Roni’s Weight Watchen Page(s) - Take 2 (the rebuild)

OK OK OK I have heard you and I shall respond. :~)  I will bring back the my daily point journals. You can stop emailing me now! I have to admit I kind of miss doing them anyway.  Just give me some time.  I need to get through the first week of classes!

This weekend I will be catching up on everything, emails, comments, workout progress and the community. Although I’m busy, my week is going well.  I’m not letting the stress get to me.  I’m working out when I can and bringing good lunches and snacks while at work.  Having a ton of fresh produce and frozen leftovers is really helping.  Preparation is truly key.  It’s hump day and I still have loads of the good stuff to being with me tomorrow, yogurts, grapes, peppers, carrots, apples and strawberries.

Today was my second 12-hour day and I’m spent.  I did have time to post a new tip and I added another picture to the chayote squash post.  I didn’t think the one I used really showed what they looked like.

It’s now off to bed for me. I’ll start back up my daily food journals in a few days.  By this weekend, I’ll have a better idea on how to plan for the rest of the semester and I’ll find my groove.

Labels: journal

I thought you guys might benefit from my freezer trick.  It’s something I came up with while breastfeeding.  I realize that makes no sense so I’ll explain. 

While breastfeeding I would pump and store extra breast milk in the freezer.   I tried all the crazy contraptions they had for storing milk but found they took too much room in the freezer and normally took too long to defrost.  So I came up with “the gift bag trick”.

I found a gift bag that could fit a breast milk bag lying flat on the bottom. I then cut a ½ inch slit on one side of the bag and used it as a dispenser for frozen flat bags of milk.  Think upside down pez dispenser.

This solved three problems for me. 1.) Storage - All the milk was now in one gift bag I could keep on the side of the freezer, 2.)  Quick Defrosting – The bags were flat so just running them under warm water would defrost them in seconds! and 3.)  Milk Management - The upside down nature of the “dispenser” had me placing newer bags on top and removing older bags through the bottom.  It was truly perfect!

So I took this same concept and used it with ground meat.  Normally I buy lean ground beef and turkey in bulk (when possible).  Then I separate the meat into 8 oz bags, flattening them for storage and quick defrosting. Not a bad idea! Huh?

Seriously when I forget to defrost something for dinner this is a lifesaver.  I’ll pull one out and run it under water to defrost and viola! Meat for dinner!

Labels: Tips

Or… I could just be squishing too many things in a 24 hour period.  Possibly?

The older I get the more I don’t like to sacrifice the things I do for myself.  That includes making a healthy meal, working out, spending quality time with the toddler and posting to this blog.  Those 4 things are not negotiable no matter how busy I am.  I did all 4 today.

However, something does have to give so I can’t catch everyone up tonight after posting my new produce pick and dinner idea.  They took everything out of me.  I’m also super behind on email, comments and the community. Please bear with me while I get used to my new schedule. 

• 1 egg and 1 egg white omelet with bacon bits and a slice of ham.  With a side of cantaloupe
• Apple
• Warm Summer Veggie Pasta (frozen leftover)
• Yogurt
• Popcorn
• Grapes
• Sausage and Diced Veggie Skillet
• Mango
• Roni’s ‘Who Needs Ice Cream’ Banana Split!
• Handful of pretzels

Labels: journal

I think I told you that when the husband is away I like to play…. in the kitchen that is. :~) I had an hour, a new exotic squash and some defrosted sausage I grabbed out of the freezer last night.  The toddler, for some really odd reason absolutely LOVES spicy sausage so this dish was a hit with him  For me, I had to immediately pack up the extra 3 servings to stop from picking.  I know what’s for lunch tomorrow!

• 4 turkey sausage links (I used Hot Shady Brook Turkey Sausage)
• Small sweet onion diced
• 1 baking potato diced
• 1 sweet potato diced
• 1 Chayote Squash diced
• About 2 bell peppers diced (I used a green, red and yellow I had left over)
• ½ cup tomato juice

Spray a large skillet (make sure it’s big enough I actually had to transfer this after running out of room in my skillet!) with non stick cooking spray.   Add the onion and sausage. I removed the skin on the sausage and treated it more like ground meat.  It’s sticky but once to add it to the pan you can break it up with a spatula.  

