The FullBar

erdmanThere are about 3,400 Sonic Drive-In restaurants from “coast to coast,” as their web site declares. I’m not sure how they’re distributed between the left and right oceans—and even then I’m not sure exactly where the commercials are seen. So you may or may not recognize Molly Erdman.

She stars alongside Brian Huskey as the convincing husband and wife team selling Sonic products. He’s “not quite there” and she’s been called the “snarky” one. Whether those labels fit or not, one thing’s for sure: the commercials are brilliant. I can’t really put their routine into words, so I recommend watching this one or this one just to get you up to speed. You won’t be disappointed.

So what’s this got to do with “No Help Here” on the diet guy blog? Well, I’ll tell you. I stumbled across Molly’s own blog earlier this year and I got a kick out of seeing what the “Sonic wife” was up to in real life. On October 30, she wrote about a product she saw (on a distinctly non-Sonic commercial) called the FullBar. In her words, the commercial featured “a man who is most certainly a doctor because he is wearing scrubs [explaining] that the FullBar imitates the effect of gastric bypass surgery. […] When you have bypass surgery, all you have is the top part [of your stomach to fill], so you feel full faster. So…why not find away to get that full feeling without surgery? Could it be possible?”

It could, though admittedly she expressed the expected disbelief in the product (as do most people when confronted with yet another weight loss miracle). She wrapped up the post with:

This is basically a modern version of the tip that’s been in holiday issues of women’s magazines since the 1950’s: “Eat a snack at home before going to a Christmas party so that you can publicly look like a dainty flower who merely grazes on celery.”

I commented with, “Thanks for the tip on the FullBar though. I might have to make my own blog post out of that.” I really didn’t mean it one way or another, but a couple weeks later I was contacted by a FullBar marketing firm representative. “I came across your comment on Molly Erdman’s blog and checked-out your site. I know you are skeptical of FullBar, and I understand why, as it seems like another weight-loss trick. […] Your blog is both funny and informative, and if you are interested, we would love to send you a sample of FullBar so you can give it a try for yourself.”

I opted in. The bars arrived and I picked them up just after the New York trip. I opened the box and found four inside. I read the instructions. “Take one FullBar with eight ounces of water thirty minutes before a meal.” They recommend this for your two big meals a day. Hmmm… well, I guess I’m only in possession of two day’s worth of fullness. Not sure if I’ll have statistically significant results, but we’ll give it a shot.

The bars came in the following denominations: two Cranberry Almond, one Cocoa Chip, and one Peanut Butter Crunch:

fullbar1

I decided to have one a day to spread them out over a longer period. My strategy was to eat one of the Cranberry Almost bars first (since I had two of those) and then save the Peanut Butter for the last. (Because, of course, peanut butter is the greatest element in the periodic table. Don’t let anyone tell you Pb stands for lead.) Since the bars resided with me at work, I decided to apply them to my midday meal.

But this is where it occurred to me I might not be the best fit for the FullBar plan. I’m a software developer by day, and my so-called lunch hour starts anywhere from 10:30 am and might go all the way to 4:30 pm. Dinner might be at 5 pm or it might be at midnight. I do not eat regular meals. Guessing when I’m thirty minutes ahead of a meal is a real trick.

The next thing that occurred to me: I (almost always) bring my own meals to work or (very rarely) eat out somewhere. In both cases, I’m already looking at a fixed amount of food. It’s not as if I bring a shipping crate of sandwiches to work and just don’t know when to stop shoveling them down my lunch hole. I get my limited food out, begin eating, and in three minutes it’s over and I’m right back to work. So my hope wasn’t so much in portion control during the feeding, but in fending off hunger afterward.

I opened my first bar. Product enlarged to show texture:

fullbar2

In my head, bars like this are always of the granola type. So when I bit into it I was very surprised at the texture. If I had to equate it to anything, it was not unlike eating Super Sugar Smacks pressed into a rectangle, but with less Smack. Or perhaps it was more like a sweet rice cake. It was definitely not as heavy as it looked. The taste was good. (I’m always worried about tongue-raking food experiences.)

John walked in and said, “What is that? Are you eating a Fubar?” I glanced at the package. “Yeah, it does kind of look like that.” Sean asked, “So someone you don’t know just sent you those? Isn’t that like taking candy from strangers?” Yes. Yes it is. But we all know that’s the best kind.

Did it work? Let’s look at it in three stages.

Stage 1: Right After Eating. Lunch was over in minutes and there was no more food. I may not have felt hungry, because I didn’t immediately purchase a bag of chips from Vend-O-Land.

Stage 2: Later That Day. As I look over my Daily Plate entries for last week, it doesn’t look like I snacked in the afternoons. This could be for several reasons:

  1. I just didn’t. (Yes, it’s been known to happen before.)
  2. I was enjoying a placebo effect from the bar.
  3. Or maybe it really worked.

Stage 3: End of the Week. When I look at the big picture, I notice two things. First, let’s look at the big picture. Here’s a graph for September 1 through today:

fullbar-graph

Thing #1: If you remember, I was starting to feel like I’d plateaued a bit right around Halloween, then vowed to just “maintain” through the holidays. And I did for a while.

