Eating only pre-packaged food to lose weight???

witcherkar
witcherkar Posts: 138 Member
edited November 2017 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay. I am on a doctor prescribed diet. 2 protein shakes a day and 1 sensible meal with higher protein and lower carbs. No snacks.
Well 1, i have trouble cooking because I'm in a wheelchair and the stove sits a little too high.
2. Our stove and oven is broke right now until the landlord buys us a new one.

So my diet (food wise) is consisting of one atkins shake for breakfast and one for dinner. I have an atkins frozen meal for lunch. If im still hungry, i eat some yogurt. If im not, i eat the yogurt as a snack later in the day.
I also have a sweet tooth which i satisfy by eating sugar free jollyranchers. No carbs, all sugar alcohols.
(Sugar substitutes doesnt bother my body at all and I only have 1 serving of them a day which is 4 peices.)
I take a multivitamin as well.
When i look, I am fulfilling all my macros great, including all my nutrition parts. My sodium is between 1500-1800 mg which is under the 2300. My calories are somewhere around 1000-1200.
Does this sound healthy enough and will i lose weight? Please no judgement, but constructive criticism is always welcome.
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Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    This sounds like a temporary plan. I think it, along with BZAH10's suggestions, sounds reasonable.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    witcherkar wrote: »
    Okay. I am on a doctor prescribed diet. 2 protein shakes a day and 1 sensible meal with higher protein and lower carbs. No snacks.
    Well 1, i have trouble cooking because I'm in a wheelchair and the stove sits a little too high.
    2. Our stove and oven is broke right now until the landlord buys us a new one.

    So my diet (food wise) is consisting of one atkins shake for breakfast and one for dinner. I have an atkins frozen meal for lunch. If im still hungry, i eat some yogurt. If im not, i eat the yogurt as a snack later in the day.
    I also have a sweet tooth which i satisfy by eating sugar free jollyranchers. No carbs, all sugar alcohols.
    (Sugar substitutes doesnt bother my body at all and I only have 1 serving of them a day which is 4 peices.)
    I take a multivitamin as well.
    When i look, I am fulfilling all my macros great, including all my nutrition parts. My sodium is between 1500-1800 mg which is under the 2300. My calories are somewhere around 1000-1200.
    Does this sound healthy enough and will i lose weight? Please no judgement, but constructive criticism is always welcome.


    Is the diet temporary? Is it satisfying or boring to you?
    Do you have a lot to lose? It is hard to imagine anyone would not lose weight consuming 1000-1200 calories.
    Any reason not to eat some fruits or vegetables or cottage cheese?

    You must have a microwave. Can you use a slow cooker or indoor grill to expand your variety?
  • witcherkar
    witcherkar Posts: 138 Member
    thecharon wrote: »
    You have no one at home that can help you? Google recipes and ask that person to cook. Ex: Sweet potato and bean chili, or grilled chicken with a side of veggies. Give that other person ideas. Do you live with your parents?

    I live with my mom, but she doesnt want to cook healthy. She wants fried chicken and fried potatoes. I would oven baked chicken and steamed veggies. But she says she wont cook two dinners. Kind if on my own. I do what I can. Oven is easier than trying ti reach the stove lol. And right now we have no oven or stove. Its broken.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Bird's Eye has some great SteamFresh packages.
    A group that is higher protein than you'd normally get with vegetables - though not that high compared to meat.
    A group that is the current popular ancient grains and such.

    Those heat in microwave, and might be decent enough tasting compared to high sodium offerings.
    One bag is 300-600 cal depending on version.

    The estimate of amount of servings in package is of course very off, actually weigh the bag before you heat it, remove contents after done cooking, weigh empty bag, calculate servings per package.
    They seem to be good getting the stated weight in the bag, so could just use that too.
  • witcherkar
    witcherkar Posts: 138 Member
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    witcherkar wrote: »
    Okay. I am on a doctor prescribed diet. 2 protein shakes a day and 1 sensible meal with higher protein and lower carbs. No snacks.
    Well 1, i have trouble cooking because I'm in a wheelchair and the stove sits a little too high.
    2. Our stove and oven is broke right now until the landlord buys us a new one.

    So my diet (food wise) is consisting of one atkins shake for breakfast and one for dinner. I have an atkins frozen meal for lunch. If im still hungry, i eat some yogurt. If im not, i eat the yogurt as a snack later in the day.
    I also have a sweet tooth which i satisfy by eating sugar free jollyranchers. No carbs, all sugar alcohols.
    (Sugar substitutes doesnt bother my body at all and I only have 1 serving of them a day which is 4 peices.)
    I take a multivitamin as well.
    When i look, I am fulfilling all my macros great, including all my nutrition parts. My sodium is between 1500-1800 mg which is under the 2300. My calories are somewhere around 1000-1200.
    Does this sound healthy enough and will i lose weight? Please no judgement, but constructive criticism is always welcome.


