Keto And Weight Watchers: Can They Work Together?

The ketogenic diet and Weight Watchers are two popular diets that have helped many people lose weight. While they have different approaches to weight loss, some people have found success combining the two.

Weight Watchers, now called WW, is a commercial diet program that has been around for decades. It's built around the concept of moderation and portion size, and it allows followers to include any type of food in their diet. WW assigns a daily SmartPoints allotment and places members in one of three colour-coded programs based on their weight loss needs.

The ketogenic diet, or keto for short, is a high-fat, low-carb diet that was originally developed to treat epilepsy. The goal of the keto diet is to force the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. This can lead to rapid weight loss, especially in the first few weeks.

Combining the two diets can be challenging as they have different nutritional approaches. Weight Watchers focuses more on cutting out fats, while keto relies on consuming more healthy fats. However, some people have found a way to use principles from both diets to achieve their health goals.

To combine the two, it's important to choose healthier fats, such as avocados, olive oil, and leaner cheese options, and lean protein sources like turkey, chicken, and shrimp. It's also crucial to lower overall carb intake and focus on eating plenty of vegetables and fruits with lower sugar content.

While it may take more work and planning, combining Weight Watchers and keto can be a way to supercharge weight loss results and improve overall health.

How to combine keto and Weight Watchers

Combining keto and Weight Watchers can be challenging as the two diets are quite different. Weight Watchers focuses on cutting out fats and tracking calories through a points system, while keto is a high-fat, low-carb diet that encourages the consumption of healthy fats. However, it is possible to incorporate principles from both diets to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Here are some tips on how to combine keto and Weight Watchers:

• Understand the basic concepts of both diets: Keto is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and very-low-carb diet, while Weight Watchers emphasises lower-fat options and portion control through its points system.
• Choose healthier fats: Instead of unlimited butter or cheese, opt for avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, and leaner cheese options. These provide necessary fats while helping you stay within your Weight Watchers points.
• Make lean protein choices: Select lean proteins like turkey, chicken, shrimp, and leaner cuts of pork or beef. These options are lower in fat and calories, keeping you within your points while maintaining ketosis.
• Choose the right vegetables and fruits: Include plenty of leafy greens and low-carb vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and asparagus. Fruit can be tricky due to its natural sugars, so stick to small portions of berries or melon.
• Focus on lowering overall carb intake: Instead of strict restrictions, aim for less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. Avoid processed bread and snacks, and fill up on lean meats and vegetables.
• Be prepared for extra planning: Combining the two diets requires balancing your food choices and points. You may need to make adjustments, such as choosing healthier fats or leaner proteins, to stay within your daily points while adhering to keto principles.
• Utilise Weight Watchers support: The built-in support network of Weight Watchers can help with accountability and motivation. Consider attending meetings or using their digital tools for guidance and community.
• Monitor your progress: Both diets emphasise the importance of tracking. Monitor your food intake, weight loss, and overall health to ensure you're on the right track and make adjustments as needed.
• Consult with a healthcare professional: Before starting any diet, especially when combining approaches, it's essential to consult your doctor or a registered dietitian to ensure it's safe and suitable for your individual needs.

Differences between keto and Weight Watchers

There are several differences between the keto and Weight Watchers (WW) diets. Here are some of the key distinctions:

• Food Choices: Keto is a highly restrictive diet that eliminates carbohydrates and encourages high-fat consumption. It involves drastically reducing carbs and replacing them with foods rich in fat. On the other hand, WW takes a more inclusive approach, allowing all types of food in moderation. No foods are off-limits, and the program encourages healthy eating habits with a focus on lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Weight Loss Approach: Keto emphasizes rapid weight loss by forcing the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat instead of carbohydrates. This can lead to dramatic initial weight loss, including water weight. In contrast, WW promotes steady weight loss over time by encouraging healthier food choices and portion control.
• Flexibility: Keto is a strict diet with a long list of forbidden foods, making it challenging to adhere to in the long term. WW, on the other hand, offers flexibility by allowing all foods and providing a personalized points system to guide food choices.
• Support: WW is known for its built-in support network, offering in-person workshops, online communities, and coaching at different membership levels. While keto followers can connect informally online, it lacks the structured support offered by WW.
• Cost: WW is a paid program with different tiers based on the level of support. The costs can add up, especially for long-term use. In contrast, keto does not have subscription costs but may be more expensive due to the cost of keto-friendly food products and meal delivery services.
• Health Considerations: Keto has potential long-term health concerns that are not yet fully understood. It may increase cholesterol levels and pose risks for heart health. WW, on the other hand, is generally considered safe and has been shown to promote heart health by reducing "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Intended Duration: Keto is often seen as a challenging diet to maintain over the long term due to its restrictiveness. It may work better as a short-term strategy. WW, on the other hand, is designed as a long-term lifestyle change and provides ongoing support to help individuals stick with the program.

Pros and cons of each diet

Weight Watchers Pros:

• Weight Watchers is a solid weight-loss program that has stood the test of time and research.
• It is a lifestyle-change program that incentivizes healthier choices using a points system.
• It is flexible and allows favourite indulgences.
• The points system is a simple tool to select and track food and drink.
• The points system emphasizes higher-protein, higher-fibre, lower-sugar foods that can help keep you full for longer.
• Weight Watchers emphasizes behavioural aspects of weight management that can lead to longer periods of success with weight management.
• It can be adapted for all types of eating styles and therapeutic diets, such as kidney or allergy diets.
• It has a mobile phone app or desktop food database with the points values for more than 290,000 foods.
• The mobile app syncs with other activity tracker apps, including FitBit and Jawbone.
• Pre-packaged meals and snacks are widely available in grocery stores for those seeking easy preparation and points tracking.
• Weight Watchers offers a wide assortment of support, such as optional in-person meetings, personal coaching, an online community forum, a magazine, a newsletter, and a website with recipes, tools, tips, and more.
• It is safe and effective long-term.

