Frozen Dinners for Weightloss

I occasionally have Lean Cuisines for dinner when I'm feeling lazy or craving one (soooo tasty!). I wouldn't have them like twice a day, every day of the week, too much sodium, but yea.

I eat at least one Lean Cuisine, or a Weight Watchers frozen dinner just about everyday, and I'm doing just fine with my weight loss. Good luck!!

I had a healthy choice Beef Tips Portobello for supper tonight. It was really good and if I would have fixed all of this plus the dessert that came with it I wouldnt have been able to do it any better.

yuck. just my opinion. :ohwell:

Some are okay. You have to watch the sodium in them because you can retain water. I just never felt satisfied with them. I used to eat them because I thought it took all the guesswork out of watching your calories, and I told myself I didn't have time to cook. But now I enjoy taking a little time and making myself something delicious and healthy that fits into my calorie budget. I love to get recipe ideas online.

Well...
Now that I'm not needing to lose massive amounts of weight like I once did I can say I'm not a fan of anything processed. However, when I did need to lose, I found frozen dinners like Lean Cuisines and Weight Watchers immensely helpful toward helping me figure out what was an appropriate portion size. Without them I don't know if I would have been as successful as quickly.

That said, if you feel you need to eat them to gauge portion size and/or if you have a busy lifestyle where the need for convenience will overtake your success, then I think they are fine in moderation. I would consider limiting yourself to one frozen meal a day, however.

I can also tell you a few things about frozen meals that may change your mind:
a) they're expensive. For much less you can make a large meal or two on a Sunday afternoon and put it in individual small containers and freeze each for lunches or dinners during the week.
b) you would be shocked at the amount of fresh food you can eat for the same number of calories in a frozen meal. Its like double in some cases. Seriously.
c) you will feel 1000 times better eating fresh food versus eating processed foods. You'll have more energy, you'll feel like you ate something "real" and healthy and good for you, you won't crash later on because of the chemicals/sugars in your meal, you'll be MUCH fuller because you can eat more.

However, if your goal is to lose weight, you have to find what works best for you. If lack of convenience will derail you, and money isn't an object, I would start with frozen and slowly move on to fresher foods. Good luck!

Keep in mind that frozen dinners can be very high in sodium.

The more raw/steamed fresh food you can eat, the better. The fiber content is way higher, sodium incredibly low. In a pinch, a frozen meal can ROCK, but not as part of a regular dietary pattern. You want to get as much nutrients and fuel (energy) from your food as you can. Most frozen meals are 'dead' from a nutritional standpoint. Also, shifting your lifestyle for long term maintenance will help you in the long run. Hope this helps! Remember, you have to do what works for YOU. Peace, Swifty

I occasionally have Lean Cuisines for dinner when I'm feeling lazy or craving one (soooo tasty!). I wouldn't have them like twice a day, every day of the week, too much sodium, but yea.

Agreed, same here

I eat them several times a week. If I am really hungry I will bulk up a frozen dinner with extra veggies. They always have more than enough sauce.

I love doing this!! I like the Smart Ones. They seem to have lower sodium levels--- plus lots of vegetables. I get the steamable bag of broccoli and peas ( not both- one or the other) and put 1/4 of the bag to add more bulk! YUM! I eat frozen meals about every other day for lunch!

How do you guys feel about using frozen dinners to aide in weight loss?

As long as you get in your macronutrient/micronutrient essentials, exercise and sleep, if you they help you to stay within calorie control they should be fine.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I try to think of them as a fast-food alternative on the days where I am too busy at work to really stop and eat something healthy. I probably have one or two a week, but it's better than 2 fast food lunches.

They can be pretty empty cals and have high sodium, so I just try to make sure I have a filling snack later, like a greek yogurt, string cheese, or high fiber 90-cal bar.

They didn't help me at all.

How do you guys feel about using frozen dinners to aide in weight loss?

Ironically, I am going to have a Weightwatchers one in a short while for lunch.

I don't eat them everyday though.