Once the sausage is brown add the diced potatoes first.  They will take the longest to cook.  I covered the skillet for about 10 minutes stirring and scraping the bottom about every 2 minutes (they will stick a bit, we aren’t using any oil).  This cooked the potatoes just enough. 

Add the diced squash and peppers.  Stir and let flavors mix. 

Pour the tomato juice on top and use it as a means to scrape all the good onion and potato flavor off the bottom of the pan.

Serve!

With the sausage I used I’m estimating 4 servings, each about 235 calories, 7 g of fat and just under 5 g of fiber.

Labels: DinnerIdeas

These caught my eye while grocery shopping this weekend.  I never heard of them, had no idea what they were or how to use them so I thought to myself, what a great produce pick!

After a bit of research I discovered they are originally from South America but are now grown in the states and you can pretty much use them like zucchini. 

When I cut into it I discovered mine was a bit firmer and crisper then zucchini.  The texture actually reminded me of Jicama but not quite as sweet.  So I diced it up and used it in my Sausage and Diced Veggie Skillet Recipe.  The texture added a nice crunch. 

I’ve read that you may want to peal it and not eat the seeds.  From my experience (which mind you, is only 1 squash), the skin was fine when cooked and I didn’t even notice a seed.  I’m thinking the one I chose happened to be young.

So onto the best part of this new find, ½ cup is only, get ready for this, 11 calories with 2 g of fiber! What a great veggie to add to recipes to bulk them up!

So if you used this neat squash please let us know your experience and if you haven’t, I recommend giving one a try if you can find them. 

Picture and nutritional info stolen from http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/exotic_vegetables.html

Labels: ProducePicks

long days that is.  I get to campus at 9 AM and my last class doesn’t end until 9 PM.  I have the same day on Wednesday.  I’m hoping I can muster up enough energy to go to the gym tomorrow night. 

I have so much I want to tell you but I can hardly stay away. Keep an eye out this week for a book review and a new produce pick.  I also wanted to tell you about my disastrous weekend and awesome workout progress but it will have to wait.  Here’s my quick food journal for today.  I came home and made that Quick Tortilla Pizza man was it AWESOME!

• Grapes
• Turkey Loaf with some Brown Rice (frozen leftovers)
• Peppers stripes
• Turkey Orzo Cabbage Rolls (frozen leftovers)
• Strawberries
• 8 oz light flavored yogurt
• Carrots
• Quick Tortilla Pizza with fresh tomatoes, baby spinach, red and yellow peppers, 1 oz cheese,  and spices.
• Pretzels

Labels: journal

I’ve been experimenting with a Banana Nut recipe for awhile.  Everything I read says you should mix whole wheat flour with “all purpose”, but I like the challenge of seeing if I can make tasty 100% whole wheat treats.  Well, these finally came out good enough to share. Don’t get me wrong the “bad” batches were pretty good too! The toddler is my ultimate taste tester and any time I can get him to eat a whole grain sugar free treat, I know it’s time to post.   ;~)

• 1 and ¼ cups (150 grams) of whole wheat flour (I weighed it)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 egg whites
• 1 large overripe banana
• ½ cup plain non-fat yogurt
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp molasses
• ¼ cup applesauce
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/8 cup (15 grams) of almonds (I used raw)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Put the almonds in a plastic bag and beat with a rolling pin to chop them up. Set aside.

Mix and double sift the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside

In a medium bowl mash the banana with a fork.  Add the egg whites, yogurt, honey, molasses and applesauce.  Whisk until well blended and a bit “frothy”.

Mix the sifted flour with the banana egg mixture until just incorporated.  Don’t over mix!

Spray a 6 muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Evenly distribute the batter in the muffin tin.  Sprinkle crushed almonds on top. Bake for 18 minutes. 