Weight Watchers Cons:

• Weight Watchers can be costly if you opt for all program offerings.
• Some of the prepackaged Weight Watchers foods can be high in sodium.
• The unlimited fruit allowance (free points for fruit) could be a problem for those with diabetes or who overindulge with fruit.
• Tracking points might not be enough for certain medical conditions.
• Weekly weigh-ins are necessary.
• Counting points can be tedious.
• May lead to unhealthy dieting.

Keto Pros:

• The keto diet can help with faster weight loss.
• It can help with blood sugar management in type 2 diabetes.
• It may starve' cancer cells of energy.
• It may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Keto Cons:

• The keto diet can cause nutrient deficiencies.
• It may cause digestive issues.
• It could be bad for heart health.
• It can be hard to stick to.

Sample meal plans

Meal Plan 1

• Breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, 1/2 oz of cheese
• Lunch: 4 oz of chicken, 1 tbsp of mayo, 1 cup of spinach
• Dinner: 3 oz of salmon, 1 tbsp of butter, bacon, and bok choy (2 slices of bacon and 2 cups of bok choy)
• Snack: Fat bomb, hard-boiled egg

Meal Plan 2

• Breakfast: 3-egg omelet with 1 oz of cheddar cheese, 5 sliced cherry tomatoes, and 1 cup of cooked spinach
• Lunch: 2 cups of greens, 1/2 cup of cucumber, 1/2 cup of red peppers, 1/2 an avocado, 3 oz of grilled chicken, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Dinner: 3 oz of sirloin steak, grilled portobello mushrooms, 2 cups of broccoli, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Snack: Fat bomb, hard-boiled egg

Meal Plan 3

• Breakfast: BLT on cheese toast with an orange
• Lunch: Pulled chicken chili and black bean soup with tortilla chips and homemade guacamole
• Snacks: Sliced pear or apple with almond butter, and buttermilk-herb dip with crudités
• Dinner: Beef and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice

Meal Plan 4

• Breakfast: Mini bagel with whipped cream cheese and sliced tomato, and orange juice
• Lunch: Curry lime chicken salad
• Snacks: Latte made with low-fat milk, and basil-spinach dip with pita chips
• Dinner: Roasted chicken with squash and peppers

Meal Plan 5

• Breakfast: Steel-cut oats topped with pomegranate and pistachio
• Lunch: Honey mustard chicken salad on a whole-wheat sandwich and pretzels
• Snacks: Parmesan-herb popcorn, and apple slices drizzled with honey and cinnamon
• Dinner: Asian-style fish-and-veggie bowl

How to choose healthy fats

When following a keto diet, it's important to remember that not all fats are created equal. While the keto diet is high in fat and low in carbohydrates, some types of fat are healthier than others and can help you reach your health goals. Here are some tips on how to choose healthy fats when following a keto diet:

• Avocados and avocado oil: Avocados are an excellent source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. They also provide fibre and essential vitamins and minerals. Avocado oil has a high smoke point, making it ideal for high-heat cooking.
• Nuts and seeds: Including different kinds of nuts and seeds in your diet is a great way to boost your intake of healthy fats, plant-based protein, and fibre. Pistachios, walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, and Brazil nuts are all great options for low-carb, high-fat diets.
• Nut and seed butters: These offer the same benefits as whole nuts and seeds but in a more versatile form. Choose varieties without added sweeteners.
• Flax seeds: Flax seeds are an excellent source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, fibre, and health-promoting plant compounds. Ground flax seeds can be easily added to smoothies or sprinkled on salads, soups, or yogurt.
• Hemp hearts: Hemp hearts are a nutrient-dense source of complete plant-based protein and healthy fats. They have a mild flavour and can be easily mixed into a variety of foods.
• Chia seeds: Chia seeds are rich in healthy fats and fibre. They also contain plant compounds that may reduce inflammation and prevent chronic conditions. Chia seeds can be blended into smoothies or stirred into yogurt, soups, and salads.
• Olives and cold-pressed olive oil: Olives and olive oil are loaded with heart-healthy fats and contain vitamin E and anti-inflammatory plant compounds. Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil can be used for drizzling, dressing, or marinade.
• Coconuts and unrefined coconut oil: Coconuts and coconut oil are popular keto fat sources as they provide a natural source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are easily absorbed and used by the body.
• Fatty fish: Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, anchovies, and sardines are rich in high-quality protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fats. Salmon also provides a good dose of vitamin D.
• Full-fat Greek yogurt: Although it contains some carbs, unsweetened, full-fat Greek yogurt can be a healthy addition to a ketogenic diet. It provides beneficial bacteria known as probiotics, which promote healthy digestive function.
• Eggs: Eggs are nutritious and versatile, making them an easy addition to a ketogenic diet. Be sure to eat the whole egg as the yolk is rich in B vitamins and antioxidants.

While the above options are considered healthy fat choices, it's important to limit or avoid certain fats on the keto diet:

• Artificial trans fats: Trans fats are known to increase the risk of heart disease and should be avoided. They are often found in highly refined oils and commercially prepared processed foods.
• Processed meats: While technically keto-friendly, processed meats like deli meat, sausages, salami, and hot dogs have been linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer.
• Deep-fried foods: These tend to be high in trans fats and can negatively impact your health over time.

Frequently asked questions