Keto Vs Weight Watchers: Which Diet Plan Delivers Better Results?

The ketogenic (keto) and Weight Watchers (WW) diets are two popular approaches to weight loss. While both have been found to be effective, they are based on different principles and may suit different people.

Keto is a high-fat, low-carb diet that aims 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, but it is restrictive and may be hard to maintain in the long term.

On the other hand, WW is a commercial diet focused on weight loss, healthy eating, and lifestyle habits. It uses a points-based system to encourage healthier food choices and portion control. It is more flexible than keto, as no foods are off-limits, and it provides built-in social support.

Combining the two approaches can be challenging, as they have different requirements and philosophies. However, some people find that adding keto principles to WW can supercharge weight loss results, especially if they have a lot of weight to lose or have hit a plateau. Ultimately, the best diet for an individual depends on their personal needs and preferences.

Pros and cons of keto

Pros

• The keto diet can help with faster weight loss, especially for people with a significant amount of excess body weight.
• It can help with blood sugar management in type 2 diabetes.
• It may starve' cancer cells of energy, potentially weakening them and making them more susceptible to chemotherapy and radiation.
• It may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
• It may increase satiety and decrease hunger between meals.
• It may lead to increased awareness of food and nutrient intake.

Cons

• The keto diet is highly restrictive, which can make it difficult to stick to and hard to sustain long-term.
• It can cause nutrient deficiencies, as it limits the consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are the body's primary source of essential vitamins and minerals.
• It may cause digestive issues, such as constipation, cramping, bloating, and stomach upset.
• It could be bad for heart health, especially if it includes high amounts of saturated fat.
• It can be challenging to find keto-friendly options at restaurants and social gatherings, which may negatively affect one's social life.
• There is a lack of research on the long-term health benefits and risks of the keto diet.

Pros and cons of Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers, now rebranded as WW, is a popular weight loss program that has been around for decades. Here are some pros and cons of the program:

Pros

• Balanced and flexible: Unlike cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all diet plans, WW allows you to choose the foods you want to eat and portion them accordingly. The program offers flexibility through its ZeroPoint list, which includes over 200 foods like fruits, starchy and non-starchy vegetables, lean proteins, lentils, and beans.
• Teaches lifelong skills: WW aims to educate its members about healthy eating habits and portion control, which they can continue to practice even after discontinuing the program. Studies show that tracking your food intake and measuring portions are associated with long-term weight loss success.
• No foods are forbidden: Unlike other diets that restrict certain foods or food groups, WW does not forbid any foods. This approach helps prevent disordered eating behaviours, such as binge eating, and gives individuals more control over their food choices.
• Slow and steady weight loss: WW is designed to facilitate gradual weight loss, typically at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week, which is in line with the National Institute of Health's recommendations for safe weight loss. Several studies have supported the effectiveness of WW for short-term weight loss, and some research also indicates its potential for long-term weight loss and maintenance.
• Support and resources: WW offers a solid support system through virtual coaches, in-person and online support groups, and a members-only online community. Additionally, WW provides a library of recipes, on-demand workouts, a barcode scanner for easy meal tracking, and the ability to sync your activity tracker with the WW app.

Cons

• Counting points can be tedious: Some people may find it annoying and stressful to count points and track their nutrition. This aspect of the program may also lead to an unhealthy relationship with food and disordered eating behaviours.
• Weekly weigh-ins: Weekly weigh-ins may create unnecessary stress for some individuals, and others may feel uncomfortable being weighed in front of others.
• Too much freedom: While the flexibility of WW is a pro for many, it may be a con for those who need more structure and specificity in their diet plan. The program's flexibility may lead to unhealthy dieting, especially for those who struggle with self-control.
• May lead to unhealthy dieting: The program's focus on points and saving points for indulgent foods may interrupt one's social life and become mentally taxing. This can contribute to unhealthy dieting behaviours and an unhealthy relationship with food.