Mine didn’t rise as much as I would have liked.  I’m not sure why but they came out tasty just the same!  Plus each one is only about 170 calories, 2 g of fat and 4 g of fiber.  If you skip the almond topping, you are looking at only 150 calories, .5 g of fat and 4 g of fiber!

Update:I made a double batch and they came out just as good! If not better in my opinion. As you can see the toddler LOVES them!

Another Update:I made them again. This time only 1/2 tsp's of the baking soda and powder and I measured out the salt. They rose up perfectly!! I have a new picture too but I don't have post right now. (recipe has been updated)

Labels: BreakfastIdeas, SnackIdeas

Labels: notes

Seriously! Let me start at the beginning, the family went to the gym tonight and we started off playing a bit of basket ball.  Let me tell you a 2 year old with a big basketball on a huge court may be one of the cutest things ever especially when he jumps next to the ball instead of dribbling it.   Just too CUTE! 

Sorry I got sidetrack.

Anyway, when we got there I was eying up the rock-climbing wall.  The husband said I should do it..  Honestly, I’ve been eying it up since I joined but who wants to see a 31 year old make a fool of herself trying to climb a wall? Anyway, I haven’t seen anyone over the age of 13 give it a try, ever. So after basketball we put the little guy in childcare and I hit the weights.  Man! I’m really loving the weight training! I pushed myself again and increased my weight on a few machines.

Sorry, sidetracked again, I do have a point to this.  I promise :~)

On our way out the wall was calling me, again.  I thought about it and decided what the hell?!?  You only live once, right?!?  (I’ve been using that line a lot since turning 30).  I know when I was heavier I would have never done it, not in a million years.  I would have been too embarrassed and assumed everyone was watching the chubby girl try to climb a wall.  Then I realized I was making the same excuse for myself this time, but instead of weight, I was using my age. 

So I DID IT and IT WAS AWESOME! I mean seriously fun. And talk about feeling strong and building confidence! I just about made it to the top and you know what, NEXT TIME I will!  Oh Yeah, that’s right, I’m doing it again because I’m a young, hip rockwall climbing MOM!    :~)

I’m so done not doing things because of the way it may look or the way I may look.  I’ve always had a air of confidence about me but a lot of people don’t know I would shy away from things I really would have liked to do but I was ashamed of myself and my body. Once I realized and accepted myself for who I am, chubbiness and all, I was able to succeed on the weight loss front.

Ok, on to more self-analysis this time on the food front.  This may come to a surprise for some of you but I think I’m going to stop counting points.  You guys know I’m a Weight Watchers Flex plan fanatic but I just need a break.  I’m still going to journal just not going count.  I pretty much eat mostly anyway Core (don’t I?) so it’s not really that far of a stretch to stop counting.  We’ll just see how it goes.  It’s not like I can’t pick up counting again if I feel out of control, right?

So here is my new abbreviated food journal.

• 1 egg and 1 egg white omelet with a sprinkle of bacon bits and a slice of light ham. ½ whole wheat english muffin with a smear of raw almond/peanut butter and blueberry fruit spread.
• Sweet Pork Stir-fry with a side of whole grain sesame rice
• Light yogurt
• Carrots
• Ak-Mak Crackers with a wedge of The Laughing Cow Cheese and a few sliced of turkey pepperoni
• Handful of nuts
• Chick-fil-A Garden Chargrilled Salad with a bit of honey mustard dressing.  2 of the toddlers chicken nuggets and a diet lemonade.
• ‘Who Needs Ice Cream’ Banana Split!

It feels so weird not to total the points but I have to admit it took a lot less time! And I’ll need all the time I can get when classes start Monday!

Labels: journal

I originally posted this food find on on February 13th, 2007 but lost it in the crash. I salvaged the post from google cache and finally had time to repost it. The comments alone are worth the reposting. Reading them just crack me up!

OK OK Already! I have gotten more emails about this product then any other and I finally got a chance to try them.  Well let me tell you, they lived up to the great reputation!   I had an oats and chocolate on the way home from the grocery store and it was delicious. Chewy, sweet and really filling!  All that for only 2 points a piece!

