Product Review: MealEnders (GIVEAWAY)

Overeating.  I used to think this word represented a mythical situation that simply couldn't exist in the real world - back when I was an athlete, playing soccer and lacrosse for anywhere from two to six hours daily, and every calorie I could consume barely registered before it was burned.  Now, I find that overeating has become a very real problem, and is the leading cause in my own personal weight gain.  Once you have set a pattern for upwards of 20 years, it's incredibly hard to break those habits, especially cold turkey.  And extra especially if that's dark-meat turkey.

Then I heard about MealEnders, a unique new product to help manage weight by curbing overeating.  In four flavors, these lozenges have some interesting science at work, and it's not just chemistry.  According to Tami Lyon, RD, MPH, and chief nutritionist for MealEnders:

"MealEnders' behavioral psychology approach is what sets it apart from other weight management products.  Instead of encouraging ‘quick fix’ dieting, deprivation, or including ingredients that trick you into thinking you’re full, MealEnders catalyze behavioral change by retraining the mind to stop eating with the eyes. By engaging the consumer both mentally and physically, the signaling lozenges heighten awareness of natural satiety signals, helping us regulate portion size and master the healthy habit of mindful eating."  

The premise of MealEnders is a two-fold attack on the reasons we overeat.  Each little lozenge has a sweet outer layer that mimics a dessert course, providing the taste sensation that in a regular meal would signal the final plate, and therefore indicate that it is time to stop eating.  Unlike a full dessert course, however, the MealEnders only have two measly grams of sugar per lozenge, and a mere 15 calories.  I must admit, this desserty layer was actually quite delicious!  Especially for the mocha and chocolate mint varieties, I truly felt like there was chocolate melting in my mouth - which reminded me of a disturbingly similar product...

Fortunately, I did NOT turn into a cocoa bean.

After the dessert layer dissolves, the lozenge starts to taste a lot more like a cough drop.  This is where this product did not work for me.  Designed to send particular signals to your brain, the inner core of the lozenge produces what is advertised as a "cooling sensation", that for me simply came across as unpleasant tingling, and in the case of the chocolate mint, the feeling of chemical burns on my inner gums.  I did not experience the same "afterburn" with other flavors.  I'm not sure if this is because I consumed the other flavors more carefully (and avoided chocolate mint like the plague), or if it's actually something in the mint flavor that doesn't react well with my body chemistry.  I did find that each flavor had a similarly unpleasant "tingling" after the soft outer layer, and asked my parents to give the lozenges a try to see if maybe I was making more out of it than was necessary.  Sadly, they had the same experience: delicious outer layer, not big fans of the taste sensations of the inner layer.

I used the lozenges in a variety of ways, and attempted to make a habit of their use despite my dislike of the sensations, hoping that establishing a routine would help me train myself out of the overeating habit.  Sometimes, when I finished a substantial meal but felt I hadn't eaten enough, I'd pop a MealEnder to keep me from going back for seconds.  Other times, I was craving a snack, and instead of rummaging for Nilla Wafers or some other unnecessary treat, I'd reach instead for a lozenge to try to curb that craving from the start.  My experience was constantly the same: the lozenge tasted great at first, which made me crave sweets even more, then the taste turned tingly and bothersome, and in the end - I was still hungry.  I did not have a single experience with a MealEnder that ended with my cravings extinguished, and I often ended up eating shortly after finishing the lozenge to both sate my hunger and to help get the "cooling sensation" out of my mouth.  My parents once again confirmed a similar result, and did not find the MealEnders to be helpful in reducing overeating urges.

Of course, when it's MealEnders vs Pequod's Pizza,

let's face it, MealEnders don't have a chance.

All this said, I must put this disclaimer down: this could easily be genetic.  I come from a family of hearty eaters, and both of my parents have been (and still are) athletes just like I am.  Runger is a very serious beast to overcome, and if we have a predisposition to some particular kind of taste issue (like those old PTC test strips you did in grade school science classes) on top of our athletic appetites, it's possible we're sabotaging the principles of the MealEnder philosophy before we even begin.  There is every likelihood that the next person to try one of these lozenges will have a fantastic experience with them!  For example, a fellow Chicago blogger also had the opportunity to try MealEnders for a review, and had a very different experience - so please take some time to stop by SuzLyfe and read up on a more positive MealEnders review, especially if you're interested in what MealEnders might be able to do for YOU.

Or, you could just try them yourself!  I have four packs - one of each flavor - to give away to my readers!  Use the Rafflecopter below to enter, giveaway runs through March 20th.  Winners will choose their flavors on a first-reply basis.  Must be willing to send me a mailing address and phone number if you win.  GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


AND don't forget to check out the weekly Giveaway Round-up, courtesy of Running with SD Mom and Erica Finds!  Tons of great prizes, all in one place!

Disclaimer: The company provided me with sample products to field-test at no cost to me, but I received no other compensation for this review, and all opinions expressed herein are my own.

Any other tips on curbing overeating?  Do you suffer from runger?  Or better yet, do you ever get hangry?  I just love that word...