Do Underway and Smart for Life Products Work?

I just had a baby, and while I instantly lost all but about 8 pounds of baby weight, my biggest challenge is fighting off the urge to gain much of it back.  I LOVE eating sugar.  I'm not interested in a product that contains "herbal speed" or that makes me feel funny.  I really just want something that is good for me and makes me feel full when I should.

I tried a selection of underWAY and Smart for Life products this past week as part of a blog tour by MomCentral.  I didn't absolutely love all the products, but there were a few that I really think I would spend my own money on -- they were that good.  Here's a rundown of what we like (and didn't) about this line of options for those seeking to lose or maintain weight.


The underWAY drinks were by far the best.  They reminded me of some protein water drinks I've tried in the store.  They are fruity (but not too sweet), and contain 2 servings per bottle.  Enriched with what they call HeroFiber (1/3 of your day's daily fiber), each bottle is designed to help fill you up while you stay hydrated -- with only 20 calories!  I found these so easy to drink, and I could tell that I wasn't as hungry as I usually am between snacks and meals (note: I am nursing my son, so while I probably eat more calories than the average woman, my goal is to not nosh on unhealthy snacks throughout the day.  These drinks seemed to help prevent sudden urges to dig into the candy drawer.)  With no preservatives or artificial flavors, and being sodium and caffeine free, I liked both the Acai Pomegranate and the Grape flavors equally.  Keep them in the fridge for the best flavor.

The Smart for Life products were fun to try, as well.  There was an assortment of muffins, cookies, bagel chips, soup, and cereal that were designed to keep you eating up to 6 times a day while getting LOTS of good fiber (and the ingredients are mostly organic).  Similar to the popular "cookie diet" you could eat 6 cookies (or muffins) a day while in the most aggressive phase of this eating plan.  Since I require at least 1800 calories a day for my baby nursing needs, I used the cookies and muffins as a replacement for some of my not-so-healthy snacks.  I found that I was very satisfied after eating one, and didn't crave other sweets (these were already very sweet on their own!)  My favorite is the carrot muffin -- they were like a tiny carrot cake.  A little dry right out of the package, the directions recommend that you microwave it for a few seconds for the best flavor, and I agree.  With 10 seconds in the micro, they came out soft, warm, and the frosting very gooey.  These were delish!

The other types of cookies and muffins weren't bad.  They reminded me of a meal replacement bar (which I like), but with no horrible aftertaste.  I don't know if I could eat 6 of these products in a day (I get very tired of the same thing), but if you are determined to use a product like this, I would recommend them.  They are much better than some boring and flavorless products on the market, and if you have fallen victim to a sweet tooth, they may be your way out!

All in all, my opinion of these two brands was very favorable.  I'm not a big believer in fad diets, so I read the labels on the products very carefully 1) to ensure that I wasn't eating anything too foreign and 2) to be sure that it wouldn't interfere with my other dietary needs

If you've tired of crash diets, and understand that not eating is not an option for losing weight, you'll probably like the eating plans presented by these products.  You get to eat, it tastes rather good, and you'll not feel deprived during the time you're on the plan.

Wanna Save?  Get a 10% discount when you code MCUS10OFFUW for underWAY products at www.under-WAY.com and code MCUS10OFFSFL at www.smartforlife.com. Offer valid until August 30, 2010.

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of underWAY and Smart for Life and received samples of the products to review.


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