    Is the diet temporary? Is it satisfying or boring to you?
    Do you have a lot to lose? It is hard to imagine anyone would not lose weight consuming 1000-1200 calories.
    Any reason not to eat some fruits or vegetables or cottage cheese?

    You must have a microwave. Can you use a slow cooker or indoor grill to expand your variety?

    The frozen meals are temporary for everyday. Ill get back to trying oven cooking as soon as we get a new one. But there are days where ill still be eating them. Cooking everyday is hard for me and meal prepping all at once is too painful sitting in a wheelchair that long.
    Yes its satisfying. I thrive on eating the same thing everyday then trying to change it up. Yes. I have about 175 pounds to lose. Yes, doctor said no fruits as they have too many carbs (even though they are natural.) Veggies are fine, its just i have no idea how to cook them in a microwave. I tried to once and it was horrible. I like cottage cheese, but choose yogurt because it has more flavor and texture variety.
    I dont have a slow cooker or indoor grill. Nor can i afford one at this time. :(
    I just dont want to get sick or malnourished on this diet. I know yall might say to ask my doctor, but i coukd see 5 different doctors who will tell me different things. I figured people with first hand experience would be better.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Get a slow cooker and prepare some healthy and nutritious meals would be my advice. Or you can get all kinds of steamers for microwaves now. You can even get omelette makers for the microwave. Personally I have never understood the concept of using shakes and the like as that is not teaching a person to eat at a deficit using regular food and in the end, lifelong success tends to come down to learning to eat regular food in moderate amounts in a way that allows you to lose/maintain weight whilst retaining health. I hope this is not long term as it sounds pretty miserable to me and I am surprised doctors still suggest this diet over simple calorie counting.

    Good luck.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    edited November 2017
    I agree that fresh fruit and vegetables will help you round out your nutritional needs. Apples, bananas, orange, carrots, celery, cucumber, etc. Try to get at least a few servings into your day. They make great snacks.

    2 shakes + freezer meal + 2-3 servings of fresh fruit and veg every day should be okay. Make sure you're getting enough protein as well.

    And make sure you're getting enough calories. Under 1200 isn't recommended for adult women.
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    If you are in a calorie deficit you will lose weight. Doesn't matter where the calories come from as far as weight loss, but for nutritional health it sounds like you have a plan since you are also taking a multivitamin and are keeping track of macros. I hope this current situation is only temporary for you and you get an oven/stove soon! Agree with fresh fruits and fresh/frozen veggies as well.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
    edited November 2017
    If you are hitting your micro and macro nutrients and are satisfied with the food you are eating, I don't see a problem in that regard. As discussed above, I'd have some concerns about the calorie goals, they're really low. Is your doctor recommending you lose some weight very fast for some reason? Or did they just throw out a standard, one size (doesn't) fit all plan. I would agree you can bump up your calories healthily by adding microwave steamed vegetables and maybe some fruit.

    eta Just caught the Dr. said no fruits.
  • Goal179
    Goal179 Posts: 314 Member
    I wish I had more info as to why the Dr. put you on a diet that doesn't include fruits, veggies, etc. Is it because they are trying to limit your carbs or control blood sugar? If so, you might want to check with your Dr. before you start eating more fruit. (If you already explained this but I missed it, I apologize) Berries are a safe bet if you want low carb fruits. But in the meantime, you can NEVER go wrong with dark green leafy veggies. You may even be able to find some pre-made salads that can replace your Atkins meals. As one of the posters above said, healthy frozen microwave meals are readily available now. Try grabbing those. I also am curious about your calorie intake? Did the Dr give you a specific number that you need to hit or did you use calculators to determine the healthiest calorie allowance? Make sure you are eating enough and don't slow your metabolism down. Is it possible that you can switch out your jolly ranchers with some beans or nuts? You are definitely going to lose weight based on that calorie intake, but is it sustainable and will you gain the weight back after you go back to normal eating. Those are the questions you need to discuss with your Dr. We are all here for you and although we may disagree on advice from time to time, we only want to see each other succeed.
  • pogiguy05
    pogiguy05 Posts: 1,583 Member
    Well first I am not trying to be mean, but is the wheelchair temporary or permanent? I am wondering why you are in an apartment that is not ADA compliant and are there any plans to move into one? I am also sorry your mom is not supportive of your needs to improve your health. It would also improve hers as well.

    As everyone says it is calories in calories out and it seems you have sodium in control which I would worry about with prepackaged foods. My wife the other day asked why I was gonna buy chicken breasts from the grocery store. She bought one of them Costco packs and i had to show her that by serving size Costco frozen chicken breast has 4 times the sodium then the grocery store one.

