If you are curious about how weight watchers and keto can work together, then I have some news for you. These two lifestyles can be very different from a nutritional standpoint. Weight Watchers focuses more on cutting out all fats, while Keto relies on consuming more healthy fats. To get a fair comparison, let's dive in to what the principles behind each are and then you can decide for yourself which one would work for you or if, like me, you can find a way to use principles of both to make a healthier you.
Is there a way to follow Weight Watchers and Keto?
For years I have gone from weight watchers to keto and back again. I always seemed to do better on keto initially, but as I would hit a stall and then go back to weight watchers. Is it possible to be on keto and weight watchers at the same time? For diabetics, those with thyroid or other autoimmune disorders like PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) you can understand the havoc that even natural sugars can have on your body. In my case, I have all of the above! Eating fruit and whole grains can be just as unhealthy for me as that greasy cheeseburger is for someone else. Embrace your body, your health is more than a number on the scale.
What is Keto?
Beef and bacon lovers, rejoice! The ketogenic diet was developed almost a century ago by Dr. Russel Wilder of the Mayo Clinic as a way to treat epilepsy. The science behind the ketogenic diet is to force your body into a metabolic state in which instead of burning carbohydrates for energy, your body turns to fat. For a typical 2,000 calorie diet, you'll want to stick to between 20-50 carbs a day, double that amount for your protein and then just over triple that for your healthy fat intake.
What Foods Can You Eat on Keto?
This is where you need to distance your brain from weight watchers as this list will sound absolutely crazy to you. Just know there are delicious low-carb meals like Egg Roll in a Bowl, Reuben Casserole or Avocado Tuna Salad that you can dive into.
- Full Fat Butter
- Ghee
- Cheeses
- Cream
- Bacon
- Avocado
- Animal Fats
- Oils
- Leafy Green Vegetables
- Low Carb Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini or asparagus
- All the Meats!
- Fish and Seafood
- Eggs
- Small portions of berries or melon
Notice what is lacking from that list? Most of the fruit! This is because that fruit has its own natural sugar, which your body will react to as if it were candy. You also need to be wary of condiments, sauces, beans, lentils and whole grains.
What are the Health Benefits of Keto?
When I still had health insurance, I had an amazing endocrinologist, Dr. Dubin. When I walked into his office the first time and he read my A1C levels (over 13), he was ready to put me on insulin right then and there. I begged him to give me a chance to get my levels down without stabbing myself with needles. He is the one that recommended the keto diet for me. He said that with my Hashimotos Thyroid Disorder and PCOS, a ketogenic diet would improve my hormones and the dietary restrictions of carbs would lower my insulin resistance issues to bring my A1C down. He was right. At my 6 week checkup with him, my A1C levels were back down in the low 6's! I was also able to stop taking my metformin which was a huge relief! I also noticed that I had more energy, more focus while I was working and I just felt like my body was working better!
How can Keto and Weight Watchers work together?
While these two lifestyles are very different, they both require a significant amount of self-discipline. While you should be conscious of how many points you are eating, you may not be able to stay under certain limits with the types of food you will be eating with keto. However, by applying the principles that weight watchers has instilled in me to track, track, track… I feel a sense of accountability for every bite I take. This is an important part of keto as you need to monitor what you are eating to maintain the balance of carbs to protein to fat ratio, which is also known as your macros. Now that Weight Watchers has come out with the PersonalPoints plan, you can indicate that you are a diabetic, which will help limit your carb choices and also allows you to have avocados as a zero point food!
Remember To Choose Healthy Fats!
One of the first things to remember when combining these two lifestyles is to choose healthy fats into your food choices. I know it's tempting to eat bacon with every meal, cover veggies with cheese and slather that full-fat mayonnaise on everything. However, if you choose healthier fats like avocados, olive oil, or chicken thighs, you'll find your hunger is managed better and you will have more success maintaining the balance of points vs low carbs. Also, keep in mind that these healthier fats are likely to be high in points, so don't beat yourself up if you go over daily limits by eating them, that's what weeklies are for!
What Recipes Do You Recommend For Keto?
As I mentioned earlier, there are quite a few recipes that are healthy and perfect for keto or low carb living! Here's one of my favorites, the egg roll in a bowl, which is only 4 points!
How Many Points Are In This Recipe?
With the new Weight Watchers Plan, points can vary for diabetics. Points can also vary with different brands. Please use your recipe maker to determine your exact points.
Are You on WW Connect?
Find me on WW Connect @Sassycooking_Alyssa to see my full recipe list!
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Egg roll in a bowl is an easy and delicious dinner recipe that is perfect for busy weeknights. It’s packed with flavor and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare! The star of the dish is egg roll filling – a mix of ground meat, cabbage, carrots, ginger, garlic, and a few other spices.
Ingredients
- 1 bag Shredded Coleslaw Mix
- 1 lb 95/5 Lean Ground Beef
- ½ cup Unsalted Beef Broth
- 3 cloves Garlic, crushed
- Fresh Ginger, grated
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
- 3 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce, (to taste)
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds, garnish
Instructions
- Brown the meat under the saute option on your instant pot.
- Season with all the seasonings as it browns. Drain excess fat.
- Add in the broth, then the coleslaw mix on top.
- DO NOT STIR, just add the lid.
- Turn on manual pressure for 0-1 minutes depending on how you like your cabbage cooked, quick release the steam.
- Serve in a bowl with a little soy sauce and sesame seeds.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1 gramsAmount Per Serving Calories 988Total Fat 52gSaturated Fat 20gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 25gCholesterol 362mgSodium 1052mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 117g
*This is an automatic calculation by a third party app*
Do You Have A Guide To Low Carb Living?
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