Smart Ones and Lean Cuisines

jmr71512

Is anyone trying to eat these meals to lose weight while tracking your calories? That is what I am planning on doing primarily but I would like to see if it has been successful for other people.

Thank you

astrampe

I had them regularly and lost 60lbs doing it - I am trying to cut down on sodium now, so don't have them much anymore...Just drink lots of water to flush the sodium....

bpwparents

Just look at the sodium content and keep in mind that we should stay under 2500mg/day. The last time I looked these were extremely high in sodium. I don't lose when my sodium levels are high but that may be just my body. Sometimes you're better off just making extra food ahead of time and it's much cheaper.

veggieluver2

I try to stay away from frozen dinners because of the sodium and preservatives. Also, it's just not enough food for me. I'm sure there are some people that have been successful eating them and losing weight. I wll say it's easy just to heat one up, but it looks like it get tiring eating the same ones.

kaylalryan

In my opinion, you should save your money. Although they are an easy, prepackaged option...they are not really that good for you! The sodium is high, the ingredient quality is poor, they are pricey, and you can really get much better food for the money. I suggest making a few large meals and packaging them and freezing them.

I.e. Chicken breast, broccoli, rice. or lean beef, beans, rice, seasoning type stir fry.... these types of options are going to save you money, taste better and be much more nutritious for you.

Becoming_A_Butterfly

I pack one every now and then for lunch if I am in a rush and don't have time to prepare something. But honestly, about 99% taste awful, I think, and leave me starving.

KarenJ15

I agree with everyone on the sodium. But they aren't an awful choice for a quick meal once in a while. Sometimes I have them for lunch a few days a week. They are not filling enough for me for dinner. I buy them when they are on sale and keep them handy for when I can't decide what I want to make for lunch or just don't have time.

L_Stradford

I do eat these rarely for lunch at work if I absolutely have to. But they have a lot of sodium in the meals and I try to keep my sodium intake low. So, I only eat a frozen meal once or twice a month if work is very busy. I haven't had problems losing weight so far.

Kelly_Runs_NC

In my opinion, you should save your money. Although they are an easy, prepackaged option...they are not really that good for you! The sodium is high, the ingredient quality is poor, they are pricey, and you can really get much better food for the money. I suggest making a few large meals and packaging them and freezing them.

I.e. Chicken breast, broccoli, rice. or lean beef, beans, rice, seasoning type stir fry.... these types of options are going to save you money, taste better and be much more nutritious for you.

^This right here.

seena511

i've been having them for lunch pretty much every day for about 2 years. i think that most of them taste really good, and there are a wide range of ones you can buy with different calorie levels depending on how much you need/want to eat at lunch. they can leave me hungry some times but i've had more success with learning to snack smart throughout the day which has helped a lot with that problem. since i'm not a huge veggie fan they also help me get my veggie servings in depending on which one i choose - for instance the butternut squash ravioli from lean cuisine has peas and carrots (240 calories) and the orange chicken has edamame (360 calories). you do have to watch the sodium and sugar in some of them, though.

Shas2228

I only eat them when I'm bored of my regular routine, or am in a hurry. They are higher in sodium so you have to be careful.

Otherwise you should try to eat as fresh as possible.

So in other words, it doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't eat them. But do it moderately and also incorporate fresh foods for optimal weight loss.

giggitygoo

I used to package cooked brown rice, chopped chicken breast and frozen broccoli in a tupperware container and freeze. It heats up exactly the same as a lean cuisine if you do it in a single layer and the quality is exponentially better.

Those frozen dinners are convenient, but have dubious nutrition. Plus, the portions are tiny. Still better than fast food in a pinch but not good as a main source of nutrition.

sunnyside1213

I don't eat processed foods.

koshkasmum

Boy it seems like everyone is right on here. High sodium high cost etc. Home cooked food much better for you. That being said, as a once in a while thing or a quick pack lunch for work they are a better choice than many others. If not enoughfood for you - they are very small portions - try supplementing with "salad in a bag" effortless and a great choice (although still kinda pricey) with a squeeze of lemon and some pepper.

UsedToBeHusky

I did at first. But I use MFP to ensure my nutritional goals are met. These meals didn't provide enough nutrition to get the job done. Too much sodium, not enough protein and potassium. Occassionally, if I'm in a hurry, I will do a Healthy Choice meal, but for the most part, I just stick with whole foods. I do eat Campbell's Healthy Request soup. There's a lot of bang for your buck when it comes to potassium in those.

kathyhull

I used to take them for lunch just about every day and managed to lose about 30 pounds in about 4 months that way (and have kept it off for almost 4 years now). The sodium may be a little high but if you balance it out with more water and more vegies for dinner, it all works out in the end - you have to do what works for you and I found grabbing one on my way out the door to work in the morning meant I wouldn't be hitting the fast food drive through at lunch. But, we don't have fridges or microwaves where I work now and I've had to get pretty creative with my lunch packing. I'll make up a batch of tuna salad (I put a lot of vegies in it, not so much lite mayo) and pre-package it for 3 lunches, throw in a yogurt and piece of fruit and maybe an ounce of nuts for a snack - doesn't take too long (but still longer than grabbing a frozen and running out the door). I'll make up a big salad at the beginning of the week and then throw a bunch of that in a fridge dish and throw in my bag some days. But, I miss the ease of the frozens.

