WW didn't work for me either but don't worry WW doesn't work for a lot of people I think I read somewhere that it has less then 6% success rate. I got tired of giving them my money.

I eat between 1800-2000 cals a day. I count as I go, I don't pre plan meals and I don't avoid certain foods. Moderation is my motto or at least for now. Im working on not drinking alcohol for a long time but I screwed up Saturday but Im pretty confident that I will be able to go a while without drinking. I don't worry about spacing it out I just eat through out the day.

Originally Posted by LadyNASDAQ:
My questions are this...
1-What do you think of using boxed foods or foods delivered to your door for weight reduction?

2- Fast foods...Is this an ok thing you sometimes do?

3-Do you cook and freeze or basically just make a meal, count it and move on?

4-How many calories are you eating a day and how are you spacing it out if I may ask???

1 - I understand why some people feel they need meal delivery diets, but IMO they don't teach you how to eat on your own. Ideally you want a "diet" that you can live with for the rest of your life. You need to train yourself to eat better, and eating food from a box every day isn't going to do that.

2 - Moderation. A cheeseburger and small fry once a month isn't going to sabatoge anybody... but eating a Whopper every week will. Keep in mind that even athletes with top notch nutrition and fitness eat fast food on occasion. It's about making good choices and eating it in moderation.

3 - That would be a great way to do things if you don't have the time to count every day. Lots of people pick one day a week to cook and freeze everything. It's also a terrif idea for single people. Most dishes make out 4-6 servings, so freezing will allow you to not waste so much.

4 - How many calories you eat is going to depend on how active you are and what type of deficit you want. My calories go down each week when I weigh myself. Right now I get a little over 1500 cals. Do I eat all of them? Nope! I reserve 400 cals per meal - breakfast, lunch, and dinner - and 100 cals each for 3 snacks. I eat a minimum of 1200 cals a day.

I'll jump in a day late . . .

Originally Posted by :
My questions are this...
1-What do you think of using boxed foods or foods delivered to your door for weight reduction?

I've been getting the Our Life Fresh meals since October. ourlifefresh.com Started out just for me and after a week or two switched it up to get them for my 24 year old son who isn't dieting, too. (The Our Life Fresh meals are made by personalchefto.com.) Through the end of December, we got 2 each of 5 dinners a week. (We own an online retail store so Q4 is our busy season.) Now that things have slowed down, we've dropped down to getting 2 each of 5 dinners delivered every other week.

We LOVE these meals. They are fresh, not frozen, and made with whole foods and a big emphasis on super foods. They are nice restaurant quality - just like the ads say.

They are NOT inexpensive - but they cost less than eating out and less than it would cost me to make them - and I wouldn't.

Originally Posted by :
2- Fast foods...Is this an ok thing you sometimes do?

Yep. I have a calorie app on my phone and check out the place to make the choices that fit for the day. We eat fast food MUCH less having a hot scrumptious meal ready at home - but it still happens.

Originally Posted by :
3-Do you cook and freeze or basically just make a meal, count it and move on?

Occasionally, and now that we have cut down on the delivered meals, I plan to do this more often. I cook, portion (I like to eat ~350-400 calorie dinners), and freeze.

Originally Posted by :
4-How many calories are you eating a day and how are you spacing it out if I may ask???

Anywhere from 1200-1900, with most days being in the 1500 range. I wear a Go Wear Fit, so what I eat is based on my burn for that day - and I strive for a weekly deficit average instead of hitting that goal exactly every day.

I generally eat 200-300 for breakfast, 300 for lunch, 400 for dinner and the rest in 100-200 calorie snacks spaced throughout the day.

1-What do you think of using boxed foods or foods delivered to your door for weight reduction?
I don't prefer them because of the salt in them or they are too pricey and I love my own cooking

2- Fast foods...Is this an ok thing you sometimes do?
Yes. Occasionally. We may eat out but it has to be included in your count so if possible go online before you go pick up a meal.

3-Do you cook and freeze or basically just make a meal, count it and move on?
I don't cook and freeze. I make my meals on a daily basis.

