You might associate dieting with time-consuming activities like grocery shopping, preparing meals and weighing food. If you're under a time crunch, you may be looking for ways to save time on your weight-loss diet. Choosing healthy ready-in-a-box foods for weight loss can help you drop pounds and save valuable time.
Frozen Dinners
Healthy frozen dinner brands like Kashi and Lean Cuisine offer a variety of low-calorie meals. Eating these pre-portioned meals can help you eat less without effort, research presented at the 2011 Experimental Biology Conference found. In a pair of studies, overweight subjects that replaced 10 of their meals with frozen varieties lost approximately 6 lbs. in 30 days. If you have hypertension, limit your consumption of frozen dinners or choose low-sodium varieties, as they tend to be sodium-rich.
Nuts
Nuts like cashews and peanuts are convenient healthy snacks. Don't be scared off by their high calories. According to a research review published in the March 2009 "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" people who habitually consume nuts tend to weigh less than those who avoid nuts. Researchers noted dietary fiber in nuts may aid in weight control as they help you feel full. Choose prepackaged nuts that are free of added oils or salt.
Prepared Vegetables
Prepared vegetables, like baby carrots and cherry tomatoes, come in their own packaging and you don't need to wash or cut them up. Vegetables are naturally low in calories and fat. Replacing high-calorie snacks, like cookies, with ready-in-a-box vegetables can help you cut calories and increase the overall quality of your diet.
Whole-Grain Cereal
Whole-grain cereal is a convenient way to get fat-fighting whole grains in a box. Whole grains can aid in weight control as they are lower in the glycemic load than refined grains. The GL describes the speed at which a carbohydrate-rich food is absorbed by your body. Regularly consuming low-GL whole grains can help you lose weight and keep your appetite at bay, the Whole Grains Council reports. You can consume whole-grain cereal by the handful, as part of parfaits or mixed with milk at breakfast time. Choose whole-grain cereals that are low in sugar and high in dietary fiber.
References
- CNBC.com; New Research Shows Portion-Controlled Frozen Meals Can Support Weight Loss, Improve Dietary Quality Latest Findings Presented at 2011 Experimental Biology Conference Attended by 13,000 Scientists; April 2011
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Nuts and Health Outcomes: New Epidemiologic Evidence; J. Sabate, et al.; March 2009
- Whole Grains Council: What are the Health Benefits?
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