Navigating the landscape of weight management often involves exploring diverse dietary approaches. This comparison focuses on the major differences and considerations between WeightWatchers and low-carb diets, helping you make an informed decision that aligns with your goals for sustainable weight loss and healthy eating.
Do low-carb diets work for weight loss?
You may have heard that you should give up carbs if you want to lose weight? Or perhaps that the healthiest carbs are no carbs at all? Low-carb diets have been popular for many years, including approaches like the Atkins, Keto, and Paleo diets. These diets typically involve reducing or eliminating carbohydrate-rich foods, which can exclude healthy options like wholegrains, legumes, and some fruits and vegetables.
The fact is though that carbohydrates are an essential part of a healthy eating pattern and according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines, 45-65% of your total energy intake should come from carbohydrates. They play a major role in fueling the body for daily activities and are the primary source of energy for the brain. Plus, when you cut them out, your brain stops regulating serotonin, a chemical that elevates mood. Eliminating carbs may also increase the risk of consuming more unhealthy fats. While low-carb diets may lead to some weight loss, they may also result in nutrient deficiencies and long-term digestive issues.
Carbohydrates are found in fruits, starchy vegetables, wholegrains, dairy products, beans, peas and lentils. Many of these foods are high in fibre. Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that plays a role in supporting fullness, but also in promoting digestive health and reducing risk for heart disease. These fibre-rich carbohydrates are recommended as part of a healthy diet by experts worldwide.
WeightWatchers gives you the flexibility to include carbs however highly processed refined carbohydrates and those containing added sugar are higher in Points compared to lean proteins and veggies. You'll find your Points Budget naturally nudges you towards those healthier, more filling carbohydrates.
If you are considering a low-carb diet for weight loss, it is important to consult a healthcare professional to ensure that it is safe and suitable for your individual needs and health status.
Low-carb diet | |
| What can I eat on this plan? | Nothing is off limits—including carbs! WeightWatchers is built on our proven Points system, which converts calories (aka kilojoules), saturated fat, added sugar, fibre and protein into one easy-to-use number. You'll get a customised Points Budget to “spend” on any foods you choose. Simply track your food in the app—as long as you stay within your budget, you’ll lose weight. You'll also get a list of 200+ nutrient-dense ZeroPoint foods requiring no tracking or measuring. Of course, balanced, healthy eating behaviours are still recommended. |
| Liveability | The WeightWatchers programs have been developed based on principles of nutrition and behaviour-change science to build sustainable healthy habits around food, physical activity and mindset. The easy-to-use app features include; "What To Eat" providing eating out and cooking inspo and expert advice. The barcode scanner means you can find the Points in any packaged food quickly. And the "My Progress" feature allows you to see which habits are getting you the results you want—and what you might need to improve. |
| Health risk & science | Study after study shows the power of the WeightWatchers program to help you lose weight and stay on track. In fact, there are over 125 studies published on WeightWatchers, including more than 35 independent clinical trials that prove our efficacy. |
| Social support | Blogs written by followers of the low carb diet and online communities exist, but there is no central organisation providing guidance from qualified experts. |
