Processed foods
Options
Replies
-
Ok thank you0 -
OP why do you think that frozen foods would make you gain weight? What matters for weight loss is eating less calories than you burn. This can be done eating frozen foods, or any other kind of food for that matter. A lot of people like frozen foods because they have built in portion control (assuming you are talking about individually packaged frozen meals like Lean Cuisine or something but maybe not). As others have said, some of them are a bit higher in sodium and if sodium is a concern for you medically, you may want to keep an eye on that, but most people don't have a medical reason to restrict sodium.
Personally I find frozen meals to be very convenient, but not always the most filling things that I can eat. What I do is add something to them - either extra chicken, or a salad, or some extra veggies, or eat a yogurt with them. Today I had a Weight Watchers pasta meal, I added about 3 oz of pre-cooked chicken breast strips, and I will have a yogurt here in a bit for a snack. That's about 600 cals total, very filling, good macros.
I've lost ~30 lbs, and since you asked about exercise too, I mostly walked, although I did some light weight training/circuit training DVDs. I'm currently maintaining.
If you haven't read the stickied posts at the top of the forum sections, you really should, and start with this one:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p10 -
Plug your numbers into MFP, set a reasonable calorie deficit, and log accurately. You'll lose weight without exercise. Add exercise when you can (this will give you more calories to eat while still keeping you in deficit). Just to be clear, I'm not advocating no exercise, just that you don't have to rely on it to lose weight. Adding it will give you more energy and of course, it has a variety of physical and mental health benefits.
Best of luck to you
0 -
Plug your numbers into MFP, set a reasonable calorie deficit, and log accurately. You'll lose weight without exercise. Add exercise when you can (this will give you more calories to eat while still keeping you in deficit). Just to be clear, I'm not advocating no exercise, just that you don't have to rely on it to lose weight. Adding it will give you more energy and of course, it has a variety of physical and mental health benefits.
Best of luck to you
Thank you so much now if I can just learn to log things in correctly as far as the servings and stuff!!!0 -
i don't eat frozen meals largely because i find them unpalatable and generally unsatisfying for the calories.diannethegeek wrote: »So basically frozen meals haven't a use you to gain weight right?
I lost 55 pounds. I ate frozen meals off and on throughout my weight loss. I just ate a frozen breakfast burrito for lunch. They absolutely have not caused me to gain weight as long as they fit in my calorie goals for the day.
Wow congrats I would love to loose 55 pounds or even 10 pounds to start off can u please give me any advice as to what to do and what type of exercise you do? I work nights and it's so hard to get to the gym like I used to do in the past
I lost between 40-50 Lbs a few years ago. when i started out, i did nothing but walk regularly and watch my diet. the idea that you have to be doing all kinds of craziness and jumping around your living room all day long to some DVD is just ridiculous.
after i had spent some time just walking, i really started to evaluate actual fitness goals and things that i wanted to accomplish with my fitness (independent of burning calories or weight management) which is when things really opened up for me and it helped me plan my workouts. i eventually incorporated some running with a C25K plan and then started lifting weights a few months later. ultimately, running wasn't for me, but in the process of starting to train for a sprint triathlon (about 9 months after I started out) i fell in love with my bike and i've been cycling ever since.0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »OP why do you think that frozen foods would make you gain weight? What matters for weight loss is eating less calories than you burn. This can be done eating frozen foods, or any other kind of food for that matter. A lot of people like frozen foods because they have built in portion control (assuming you are talking about individually packaged frozen meals like Lean Cuisine or something but maybe not). As others have said, some of them are a bit higher in sodium and if sodium is a concern for you medically, you may want to keep an eye on that, but most people don't have a medical reason to restrict sodium.
Personally I find frozen meals to be very convenient, but not always the most filling things that I can eat. What I do is add something to them - either extra chicken, or a salad, or some extra veggies, or eat a yogurt with them. Today I had a Weight Watchers pasta meal, I added about 3 oz of pre-cooked chicken breast strips, and I will have a yogurt here in a bit for a snack. That's about 600 cals total, very filling, good macros.
I've lost ~30 lbs, and since you asked about exercise too, I mostly walked, although I did some light weight training/circuit training DVDs. I'm currently maintaining.
If you haven't read the stickied posts at the top of the forum sections, you really should, and start with this one:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
Thank you so much this really helps I like the idea of adding a little something to the frozen meals as well.0 -
Plug your numbers into MFP, set a reasonable calorie deficit, and log accurately. You'll lose weight without exercise. Add exercise when you can (this will give you more calories to eat while still keeping you in deficit). Just to be clear, I'm not advocating no exercise, just that you don't have to rely on it to lose weight. Adding it will give you more energy and of course, it has a variety of physical and mental health benefits.