I’ll be carrying a new bar in my bag.  :)

43 Original Responses to “Fiber One Chewy Bars”

1. on 14 Feb 2007 at 2:55 am1 stephanie

   so i also loove love lovve these bars. but i found that because they are so high in carbs and sugar they really didnt keep me satisfied. it makes me wonder if its really possible for them to be 35% of your DV fiber.

   i found that whenever i ate them for breakfast with an apple, i was hungrier the entire day and ate more!

   so they are 2 points but i dont suggest eating them on an empty stomach.

   ur site is amazing. i love your tips and calculators and your blog!

2. on 14 Feb 2007 at 10:07 am2 Tammy

   I found these bars about a week ago. They are great! I like to have one as a snack with a cup of hot tea. I bought the oats and peanutbutter ones also but haven’t tried them yet. If they are anywhere near as good as the oats and chocolate version, I won’t be disappointed. :)

3. on 14 Feb 2007 at 11:46 am3 April

   I tried the peanut butter yesterday & they are just as good.

4. on 15 Feb 2007 at 3:39 pm4 Kimberly

   The peanut butter ones are 3 points.

5. on 15 Feb 2007 at 9:21 pm5 roni

   Thanks! I didn’t check all the flavors!

6. on 19 Feb 2007 at 4:26 pm6 Liv

   My husband and I love these, and my toddler thinks they are choc chip rice krispy treats — a great way to get a little guy a lot of fiber.

7. on 21 Feb 2007 at 8:07 pm7 Amy

   I keep figuring the oats and chocolate to be 3 points! Am I wrong?

8. on 21 Feb 2007 at 8:36 pm8 roni

   Amy - I think you are right. I must have been feeling a bit generous when I wrote that. They are closer to 2.5 and if you round up like I then 3 is a better bet.

   Thanks!

9. on 24 Feb 2007 at 6:40 pm9 Jeanette

   Oh, these are so good. I was so surprised to find how chocolatey they are. Great to satisfy a choco craving.

10. on 01 Mar 2007 at 10:06 am10 Cyndy

    Has anyone experienced excess bloating and gas after eating the bars? I did not know if the large amount of fiber would cause these side effects. I love the taste ! Just don’t care for the aftermath. Also have I mentioned how much I love this site, thanks for all your hard work you put into it, Roni.

11. on 01 Mar 2007 at 10:48 am11 Jeanette

    I used my WW slide points calculator and it’s 2 points…right in the middle.

12. on 03 Mar 2007 at 5:39 pm12 Jessica

    Cyndy — my sister and I noticed this, too. The bars are great, but in my honest opinion, they are not worth the aftermath… definitely waaay too much fiber!

13. on 05 Mar 2007 at 11:19 am13 Lisa

    I experienced gas with painful cramps after eating one of these bars as well. I don’t think it’s the large amount of fiber in general that’s giving people trouble, it’s the KIND of fiber. I didn’t really look too closely at the label at first. Because FiberOne gets its fiber from wheat and corn bran, I figured the bars would too. But the main ingredient in the bars is chicory root extract, aka inulin. It’s the same thing that’s in Fibersure. I think alot of people have trouble with that one. I’m also a bit concerned over what “Shellac” might be, exactly….and isn’t ethanol something I’m supposed to put in my CAR? These were tasty, but now I’m frightened! :-)

    –Lisa

14. on 05 Mar 2007 at 12:33 pm14 Larissa

    I just saw that our vending machine at work carries these. Now I wish I read some of these posts before I devoured the oats & chocolate bar! It was sooo good… but I have a client coming in to my office in a half hour, so I’m really hoping I don’t get really gassy or anything while he’s here! LOL!

15. on 07 Mar 2007 at 1:18 pm15 Kelley

    I love these..discovered them over the weekend. I bought the chocolate and oats, like eating a candy bar. If you’re worried about the effects of the fiber, eat them at home in the evening. I use them for my dessert. Very satisfying. I just bought the peanut butter ones. They are also very good but I like the chocolate ones better.

