Switching From Keto To Weight Watchers: Is It Possible?

The ketogenic (keto) diet is a low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein diet that was originally used to help manage epilepsy. The keto diet is restrictive, with a focus on foods such as fatty meats, butter, oils, and non-starchy vegetables. On the other hand, Weight Watchers (WW) is a commercial diet program that focuses on weight loss, healthy eating, and lifestyle habits. It uses a points-based system to encourage healthier food choices and portion control. While keto may deliver faster initial weight loss, it can be challenging to stick to in the long term due to its restrictiveness. WW, on the other hand, offers ongoing support and a more balanced approach to eating, making it a more sustainable option for some. Switching from keto to WW requires a mindful approach, gradually reducing dietary fats and incorporating WW's zero-point food list and SmartPoints system.

Weight Watchers is a more balanced way to eat

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein diet that restricts carbohydrates, a whole food group that is part of a healthy eating pattern. It is also a difficult way to live, as it uses the starvation pathway, placing heavy stress on the body, mind, and heart. On the other hand, Weight Watchers is a moderate-carb diet that is now a freestyle plan that puts the responsibility for what you eat directly into your own lap. You determine the carb, fat, and sugar content of what you eat, keeping within the allowable points you're given.

Weight Watchers is also a more balanced way to eat because it is a commercial diet focused on weight loss, along with healthy eating and lifestyle habits. It is classified as a balanced diet in the U.S. News Best Diets rankings. The program options rely on the SmartPoints system, which assigns a point value to every food and beverage based on its nutritional content. Numerous dietary options (like fruits, vegetables, and certain lean proteins) can count as zero points.

The SmartPoints system encourages members to eat foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat, and sugar, and higher in protein. For example, the foods that are lower in SmartPoints tend to be lower in calories, fat, or sugar and higher in fiber and protein. High-point foods are typically high in calories, fat, or sugar.

Weight Watchers is also a more balanced way to eat because it is designed to be a lifestyle and is tailored to the individual. It is designed to be a way of eating that is enjoyable and long-lasting. The Points Budget is based on your sex, weight, height, age, and activity level. Points are determined by a food’s makeup: calories, added sugar, and saturated fat increase the Points value, while unsaturated fat, protein, and fiber in foods tend to lower the Points value. These Points are divided into daily and weekly values, which makes following the plan flexible and more realistic.

Weight Watchers is also a more balanced way to eat because it is the diet most often recommended by physicians. It is the number one doctor-recommended weight-loss program, based on a 2020 IQVIA survey of 14,000 doctors who recommend weight-loss programs to patients. Randomized, controlled studies have found Weight Watchers to be more effective for weight loss over six- to 12-months compared to do-it-yourself approaches, physician counseling, and professionally delivered behavioral weight-loss programs.

Weight Watchers is also more balanced than keto because it allows for a gradual, but sustainable, way to lose weight and maintain weight loss. It is not as restrictive as the keto diet, which can be difficult to maintain because it is restrictive, and there are some potential long-term health concerns that scientists haven’t fully investigated yet.

Weight Watchers is a freestyle plan

The SmartPoints system assigns a point value to every food and beverage based on its nutritional content. Your SmartPoints target is based on your sex, weight, height and age. The Freestyle program still uses SmartPoints and keeps a lot from the previous Beyond the Scale program, but there are some major changes. For example, your daily SmartPoints allowance will change to balance out all the new zero-point foods. Introducing Rollover Points means you can roll up to four unused daily points into your weekly points allowance to be used as extras whenever you like for the remainder of the week.

Weight Watchers is a more balanced way to eat than the keto diet. It is not a straight-up low-carb high-fat or high-carb low-fat diet. It is flexible and can be adapted to your individual goal structure.

Weight Watchers is the most often recommended diet by physicians

Effectiveness

Weight Watchers is a realistic and flexible way to lose weight, and many people have found weight loss success on the program. The Points system and ZeroPoint foods also encourage people to choose nutritious foods. The program allows members to enjoy their favourite foods, as long as items fit into the allotted daily Points value. This means you can go out to dinner or attend a party without worrying if the food served is aligned with your diet plan.

Sustainability

Weight Watchers is a good choice for people with dietary restrictions, like vegans or those with food allergies, since members choose how they spend their Points. The absence of specialty foods also makes Weight Watchers an easy-to-follow guide for folks with dietary restrictions (vegan, kosher, dairy-free, etc.). Virtually all types of food are permissible as long as they are properly accounted for in your daily points.

Flexibility

Weight Watchers is a good choice for people with dietary restrictions, like vegans or those with food allergies, since members choose how they spend their Points. The program allows members to enjoy their favourite foods, as long as items fit into the allotted daily Points value. This makes it easier than ever to move from Keto to Weight Watchers without gaining weight.

Support

Weight Watchers offers support via its app, virtual coach chats, a large members-only social network, and in-person workshops. Support – via multi-modal access through in-person workshops, online chat or phone – from people who have lost and kept their lost weight off using WW, and who've been trained in weight-management techniques, is a hallmark of the WW plan.

Health Benefits

Weight Watchers encourages eating foods that fight inflammation, such as avocados, beans and vegetables. At the same time, participants are encouraged to reduce their consumption of foods that can worsen inflammation, such as fried foods, foods high in added sugar and refined grains like white flour. Weight Watchers may help manage and prevent diabetes. For those living with diabetes, the Weight Watchers program can be tailored to help you manage your blood sugar levels while helping you reach your health goals. Weight Watchers promotes heart health by reducing a participant's "bad" LDL cholesterol to "good" HDL cholesterol ratio. A higher ratio of these two types of cholesterol increases a person's risk for heart disease.

Weight Watchers is a paid program

Weight Watchers, now known as WW, is a paid program with membership costing between $11 and $55 per month, depending on the plan chosen. The program offers a variety of solutions to its members, including weight-loss medication, in-person workshops, and virtual coaching.

The WW program is based on a points system, with every food and beverage assigned a point value based on its nutritional content. The points system encourages members to eat foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat, and sugar, and higher in protein. The points are tailored to each member's sex, weight, height, age, goals, and metabolic rate.

In addition to the points system, WW offers a list of zero-point foods that can be consumed without tracking or restriction. These include fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and more. The program also provides access to recipes, grocery shopping lists, and restaurant recommendations to make healthy eating easier for its members.

The WW program is flexible and does not restrict specific foods or food groups. It focuses on helping members develop healthy eating habits and make sustainable lifestyle changes. The program also emphasizes the importance of physical activity in weight loss and overall health.

The WW program has been clinically proven effective, with members losing an average of 9.7 lbs in 6 months. The program is recommended by 14,000 doctors and has over 140 publications demonstrating its efficacy.

Weight Watchers is a structured diet program

The Weight Watchers program also includes meal replacements, which can be consumed instead of the usual diet. In addition, dieters are recommended to engage in regular physical activity as part of a broader lifestyle change. The program also includes counseling through weekly or monthly meetings, calorie targets, and online support.

Weight Watchers offers different plans, including basic access to the app and a customized weight loss and wellness plan, as well as virtual and in-person meetups with a coach, and access to prescription weight loss medications and ongoing support from a dedicated care team. The basic plan starts at $23 for a one-month membership, while the Weight Watchers Membership + Workshops plan starts at $45 for one month.

The Weight Watchers program has been praised for its flexibility, allowing members to enjoy their favourite foods as long as they stay within their daily points value. It also provides members with tools and resources to achieve a healthier lifestyle, including community support through its app. However, the program has also been criticised for being expensive and requiring time-consuming food tracking.

Frequently asked questions