Combining keto and Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers is a commercial diet program that focuses on weight loss, healthy eating, and lifestyle habits. It uses a points-based system called SmartPoints to encourage healthier food choices. The points are assigned to foods based on their nutritional content, with lower-calorie, higher-protein, and lower-sugar foods tending to be lower in points. The program offers flexibility, with daily and weekly point values, allowing for occasional indulgences.

On the other hand, keto is a high-fat, low-carb, moderate-protein diet. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing fat intake, which shifts the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This can lead to quick initial weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and reduced insulin levels.

To combine the two, you would need to make some adjustments. Here are some tips:

• Choose healthier fats: Instead of focusing on fatty meats, butter, and cheese, opt for healthier fats like olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, and leaner cheese options. This will help you stay within your Weight Watchers points while still adhering to keto.
• Make lean protein choices: Select leaner cuts of meat, such as chicken, turkey, and fish. These options will help you stay within your points and maintain ketosis.
• Choose the right vegetables and fruits: Fill up on non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and salads. When it comes to fruit, stick to berries, as they are lower in carbohydrates.
• Focus on carb intake: Keep your carb intake low, ideally under 30-50 grams per day. This will help you stay in ketosis while also managing your Weight Watchers points.
• Avoid processed foods: Opt for whole, fresh foods instead of canned or frozen options (except for frozen vegetables and berries).
• Be prepared for extra work: Combining the two diets requires balancing and may take more effort than following either diet alone.

Differences between keto and Weight Watchers

Food choices

Weight Watchers (WW) and keto are two very different diets. WW is a structured, paid diet program based on moderation, portion control, and the WW SmartPoints system. It offers built-in social support at all paid levels of the program. On the other hand, keto is a low-carb, high-fat diet that aims to get you into ketosis, thereby making it easier for you to burn your own stored body fat as energy.

With WW, you are assigned a daily SmartPoints allotment and placed in one of three color-coded programs based on your weight loss needs. The foods that are lower in SmartPoints tend to be lower in calories, fat, and sugar and higher in fiber and protein. In contrast, keto is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and very low-carb diet. It restricts carbohydrates, which is a whole food group that is part of a healthy eating pattern, including grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

Weight loss

Both diets are effective for weight loss, but in different ways. With keto, initial weight loss is more dramatic. You could potentially lose up to 10 pounds in the first week, but this includes water weight, which can quickly return. On the other hand, WW participants have lost roughly 10 to 15 pounds in a variety of studies lasting from several months to a year.

Support

WW provides interpersonal support to its participants and encourages moderation and portion control. In contrast, keto may help improve blood sugar levels and reduce your appetite, making it easier to lose weight. However, keto can be difficult to maintain because it is restrictive, and there is less structured support available compared to WW.

Health considerations

While keto can be effective for weight loss in the short term, there are some potential long-term health concerns that scientists haven’t fully investigated. For example, diets with higher fat content, like keto, can pose risks for heart health. The keto diet may not be indicated for people with certain medical disorders and is not considered safe for those with liver or kidney conditions. In contrast, WW can promote heart health, according to several studies.

Cost

WW is a paid program, so the costs can add up if you’re on it for a long time. In contrast, keto may be challenging to maintain because it is restrictive, and there are costs associated with keto-friendly food products.

Similarities between keto and Weight Watchers

While the keto and Weight Watchers diets are very different, there are some similarities.

Firstly, both diets are backed by scientific research and are proven to be effective for weight loss. Losing weight can bring about health benefits such as reducing the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and cancer, which are common to both diets. Both diets can also reduce the risk of diabetes.

Both diets also require some form of counting. Keto requires counting and limiting carbohydrates, while Weight Watchers requires counting food points.

Finally, both diets encourage healthy eating and lifestyle habits. Keto encourages the consumption of healthy fats and protein, while Weight Watchers encourages healthy fats, lean proteins, and fiber.

Frequently asked questions