    Are you going to physical therapy of any kind or can you? Nothing motivates me more then seeing someone in the gym in a wheelchair. i am like I have no excuses to not be here.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    How long has your oven and stove been broken? I'd put up with this for maybe a day or two.

    Is your landlord going to replace it in a timely manner? If not, and regulations require him to have provided one, it's possible that you can hold back some of your rent while you are without this. Consult the laws in your area.

    This is how it works in Massachusetts: http://www.masslegalhelp.org/options-if-your-landlord-refuses-to-make-repairs

    When I moved into my last rental, there was no stove. The landlord said he needed to provide one. I wanted one that I liked, so bought it myself from Craigslist, and sold it to him when I moved. He didn't have a lot of money so over the four years I was there we did a lot of negotiating so everyone got what they wanted. I put a lot of money into the place, and he charged me cheap rent and didn't raise it once.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Goal179 wrote: »
    I wish I had more info as to why the Dr. put you on a diet that doesn't include fruits, veggies, etc. Is it because they are trying to limit your carbs or control blood sugar? If so, you might want to check with your Dr. before you start eating more fruit. (If you already explained this but I missed it, I apologize) Berries are a safe bet if you want low carb fruits. But in the meantime, you can NEVER go wrong with dark green leafy veggies. You may even be able to find some pre-made salads that can replace your Atkins meals. As one of the posters above said, healthy frozen microwave meals are readily available now. Try grabbing those. I also am curious about your calorie intake? Did the Dr give you a specific number that you need to hit or did you use calculators to determine the healthiest calorie allowance? Make sure you are eating enough and don't slow your metabolism down. Is it possible that you can switch out your jolly ranchers with some beans or nuts? You are definitely going to lose weight based on that calorie intake, but is it sustainable and will you gain the weight back after you go back to normal eating. Those are the questions you need to discuss with your Dr. We are all here for you and although we may disagree on advice from time to time, we only want to see each other succeed.

    According to OP, the doctor said vegetables were fine, just no fruits.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    If it's really below 1200 calories, you will lose weight, but it doesn't sound healthy. I don't understand avoiding fruit for the carbs, and then flavored(?) yogurt is ok? No snacks, and then you'll eat a snack anyway?

    Ditch the "diet" and the shakes and the pills, and eat real food. It you can't use the stove, use the microwave. Who does the shopping? Buy bananas, frozen berries, milk, make smoothies. Fresh fruit is great and healthy. Buy fresh vegetables, chop them up and eat them raw. But nuts and dried fruit, bread and whatever you like to make sandwiches.

    You should really figure out a permanent solution to get cooking. There are so many more options when you can prepare more of your own food.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    Bird's Eye has some great SteamFresh packages.
    A group that is higher protein than you'd normally get with vegetables - though not that high compared to meat.
    A group that is the current popular ancient grains and such.

    Those heat in microwave, and might be decent enough tasting compared to high sodium offerings.
    One bag is 300-600 cal depending on version.

    The estimate of amount of servings in package is of course very off, actually weigh the bag before you heat it, remove contents after done cooking, weigh empty bag, calculate servings per package.
    They seem to be good getting the stated weight in the bag, so could just use that too.

    This exactly.

    Tyson and a few others have frozen/microwavable burgers/chicken breasts.

    Sodium can be a bit higher.

    I've been doing it for almost 16 months now. The Birdseye and green giant steamfresh packs have plenty of variety. Just tailor it to your desired calories.
  • knhigham
    knhigham Posts: 11 Member
    Ideally, the more that individual ingredients that can be used, the better.

    In your case, it can certainly be difficult. I would search for community resources for people with physical disabilities. They may be able to refer you to other healthy, affordable options if you’re getting tired of the Atkins meals. Or at very least refer you to a group that might be able to provide some morale support.

    Do you rely on your mother for many things? If so, you may want to mention to your Dr and community resources that your mother is very set in her ways, and isn’t committed to helping you lose weight. This may result in you getting higher priority if you choose to apply for services.
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    If it's really below 1200 calories, you will lose weight, but it doesn't sound healthy. I don't understand avoiding fruit for the carbs, and then flavored(?) yogurt is ok? No snacks, and then you'll eat a snack anyway?

    This. OP did you ask why no fruit?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    cathipa wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    If it's really below 1200 calories, you will lose weight, but it doesn't sound healthy. I don't understand avoiding fruit for the carbs, and then flavored(?) yogurt is ok? No snacks, and then you'll eat a snack anyway?

    This. OP did you ask why no fruit?

    From OP's post: "Yes, doctor said no fruits as they have too many carbs."

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