Weight Watchers and keto are both popular diets, but they have very different approaches to weight loss. In this comparison, I like to think of the old tortoise versus the hare analogy.
Sustainable weight loss isn’t just a race to your goal weight, and most diets fail because there isn’t a viable long-term plan.
So, as we compare Weight Watchers versus keto, keep the old tale of the tortoise vs. the hare in mind!
WeightWatchers vs Keto: About WW | About keto | Rating comparison | Differences | Which is better? | Keto and WW
About Weight Watchers:
WW is a popular commercial weight loss program that assigns a point value to foods based on their nutritional content. On WW, you’re given a daily and weekly points allowance to manage your calorie intake and encouraged to make healthier food choices and exercise, aiming to stay within your allotted points.
WW also provides support through meetings or digital tools, emphasizing long-term, sustainable weight loss and overall wellness. It’s known for its flexibility and community support, making it a widely recognized and effective weight management program.
Weight Watchers isn’t flashy, but it’s built to last, so I think of it as the tortoise in this race.
About the Keto Diet:
The keto diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat eating plan that aims to induce ketosis, a metabolic state where the body primarily burns fat for energy. By drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing fat consumption, the body’s glucose reserves are depleted, prompting the liver to produce ketones from fat stores.
This shift in energy source can lead to weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity. The diet typically includes foods like meat, fish, dairy, nuts, and non-starchy vegetables, while avoiding sugars and most grains.
Keto is used for weight loss and managing conditions like epilepsy, but its long-term health effects are still under study.
Hmmm… Young keto is a bit cocky and unpredictable and looks like the hare in this race.
Weight Watchers vs. Keto Diet Ratings:
In comparing Weight Watchers and keto, I think it’s important to first see how health view these two different diets. Here are the average ratings from U.S. News:
Wow, that’s a pretty dramatic difference in scores!
Weight Watchers beats keto in every category except for “fast weight loss.” It’s also worth noting that on their list of the top 24 diets, WW ranks #1, while keto ranks #20. Yikes!
Let’s talk about what makes these diets different by comparing the two diets in several key areas, starting with keto vs. Weight Watchers results:
5 Differences Between WW & Keto:
1. Dietary Composition:
- Weight Watchers: Weight Watchers operates on a point system where foods are assigned a point value based on their calorie, protein, fat, and fiber content. Participants are encouraged to stay within their daily allotted points to create a calorie deficit.
- Keto Diet: The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. It typically consists of around 70-80% fat, 5-10% carbohydrates, and 10-20% protein. The goal is to induce a state of ketosis, where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.
2. Carbohydrate Restriction:
- Weight Watchers: While Weight Watchers doesn’t restrict any specific food groups, it encourages moderation and assigns higher points to foods high in sugar and refined carbohydrates.
- Keto Diet: The keto diet is extremely low in carbohydrates, typically allowing only 20-50 grams of net carbs per day. This severe restriction is a hallmark of the diet and is essential for maintaining ketosis.
3. Approach to Fats:
- Weight Watchers: Weight Watchers encourages the consumption of healthy fats but doesn’t emphasize fat intake as a primary focus. It’s more focused on healthy choices based on points.
- Keto Diet: The keto diet is high in dietary fat, and fat intake is a major focus. The aim is to get the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy.
4. Flexibility and Food Choices:
- Weight Watchers: Weight Watchers offers flexibility in food choices, allowing participants to eat a wide variety of foods within their daily point limits. It promotes a balanced and sustainable approach to eating plus healthy zero-point foods.
- Keto Diet: The keto diet is more restrictive than WW in terms of food choices, as it limits carbohydrate intake. Many high-carb foods, including fruits, grains, and certain vegetables, are restricted or limited on the keto diet.
5. Weight Loss Speed and Sustainability:
- Weight Watchers: Weight Watchers promotes gradual and sustainable weight loss by controlling portion sizes and encouraging healthy eating habits. It’s often viewed as a long-term lifestyle change rather than a short-term diet.
- Keto Diet: The keto diet can lead to a faster initial weight loss than WW due to water loss and fat burning. However, it can be challenging to maintain over the long term because of its strict carb restrictions, and some people may find keto difficult to sustain.
As you can see, Weight Watchers and keto are very different approaches to weight loss.
Weight Watchers or Keto: Which is Better?
“Slow and steady wins the race.”
While keto often delivers fast initial weight loss, it’s a restrictive diet and not sustainable long-term. That means you’re likely to gain weight back, and that’s frustrating!
In contrast, Weight Watchers has helped millions of women and men lose weight since the 1960s because their points-based system teaches healthier lifelong habits while offering support and accountability.
So, in summary, in agreement with the experts, we strongly recommend Weight Watchers over keto as a healthy and sustainable weight loss program.
Thinking of joining WW? Here’s today’s best signup deal, plus we have more coupons here.
Does WW Have a Keto Plan?
Are you thinking of combining WW and keto together? Unfortunately, that’s not advised as the principle elements of keto are not compatible with those of WW.
Weight Watchers focuses on a balanced diet approach with their Points system, allowing a wide variety of foods including those with carbohydrates. This approach is quite different from the ketogenic diet, which is a highly restrictive plan that significantly limits carbohydrate intake to about 20 to 40 grams per day, putting the body into a state of ketosis.
In fact, WW states that:
“keto does not align with the U.S. dietary guidelines which emphasizes eating fruits, vegetable, and whole grans for optimal health.”
Source: WeightWatchers.com
Weight Watchers has continued to evolve its program to be more personalized and comprehensive, considering factors like calories, protein, fiber, fats, and sugars in its points formula. They also incorporate aspects like activity levels and vegetable intake into their system. While this offers a degree of flexibility, it’s distinct from the keto approach, which requires a strict adherence to low-carb, high-fat, and moderate protein intake.
However, if you want to do the keto diet while on Weight Watchers, you can at least embrace the central lower-carb focus.
Weight Watchers doesn’t restrict any foods, so if you join WW, consider reducing carbs, starchy vegetables, and processed foods when possible. Foods that are high in carbs, like pasta, bread, and rice, can drain your energy, so try to eat less of them. Just don’t give up healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in the process!
WW Wins, But No One Diet Works for Everyone:
In comparing Weight Watchers and keto, it’s important to remember that no single diet is best for everyone. If you are unsure about WW, consider the app-based Noom diet instead.
The app-based diet was developed by behavioral psychologists and recognizes that no diet is sustainable without true behavioral change.
If you are very busy and don’t want to count points or cook, consider meal delivery diets like Nutrisystem and Factor 75.
Regardless of which diet you choose, run it by your doctor before starting, especially if you have any preexisting health issues.
Thanks for stopping by Pretty Sweet, and good luck!