4-How many calories are you eating a day and how are you spacing it out if I may ask???
Currently, I am eating about 1200-1300 calories a day. I am only on my second week and I plan to make adjustments for week 3 and 4.
Breakfast - 8am Strawberry Smoothie - 190 calories
Morning Snack - Gogurt Yogurt - 70 Calories
Lunch - Veggie burger with tomatoes and lettuce with a dab of vinegrette dressing on an whole grain sandwich thin - 295 Calories
Afternoon Snack - 2 cups of Cheerios - 200 calories
Dinner - Turkey wrap - Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomatoes, 1 tsp of miracle whip, in a whole wheat tortilla - 350 calories
evening snack - mini bag of popcorn - 100 calories

I've been doing well and seeing progress even though I am not weighing myself. I should be down a size by the end of the month, at least that's my expectation.

I've been calorie counting for a month :)
My questions are this...
1-What do you think of using boxed foods or foods delivered to your door for weight reduction?
I personally think it's cheaper to buy your own fresh food to cook meals- that way you have more control over what you eat- but I'm just a student, so I have the time~ and not everyone does. So I think that if it suits you personally, delivered meals are a fine idea:)

2- Fast foods...Is this an ok thing you sometimes do?
I don't~ simply because I don't desire them, and also because I'm strict about what I eat. I think that you have to have some consideration over what you're putting in your body. 400 calories might be a number, but is there any point in spending 400 calories on say, a starbucks frap when you can have a full plate of veggies instead?

3-Do you cook and freeze or basically just make a meal, count it and move on?
Pretty much~ The majority of my meals are fresh-veg based, or weightwatchers soup if I'm in a rush.

4-How many calories are you eating a day and how are you spacing it out if I may ask???
1200-1300~
I normally have 100-200 for breakfast,
300-400 for lunch
and 400-500 for dinner, because that's when I'm hungriest.
And with whatevers left, if I'm hungry, I'll have a bowl of branflakes o that value :)
Hope I helped!

Originally Posted by :
1-What do you think of using boxed foods or foods delivered to your door for weight reduction?

I think it's convenient, but too much $ for what you are getting. If you need help getting started, I'd just buy serving-sized items at the grocery store. You don't have to stick with the "healthy" brands, a lot of times the smaller servings of "normal" brands are around the same calorie count. Or, you can just make your meals a week in advance. Delivered box meals are going to taste similar to supermarket ones, and won't neccessarily be any more filling... for filling yourself up without using too many calories, you'll need fiber (fruits and veggies) which you are usually responsible for buying and prepping on your own, even if your other meals are delivered.

2- Fast foods...Is this an ok thing you sometimes do?
I do it, sometimes... if I wasn't that hungry and missed a mini-meal or two during the day, or want to do something social after work, I'll use the "unspent" calories to treat myself. I can also cheat once per week. If you stay away from breading, mayo/dressings, and order everything without or with minimal cheese, you can usually keep it in line (for example, a McDonalds english muffin with ham and one slice of cheese is 300 calories).

3-Do you cook and freeze or basically just make a meal, count it and move on?
Both. Just depends.

4-How many calories are you eating a day and how are you spacing it out if I may ask???

1200 a day (1100-1300). I try to do a mini-meal 4 times a day- sometimes those are just a snack (a peice of fruit, some crunchy veggies), sometimes it's something more substantial (sandwhich, frozen dinner). I get a CSA box of produce every week, so when it comes in I try to plan how I will use it up before the next box comes- sometimes that means cooking a big batch of something to divvy up into meals (veggie lasagna), sometimes it means setting things aside for cooking as small dishes later in the week (a red bell pepper with bread stuffing, with an asian turnip, onion, and a celery stalk diced into the stuffing), and sometimes it means loading up the crock pot and making a batch of vegetarian chili or chicken soup or beef stew (some of which will get used during the week and some of which will end up in the freezer- which is fine, because then husband will eat them if I don't- soups, stews and cassaroles are the only way I can sneak any of those vegetables into my husband's diet).

