If so how long did it take you? I know the sodium levels are pretty high in these & im honestly not worried about that! I think the per portioned meals right now for me would be a great path for me to start on

You might want to check out the book titled The Simple diet by Anderson. In this he describes a plan thoroughly researched in which a person eats 3 shakes plus 2 frozen meals per day. There are some calorie,fat guidlines so it is not just eat anything you want. I forget his first name but his credentials are good-long history of working on weight loss at I believe the University of Kentucky . It is a very simple plan that does not require much planning and can be used even when traveling. Good Luck.
Sheridan

Thank you! I will check into that!!

While I would not recommend it, because the food isn't the most nutritious, I do know of a friend who lost 60 pounds almost exclusively eating frozen foods. She would have a 'normal' breakfast and then have frozen dinners for lunch and dinner with healthy snacks in between. For her it was an easy way to keep within her calorie limit.

I thought of trying it myself -- seems it would have more variety and cost a lot less than Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig - the frozen foods are alway on sale and there are so many to chose from. But I have to limit my sodium intake due to health issues. Years ago I was at a WW meeting and one woman who had eaten a frozen dinner every night gained weight due to fluid retention from the sodium. But if I didn't have to avoid processed foods I would certainly give it a shot. I tried Nutrisystem in the past and did very very well. If you do try it, I'd like to know how it works out for you.

Good luck.

I sure will! Thank you all for responding! I think this will also help me time & cost wise as well! Im pretty excited! I also just downloaded that book "The Simple Diet"

I seem to make my own. On Sundays I'll make a pot of brown rice, a bunch of different veggies (boiled carrots, roasted brussels sprouts, spinach) and then some proteins (usually chicken and tofu.) I'll then portion different combinations into 5 tupperwares for lunches. And will sometimes do the same for dinners if I make something like a roast.

it doesn't take that long and you totally control what goes in them.

When I first started losing I ate frozen foods somewhat frequently (usually lean cuisines and amy's brand). I calorie count and the meals were easy to calculate, or rather, not calculate as the calorie content is already on there.

I actually can't remember the last time I ate a frozen meal though. We're basically on a fixed "income" and even when they're on sale I feel like I don't get enough bang for my buck. That and I really enjoy cooking my own meals.

I would make one suggestion though: If you're going to go the frozen meal route, I would try adding in a light side salad or veggie to go with it to help keep you full. Those tv dinners don't have a lot of volume and sometimes I'd find myself hungrier after eating one than before.

I have lost weight before eating a lot of frozen dinners (mostly Lean Cuisine), although I rarely ate more than one a day. If sodium is not a problem for you and you are eating them in conjunction with a calorie-counting regimen, then you should lose weight, provided you are in a calorie deficit.

I also know of others who have had success this way. The expense was not a problem for me as I often found them on sale; my biggest issue was boredom. So I found myself cooking more and more of my own, experimenting with different ways to prepare vegetables.

What I liked best about them, of course, is the convenience - not only having something to quickly heat up in the microwave but also not having to measure, calculate calories, etc.

Good luck from a fellow Mississippian! (currently in GA)

It's a good idea! I like The Simple Diet book, have tried to do portion control with that kind of plan but could not tolerate the sodium. That said, those meals do have proper amounts of potassium to offset the sodium so they really are fine in the sodium department, in my opinion, although I am not a doctor or nutritionist.

There are some threads on 3FC on The Simple Diet!

You definitely can lose weight that way and these days the number of brands and flavor varieties are abundant so you can shop by price and taste.

It's true that the sodium levels are a bit high but the way that I used to justify it was by telling myself the McDonald's or BK drive-thru had way more sodium (nevermind calories and fat!).

It would be cheaper for you to cook your own meals and package them up in your freezer to just grab and go for work or a quick dinner at home. But we all know that's not always practical.

If you choose to the frozen meal route, I would highly encourage that you add more vegetables to them whether fresh or frozen and of course keep your water intake up to flush any excess sodium. Other than that, I wish you lots of luck!!

I've done this the entire time.

I started out using lean cuisine and have slowly migrated to healthy choice to their baked items. I still use lean cuisine pizzas though for times when the rest of my family is eating take out pizza. If I'm in the office that day, I'll eat chicken breast from the cafe at lunch, otherwise, when I'm at home, it's greek yogurt for breakfast and frozen meals for lunch and dinner - with whatever for snacks.

I know many people may find my method not optimal, but it's what works for ME. I'm not a body builder, so micro managing nutrients isn't necessary for me at this point. I've never liked cooking, and I've learned about portion sizes this way.

As for how long, I lost the first 100 in a year. The rest is like pulling teeth to get off. It will come.

I don't eat them anymore but when I first started this journey almost 10 years ago, it was with lean cuisine!!! Do whatever helps you learn portion size, that is the critical part. Take the baby steps and stick with it.

WOW! your weight loss is motivating!

I lost 60 pounds in 7 months.

I do enjoy cooking, but I find most meals too calorie dense. I don't always enjoy having a smaller portion of what I serve the family, so I will grab a frozen meal or a bowl of cereal. I alternate between frozen meals and protein bars as my quick and easy meal, usually for lunch.