You can pretty much lose weight eating anything, so long as you maintain a calorie deficit. However, all calories are not equal. For instance; an apple can be 80 calories, but due to the insoluble fiber content, you'll only get about 40 of those calories (the other 40 will be burnt by your body processing the apple). But, frozen and pre-packaged stuff is great for when you want easy portion control. Calorie counting isn't fun, and it can be difficult to keep track of home-cooked "whole foods", especially when you're just starting out.
The short answer is YES. Do whatever works for you!
Wow!! Thanks everyone for all your super helpful & seriously encouraging responses!! Im going to look for The Simple Diet threads now..and knowing this method has worked for most of y'all has helped me feel so hopeful!!
For instance; an apple can be 80 calories, but due to the insoluble fiber content, you'll only get about 40 of those calories (the other 40 will be burnt by your body processing the apple).
I do eat them but not daily. Maybe twice a week. I keep a few in the freezer all the time for those days I forget to pack my lunch/ running late etc. Easy to just grab one and run out the door. They may not be the absolute best choice but much better than going to McDonald's.
Ditto what Vex said about learning portion control. My only additional suggestion is that you remove them from the container after cooking and plate them, to get the added visual impact of "here's what a normal meal size looks like", on your own china.
When I first started losing weight, I ate a lean cuisine for lunch each day. I rarely buy those now though, because I don't find them filling. I felt like I was starving myself unless I supplemented them with other foods. However, I still pick up Healthy Choice meals that include veggies from time to time, because they're more filling. Only when they're on sale for $2 each though.
You can lose weight on anything, as long as there is a calorie deficiency. Just make sure you're getting your proper nutrients from other food as well. Eat a frozen dinner and snack on fruits and veggies.
When I first started, I started with frozen dinners. I lost just a few pounds (I didn't have a lot to lose in the first place). My biggest issue with them was taste. Most of them just didn't appeal to me.
I don't eat them any longer unless I want a calorie controlled "treat." I can truly eat a serving size bowl (like almost a pound dry) of spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread. So I just buy a frozen dinner one when I feel like treating myself to that meal. Instant portion control for those meals that I have trouble eating in moderation.
In the past, I've lost weight using frozen entrees. As others have said, I don't think it's that much different than Nutrisystem, but a lot cheaper and easier to just get what you want at the supermarket. I also bought frozen veggies, esp. those individual broccoli spears, and added that to the frozen meal for added nutrition and volume. I would also sometimes grab a string cheese stick and shred that over the italian style entrees for a little extra flavor and calories - some of the entrees are too low in calories IMO, esp. because I don't necessarily eat a much bigger dinner, and I need more than 250 calories for lunch.
I'm doing a low carb low fat plan now, so there are not really any frozen entrees that fit into that, but otherwise, even when I'm not actively trying to lose weight, I still keep Lean Cuisines and WW entrees around as a quick thing to take to work for lunch if I don't have anything else prepared. I also keep a container of garlic powder at my desk at work to add a little bit of extra flavor as I find the frozen meals a little bland sometimes, you could use whatever spice is your favorite.
I definitely think they are a good way to get used to standard portion sizes - even if they aren't filling enough, you still know what you are eating and then can supplement with fruit or veggies.
I make my own, like someone else mentioned. I will cook anything and everything and just freeze it into portions on weekends. My freezer is filled with meals, so anytime I'm hungry, I have something I can grab. Lunch is always a portion of soup that I grab from my freezer, and dinner can be just about anything. Stews, chilis, and any "one-pot meal" are easy to freeze, as are sauces - BBQ, enchilada, tomato sauce, or portions of rice, quinoa, and cooked chicken and meat.
I even freeze things like burritos (which can vary from "breakfast style" with eggs to veggie and meat), zucchini/turkey meatballs, squash/chicken nuggets, cauliflower mac and cheese, and any kind of burgers - we do veggie/turkey or veggie/chicken, or a lot of different veggie burgers. I have a five year old, so it just makes my life a million times easier to have things ready during the week. Even casseroles can be cooked, frozen until semi-solid, then cut into square portions and bagged into gallon bags.
I just cook as if I'm making food for an entire family, then I portion and freeze with labels. I like to do it because it's cheaper and less processed. I can control both the taste and the healthiness of my meals without having to labor every single day.
I love seeing all the good results from eating frozen dinners. I must admit that I probably eat a frozen meal (WW, Lean Cuisine) 3 - 4 nights per week. I love the convenience, and I honestly think that some of them are really tasty. The pizza selections and also the Smart Ones mini-cheeseburgers are among my favorites.
I have lost weight in the past by incorporating these into my diet. I am fairly new at being on this forum and being "back on the wagon" for weight loss, so we shall see how these affect the scale.
If you have confidence the method will work for you, I say go for it! I have a family member who is disabled and she recently lost a bunch of weight this way as she cannot really exercise and has trouble with the physical aspects of cooking/cleaning up cooking mess. Others have given her greif because it's not the most nutritious, but I believe you have to meet people where they are at! (including yourself) haha! Personally, I would add in plenty of fresh veggies and fruit as another person mentioned. Good luck and I wish you success!
I was just at Wal-Mart the other day contemplating picking up a bunch of these for lunch since I am so swamped and just have no time to precook my meals like I was anymore, but the sodium really freaks me out. Does anybody know if I eat a normal breakfast (cereal, waffles, yogurt, etc) and then I eat one of these for lunch, will I be ok? I normally eat a normal dinner when I can, even if it's rushed or quick.
Thats how ive lost my weight so far since January I like to add a side salad or some extra vegetables as well...ive now unfortunately hit a plateau now for the past three weeks grrrrr
I say go for it!! they taste great and are affordable
If you can afford it, Amy's makes outstanding frozen meals with ingredients you can pronounce.
Regarding the sodium, sure, it does cause some water retention. However, it's getting a broad-brush demonization just like eggs did a few years back. Only about 10% of the population has any blood pressure reaction to sodium, if that's a concern. Personally, I'm no longer a big fan of overly salty-tasting items, but that was a taste that I had to cultivate. Is a few extra pounds of water worth the convenience and variety, in the grand scheme of losing weight? That's a personal decision.
I have a family member who is disabled and she recently lost a bunch of weight this way as she cannot really exercise and has trouble with the physical aspects of cooking/cleaning up cooking mess. Others have given her greif because it's not the most nutritious, but I believe you have to meet people where they are at! (including yourself) haha! Personally, I would add in plenty of fresh veggies and fruit as another person mentioned. Good luck and I wish you success!
I like to add a side salad or some extra vegetables as well...ive now unfortunately hit a plateau now for the past three weeks 
grrrrr
