Lean Cuisine??

I've read on previous posts here before that they are better than eating fast food...but that they have a lot of sodium in them...so you just need to keep an eye out for that.

Here's the thing that I have found with anything like that... It is pretty much guaranteed to be loaded with sodium! So while they are easy on the calories they still get you with the sodium!. I would recommend taking a day and just cooking a few meals that you can portion out and freeze. Good luck, hope I answered your question.

I would say as a back up it would be okay. I've done that in the past. Emergency rush meal at work or at home.

BUT I have really been watching my sodium intake, so I don't eat them at all. I think watching your sodium is really important when you are trying to eat healthy and for weight loss. Any processed foods or frozen meals like that may seem more convenient, but they really aren't as healthy.

In the long run, I'd say it would be healthier to just make your own lunches from clean foods and less processed.

I used to eat them, too, but I have to admit, I'm not a fan any more. I try to stay totally away from processed foods, if at all possible. They tend to have way too much sodium and hidden sugars. Something has to make them taste good in order for them to have so few calories, right? What about peanut butter (the real kind, not Jif or Skippy) and apples? Easy to take to work if you have a refrigerator there, and SO good for you! Or you could make up a salad with some whole wheat crackers on the side. Either way, you'd be getting in some fruits/veggies.

It gets to the point where you will pick any package and the first thing you look at on the nutrition info is the sodium, then the calories.

Read the ingredients, if there are things in there that you can't pronounce, additives or fillers (many of these "prepared" type of foods have "corn" fillers present) then don't eat them.
Losing weight is not just about the scale, it is about your health as well. I have adopted a very "clean" diet and no longer consume anything prepared like these.

I cooked an extra big chicken breast with our dinner last night, half was sliced for my husband's sandwich for lunch and the other half is for my salad. Took me about 5 minutes to throw my lunch together before I left the house for work this morning. Including the dressing my HUGE salad is more filling and much less calories than a lean cuisine, plus I won't be gaining water weight from a ton of sodium.

Since I have made sure to plan our food ahead of time my results have been much better because everything is made by my hands so I know what is in it.

The one day in the last number of months that I didn't get a chance to take my lunch (I actually left it sitting on the kitchen table) I popped into subway and got a roasted chicken breast 6" on whole wheat with NO dressing or sauce, just a ton of veggies. This was still less calories than a lean cuisine and less sodium.

I am definately not a fan of anything processed!

I have to say as a working mother of two, I like the convenience of Lean Cuisine's. I eat them a couple of times a week for lunch and I'm never over my sodium intake for the day unless I pair it with soda or eat something else with a lot of sodium. I try to look for the ones that are lower in sodium and calories.

However, I also to make extra portions of dinner so that I can take that to work. I also will have tuna or make a salad to take to work as well, so I'm not relying on Lean Cuisines all the time.

They are fine to eat - just watch your sodium intake, or drink extra extra water for the day when you eat them. I eat them for lunch/ or breakfast pretty much every single day. Some of them have lower sodium and if you go online, and google for lower sodium - I know they make lower sodium ones.

If you are working and looking for a different lunch during the week, I would say a Lean Cuisine might be what you are looking for. It is probably hard to cook a meal at work which means eating out or packing a lunch., The new market creations are not bad and are pretty low in calories. I use coupons all the time and have found one on the lean cuisine website for $1 off of 2 packages. My grocery store has them for $1.98 this week.

Soup might be another optionfor you. You can make it yourself with little or no processed ingredients and take it to reheat.

Its good for one or two times a week I would say. Try a different variety of food choices. Home made food is healthy and costs less since we know what goes inside each dish. I usually have 1 whole wheat bread slice with 2 honey baked turkey slices and a fruit with a cup of milk for break fast. For lunch sometime I have home made whole wheat pasta loaded with vegetables or Egg white scramble with a roti. For dinner its usually a cup of salad and 1 piece of grilled tilapia fish or half cup of select harvest soup and 2 egg whites boiled. For snacks that I eat twice a day, I eat 12 almonds/pistachios or 1 string cheese 80 cal pack or a fruit.

It is important to have regular meals every single day with at least an hour of exercise. A balanced meal with protein, calcium, vitamins, good fats and carbs is important to stay active and energetic. Good luck with your weight loss.

Since I do it mostly at work, I don't put anything else except the mustard. I'm usually in a hurry so I keep it simple. I'm sure you can add eggs and pickle at home though and even throw in some black olives if you like them. Not sure how many calories it would add up to though.

Many people extol the virtues of keeping sodium below 1500 mg, but there's no medical evidence that it does anything for you to do this. And going to low on sodium can really mess up your electrolyte balance, especially if you work out for long periods (say over 90 minutes per day at a moderate level or higher).

Good point! My 77 year old mother was called in by her doctor because her sodium was too low (she wouldn't eat anything processed, or add salt, etc.) which meant that her body wasn't obsorbing nutrients because they were being rinsed out of her too quickly (kidneys would produce more urine, etc.) Low sodium can also cause lethargy and confusion (not sure if just in elderly patients or in all people). Most people don't need to worry about not having enough sodium though!

like ANY thing else...you just cant eat a butt-load of 'em and then wonder what went wrong.

I like them though. I also like weight watchers' meals.

mix it up. i find thats the easiest thing to do. can't eat a ton of one thing...our bodies require more than that