My questions are this...
1-What do you think of using boxed foods or foods delivered to your door for weight reduction?
Oh lawdy, what am I, made of money? :D We are, and how can I say this nicely - we are POOR! P-OO-R. I can afford modest trips to the grocery store. No more. So I make it work. Frankly, I'd rather do something that trains me for "the long run" anyway, but I have honestly never tried meal delivery due to the $$$ issue. I like to cook anyway, and I always like what I make! Ha!

2- Fast foods...Is this an ok thing you sometimes do?
Actually, when I started, waaaaaaay back when I was 276lbs a few years ago, I ate fast food nearly every day, just being on the go and not knowing any better. I thought it was cheap, easy, and therefore the best option. My initial diet plan, which took me to the low 200's, included plans to eat fast food with the least fat and calories. I started getting grilled chicken, no mayo, no sides and a unsweet tea instead of lemonade or some other sugar bomb. However, at about 200lbs I realized I wasn't going to get much further that way and I wanted to be healthier anyway, and I started cutting out the fast food. The last time I ate fast food, out of sheer necessity while traveling, it came right back up. So that's the end of fast food for me, it would seem. The grease and general non-goodness of it is such a turnoff to me now. It's not a sacrifice to not eat that bland, fatty grossness. I do, however, still budget in the occasional "junk", like take-out chinese. Oh yeah, chow mein baby!

3-Do you cook and freeze or basically just make a meal, count it and move on?
The insanely awesome thing about calorie counting is, you just have to count your calories. Continue doing whatever it is you do - either cook in batches and freeze, or cook a meal at a time - just count every bite you stick in your mouth every day. I use FitDay, and have for years. Me personally, we are just two lazy adults, so breakfast and lunch we kind of get whatever looks good - frozen waffle, turkey sammy, oatmeal, eggs and ham - and then I just record what I eat, honestly and carefully. I usually cook dinner, and make enough for left-overs, which can be lunch the next day - and I count that. Hubs makes or brings home the odd baked treat, and if I eat that, no problem - just no snacks that day, or some other compensation. It's not about what or when or how you eat, really - it's just total number of calories. Obviously you'll be better off with healthy, well-portioned food - but if you stick with your calories, you're still on plan, even on days hubs crams ginger cookies in your mouth!

4-How many calories are you eating a day and how are you spacing it out if I may ask???
Right now I aim for 1550 calories a day, and NO MORE. I am doing free weights and squats and the like every day for the next few weeks to see where I get, so I am not dropping any lower. Actually, I won't drop until I don't lose for a few weeks in a row. Then I'll swap out exercise and drop my calories to about 1450 cals a day. Anyway, right now I aim for 300 at breakfast, 400 at lunch, and 500 at dinner, with some snacks thrown in, and of course, my frozen fruit delight at 9pm, right before I scrub the old pearlies. This works for me. I honestly recommend that you just count, honestly, for a week or two. You'll have an "AHA!" moment - you'll see what you're eating, when, what nutrition you're getting - and then you can start making choices that work for you!

Good luck!! :carrot:

Originally Posted by LadyNASDAQ:
My questions are this...
1-What do you think of using boxed foods or foods delivered to your door for weight reduction?

2- Fast foods...Is this an ok thing you sometimes do?

3-Do you cook and freeze or basically just make a meal, count it and move on?

4-How many calories are you eating a day and how are you spacing it out if I may ask???

I am 50 years old, also single, also 100+ lbs to lose when I started.

1. While I sometimes resort to some frozen box meals when I'm in a hurry or have the urge for "junky food" (Lean Pockets have thinks like pepperoni pizza, ham and cheese etc that give me those tastes in a controlled portion), for the most part I make my own meals so I know exactly what is in them.

2. Yep, I don't restrict myself from any foods, just over time tend to stay away from fast food simply because not very filling for the calories you use up.

3. Both. If I cook something from a recipe, often end up with more servings than I'll eat in 2 days, so freeze in individual servings. However most of what I eat is one ingredient foods such as cereal, apple, yogurt, eggs or simple cooking like fajitas (peppers, onions sauted in olive oil then into a tortilla with a few oz of whatever protein I have on hand).