Thing #2: But look at last week. I posted a three pound loss. Even Christie noted, “Is it just me or are you losing more weight since you resigned to just maintain? Maybe I should try this…”

Did the FullBars work a miracle on me? In short, no. Our entire feeding cycle is far too complicated to be able to single out just one variable like this. Psychologically, I had Thanksgiving behind me and was already feeling pretty good about things again. I could list many other factors which would only make this over-long post even longer. And although “correlation does not imply causation,” the data is compelling, even considering the extremely small sample size of the test.

The Verdict

I highly recommend this product. Why? Well, those who know me well already know I highly recommend nearly every product I come across. Why? Because these things are tools, and there’s always going to be the right tool for the right job. You yourself may try these and not notice a change at all. You may try them and find they’re the miracle you’ve been searching for all your dieting life. And that’s my point: I don’t know. So as long as something isn’t outright dangerous, I’m always going to recommend you give it a shot if you’re still looking for the tool that suits you best.

After all, a guy wearing scrubs would never lead you wrong, would he? Oh, and if Sonic wants to send me some food to see if it helps me lose weight, I won’t say no to that either.



26 Responses to “The FullBar”

Shelley said
on
December 11, 2008 at 5:53 am

What’s the calorie/fiber/protein count in a Fullbar? I wish you had more than four bars for your experiment to see if they really worked (I’m pretty skeptical as well).

Congratulations on the 3 pounds lost!

Mara said
on
December 11, 2008 at 6:34 am

I just saw that commercial for the first time, and I was skeptical as well. Interesting that they only sent you 4….

Charlie said
on
December 11, 2008 at 6:39 am

They’re about 170 calories, 30g carbs, 10g sugar, 5g fiber, 6g protein. So, not a whole lot to them.

Rachael said
on
December 11, 2008 at 7:50 am

They have 170 Calories most of which are carbs, and you are supposed to eat 2 a day!? That’s first of all adding an unnecessary 340 Calories to your day – every day! And secondly, that is throwing off the carb/protein/fat balance completely.

In other words, I will not be trying Fullbar.

Also, the guy in the commercial kinda weirds me out.

Tom Rooney said
on
December 11, 2008 at 8:01 am

I’m not sure of the Fullbar, but the Sonic drive-in sounds like a place of gastronomic heaven. Sausage biscuit dippers, steak & rings, extra log chili cheese Coney, you could almost die for it (or from it).

Helen said
on
December 11, 2008 at 8:05 am

Why not just eat a Fiber One Bar which has 140 calories, 3 g fat, 29 g carbs, 9 g fiber and 2 g protein? They are sold everywhere and if you live near a BJ’s or Sam’s or Costco you can get them really cheap. I agree with your co-worker, I think the Fullbar is Fubar-ed.

Megan said
on
December 11, 2008 at 8:54 am

I have never heard of these, but wonder if they would help me with blood sugar issues. Very intrigued with them!

Tony Cannon said
on
December 11, 2008 at 8:59 am

We went to Sonic on vacation, and it was an instant love afair. Tater tots showing up in your car window….genius?

They have just built the first one in our area, I may have to end up there accidently.

As for those bars, they seem like many of the lower carb bars I have had. Now if they can make it taste like Sonic creamslush, I’m in!

Charlie said
on
December 11, 2008 at 10:11 am

Rachael: I think someone already on a good 1800-2500 calorie/day diet isn’t going to need these. Because, as you said, that’s an extra 340 calories right there. However, these are an alternative to gastric bypass surgery, which means they’re not really intended for someone looking to lose that last 5-10 pounds. If you’re trying to lose 100, 200, or more, and have serious uncontrollable eating problems, this might be a good (last) thing to try before surgery. In this case the “extra” 340 calories just may stop you from eating an extra 1,000. I’m pretty sure that’s the real goal.

Helen: My guess is that these are formulated to actually expand and that’s how they take the place of a bypass, so it’s not just a calorie thing and (probably) why a normal “bar” isn’t the same thing. But I’m not sure. If a Fullbar rep is lurking, s/he can “fill” us in. 🙂

Biz said
on
December 11, 2008 at 11:29 am

Charlie, I want to know if these make you gassy!

I’m with Tony, we may just “accidentally” drive to Algonquin to pick up a frito/chili wrap. Yep, no joke!

Okay, now my mouth is watering!

Amy said
on
December 11, 2008 at 11:58 am

When I saw the infomercial, I looked it up on the internet & was actually surprised by the bars’ ingredients. They were actual food! Full of fiber, basically. They are hella expensive, but I’m not surprised that they work.

Jennifer said
on
December 11, 2008 at 11:58 am

I saw that commercial for the first time over the weekend. I think someone else had mentioned before, maybe eating an apple before a meal and see what happens? Its probably going to work the same way. But on the other hand, if you think its like eating a candy bar, who doesn’t want to eat one of those! I’m just trying to stay away from all the food at work! Too many chocolate covered pretzels, cashews, cookies, etc!!