16. on 07 Mar 2007 at 10:58 pm16 Dalinda

    I tried these granola bars after reading about them on your website. They are so good!! Unlike most portion controlled snacks, it does not make me crave more sugar. I don’t know if it is the high fiber content or what, but they satisfy me, and don’t leave me craving sweets. They are a life saver for someone who has a terrible sweet tooth like myself…. Thank you so much for the information. I love your website…..

17. on 13 Mar 2007 at 7:50 am17 Mike

    Love the taste and they keep me very full. Unfortunately, they cause so much gas that my wife and I refer to them as Fart Bars. Some of this gas is very painful. My wife who is not prone to gas, even on her regular (extreme) high fiber diet, has excessive and uncomfortable gas. Be careful, especially if you have one before work!

18. on 18 Mar 2007 at 10:54 am18 Christina

    I agree with the gas problem with these bars. I just about ran the family out of the house. It was truly embarrasing!! The bars are delicious but make sure you are alone after eating one.

19. on 19 Mar 2007 at 8:52 am19 Clara

    I agree with these being SO yummy, but the description of these being “Fart Bars” is so true! I didn’t get the pain or bloating, but oh my was I gassy. They are so worth it, so I think I’ll just stick to them on the weekends and evenings.

20. on 23 Mar 2007 at 2:44 pm20 Michelle

    oh my goodness i could not figure out what was wrong with my stomach…..ouch…………they are good though….

21. on 24 Mar 2007 at 6:26 pm21 Carrie

    Ok, well do not eat these bars and go to Busch Gardens. I had horrible stomach things going on and I have now visited every bathroom in Italy, Germany and France. I also was worn out from this all day and we came home early and I am still feeling it. I was beginning to think the green tea I drink at work was doing it - but this was it I guess. They are good, but I am done with ‘em!

22. on 24 Mar 2007 at 9:01 pm22 Debbie

    I am so sad that something this tasty has such awful side effects. I was convinced that there was some kind of hidden sugar alcohol in the bars but maybe it’s the type of fiber. I was not fit for human company after eating these bars! Why oh why!!!!

23. on 25 Mar 2007 at 8:40 am23 Michelle

    I took some gas x after and was fine….I think if you just eat one a day you will be alright….i ate 2 the day i had the pains and 1 the next day and was fine….these are yummy

24. on 27 Mar 2007 at 10:28 am24 Hope

    I read the reviews on these bars out of curiosity. I live in Canada and this product in not available here. I do, however, live fairly close to the Maine border and it is common for us take shopping excursions to the US. It is useful to know what’s available in the US before going so I know what to look for (not a lot of weight Watchers products sold here yet - we do get the bread, cakes and frozen entrees). Anyhow, my point was I laughed my head off reading these reviews! I will definitely get these bars the next time I cross the boarder - if nothing else they will be a great gag to give to my fellow WW co-workers!

25. on 30 Mar 2007 at 12:06 pm25 Jenni

    I found these yesterday while desperately searching for something chocolate that wasn’t going to ruin my points for the day.

    I was SO surprised at how delicious they are! And for only 2 points, how can you resist?

    I’ve tried lots of other granola/cereal/snack bars that are also 2 points and these take the cake!

    I’m looking forward to trying the oats & peanut butter!

26. on 11 Apr 2007 at 3:54 pm26 mar

    beware - these contain high fructose corn syrup

27. on 13 Apr 2007 at 11:34 pm27 Dave

    I have tried both the peanut butter and chocolate chip flavors - and theyboth taste great. I do have a couple of concerns. The main one is with “chicory root extract” as the first ingredient followed by cocolate chips containing “cocoa butter” “milk fat” and “hydrogenated coconut oil”. All of these chocolate chip ingredients are high in saturated fats (and there are a bunch of them in there!). How can the saturated fat content be only 1.5 grams on the chocolate chip version? Something isn’t right here. I’d love to see an independent analysis firm get ahold of these. Stomach cramps from the high inulin fiber (chicory root extract), saturated fat contents not agreeing with stats, and sugar, high maltose corn syrup, and high fructose corn syrup on the label! Wake up General Mills - we are not totally stupid. An old boot would taste good with added sugar and heart-clogging fats. There are much better choices out there. In particular, the Kashi TLC bar line is good (although not sickeningly sweet as the Fiber One) and they have good label stats.

