Prepared Meals for Weight Loss

Prepared Meals for Weight Loss
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Losing weight on your own, without the aid of a structured plan, can be difficult, although it is possible. If you feel you need more dietary assistance, you may want to choose a diet plan that includes prepared meals. These meals tend to be low in calories and can be convenient if you don't have time to prepare healthy meals. However, prepared meals may also be expensive, so assess plans carefully before choosing one.

Types of Plans

Because of the popularity of prepared meal diet plans, many different types are available. In addition to simple low-calorie meal plans, some plans cater to specific dietary needs. One example is DineWise, which offers low-carbohydrate meals, while RAWvolution offers a menu of vegan, raw food prepared meals.

Cost of Plans

Prepared meal diet plans vary widely in cost. Some of these plans can be cost-effective, such as Medifast, which costs $15 to $38 per pound of weight loss, according to a CBS MoneyWatch report. However, other prepared meal diets are expensive, such as In The Zone Delivery, which costs $280 to $336 per pound of weight loss, according to CBS MoneyWatch.

Benefits of Prepared Meal Plans

Prepared meal plans have numerous benefits for dieting. The use of prepared meals allows you to spend less time cooking and food shopping, making it efficient for busy individuals. In addition, prepared meal plans offer controlled portions, so you are unlikely to overeat. These meals may also help you learn about proper portion sizes for weight management.

Drawbacks of Prepared Meal Plans

Because prepared meal plans use meals that can be stored, they tend not to use fresh ingredients. As a result, the meals on these plans may not taste as good as fresh food. In addition, relying on prepared meals doesn't teach you to make healthy choices, and may lead you astray, as prepared meal diets tend to include lower-calorie versions of decadent food. If you successfully lose weight on a prepared meal plan that offers daily desserts, you may develop a bad habit of eating dessert when you return to a non-prepared meal diet.

References

Article reviewed by Bill C. Last updated on: May 26, 2011

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