Genesis Kobos said
on
December 11, 2008 at 12:27 pm

Helen –

I work in marketing for FullBar and I did just happen to be lurking! To answer your question, FullBar is not really designed specifically for people who are WLS candidates. Mostly it’s a tool for the rest of the population – people who have 10, 20 or 50 pounds to lose. There was a comment that hit the nail on the head – yes, two bars makes 340 calories, but you can’t compare that against nothing – you should compare that against the food that you would have eaten had you not eaten a FullBar. FullBar is a hunger-management tool, and Charlie is right – it’s specially formulated to make you feel full. Hope this helps — and thanks for all of your feedback!

Maggie said
on
December 11, 2008 at 3:44 pm

Congrats on the 3 pounds.

They should make a variety of “Foo Bars” for programmers.

Okay, I’m a nerd.

MaryB said
on
December 11, 2008 at 5:03 pm

I love Sonic commercials, even though there isn’t one anywhere near us! When we visit my parents in Florida, it’s the first stop on the way from the airport. Then we send pics of our food to everyone who didn’t make the trip with us! Torturing others with pics of deliciousness makes it taste even better right??
I like the idea of the FullBars…kind of like swallowing a sponge and drinking a gallon of water, but better tasting (one would hope so anyway!)

Nick said
on
December 11, 2008 at 11:14 pm

That’s pretty interesting. I think you should definitely consider a more rigorous experiment, perhaps fullbar would even sponsor you. There’s no doubt peanut butter is the greatest element, how was it in fullbar form?

Charlie said
on
December 12, 2008 at 6:37 am

Biz: No.

Amy: Yep, they appear to be made out of food. And, oddly enough, I didn’t check the price. I just figured they were free. 😉

Jennifier: I’m not sure the apple or candy bar is the same, due to the expansion factor. I should have dropped one in a glass of water to see what it did. Maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t.

Maggie: Nerds welcome here.

Nick: It was good. I wouldn’t call it a spectacular peanut butter snack, because that’s not its purpose. But as far as a “sponge delivery mechanism” it was good.

Moly said
on
December 12, 2008 at 10:15 am

Hi Charlie! Good stuff. This my first visit to your blog but I will be back.

Also, I just got the package from my agent…it took a while for me to pick it up from her because her office is out in Santa Monica, so I apologize for the delay. Looking forward to reading.

Fubar.

Mollllllly said
on
December 12, 2008 at 10:15 am

Wow. I can’t even type my own name.

Stephanie said
on
December 12, 2008 at 10:16 am

Okay, I’m wiping the tears off my face cuz I’m gaffawing so much through out this read.

First we have Sonic’s here and I thought I’d see all the commerials, but I hadn’t seen “the moustache” one. Because that one hits home on SOOO many levels… I burst out laughing. (You have NO idea how many times my very own hubby has been backed into that nasty no-win corner)

Second burst of laughter came from John calling it a FUBAR. I’m easily amused today…

Last gaffaw came when MaryB replied: I like the idea of the FullBars…kind of like swallowing a sponge and drinking a gallon of water, but better tasting (one would hope so anyway!)

Damn I wish the bars were gluten-free, so that I could yet again be suckered into buying them! 😀

maggieapril said
on
December 13, 2008 at 6:42 am

“…peanut butter is the greatest element in the periodic table. Don’t let anyone tell you Pb stands for lead.”

That made me laugh out loud! I love PB!!

My friends are addicted to the chili frito pie thing. For me, it’s all about the milkshakes. Fortunately, the nearest one is an hour away.

Mel said
on
February 11, 2009 at 11:56 am

Thank you for the info. I am considering trying these out. Haven’t been able to stick to WW so thought I could use these in conjunction with it since the bars are only 3 points each. Always seem hungry shortly after eating, and then end up over eating later. If this is a tool that actually works for me, I have friends I could recommend it to. Wonder about their AquaFull? Okay–ready for you to try that and write another humorous review that keeps the reader entertained! Thank you!

Charlie said
on
February 11, 2009 at 12:40 pm

Mel: Actually, they’ve already sent me AquaFull samples. I haven’t gotten to them yet but will do so soon.

shirley said
on
May 30, 2009 at 7:16 pm

I am on the full bar diet and love it.. it makes me eat less and i stay full for a very long time and i am going to stick with it till i reach my goal. .. and they are very tasty i have only tried the chocolate and peanut butter so far but i like them… in 11 days i’ve have lost 8 pounds already. 🙂

M. Merritt said
on
September 28, 2009 at 6:07 pm

have you tried the aquafull? My son recommended it to my husband. He seems to like it, and it eliminates the calorie intake concern. I am just a little concerned about what happens after you lose 100 lbs. and your stomach is still it’s original size? Very interested in your thoughts. Thanks, M.

Eric said
on
December 9, 2009 at 9:52 am

by the way i was looking at that commerical called full bar.. its just another company that picks a name with out doing reasearch on it.

fullbar is fobar LOL

other meaning its broken, not working.

[Ed note: Definition of fubar removed. I think we already knew what it meant. 🙂 ]

Once again I had a good laugh at companies that pick a name with out doing some research.

LOL
Eric