28. on 17 Apr 2007 at 12:47 pm28 Melissa

    If you’re looking to lose weight (which I assume people on WW are), you’ll probably want to avoid this product since it’s got high fructose corn syrup in it. Very unhealthy and contributes to weight gain.

29. on 20 Apr 2007 at 3:48 pm29 Kelly

    I love the taste of these bars too–best tasting ever for me. Yet I too have discovered they cause me to be gassy-crampy. And it’s not the inulin or the fiber, it’s the hidden sugar alcohol–high maltose corn syrup. I tried many of the low carb bars and ice creams when they hit the market a couple years back, and these usually listed sugar alcohol on the label, usually in the form of maltitol. I had bad pains from these products and decided they were not worth the pain to include in my diet. I do love the taste of these bars, and I do eat them sparingly at this point (and when I’m likely to be alone!). I love how much fiber they have but wish they had more protein. Other bars I enjoy are the Odwalla peanut chip and some of the Larabars

30. on 01 May 2007 at 2:56 pm30 Corie

    I just finished my first (& last) box of these. Someone at WW meeting had recommended them. I try to always get 5-8 servings of fruits & veggies a day which includes a lot of beans. Also, I use flax seed every day in my oatmeal or yogurt/berry mix. I NEVER have gas problems. But I thought maybe I wasn’t getting enough fiber, so I tried these. Man, it’s been an uncomfortable five days. I’ve been eating one each morning about 5:30am before I go to the gym to do a group weightlifting class followed by swimming! I can barely make it home before I have to go to the bathroom, and the gas lasts all day. Plus, I’m spending the last part of my workout time just trying not to stink up the place! I just had my thyroid meds changed last week since my dose wasn’t strong enough. I thought maybe that was what was doing this. Then I checked the ingredient box on these things & saw the chicory root extract as first ingredient. I knew that had to be it. I don’t care how good these taste; there are other ways to get the fiber. I, too, was shocked at the ingredient list & couldn’t believe there were no transfats when I saw the “hydrogenated” coconut oil. I thought my pre-workout banana gave me gas!

31. on 03 May 2007 at 1:40 pm31 My life…in a blog! » Product Review(s)

    […] Everyone has been raving about these All Bran bars so I had to try them. Personally, I thought they were kinda blah. They were okay, but after having the Fiber One Bars, these were just okay. […]

32. on 08 May 2007 at 11:05 pm32 125vd4sghg

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33. on 09 May 2007 at 2:53 pm33 Rebecca

    Fiber One Bars taste pretty good, but aren’t very nutritious. I recommend GNU Flavor & Fiber Bars. Each bar is only 130 calories and contains 12 grams of Fiber. That’s 50% the daily value of fiber! They contain no artifical flavors and no saturated fat. Check them out at www.GnuFoods.com. They are available in 4 different flavors. They are delicious..(and won’t cause any stomach problems!)

34. on 09 May 2007 at 4:15 pm34 Marilyn

    I never laughed so hard reading the comments on these bars……but I’m not buying any. I had a lot of the same problems with drinking the fruit 2 0 flavored waters. I do agree with Rebecca….the GNU bars are very good without the added cramps and gas.

35. on 11 May 2007 at 4:37 am35 Karebear

    I had a super busy day today and ate three of these bars. I now feel like dying! This is as awful as when I ingested some bad clams. I have had terrible gas today and the awful stomach pains hit me just as it was time to go to bed. I was up at 2:30am to vomit by the force of my uncontrollable stomach contractions and now an hour later I still feel like death warmed over with an urge to visit the bathroom. Maybe I should just curl up on the bath rug waiting. NEVER eat three of these bars in one day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

36. on 16 May 2007 at 9:14 am36 Molly

    Oh my goodness I am so happy I found this info.. I am 34 weeks pregnant and trying to be healthy and just LOVED the taste of these bars but my stomach got soooo painful after eating them I had to go home from work. Holy Gas and Stomach cramps… I eat a fairly balanced diet and have never had problems with fiber until I tried these!

