Will Lean Cusine's slow down weightloss?
 

I just noticed that I have been eating a lot of Lean Cusine's the past week for lunch. Basically just out of convenience because I've been pretty busy. I know they are not the best nutritionally wise and the sodium intake can be high, however do you think they will actually slow down the weight loss progress? I don't plan on eating Lean Cusine's ALL the time however I do have them about 2-3 times a week on occasion when I am super busy.

I don't think they'll slow down weight loss just by eating Lean Cuisine -- however, my experience with frozen lunches in general is that they're not very sustaining. I can eat a LC and be hungry an hour later. If that's the case, what you do at that point (i.e. get really hungry and end up eating more than you would have with something more sustaining) could slow down your loss. It really depends on what you're eating throughout the day.

I eat frozen meal almost every weekday for lunch - but I also bring a piece of fruit and a salad.
I had a friend (he's around 400 lbs) here at work whose comment about frozen meals still cracks me up to this day...he said "ya know - about 5-6 of those make a great snack"
I try not to evangelize healthy lifestyle to him....I figure he'll get it when he's ready. Leading by example?

i say it could hinder bc those frozen foods jam pack salt and sugar in there

Lean Cuisines and the like do NOT "jam pack salt and sugar." True, they are a LITTLE higher in sodium than what I would make for myself, but compared to a other processed foods it's really reasonable. And the only time I've noticed any sugar content to speak of is in dishes that are supposed to be sweeter -- sweet'n'sours, barbeque, etc.

If you find you're not losing weight when eating them, make sure you understand the calorie content and how they fit into the rest of your day. One of those meals (LC, Healthy Choice, Smart Ones) can be anywhere from 180 calories to 350. They vary quite a bit in nutrient balance, too, so you may need to add or delete food in the rest of your day to achieve the protein/carbohydrate/fat balance.

If packaged foods made weight loss difficult, would I have lost over 170 pounds on Jenny Craig? :D

I do put a 300 calorie limit on what I buy...except the occasional pizza which are like 325...

I agree that eating Lean Cuisines (or similar entrees), even on a regular basis, is not going to have a negative impact on your weight loss. I don't eat them often anymore but I did at the beginning of my program and I was very pleased with my results. They provided me with the structure that I needed to get started. I'm in the swing of things now and prepare my own meals more often than not. However, I still stock up when they are on sale because every now and then I enjoy having something quick and convenient around.

Like others have said, it is a good idea to add fruits, vegetables, salad, etc. to round out the meal.

I have lost over 80 lbs (in almost 3 years) and the entire time I have had frozen diet meals about 5 days a week. I find that I just can't beat the convenience, and I really like them, they taste good. I stock up when they are on sale, and I never have to worry about my lunch. I do not supplement them with anything, and usually they keep me satisfied. I am pretty hungry when dinner time rolls around, but it is not a big deal.

As for the sodium, I have found that if my intake is higher my weight loss stalls. I think that this is very personal though, because every body will react to this differently. For me the diet meals are part of my routine and have been for years, so it doesn't really have an effect on me because it hasn't changed - but I have noticed I will stall if I consume too much diet soda.

I have LC meals maybe 3-4 times a week for lunch and in the past 2 weeks I have lost 5 lbs so no I do not believe they will hinder weightloss at all. I always have a small salad with them though.. just to fill me up and on occasion I even reward myself with a little snackwell :)

Perhaps because we tend to cheat a bit more with other stuff since we think we're being so good about only drinking diet soda? I don't see how the diet soda itself could be the culprit since it has little to no nutritional value. But I guess everyone reacts to things differently, right? :shrug:

Beverly

I don't think Lean Cuisine has a negatie impact. I eat them on a fairly regular basis, because it's fast and easy and already measured into one portion. They can be high in sodium, but if you watch sodium on everything (I do) the LCs alone aren't going to shove you way above a reasonable amount.

most diet sodas have aspartame in them (the artificial sweetner). I've heard that has a bad effect on some people's systems