Lately all manners of online information channels have been marked by whispers of Weight Watcher representatives hand-wringing as they discussed what ever could be the reason for their recent downward slide. To my (very slight) surprise the reason they gave was that nasty ketogenic diet stealing their customers. They even name-dropped Diet Doctor as the David to their Goliath (my description, not theirs).

They went on to say that ketogenic diets are “just a meme” (which is, I suppose, accurate on a technical level) and further dismissed any concern over long-term impact by saying that there are “keto doughnuts”. Admittedly I’m a tad mystified as to what they were implying with this statement, as Weight Watchers has pre-packaged dessert items as well – including ice cream and, yes, doughnuts. Perhaps there was simply some context that I missed, here.

The Straggler

To be clear, I don’t have even a smidgen of ill will towards Weight Watchers. I was never a member, although I have crossed paths with a few ex-members (most notable remarks being the ever-present hunger, and self blame for long-term failure on WW programs, but I have heard in passing success stories as well), and I really do wish them the best. They have a far reach, and if they caught wind of the changing currents (even if not necessarily by encouraging ketogenic diets) they could easily supply the life rafts that people need in the face of the increasingly pressing worries over the dark clouds of worsening metabolic health and chronic disease that loom in the horizon.

It seems WW is going the opposite route of what one would expect from the advice to businesses to adapt or die. They are refusing to adapt, even to “less extreme” tactics with equal chances of success, staunchly stating that they’ll continue to do “what works” as they have for the past 57 years. But is that wise to do when leaks have begun to appear within your well-intentioned business model? I suppose the ticking of the clock will reveal that one. Perhaps Ketogenic diets, and other tactics which eliminate refined carbohydrate and seed oils, are a fanciful fad that will fade none too soon, but with more science coming out on the effectiveness of these methods, and growing search trends, I do wonder…

What’s The Difference?

I have witnessed people on social media accusing Weight Watchers of having a business model of intentional failure, placing metaphorical banana peels in the middle of their Anti-Tripping classes (The Yo-Yo Model, in other words). To be honest, I don’t know if I believe this explanation, as I tend to err on the side of people-attempting-to-be-good rather than suspicions of malice. But, if this is true, how is it that Diet Doctor – slingshot wielding foes that they’re made out to be – thrives, despite the long-term apparent effectiveness of ketogenic diets? It seems there is a major anatomical difference in the underlying structure of the two companies, identifying them as two different species entirely.

While Weight Watchers is ever identified by weight loss advice and the four letter word moderation (meaning as soon as this goal is achieved, the business has lost its usefulness to the clients) Diet Doctor labels themselves as a “health company”, focusing on lifestyle, and pinning weight loss as a side effect – not the intended goal (meaning the site remains useful for focusing on a healthy lifestyle even after weight loss has been achieved). They also function as a central hub of information, news, updated science, and guides for the layman and medical professional alike.

This means that as keto becomes more popular, not only can they capture the new people looking for meal plans, but also retain the more experienced people (and doctors) seeking science, which will only continue to expand over time as research continues. It’s a business model based around the expected expansion of the science behind ketogenic diets and low carb lifestyles.

In the Face of a Hard Decision…

I have seen companies face similarly treacherous waters in the form of tech companies attempting to decide between continuing their course with on-prem solutions (e.g. selling physical servers, and hardware supply and setup) versus moving into uncharted territory with a cloud-based approach (helping clients utilize subscription based services like Amazon Web Services, or Microsoft Azure). Any decisions are difficult, and inaction can be deadly, as the success of the company depends on choosing correctly.

Obviously, in this day and age, narrowing your scope to cloud-based approaches is the obvious one, as on-prem becomes rapidly outdated and unused. But if you had been one of the lucky ones skilled at spotting the prevailing wind early, and quickly learning as much as possible, you had the possibility of becoming one of The Few who had the upper hand during the transition, while the stragglers were forced to jump into waters they were unprepared for, and unused to.

Stormy Clouds Overhead…

Whether Ketogenic diets (or some iteration of such) will be defined as the Azure of lifestyle approaches is currently unknown, it is nonetheless worth pointing out that some companies considered cloud-based solutions “a passing fad” before it took hold and overran the market. Regardless of which direction other companies decide on, it seems Weight Watchers has chosen their course for the near future, at least. Only time will tell what these uncharted territories hold, and which ships will sink – only identifiable in the future by their abandoned remains. I for one, will enjoy the ride, choppy as it may be, with the knowledge that I can easily course correct as necessary without much disruption. My only hope is that whoever goes down from the stormy weather has enough lifeboats for all involved when they inevitably need them.