Best of luck to you
Thank you so much now if I can just learn to log things in correctly as far as the servings and stuff!!!
Get a food scale (by far the best tool I have ever purchased)
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p10 -
A lot of processed foods, whether frozen, boxed or bagged, contain many extra ingredients to help preserve them long term. While it is very true that you can lose weight eating just about anything at a calorie deficit (including processed items), I think it's important to read the labels and know what you're eating. A lot of these meals have an ingredient list of 50-60 or more items. Is it really food, or just an "approved" food additive? I pretty much figure if I can't pronounce it and don't know what it is, I really don't want to put that into my body.
As other posters have mentioned, you can make a lot of great food in the crock pot and freeze it for later consumption. I freeze meats, veggies, pasta and rice in portion sized containers (like my own TV dinners). I do this a couple times a month, so it's not terribly time consuming and I know exactly what's in the food.0 -
I've lost 60 pounds eating various frozen foods, as long as it's within my calories and macros.
Honestly, I think trying to go by what worked for someone else is what causes people to fail. I tried the whole clean eating thing, didn't work for me and wasn't realistic for my lifestyle. I tried the 6 small meals a day, didn't work for me. I've finally found what worked best for me (which is a light breakfast, a small lunch, a big dinner, and a snack if my calories allow for it) and I've been losing at very steady pace.0 -
RaeBeeBaby wrote: »A lot of processed foods, whether frozen, boxed or bagged, contain many extra ingredients to help preserve them long term. While it is very true that you can lose weight eating just about anything at a calorie deficit (including processed items), I think it's important to read the labels and know what you're eating. A lot of these meals have an ingredient list of 50-60 or more items. Is it really food, or just an "approved" food additive? I pretty much figure if I can't pronounce it and don't know what it is, I really don't want to put that into my body.
As other posters have mentioned, you can make a lot of great food in the crock pot and freeze it for later consumption. I freeze meats, veggies, pasta and rice in portion sized containers (like my own TV dinners). I do this a couple times a month, so it's not terribly time consuming and I know exactly what's in the food.
Many of the food additives in frozen meals are no scarier or difficult to pronounce than the chemical components of an apple, banana, or blueberry. Basing your food choices on whether or not one can pronounce something means I would never eat quinoa. For the life of me, I just can't get that one right.
0 -
That's one thing I need to invest in is a crock pot!!0
-
I've lost 60 pounds eating various frozen foods, as long as it's within my calories and macros.
Honestly, I think trying to go by what worked for someone else is what causes people to fail. I tried the whole clean eating thing, didn't work for me and wasn't realistic for my lifestyle. I tried the 6 small meals a day, didn't work for me. I've finally found what worked best for me (which is a light breakfast, a small lunch, a big dinner, and a snack if my calories allow for it) and I've been losing at very steady pace.
Congrats on that! ! When u say snacks how many snacks do u eat a day and what type of snacks do u eat? I ask cause sometimes I feel like things I choose isn't the correct like crackers etc0 -
Hi guys so my question is do any of yall eat frozen meals and what exactly do u feel about it?
Personally, I don't, since I don't think they taste that great and I am usually more satisfied with other options.I ask cause I read they cause alot of weight gain but idk how to just give it up when I've been eating such things for years.for example the frozen pizza,etc
Frozen meals aren't inherently high calorie (and calories are what cause weight gain). If you want to eat them and like them or the convenience of them, explore the different options and try some of the lower cal options or ones with more vegetables and protein.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Hi guys so my question is do any of yall eat frozen meals and what exactly do u feel about it?
Personally, I don't, since I don't think they taste that great and I am usually more satisfied with other options.I ask cause I read they cause alot of weight gain but idk how to just give it up when I've been eating such things for years.for example the frozen pizza,etc
Frozen meals aren't inherently high calorie (and calories are what cause weight gain). If you want to eat them and like them or the convenience of them, explore the different options and try some of the lower cal options or ones with more vegetables and protein.
Ok thanks0 -
I've lost 60 pounds eating various frozen foods, as long as it's within my calories and macros.
Honestly, I think trying to go by what worked for someone else is what causes people to fail. I tried the whole clean eating thing, didn't work for me and wasn't realistic for my lifestyle. I tried the 6 small meals a day, didn't work for me. I've finally found what worked best for me (which is a light breakfast, a small lunch, a big dinner, and a snack if my calories allow for it) and I've been losing at very steady pace.