Trechechus

They are easy and pretty low cal, but they lack a lot of nutrition. Make sure you drink lots of water to make up for the sodium, and lots of fruits and veggies to get your essential nutrients.

Saaaam42

I basically live off these because they keep me below my daily calorie goal & I'm a really picky eater so finding something inexpensive and yummy for lunch is a challenge.

closenre

I eat them daily for lunch, not alot of food but gets me thru the day.

akilahleemarie

They are very high in sodium..but low in calories...before i started learning about losing weight and eating right..i would count my calories faithfully for a couple weeks..and my weight loss for 2 weeks should have been 3 or 4 pounds...and i would maintain my weight! it drove me crazy! i would give up and would be confused as to why i would lose the 3 to 4 pounds after going back to my old ways lol. but yes, the sodium can drive you crazy...but they are ok to eat 1-2 times a week...don't do it before weight in

Maggie_Pie1

I lost a ton of weight with them. They are great if you are trying to get used to portion control and have a busy lifestyle. The sodium levels didn't bother me because I typically never use salt in any of the other meals I prepare. I don't even know if I have salt in my house, come to think of it, so the 'excess sodium' in the lean cuisine/smart ones wasn't 'excess' for me personally, since I never really use it. And even still, if you are also exercising frequently, you sweat out alot of salts, so unless your doctor has told you to monitor your salt, I wouldn't get anal about it.

UsedToBeHusky

Just to elaborate a little more on my experience... when I was eating these, I developed dieter's edema. It was dangerously close to being a pitted edema which is life-threatening. If you plan on eating them, please track your potassium and be sure that you are getting a sufficient amount. Otherwise, you may cause yourself some problems.

chubbygirl253

I dont do it on a daily basis because the sodium mates me retain water weight and they aren't filling enough to keep me from snacking. But they are good a couple times a wk for a quick dinner or work lunch. I find that if I eat it with a salad or a can of veggies it is more filling. But drink extra water that day.

UsedToBeHusky

I lost a ton of weight with them. They are great if you are trying to get used to portion control and have a busy lifestyle. The sodium levels didn't bother me because I typically never use salt in any of the other meals I prepare. I don't even know if I have salt in my house, come to think of it, so the 'excess sodium' in the lean cuisine/smart ones wasn't 'excess' for me personally, since I never really use it. And even still, if you are also exercising frequently, you sweat out alot of salts, so unless your doctor has told you to monitor your salt, I wouldn't get anal about it.

I never salted anything either. I still ended up with a potassium deficiency that led to edema.

barbaramitchell101

I used to eat these in the beginning of my weight loss journey...first I used Lean Cuisine but I really didn't like it that well, the meat always cme out tough and hard to cut and the veggies were'nt that good either...then I switched to Smart Ones and that one has less sodium, the veggies and meat are tasty...but with both of them, I needed more food...so I always brought a V-8, one or two bananas, a 6-oz pkg of raw berries, and anything else I felt I would enjoy...actually with my program, I also had a diet protein shake in the morning, (2 per day was recommended, I had only one per day) I was able to slowly lose 29 lbs which took about 2 years...I did not exercise, either..I am not eating them now, because for some reason, this year I started having sensitivty issues...first my medications, and now food....gluten seems to be the culpret...I just wanted to say that both are free of preservatives, and both are lower in cals than other frozen dinners...

If you go with Lean Cuisine, you can get remiums by entering you codes in their website....don't throw out the boxes till you enter them, they are located inside the boxes...

OH, and I do take suppliments just in case I miss some nutrients...

1shauna1

I eat them frequently for lunch at work. They're easy to grab, pre portioned, and some are pretty tasty. They are better than getting takeout at the mall every day (both on the pocketbook and the waist!).

jcjsjones

I use them if I'm short on time. They are easy to grab and portion controlled. I agree with others though about the nutritional value and the sodium. I wouldn't eat them reguarly.

20shan08

I used to eat the weight watchers and michalinas for lunch daily up until about a month ago... I've lost 83 pounds... Just try to choose the ones with the lowest sodium.

addiepray80

I eat these once or twice a week when I don't have time to prepare dinner. I almost always add a cup or so of extra veggies (boiled, no salt or butter) to help fill me up and make my plate fuller. There is always plenty of sauce to go around on the extra veggies and they add nutrition as well.

I highly recommend the Healthy Choice options; they seem to have better quality meats and vegetables in my opinion. Plus, I recently had half a wishbone in my Lean Cuisine and have not touched them since!

LetsMakeupXtina

I used to survive off the few that are GF... I would have one every day for lunch.. and I would ALWAYS feel hungry 30 mins later.. just were never satisfying to me.. haven't bought one in a really long time.. but they do help you lose weight!!

NeverGivesUp

cook your own food and learn about nutrition unless you want to gain it all back. That stuff is poison.