im 25, a student, on the run...i love the premade meals, and progresso soups...i have a meal and a soup one of each per day, say 4 or 5 days of the week. usually a normal dinner and bkfst. plus 2 to 3 hundred calorie packs or some other ww snacks, i need my sweets! question is, there so much debate on proccessed premade foods...does anyone use these regulary while following ur points and still lose?
i read some previous post, and i see a few of you use the smart ones, thats great to hear. and gives me some piece of mind...i enjoy them...im one of those ppl who gets excited over plane food, hehe...i think its the variety i love...
i use the Healthy Choice Steam chef meal (noodles and chicken just put in microwave and cook) and i absolutly love it and i hve it alot i am a 18 year old freshmen college so i am on the run alot to so yes i use premade meals all the time
I eat them when I'm craving something that I don't always get to eat because of point values. I try to stay away from them for the most part. I don't think you can eat the premade stuff all the time. Eventually you need to learn to cook and eat healthier by yourself.
I was thinkin of get the smart ones and progresso soups to start the WW's diet. I work at applebees 2 so I can get my WW food 4 free there. I'm just gonna exercise 4x's a week and drink plenty of water. I'm also gonna buy the WW desserts and snacks. U can watch ur points and cals wit thoses dependin on how much u eat rite?
I occasionally eat the SmartOnes frozen dinners for lunch. I do have the Progresso soups at least 3 times a week for lunch at work. I like that I can eat the whole can and it is only 2 points. I will typically add a couple of servings of steam in bag veggies (usually broccoli) with it and I drink a whole 20 oz bottle of water with lunch too and I don't worry about the sodium. I don't know that people need to worry too much as long as they keep their intake within the recommended limits per day and they don't have any dietary restrictions for sodium from the doctor. If you are worried, Progresso does have a low sodium version (I think it is the Best Life), that tastes ok for 3 points for the whole can.
The rest of the days, I usually have leftovers or lunches that I have made from scratch. Weekends I cook enough to have those handy for lunch.
I like the Carl Budding sliced meats with Village Hearth bread for a sandwich that is only 3 points also. Quick on the run lunch along with veggies or 100 cal pack of sun chips (2 points) and then my dairy or a V-8.
Village Hearth also has hamburger buns that are 1 point each and you can make a veggie sub or using the sliced turkey/chicken, etc you can have a nice sub sandwich for low points.
So far, since April 8, 2008 I have lost 42 lbs so I can say that integrating the soups have helped me.
Man I LOVE SmartOnes. I'm not crazy about Progresso soups. you do have to learn to eat "real" food, but when you need to reach for a convenience food SO are it ;-)
It sounds like you're not over-using them. You said you have a normal breakfast & dinner...but you use these for lunches, right?
I think that's fine. Really, they're better than grabbing fast food or takeout! Lean Cuisines, Healthy Choice, Smart Ones, any of those. At least you know what's going on with your points. If they help you stay on plan with everything else I really think they're not a bad tool.
I use them sometimes, especially if I'm wanting a hot lunch but don't feel like being creative or have time to do so. They're really decent, even though the sodium is on the high side.
I wanted to know can you just use smart ones and the progresso soups and the other WW items they sell at the store for your meals all the time? I can eat actual food but of course its the WW food frm work we sell.
Yes, I believe you can. Most people probably wouldn't recommend subsisting entirely on those... It might not be the most varied, or whole-foods way to do it, and the sodium content can really add up, which could contribute to retained fluids and a slowed weight loss. But you can use those foods and stick within your points. Just don't forget your healthy guidelines! It's probably best to mix it up a bit and not stick to just those, but you can do it that way if that's what works.
The NutriSystem & Jenny Craig (and a couple others) plans rely largely on their pre-packaged foods. One positive element is controlled portions and points. I'd just make sure to get in the healthy guidelines.
I also buy the Smart Ones and Progresso soups (didn't realize that Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine also work). In the event I don't feel like cooking one night I'll have a dinner, but not often. I buy the Progresso light which has zero points, so then I can have a few whole wheat crackers with it. I don't do it all the time, like the others have said I need to learn how to eat better since this is a lifestyle change for me. But if it works for you, then do it.
As far as I know the other "light" pre-made entrees work just fine. You just calculate your points using the nutrition information on them and make sure they're in the range you want. If you look closely at the Lean Cuisine boxes (maybe even on one of the side panel, can't remember), you'll see that they've gone the extra step for you, and already list the WW points. On Flex, you can use whatever foods you want as long as you calculate the points in them and stay in whatever range you need to. I've sometimes found Lean Cuisines to be lower in points than the Smart Ones. Try a few of the others out and see what you think .
thanks everyone for responding, and adding in your ideas...u kno, most of the year i eat home cooked because i live with DH to be...so cooking for two is a lot easier, and more worth it esp when DH to be helps out...but in the summer i use them frequently...helps to kno that you can still lose on it...plus the fudgesicles and other frozen snacks are helping me survive this diet!
sodium wise, every one exagerates the importance bc sodium holds water and you dont see the instant loss on the scale, but drinking lots of water, and if u dont suffer from cardio vascular probs, shouldnt be a big deal...im not inexperienced when i say so, im in my last yr of med school not cocky either, jus here to help....
smart ones and progresso soups ;D
They are not the only thing I live on but I will have one for lunch or dinner when I don't have time to cook.
not cocky either, jus here to help....
