Protein. Boring? I Think Not...

Shocking, I know...another post two days after my last one! I've been meaning to do a quick post on protein for a while now, and I'll try to make it as interesting as possible! I wish someone had told me about this sooner...
When I first started this second round at Weight Watcher on February 6, I was confident. I mean, I had lost 20+ pounds when I did it back in 2008. I was FIRED UP! I knew what I could do and I was ready to go. Big girl gonna get her slim on, yeah-ya. However, this time, I started out 7.2 pounds heavier. Ugh. I cringe. I noticed my body was still trying to tell me it was hungry by that annoying little pain you get when you aren't quite full enough. That's when I learned about protein and how it and fiber are what keep you feeling full and satisfied longer. Then I found these:
Special K Protein Bars. They actually have other varieties, this is just the one I happened to eat this morning. Excuse the shiny/dirty desk. So these bars are only 3 Points and come in this flavor, chocolate peanut butter, and also in chocolate and strawberry (sorry, but a strawberry granola bar kinds of makes me dry heave...). PLUS - 10 grams (yes, 10!!!) of protein and 5 grams of fiber make for a very happy me come 11:30 because I'm not starving. Letting yourself get too hungry is what makes you gorge (followed by a miserable bloat) and therefore, eat too much.


My favorite of the meal replacement products is actually the protein shake in chocolate. It is like a Slim Fast shake in that it is a meal replacement, however, these taste WAY better. And again, 3 Points. Yes, you do have to get over the fact that you are drinking a milk product (I guess it's milk...?) that has been sitting on a shelf in the grocery store and not originally refrigerated (PUH-LEASE - of course I refrigerate mine a minimum of 12 hours before I consume. Warm, thick chocolate milk? Uh, no thanks).


Now, on to the oh-so-delightful chocolate peanut snack bar. I am not kidding when I say this thing is almost better than a Snickers. So freaking good. These get snatched up at my grocery store so fast, so when they re-stock, I try to get 2-3 boxes at a time. The good thing about these is, they are perfect for the 3:00 sluggish feeling. 5 grams of protein, some fiber, all YUM! 2 Points.


Lastly, the K20 Protein Water mix. You just dumb the powder from one packet into a bottle of water, shake, and drink! It is a protein boost with some fiber that helps take the edge off of hunger and they really are great! Here's my tip - the powder clumps really bad at first. You have to initially shake it pretty hard for a good 15-20 seconds. Notice the clumps at the bottom. LET IT SIT FOR 5 MINUTES. Then shake it up for another 15-20 seconds and let it sit again for a few minutes. Shake one more time and you should be clump free! Also, it helps if there is a little air at the top of the bottle, so take a quick sip before you put the powder in. My favorite flavors are Strawberry Kiwi and Pink Lemonade, but they also have Lemonade and Tea flavors. Ready for the best part? 0 Points! Yeah...you're running out the door to store right now, aren't you?

You'll find all of these products on the aisle in the store with the Atkins, South Beach, Slim Fast products. At Wal-Mart, they are near the pharmacy section. At Kroger, they are in different places. At Publix they are in the pharmacy section as well. Now go eat your protein so you can grow up to be big (wait...aren't I trying to get AWAY from the word BIG?)and strong.