Packaged meals seems to equal success?

janiedoe111
janiedoe111 Posts: 161 Member
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
In viewing a few of my 'friends' food diaries it seems as though people who stick to pre-portioned food seem to do really well with weekly weight loss and staying on target with their calorie consumption. It has been a while since I had a loss.

I have been trying to eat fresh foods, mostly homemade, and I really struggle. Calories add up quickly and if I eat within my calorie basis I am hungry all the time. Unless it is one of my boxing/kickboxing or soccer days, then I burn so many calories I have an ample supply.

I eat fiber rich foods and try and add in extra veggies whenever possible.

Currently, I am trying to drink more water to see if this will help me not be so hungry.

Would anyone who eats minimal packaged food be willing to share their food diary with me?

Replies

  • mommyJto3
    mommyJto3 Posts: 139 Member
    you can view mine, i really dont eat pre packaged food. ive just got back into my routine of logging my food every day but if you want you can look back over 30 days and get an idea.
  • swaymyway
    swaymyway Posts: 428 Member
    What do you define as packaged foods?

    I eat as much fruit and veg as possible and try to make as much as possible at home, but I also eat plenty of 'bought' stuff like sauces, burgers, pasta etc.

    My diary is public if looking at it helps at all.
  • jbucci1186
    jbucci1186 Posts: 440 Member
    For the first 5 to 6 months of this process I ate a lean cuisines with something on the side (usually a turkey sandwich and a fiber one bar) a day for lunch and dinner (2 per day) and it really helped. It was a good way for me to transition to where I am now. But if you asked me today, I would probably say no to one, but if I wouldn't have gotten to this point without them.
  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
    I do not eat prepacked food very often. They are high is sodium and carbs.
  • HotSouthernMess
    HotSouthernMess Posts: 474 Member
    you are more than welcome to view my diary. i eat pre-packaged meals most days when i work with a salad then for dinner i have something healthy. i say, there is nothing wrong with them if your sodium intake allows them cause they can add up.
  • MrBrown72
    MrBrown72 Posts: 407 Member
    I don't generally eat anything I didn't cook (save for my weekly night out but the alcohol I imbibe has to be worse for me than outback food) I think the prepackaging is all about portion control . With a little effort and a freezer one could create these for themselves cheaper and healthier.

    I often do an entire work weeks worth of food over the weekend. However I am resistant to boredom and don't mind eating the same thing three days in a row. As long as it tastes better than an MRE and has less salt I'm a happy guy.
  • atisketataskets
    atisketataskets Posts: 28
    They are great for portion control, but a huge draw-back is SODIUM! I have tried reducing my consumption to one pre-packaged meal a day; a protein shake for breakfast and for lunch I am eating salmon with a green veggie, along with brown rice or cous cous. I have also been eating every 2 hours, so that I don’t allow myself to get hungry!
  • yes_i_can
    yes_i_can Posts: 419
    Pre-packaged usually equals lots of sodium and preservatives. The success factor would likely depend on what the alternative is... if the trade-off is fresh salad v. TV dinner, I'd say stick to the salad, but if it's a convenience thing and it's Lean Cuisine v. McDonalds, well... you see where I'm going. ;)
  • MrsGriffin67
    MrsGriffin67 Posts: 485 Member
    I have found the Healthy Choice Complete Meals to probably the best. Most of them are low in sodium <700mg. The Complete Meals have your main course, side (usually potatoes), veggie and dessert. My favorite is the Salisbury Steak, I like to use the Healthy Life 35 calorie wheat bread and make a sandwich of it. That puts my calorie consumption at <400. Just beware of the sodium...it is NOT your friend. :)

    Fresh food and veggies is ALWAYS your best option but sometimes you need a quick low cal solution.
  • vdavis_89
    vdavis_89 Posts: 334
    I think the only "prepackaged food" that I eat is lean pockets and thats for a snack to get me till my usually late lunch... I measure all my food out (literally with a food scale and measuring cups and spoons) its a little tedious but id rather have fresh food that I made than have frozen food that tastes funny and has a funny texture lol You can see my diary if you like ... I just started about a week ago but ive already eaten so much healthier than before! Good luck and add me if you like :)
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
    If you're still hungry at your current calorie setting, do you perhaps have your weekly goal amount too high? Are you trying to lose more than 1 pound a week? Depending on your BMI and how much you have to lose, that might be hard for you to maintain.

