Everybody can't just flip a switch and do a John Stone type conversion. Many of us progress over time from bad to decent to good to strictly clean. People can have success all along that continum, and some people's goals (or genetics) may not even require going past decent nutrition.

Like I said, I used to eat a lot of these things. When I was sick, I ate them all the time (even during actual treatments when I couldn't stand the smell of real food due to all the chemicals in me). I just found over time as I got more serious down the line that when I replaced them in my diet, I increased my progress.



...and don't worry about us disagreeing. I know it's not personal and don't take it that way.

Here are some of the nutritional facts for some of the bars I have tried. I have really enjoyed all of the ones by Pure Protein and also ones by Met-RX. Let me know what you think.

P.S. Thanks for the great convo and all the help!

Pure Protein S'mores:

Nutrition Facts Amount Per 1 serving Calories 180
Calories from Fat 45 % Daily Value * Total Fat 5g 8% Saturated Fat 3.5g 18% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g Monounsaturated Fat 0g Cholesterol 10mg 3% Sodium 140mg 6% Potassium 0mg 0% Total Carbohydrate 19g 6% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Protein 19g 38% Alcohol 0g Vitamin A15 % Vitamin C10 %Calcium15 % Iron6 %Vitamin D0 % Vitamin E15 %Thiamin15 % Riboflavin15 %Niacin15 % Folate0 %Vitamin B-615 % Vitamin B-1210 %Phosphorus2 % Magnesium0 %Zinc15 % Copper15 %*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Met Rx Chocolate Roasted Peanut

Nutrition Facts Amount Per 1 serving Calories 190
Calories from Fat 45 % Daily Value * Total Fat 5g 8% Saturated Fat 4g 20% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g Monounsaturated Fat 0g Cholesterol 5mg 2% Sodium 160mg 7% Potassium 70mg 2% Total Carbohydrate 19g 6% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Protein 19g 38% Alcohol 0g Vitamin A15 % Vitamin C15 %Calcium20 % Iron6 %Vitamin D0 % Vitamin E15 %Thiamin15 % Riboflavin20 %Niacin15 % Folate0 %Vitamin B-615 % Vitamin B-1215 %Phosphorus10 % Magnesium8 %Zinc15 % Copper15 %*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Pure Protein Blueberry Crumb Cake
Nutrition Facts Amount Per 1 serving Calories 200
Calories from Fat 54 % Daily Value * Total Fat 6g 9% Saturated Fat 4g 20% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g Monounsaturated Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 150mg 6% Potassium 0mg 0% Total Carbohydrate 19g 6% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Protein 18g 36% Alcohol 0g Vitamin A15 % Vitamin C15 %Calcium4 % Iron6 %Vitamin D0 % Vitamin E15 %Thiamin15 % Riboflavin15 %Niacin15 % Folate0 %Vitamin B-615 % Vitamin B-1215 %Phosphorus4 % Magnesium0 %Zinc15 % Copper15 %*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Pure Protein Chewy Chocolate Chip
Nutrition Facts Amount Per 1 serving Calories 190
Calories from Fat 45 % Daily Value * Total Fat 5g 8% Saturated Fat 3g 15% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g Monounsaturated Fat 0g Cholesterol 20mg 7% Sodium 180mg 8% Potassium 0mg 0% Total Carbohydrate 19g 6% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Protein 20g 40% Alcohol 0g Vitamin A20 % Vitamin C20 %Calcium15 % Iron6 %Vitamin D0 % Vitamin E20 %Thiamin20 % Riboflavin20 %Niacin20 % Folate0 %Vitamin B-620 % Vitamin B-1220 %Phosphorus4 % Magnesium0 %Zinc20 % Copper20 %*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Pure Protein Chocolate Bar Deluxe
Nutrition Facts Amount Per 1 serving Calories 170
Calories from Fat 40.5 % Daily Value * Total Fat 4.5g 7% Saturated Fat 3.5g 18% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g Monounsaturated Fat 0g Cholesterol 10mg 3% Sodium 105mg 4% Potassium 0mg 0% Total Carbohydrate 17g 6% Dietary Fiber 2g 8% Protein 20g 40% Alcohol 0g Vitamin A20 % Vitamin C20 %Calcium20 % Iron10 %Vitamin D0 % Vitamin E20 %Thiamin20 % Riboflavin20 %Niacin20 % Folate0 %Vitamin B-620 % Vitamin B-1220 %Phosphorus10 % Magnesium0 %Zinc20 % Copper0 %*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

I also am using Pro-Complex protein powder for me shakes. It has 55g of protein in a shake. Here are the facts for it, i have been recommened to use Muscle Milk would you guys recommened the light or regular?

Nutrition Facts Amount Per 1 serving Calories 260
Calories from Fat 18 % Daily Value * Total Fat 2g 3% Saturated Fat 1g 5% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g Monounsaturated Fat 0g Cholesterol 35mg 12% Sodium 200mg 8% Potassium 480mg 14% Total Carbohydrate 4g 1% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Protein 55g 110% Alcohol 0g Vitamin A50 % Vitamin C100 %Calcium25 % Iron0 %Vitamin D50 % Vitamin E100 %Thiamin0 % Riboflavin60 %Niacin50 % Folate0 %Vitamin B-650 % Vitamin B-1250 %Phosphorus0 % Magnesium0 %Zinc0 % Copper0 %*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Use regular muscle milk, and combine 1 scoop of Pro-Complex with 1 scoop of muscle milk.

you get


~305 calories
44g protein
11g fat
7.5g carbohydrates

a little better than straight muscle milk which has

~350 calories
~32g protein
18g fat !!!
11g carbs if i remember correctly

thanks for the super fast reply but would I be better with just staying with the pro-complex?