I used to eat smart ones meals all the time while I worked full time. I liked the lasagna florentine. For awhile I did that but it starting getting kinda boring. It worked though, until i stopped. Lol
Well the plus would be that you know exactly how many calories you are getting.
Unfortunately that's not true. This article in the NY Times points out what I've seen a lot, that the calories listed are often wrong and most always are higher than listed.
I do agree with the rest of your statement though. The nutritional value is questionable for the most part.
I know you say you don't like cooking but could you make your own frozen meals? If I had my own kitchen and a decent budget, I'd definitely make my own frozen meals. I would also probably keep all the containers from the frozen meals and freeze them in those. That's just me though.
IMO and this is just my opinion, there are definitely healthier ways to go about losing and convenience. I worry about the sodium in packaged foods. If all you ate were prepacked frozen meals, you'd go over your daily sodium intake nearly every day.
I love love LOVE the new Healthy Choice Steamed Entrees! (not the Cafe Steamer ones...bleh!) They seem to be pretty nutritionally legit and a few of the meals have 50% of your daily vegetables.
They are the best frozen meals I have ever had, atleast of the "diet" variety.
I ate one almost every day for lunch, sometimes dinner. I have really upped my veggie intake this year as it was my resolution. I'm still trying to work fruit in, but it seems so time involved. I should just buy some yogurt and frozen fruit to put with it.
Unfortunately that's not true. This article in the NY Times points out that the calories listed are often wrong and most always are higher than listed.
As Popeye would say: "Oh, my garshk!!!" I bet a lot of people who studiously count calories, have no idea the labels can be off by 20%
Just more rationale to avoid processed food ... if we didn't have enough already ...
I keep a couple in the freezer at work for when I forget to make lunch. It would be so easy, cheaper and better for you to make your own though. You'd also get more food for your calories. Eg. 1/2 cup brown rice, 3 oz grilled chicken, 1 cup assorted veggies, 2 TBS teriyaki sauce = less than 350 cals. and you wouldn't have to add anything.
Personally I'd get bored, but this is a far healthier option that pre-packaged food.
I use to eat atleast1 everyday for lunch just because it was easier. I try not to each them as much anymore because of the salt they are also very pricey.
The more sodium you eat the more it retains you're fluid (well that's what my doctor said) and it could slow down you're weight loss. I make sandwiches now for lunch with the bagel thins, soooo good!
Thanks for suggesting the Amy's website. This week I'm planing on using these and other frozen meals for my dinner along w/a salad/veg. and see if it is workable (liveable)..wish she would send out coupons once in awhile tho.
Portion control is one of my weaknesses, so I'm trying to "train" myself by using a lot of the packaged foods. I'll have an oatmeal packet with a piece of fruit for breakfast, a Lean Cuisine for lunch, a light yogurt for a snack, and for dinner I'll try to make something like a chef salad or a sandwich with some frozen veggies. I track my food on Livestrong, and for the first week I've been struggling to get enough calories--I could actually add one more Lean Cuisine meal to my current plan and still be good with calories, so I'm playing around with different fruits and veggies because I'm not sure I want to add more sodium.
Although I love the Lean Cuisines, I'm hoping to eventually stop depending on them....but for now, they seem to work.
Well,here we begin again today..I have two lean cuisines in the freezer,and I'm going to pick up a couple of Amy's frozen veg.meals as well. I know they cost abit more but it might off set the salt issue w/the LC meals. I do need a breakfast tho,since I'm not a breakfast person,I do eat something,because I know it's the best thing to do. I do yogurt,fruit smoothies alot,and cottage cheese w/anything I have on hand. I do have dinner left overs for breakfast too,but since I'm going to be having frozen meals this wk. there won't be any left overs. I've already informed DH there will be no cooking dinner for a wk. since I'm trying this to see if it will help me,and I need to focus on me..(I will not feel guilty about this,I'm praying) If I'm going to 'change up' my usual spin on dieting,I need to do something different otherwise it'll be the same o,same o..so I'll see how this works. Plus I'm back at the gym 3xwk. plus walking. keep in touch you all..this may be a more afordable way to learn portion control,and keep us out of the kitchen..which is where I always seem to cook up these yummy goodies that work against my goals.
I'm into my 5th day of 'my' frozen meal,& it's working
Quote:
Originally Posted by choices
Well,here we begin again today..I have two lean cuisines in the freezer,and I'm going to pick up a couple of Amy's frozen veg.meals as well. I know they cost abit more but it might off set the salt issue w/the LC meals. I do need a breakfast tho,since I'm not a breakfast person,I do eat something,because I know it's the best thing to do. I do yogurt,fruit smoothies alot,and cottage cheese w/anything I have on hand. I do have dinner left overs for breakfast too,but since I'm going to be having frozen meals this wk. there won't be any left overs. I've already informed DH there will be no cooking dinner for a wk. since I'm trying this to see if it will help me,and I need to focus on me..(I will not feel guilty about this,I'm praying) If I'm going to 'change up' my usual spin on dieting,I need to do something different otherwise it'll be the same o,same o..so I'll see how this works. Plus I'm back at the gym 3xwk. plus walking. keep in touch you all..this may be a more afordable way to learn portion control,and keep us out of the kitchen..which is where I always seem to cook up these yummy goodies that work against my goals.
Day 5,and I've lost 1.5lbs,which is more than I lost on ww in a wk. so I'm thrilled.
I used 'amy's mostly,didn't have ANY beef,only chicken a few times,and NO DRIVE THROUGH'S,stayed out of the kitchen other than to make salads,ate more veggies than usual,did the gym,and/or walked 3xwk.. Luckily DH went along w/this and did his own thing. He's a meat potatoes,and gravy kind of guy which I like too,but it's made me fat. So my initial idea was to not be in the kitchen so much,and eat like I use to when I was single. I'm going for a second wk.and see how I do.~choices
This is a great idea! My youngest wants to lose a few pounds with me. Going to take her to the grocery store with me and let her pick out the ones she wants. Big help for me. I am so tired after work that I don't have the energy to cook.
I'm planing on using these ..
frozen meal dieting