    I thought I was going crazy by thinking they were causing the stomach pains! I think I will stear clear of Chicory root in future!

    Maybe if I go overdue these can become one of those items that induces labor!!

37. on 24 May 2007 at 10:22 pm37 Day by Day… » Blog Archive » do i need a title?

    […] I read Roni’s post on Fiber One Bars at work today and couldn’t stop laughing! I love eating these bars! I usually eat one for breakfast or one for a snack. I have had some tummy trouble and gassiness, but not as bad as some people have had. The replies were cracking me up! […]

38. on 25 May 2007 at 8:17 am38 Christine

    I bought a box of these and thought they were delicious, but it’s something I would consider as a dessert. Now reading all these responses, I don’t want to eat another one!

    I looked up the NI for the Kashi bars and my favorites - TLC Honey Almond Flax and Trail Mix are also only 2 points - all without any processed junk in it.

39. on 31 May 2007 at 11:06 am39 Mary

    I LOVE THESE BARS! I haven’t had any problems (knock on wood) … although they make my stomach make crazy noises. Maybe just don’t STUFF yourself on them.

40. on 10 Jun 2007 at 2:41 am40 Sheri

    I have never experienced such pain from cramping in my lower intestinal area as I did with these bars. I won’t be eating them any more. At first I thought I pulled a stomach muscle or that my ovaries were swollen. But after realizing it came about 1/2 hour after I ate the bars, it’s not worth it. And eating it at night, I had cramping all night long. I’ll get my fiber elsewhere.

41. on 10 Jun 2007 at 1:17 pm41 TMG

    I’m glad I read this before buying the F-1 Bars. I’m shopping today and just put on my list the Kashi TLC’s. Thanks.

    TMG

42. on 10 Jun 2007 at 10:40 pm42 Heidi

    If you are sharing the FiberOne bars with your children make sure they are 3 years or older. I am a Registered Dietician and Studies show that kids 3 yrs+ need only “their age plus five” to equal the amount of daily fiber needed (exmaple: a 3 yr old needs 8g daily fiber total (3+5=8g)).

    If they get more than the daily recommended fiber, they will have terrible gas and painful bowel movements. My neighbors 5 yr old son learned the hard way when his Mom gave him a bar and some fruit to loosen up his stools and he began crying when his “tummy” began to hurt. He now will only get 1/4 to 1/2 of a bar and it seems to be perfect for him on the days that he eats poorly and needs some fiber in his diet.

    Also, I love these bars, but agree that they are high in fructose corn syrup so if you are trying to lose weight, beware that they may make you crave more sugary foods, which is a vicious cycle.

    Tip: Drink lots of water with these bars and you should be fine = less gas and bloat. Enjoy! :)

43. on 11 Jun 2007 at 2:09 pm43 Voncille

    I just found the FiberOne bars last week and purchased a large box. My husband and I have been keeping our weight low and eating lots of vegetables, fruit, beans and grains. We liked the idea of these bars and have been using them as a dessert. Ever since I started eating the bars I have had a lot of bloating, cramps and gas. My husband who is eating the same bars thinks it is funny that I think the bar is causing the problem but after reading this blog he can have the rest of the box.

Labels: FoodFinds

and feeling better! No ravenous cravings I feel like I can't control. The only problem, at this rate I'm going to go through my frozen lunches twice as fast!

Labels: journal

“Very good!” That’s what the husband said while eating this. Normally he is stingy with the comments. I usually only get a “It’s fine” or “Not bad” so take the “Very good” as picky husband approved. ;~) The toddler also said “good” on serveral occasions during dinner! So consider it a hit!

• 1 lb lean pork loin cut into bite size pieces
• 1/8 cup (2 oz) orange-pineapple juice (either would work, I just happen to have a mix from a single serve we got the toddler)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tbsp oat flour (or other thickener)
• Large bell pepper sliced
• Large zucchini sliced

In a large frying pan cook the pork loin and juice (no oil needed!) over medium-high heat until the pork is just about done (all white outside). Stir occasionally

While the pork is cooking, mix the soy sauce, ginger, onion powder, water and oat flour in a small bowl or coffee mug.

Add the cut up veggies to the pan; pour soy sauce mixture on top. Stir to coat, Lower the heat to medium and cover, allowing the veggies to steam a bit.

Uncover when veggies are desired tenderness. Stir and allow the sauce to thicken a bit. Serve over or along side of rice.

This made 4 nice size servings and you can always add more veggies to bulk it even more. Each serving is approximately 200 calories, 7 g of fat and 2 g of fiber not including the rice.

Labels: DinnerIdeas

I receive a lot of emails asking my advice on losing weight and I always say my best advice is to have faith in your plan, take it day by day and be honest with yourself. 

Honestly is a big part of weight loss. How can we change our bad habits if we don’t even admit we have them?

So here’s my brutally honest moment. Last night we went to Wendy’s for dinner. I was in a rush and had a bazillion things to do so it was a quick way out. I planned to be “good”. Ordering a grilled chicken sandwich with a baked potato and a diet lemonade. Well after leaving the drive thru we realized they put an extra bacon cheeseburger and 5 piece nugget in the bag. It was too late to go back so we just kept them (I know, I know not the honest thing to do). So after eating my nice on plan meal I proceeded to eat the bacon cheeseburger. Why? Because it was there, I knew it would taste good and I haven’t had a bacon cheeseburger in forever. Honestly, that was exactly what went through my head. I only ate about half (ok we are being honest more like two thirds) but still, it wasn’t necessary. I wasn’t hungry after the grilled chicken sandwich. To top it off I also had 2 of the toddlers nuggets.

I’m not particularly upset with myself for this momentary lapse. I ate it, I faced it and I’m moving on. This morning I’ve already had a great breakfast with the toddler. We shared a mango, banana, and whole wheat English muffin.

I think one of the reasons I’ve been having moments like last night is because I’m underestimating how much more I need to eat to account for my new workouts. I’m been weight training every other day and I didn’t really adjust my points. Maybe I’m letting myself get too hungry? So Today I’m planning a little bit more healthy options for myself hoping it will curve the snack attacks I’ve been having.

I’ll report back tonight with my daily journal

Labels: journal

The bottomless pit that is. I did much better with it today but, MAN, between 3pm and now I just wanted to eat again. Thank GOD the husband finished off those darn cookies! ;~)

Labels: journal

This is for all the non-cooks who say they don’t have time to make dinner. 10 minutes 4 ingredients and a healthy meal, how cool is that?! It was a hit with the toddler AND the husband.

I just wanted a big bowl of stuff for the cold rainy day we had. I guess you can call this the first of many fall comfort food ideas.

• 8 oz chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
• 10 oz can of 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
• Large bag of frozen broccoli (my bag was 16oz)
• 4 oz whole wheat noodles (I used Whole Wheat Wide Noodles)
• Non-stick cooking spray

Boil the water and prepare the noodles according to the package.

Spray a medium sized pot with non-stick cooking spray and brown the chicken over medium heat. Add the can of soup and up to a can of water (if you like it a bit thicker cut back on the water a bit). Stir and bring to a bowl. Mix in the bag of frozen broccoli; cover a cook for about a few minutes until broccoli is tender.

Drain noodles. Scoop chicken broccoli mixture over the noodles and serve.

Just doing ‘Roni Crazy math’ I’m getting 8 points a serving for 2 humongous bowl. Let me know if I’m wrong. We actually got 2.5 servings splitting between the husband, the toddler and myself and we were all very satisfied.

Labels: DinnerIdeas

This is a great alternative to traditional egg noodles. It’s not 100% whole wheat but the nutritional info and fiber count make up for it. Each 2 oz serving weighs in at 180 calories, 1 g of fat and 6 g of fiber. You are thinking yeah, that’s no big deal most whole pastas are about 190 calories. Well, let me tel