This may come as a surprise to some, but I am not You, although like Me I would be delighted if You were able to find a way of eating that nourishes you, and delights you at every meal, as I have.

However, because You are not Me, in the same way that I am not You, we may not reach this goal by taking the same road, nor even by traveling in the same direction, or using the same tools to make sure we stay the course. Perhaps you decide to take detours, because reaching the goal is not your top priority, or you had to pull over to deal with other Stuff that has interfered with your travel plans.

This is, of course, perfectly delightful, in the same way that we may seek different ways of expunging stress – perhaps this is knitting and blogging for Me, and watching movies with a glass of wine for You. So long as we both find something we can do well, and do often, the method is inconsequential, in my eyes. I wish You the best, however You find it.

Door-To-Door Dietary Dictators

Strangely, I have been accused of “promoting” the way I eat, on a few occasions (I say this mostly with confusion, not with irritation) a dietary Zealot hellbent on converting others, using statements like “I hope you find what works for you” and “Not everyone needs or wants a ketogenic diet” to trick people into eating as I do. This is paired with a curious assumption that when someone asks me for help, that I must give them a copy of my weekly menu as if handing over a pamphlet on The One Way To Health and skittering off elsewhere to convert another.

I don’t really mind this altogether too much, and I certainly don’t blame anyone. Perhaps it does come off as advocacy when I share freely with anyone who asks how I have freed myself from depression, joint pain, and raging appetite by kicking certain things from my diet (and including others). Indeed, I do enjoy discussing it, and it comes up often, but take it to heart that this is not to imply that I recommend it, though I do apologize if I unintentionally gave the impression.

Free From, Free to…

Here is something I believe: Not everyone needs the same thing. This is not the same as saying Everyone Is Different, or The Diet That Works Is The One You Can Do (I don’t think this is necessarily true), but rather that manna to one person is poison to another – even if I mean this in the sense of their ability to enjoy their lifestyle. Some people value variety, the freedom of choice, and are willing to sacrifice some benefits to retain them. Others value simplicity, the freedom from having to choose, or something else entirely.

Recommending a tactic that would delight someone who is soothed by simplicity, to someone who delights in complexity and chaos would be disastrous, not to mention disappointing for all involved, and the same goes for the reverse. I avoid this hectic minefield of Personal Desires and Preference and Actually Enjoying Vegetables quite simply: I give people information, I don’t tell them what to do.

Tapestry Weaving

To be clear, I am not implying that certain dietary options aren’t useful tools for people, but rather this has to be coupled with the act of making a decision and deciding for yourself what to do. Just as doctors or accountants or priests can recommend strategies to attain a health, financial, or spiritual goal the same is applicable to information regarding diet that can be used to build a strategy.

It does nothing for me to try and force someone to do something that may, in fact, help but that they have no desire to attempt just as it is equally useless for a doctor to force a patient to try and take medication they want nothing to do with. It will result in failure, or resentment, or termination of the relationship.

Instead I give people threads of information that they can decide to weave into whatever tapestry they so desire – or that they can give to the birds to use for nest materials. It’s all the same to me. They are the one who has to live with the tapestry taking up residence in their home. Not me, not their doctor, not anyone else. What they make is what they live with.

I Am Me

Have no fear, I will certainly not be cowed by fear of stating a position – I am me and will remain so and that is not what this is about. I will discuss what I know, and what I find interesting, and be honest about what I don’t know, and avoid what I have no interest in. This will inevitably lead to me discussing ketogenic and carnivorous diets more, but I do this with the knowledge that if you are seeking something else you will no doubt find it elsewhere.

But, likewise, I will share my thoughts with people who are vegetarian, paleo, high carb low fat, and so on, on what may help to untwist the knots, and pluck out the brambles they may come across that so rudely interrupted their weaving that they had been finding so much pleasure in.

But all of this with the knowledge that the rest is up to them, and there is no right choice, only choices that they make with their own goals in mind, with my goal being to hand off information as I come across it. No more, no less.

I am Me. You are You. They are They. And I quite like it that way.