    I lowered my goal to .5 lbs a week. The extra 200 calories it gave me a day was enough to help me feel satisfied and start losing again.
  • 27strange
    27strange Posts: 837 Member
    Prepackaged foods like lean cuisine and the other boxed meals can be high in sodium and carbs. However, I believe in the beginning and throughout your weight loss effort they can be helpful because they assist in teaching portion control and limiting you on how much you eat, especially of foods you are unfamiliar with or don't know exactly all the ingredients and their calories. Plus they aren't too bad on the go if you didn't have time to prepare your lunch the night before or whatever. Its a lot better than hitting the drive thru for sure. I keep a few in the freezer just in case I don't have time to make something healthy from scratch or lunch is going to be cut short.

    I don't personally know anyone that has lost a ton of weight who just ate lean cuisine everyday. People of all sizes eat lean cuisine in the office where I work but I don't know their eating habits throughout the rest of the day to know if eating these prepackaged meals are really benefiting them or not.
  • ptheders
    ptheders Posts: 24
    I find that eating high protein/low sodium can really help you drop weight fast. Both of these help minimize water retention, and the protein can help you build lean muscle.

    I lose the most weight when I eat at least one egg a day. However, I can only keep that up for so long before I get sick of eggs and need to take a break!

    I am professional chef and I cook a lot at home. One of the biggest calorie traps is OIL! I know Olive Oil is incredibly good for you, but when you are counting calories a little olive oil can push you over the edge. A lot of vegetables will give off enough moisture (especially with a pinch of salt) on their own that oil isn't necessary. Meat will render fat quickly in a hot pan, so you can skip the oil here as well. If you are dressing a salad with oil and vinegar, try cutting out the oil and going straight vinegar.

    Another tip is using imitation meats for certain things. Morning Star Farms "veggie crumbles" are incredible in sauces, chilis, or cooked like taco meat. The texture is different, but the taste is great and you cut your calories by a TON! Depending on where you live you can find smoked sun-dried tomatoes, which when chopped and sauteed with garlic and greens gives a nice bacon-y flavor. Try using low-cal condiments (I drench everything in hot sauce, although hot-sauces are often high in sodium) to add lots of flavor to otherwise boring foods.
  • smith18aj
    smith18aj Posts: 16 Member
    I find them helpful in that they are (or can be) clear in terms of portion and calories. You have to be careful that you are watching the per serving some are more than one per individual package. They also can be not the best nutrition wise. However I'd rather eat the 250 calorie lean cuisine at work than go out and get a cheesburger. I'd rather make that the lesser of two evils. They can be really helpful but they are not a long term solution or method to effective weightloss
  • ajjennamom
    ajjennamom Posts: 2
    I have great success with eating Healthy Choice meals for my dinner. I do fine with breakfast and lunch, but sometimes need to get a little restriction for my dinners because I find in the evening I am less able to stop myself from overeating, especially when I am tired or have had a really long day. I know many say that prepackaged meals are not good for you, but I say anything in moderation is ok :)
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    Look at my food diary (it's open), I don't touch pre-packaged meals and try to keep it fresh (although this is tough at times). Eating pre-packaged meals may be an easy way to do it, but are they really learning about nutrition and a sustainable lifestyle? What happens if (OMG) they are eating out or at a friends house and have to put some thought into the food they're consuming? And, while it may be easy this is how I feel about the taste: :sick:
  • janiedoe111
    janiedoe111 Posts: 161 Member
    Thanks all! I started out today with all fresh food from all the food groups. It came in at 390 calories. I feel like if I do breakfast right the rest of the day will follow. :)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories