Should I be using protein bars??

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  • guardup
    guardup Posts: 230
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    Have to side with the minority here... I love my Cliff Builder Bars. And yeah, they are high in sugar. But I lift hard... and sugar is actually *necessary* for a post workout with heavy lifting - to replace your glycogen in your muscles and aid in recovery. This is important because I need to hit that same muscle group 3 days later. And I don't want to be sore.

    It depends on your workout and your goals. I am in a muscle building routine now... so sugar is not an issue after a workout. Enough protein as fast as possible after a workout IS an issue. So a Cliff Builder combined with 20oz. of water (along with the 20oz. I drank during my workout) and usually followed up with a Skim Milk with Cocoa Powder chaser give me the protein I need. I also have Jarrow Whey Protein shakes - but they taste gross. Failing that, I do Tuna or Salmon in a can. But animal protein is harder for me to digest after a workout so thats only when I am in need of a shopping trip.

    Meghan
  • aproc
    aproc Posts: 1,033 Member
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    Protein bars can be good as long as your reading the labels and picking carefully.. I Eat a bar before my workouts 3 days out of the week and my go to bars are Pure protein bars. They have 0 grams of sugar and around 20 grams of protein. The chocolate peanutbutter has been my favorite so far. The caramel peanut and smores bars are good too. :) They have quite a few good flavors.
  • camillejaneims
    camillejaneims Posts: 7
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    You answered my question if eating too much protein is bad ~ new to MFP and I go over protein goal everyday... UGH

    Thanks:flowerforyou:
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
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    We keep the Pure Protein bars around too.. we don't eat them everyday, but good in a pinch! Detour also makes a low sugar bar that has gooey caramel!
  • Tubbyangel
    Tubbyangel Posts: 25
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    Thank you all for your advice. It's seem protein bars are something to use sparingly but shakes are better. To be honest I'm not sure what to do as I dont see myself as a shake girl. I have a work "friend" who is 100% to health and fitness and has her own website and just passed her kettlebell instructor course and well she usually has one to hand, to me they seem to be for super fit people dedicated to building muscle.

    I think I will try a banana or something on my walk home from the gym. I think I would just look like a fat girl slurping on a slimfast!!!! Lol
  • dmaster555
    dmaster555 Posts: 73
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    Be careful with the amount of protein you take in. Many dieters have the wrong idea about protein and think it's good for them because it makes them feel full longer or it will make them leaner , etc (and the companies who make these bars are aware of this, so they make a fortune selling you "protein *enter product name here*) . As with carbs and fat, too much of protein is turned into fat. It is also very hard on the kidneys to filter this extra protein. Only 10-20% percent of your calories should come from protein.

    The average person needs about 0.8 grams of protein for each kilogram of body weight (one pound is 2.2 kilograms). Recreational exercisers need about 1.0-1.2 grams of protein/kg.Endurance athletes need 1.2- 1.4 g/kg. And resistance-training athletes need 1.4-1.8 grams of protein per kilogram.

    I'm not saying you are one of these people, but I'm tired of people who are desperate to lose weight always being so quick to believe in these myths and are only hurting themselves.

    Yes, I am saying that protein is overrated. And to answer your question, if you are taking enough protein already, NO, you do not need protein bars. Even if you are trying to get lean.

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