Congrats on that! ! When u say snacks how many snacks do u eat a day and what type of snacks do u eat? I ask cause sometimes I feel like things I choose isn't the correct like crackers etc
I'm not the poster you're asking, but I'll toss in my two cents. I have an afternoon snack every day around 3pm. For me that's usually a protein bar (Zone Bar, Luna Bar, Nature Valley protein bar, etc). And then I snack in the evenings after dinner with whatever calories I leave for myself.
Snacks I like include: hard boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, string cheese, beef or turkey jerky, hummus and veggies, apples and peanut butter, ice cream or frozen yogurt (whichever fits in my calories better), fudge pops, wasabi peas, popcorn, Jello pudding snacks, nuts, granola bars, Fiber One brownies, etc.
Crackers are a fine choice if you like them. There really is no right or wrong way to eat. Some people do best with two or three big meals. Others, like myself, prefer room for some snacks. You can lose weight either way. Some people like higher-carb snacks, like crackers. I try to higher protein snacks, personally. But that's entirely personal preference and what I choose to prioritize in my diet.0 -
When it comes to weight loss, it's not what you are eating but how much. Get used to logging all your foods for a week or two and you will get insights on how much you are really eating. Sometimes you get temporary weight gain from frozen foods because of their extra salt, but this is not fat loss or gain.
I keep a thin crust frozen pizza in our freezer for those unplanned days.
A family-pleaser that doesn't take too much to cook is a chill in the slow cooker. As an added bonus, you can freeze the extra for your own home-made freezer meals.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Hi guys so my question is do any of yall eat frozen meals and what exactly do u feel about it?
Personally, I don't, since I don't think they taste that great and I am usually more satisfied with other options.I ask cause I read they cause alot of weight gain but idk how to just give it up when I've been eating such things for years.for example the frozen pizza,etc
Frozen meals aren't inherently high calorie (and calories are what cause weight gain). If you want to eat them and like them or the convenience of them, explore the different options and try some of the lower cal options or ones with more vegetables and protein.
Ok thanks
The ideas to add stuff to them is a good one too.0 -
When it comes to weight loss, it's not what you are eating but how much. Get used to logging all your foods for a week or two and you will get insights on how much you are really eating. Sometimes you get temporary weight gain from frozen foods because of their extra salt, but this is not fat loss or gain.
I keep a thin crust frozen pizza in our freezer for those unplanned days.
A family-pleaser that doesn't take too much to cook is a chill in the slow cooker. As an added bonus, you can freeze the extra for your own home-made freezer meals.
That's what I'm doing now trying to log everything in so I can get a good idea of things and see what I need to change0 -
diannethegeek wrote: »I've lost 60 pounds eating various frozen foods, as long as it's within my calories and macros.
Honestly, I think trying to go by what worked for someone else is what causes people to fail. I tried the whole clean eating thing, didn't work for me and wasn't realistic for my lifestyle. I tried the 6 small meals a day, didn't work for me. I've finally found what worked best for me (which is a light breakfast, a small lunch, a big dinner, and a snack if my calories allow for it) and I've been losing at very steady pace.
Congrats on that! ! When u say snacks how many snacks do u eat a day and what type of snacks do u eat? I ask cause sometimes I feel like things I choose isn't the correct like crackers etc
I'm not the poster you're asking, but I'll toss in my two cents. I have an afternoon snack every day around 3pm. For me that's usually a protein bar (Zone Bar, Luna Bar, Nature Valley protein bar, etc). And then I snack in the evenings after dinner with whatever calories I leave for myself.
Snacks I like include: hard boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, string cheese, beef or turkey jerky, hummus and veggies, apples and peanut butter, ice cream or frozen yogurt (whichever fits in my calories better), fudge pops, wasabi peas, popcorn, Jello pudding snacks, nuts, granola bars, Fiber One brownies, etc.
Crackers are a fine choice if you like them. There really is no right or wrong way to eat. Some people do best with two or three big meals. Others, like myself, prefer room for some snacks. You can lose weight either way. Some people like higher-carb snacks, like crackers. I try to higher protein snacks, personally. But that's entirely personal preference and what I choose to prioritize in my diet.
Thanks so much for the snack ideas I needed that because I am like u myself I want to be able to atl east have 3 small snacks through out the day but I want to choose things that are good for me and crackers are high in carbs. Do you do the 3 meals and a snack in between thing?0 -
frozen foods do not cause weight gain, eating in a calorie deficit does.
you can eat frozen foods, be in a calorie deficit, and you will lose weight. It all boils down to CICO for straight weight loss.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.3K Introduce Yourself
- 43.4K Getting Started
- 259.6K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 387 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.2K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 911 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions