Are frozen dinners a good idea when trying to lose weight?

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Gustavo1

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I'm 5'8 weigh 144 and am trying to lose those pesky last pounds but my weight loss has significantly decreased and im finding it harder to lose. Im trying to find a really lean meal to have at dinner time and I have looked at some frozen dinners but although they look healthy and have some 250 to 400calories they also seem to have around 12 to 18% carbs and 10 to 15% Fat, so I dont know if they're a good way to go.

Most days I can have 500 calories for dinner and still maintain a 400 to 500calorie deficit, but I want to consume those 500 calories on something that really is healthy and lean. So should I go with some type of a frozen dinner?
 
I also agree, frozen meals are not really that great. I've found a lot of people who eat frozen meals find themselves getting hungry again soon after and eating even more. Do not be deterred, it is usual to have lot of weight loss and then it becomes more difficult.
 
If you have to have pre-prepared foods check out the healthy grocery stores like Trader Joes, Whole Foods, ETc.

Then read the package. I find TJ's has the highest quality. Not to mention the best prices.
 
The frozen dinners that are aimed at people who want to lose weight always have that caption: "This product may assist in maintaining a healthy body weight because it is portion-controlled." So basically, the dinner is a set amount of calories, and you eat the box, and that's it... no option for seconds. That's how they can help. Would I recommend them? No. They're expensive, usually don't contain enough protein, and most likely too high in sodium.

What's more, it's not sustainable. Once you get down to your goal weight/body fat level, are you going to eat these dinners forever afterward? You're better off learning about portion control and caloric intake based off of real food and dishes you make yourself, otherwise the dinners are just a quick, not-so-nutritious fix that'll end as soon as you go back to eating homemade dishes if you don't learn how to figure out how many calories you're consuming in a meal.

For a quick dinner now and then if you don't have time to make something, sure it's a quick meal and you know the caloric level of it. Fine, all good. But not as something you eat on a regular basis.
 
Frozen dinners do seem like a good idea, but if you really want to lose weight, you have to monitor what you're taking in. Using the prepackaged dinners do not give you a healthy body]because by using them, you have given someone else (the manufacturer) the power of creating your meal plan. Not to mention the fact that you don't usually get enough to be full, so you cheat anyway by eating something else. The best answer for many people is to eat 5 small meals per day, every 3 hours or so to control the hunger pangs and keep good fuel in your body. Add to this fitness strength training , in any form, can help you when getting your weight down and toning up. A multigym can help in the exercise, because it's already set up and ready to go when you are.
 
The closer your food is to the raw ingredients (ie: foods you prepare yourself) the better they are. TV dinners are just far too processed.
 
PrISM said:
The closer your food is to the raw ingredients (ie: foods you prepare yourself) the better they are. TV dinners are just far too processed.
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Not only that, but you can be selective about your raw ingredients. getting good quality fresh produce can be a challenge as well.
 
Make your own frozen dinners. Make sunday 'cooking day'. steam your rice, bake your chicken breasts, then measure/weigh out everything to the right portion size for YOUR goals, and stick them in Gladware for the week. Add frozen veggies or take a salad with you...whatever works for you.

Its as much effort as cooking 1 meal, and as convenient to re-heat as a Lean Cuisine.
 
a lot of techiniques in order to lose weight suggest NOT to eat after 6pm. i eat frosen food 3x/week and must say some products are so full of fat that i just dump them. like pasta products/ lasagna, sausages, fryed fish etc. so i eat pizza, burger, brokoli etc that i already know and thay'r mush smaller in quantity.
 
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nothing wrong with eating the RIGHT foods after 6pm.

not eating after 6pm almost guarantees a catabolic (muscle wasting) state. Its bad enough the body has to fast during 8 hours of sleep...but at least sleep hormones put the body into a slower metabolic state.

its important to eat the right macros at the right times, as well as watching portions/total food intake.
 
malkore said:
Make your own frozen dinners. Make sunday 'cooking day'. steam your rice, bake your chicken breasts, then measure/weigh out everything to the right portion size for YOUR goals, and stick them in Gladware for the week. Add frozen veggies or take a salad with you...whatever works for you.

Its as much effort as cooking 1 meal, and as convenient to re-heat as a Lean Cuisine.
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I do this and find it absolutely invaluable. Often I'll do an 8 hour day at work and then another 2-3 hours in the gym / travelling home and the last thing I want to do is cook a meal from scratch at 8 o clock in the evening.

It also really helps to plan out what you eat over the course of the week so you don't buy things you don't need and end up throwing out good food!
 
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