Two of the most popular weight management techniques at the moment are the WW program, formerly known as Weight Watchers and keto dieting. That said, many people are speculating about which one will last the longest.
The reason is that the WW program has recently rebranded. While it has been around for decades, the concept of dieting has been fading out of popularity in favor of wellness lifestyles and healthy living. At the same time, while keto dieting exploded in followers in 2018, many are wondering if this extreme type of dieting is a fad that has peaked and will soon begin losing steam.
In Defense of the WW Program
According to WW program CEO Mindy Grossman, her company is only just getting started. In a recent interview, Grossman explained that her organization is no longer about weight – and it hasn’t been for quite some time. Instead, it is a matter of teaching and encouraging people to live healthier lives.
Grossman sees this goal as more important than ever as obesity rates skyrocket in the United States. The WW program understands that the conversation about weight loss is no longer just about reducing the body mass index (BMI). When the company was founded in 1963 as Weight Watchers, the issue was about getting slim to be beautiful. Body positivity wasn’t a component of the program.
That said, as science has come to better understand long term weight loss, the WW program and all it entails has evolved. Today, the end goal is more often health than waistlines or even fitness. Still, WW has lost some of its ground as new and more extreme weight loss strategies such as the Keto diet have gained popularity. Still, Grossman believes in the brand and its positive and healthy long-term wellness message. She believes it will outlast the current trendy diets.
In Defense of Keto Dieting
Keto dieting has taken off and has absorbed some of the WW program market because it promises fast results. It requires dieters to eat a diet with a macronutrient ratio from which:
- Most calories come from fats,
- Some come from protein, and
- Very few come from carbohydrates.
This eating strategy was created to reduce the symptoms of children with epilepsy. While it can help to reduce the risk and severity of seizures in some cases, some patients also lost weight as a side effect. From there, others started trying it to see if putting their bodies into a state of ketosis – in which fat is burned for fuel instead of carbohydrates – to lose weight. It worked – and did so quickly.
Since then, keto dieting took off as people enjoyed rapid fat loss for as long as they could keep up the tight restrictions of this diet. As it remains relatively new, time will tell if keto dieters keep it up over the long-term.
