If you want to lose weight but don't have the time to spend weighing, measuring, and studying a diet, try the prepackaged meal approach to dieting. Counting calories and grams of carbohydrates, fat, and protein are a snap when your meals are already made and labeled. You can also plan your meals a week in advance so all you'll need to do is remove one from the freezer, heat it, and eat.
Prepackaged Food Programs for Weight Loss
Celebrities such all as Marie Osmond, Dan Marino, and Valerie Bertinelli are touting amazing weight loss results thanks to their choice of prepackaged food, weight loss systems. Programs such as Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem have gained tremendous popularity because all of your meals are created, packaged, and customized to a certain number of calories. The dieter simply selects and orders the foods he wants, and the packages are delivered to his door. Weight loss programs featuring prepackaged food are also customizable for specific nutritional needs such as food allergies or vegetarians diets. These programs are also accompanied by a weight loss and meal tracker, live phone support, and online nutrition education.
Do-It-Yourself
You don't have to join a program to reap the benefits of a prepackaged meal plan. Many grocery stores devote an entire aisle in the freezer section to meals, such as Weight Watchers and Lean Cuisine. Even some of the popular diets, such as South Beach, have jumped on the prepackaged food train. Grocery store prepackaged diet food comes packaged with a list of ingredients and full nutritional information that includes calories, fat, carbohydrates, protein, and sodium. You don't have to adhere to a specific program and can pick and choose when you want to eat the prepackaged foods.
Additionally, there are plenty of prepackaged snacks available at most grocery stores. Diet program such as Atkins, South Beach, and Slimfast offer low-calorie snack bars and shakes that include the number of calories and other important dietary information on the packaging.
Advantages and Drawbacks of Prepackaged Food
One of the biggest benefits of going on a prepackaged diet food program is the convenience. Your calories, carbs, and protein are predetermined, making it the perfect plan for the person on the go. There is no stopping to weigh and measure food. Prepackaged food also works well for a busy person who wants to eat a balanced meal or for a person who doesn't like to cook because there's virtually no cooking involved. You only have to heat the meal in your microwave or on the stove. Most prepackaged diet meals even come with their own plastic plate, so you don't have to wash dishes afterward.
Drawbacks include a lack of nutrition education. When the dieter stops being on the prepackaged diet food program, she's not equipped with the knowledge of prepare healthy, low-calorie meals. Also, many meals are high in sodium content. so people with high blood pressure should proceed cautiously when following a diet of prepackaged food.
One drawback specific to a prepackaged food program for weight loss is the cost. Prepackaged food diets include costs not only for the food but also for membership and support, which can become expensive.
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