4. I average @1500 cals per day, and I generally eat every 2-3 hours. But again, I don't often eat what most people would call a meal. Bfast is 1 c. cereal with 1/2 c. skim milk and then fruit mid morning. Before trying to lose weight, I would have just drank OJ with my breakfast.

I found Weight Watchers too calorie restrictive, for me. They were having me eat no more than 1800 calories, but I'm losing weight and not getting "nuts" hungry (and bingeing in response), at a daily average, over a week's time, of around 2050 calories.

I'm down from 268 in October to 247 this morning, and I feel like I get PLENTY of food.

I have to say, I have eliminated almost all the takeout, fast and packaged, processed foods I used to eat, and have spent a year exploring substitutes for favorite foods and new healthy foods that I can really love eating every day.

I automate some of my meals, meaning I "go to" the same meal every day or almost every day, for one or two meals, and I am eating a more "volumetric" style of diet, with far more plant foods than before.

No exercising. I have lost weight exercising in the past, and then put it on plus some when I stopped. It messes up my appetite and my metabolism.

After years of struggle, I feel like I'm just sailing through the promised land this time. It's been a long road.

1-What do you think of using boxed foods or foods delivered to your door for weight reduction?

It's not for me. Some people have great success with it, but part of my diet is to make a change to how I live, and that includes learning how to cook healthy, set healthy portions and make the best choices.

2- Fast foods...Is this an ok thing you sometimes do?
If you look at this as a lifestyle change and not a diet, then absolutely! It's all about making the BEST choices. Subway, Wendy's and Sonic are all still a part of my diet, but in moderation.

3-Do you cook and freeze or basically just make a meal, count it and move on?
I cook almost every day, but I also prepare meals for 2 other people. When I lived alone, I cooked 3 days a week, and froze or stored leftovers for other meals. It certainly helps on those nights you don't feel like cooking or for lunches.


4-How many calories are you eating a day and how are you spacing it out if I may ask???

I eat 1600, but please keep in mine I have a chronic illness, and I get zero exercise. I am still losing 1-2 pounds a week. With exercise, you could easily eat 1800.

Breakfast - 300
Snack -100
Lunch - 400
Snack - 100 (popcorn!)
Dinner - 400
Snack - 200

If I want something higher calorie, I might skip a snack or flex my calories to a smaller lunch. I don't really have a hard and fast rule, because I don't want to limit myself. As long as I say within my calories, and am eating good, healthy food, I don't stress.

I have little time to cook, so I'm all for pre-packaged foods. Although I never actually followed the Nutrisystem diet, I did order their foods off QVC to work into my plan, and found them quite satisfying. Now I use Weight Watchers, etc. Cheaper.

I can work fast foods into my plan also. I adore the Carl's Jr. Low Carb Six Dollar Burgers (although I'm not lowcarbing). They are so filling and satisfying and well worth the 500 calories. I'm full for the whole evening when I eat them, so I save calories in not snacking.

A few years ago, when I was lurking on the wonderful 3fatchicks board, I found about about a book called Calorie Queens, where you eat your maintenance calories NOW (it's called Eucalorics and fully explained in the book). That is what I'm following now, eating approximately 1700 calories a day. I highly recommend that book to anyone.

I am now reading the new bestseller The Mayo Clinic Diet, and am incorporating the concept of "free" veg and fresh fruit into my eating plan. The book states that these two foods are the lowest in caloric density of any foods on the planet and will not make you fat, and that most Americans don't eat enough of them. I believe it.

I do think it makes the most sense to eat no fewer than the calories you expect to be on at your goal weight.

The more common approach is to restrict calories to sub-maintenance levels and expect to increase calories after goal weight is reached. When it comes time to add in more calories, I think many people can get discouraged at this point trying to decide how much more is ok, and how much more leads to regain.

Learning to eat differently, with the expectation of the new way being permanent (or at lease indefinite) works better for me.