21 Day Fix vs Keto: Full Comparison for 2020

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links; we will earn a commision, at no additional cost to you, if you make a purchase through one of our links.

In this post, you’re going to see a full comparison of the 21 Day Fix vs Keto diet plans. In the following sections, you’ll find everything you need to know about both plans.

  • How the 21 Day Fix diet works
  • How the keto diet works
  • What I like best about each plan
  • What I didn’t like in each plan
  • Is the 21 Day Fix more suitable for you or the Keto?

 Let’s dive right in!

General Features of Both Programs

To decide which program suits you more, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of each plan.

Next, we’ll see what each plan is based on, What benefits you’d get from it, and what’s the typical outcome you’d expect from it. In addition to the drawbacks that you’d better be aware of before committing to either plan. 

What Is the 21 Day Fix Diet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_5g5rh1ezY

The 21 Day Fix plan is a quick weight loss regimen. The plan combines food discipline with regular exercise to drop off the extra pounds within the specified 21 day period. The promise is to drop off 15 pounds by the 21st day.

This plan is devised by Beachbody, which is a fitness corporation that promotes various weight loss programs, products, and supplements. The 21 Day Fix program is among tens of other exercise routines. The variety caters to personal preferences, the required physical outcomes,  as well as fitness level.

There is a small icon beside each fitness program that indicates whether it’s a beginners, intermediate, or extreme workout. Some  programs are in real time, which is invigorating for many people.  

Each program also comes with a total program time icon, and the exercise duration per day. The 21 Day Fix comes in three versions; one is a regular workout with recorded videos, one is an extreme workout, and one comes in real time. 

The 21 Day Fix package comprises a bunch of integrated components. There’s the way to move, the way to eat, and someone to walk you through any bottleneck you could face. The typical package includes the following:

  • Two workout DVDs
  • Six easy-to-follow beginner level workouts
  • seven color-coded containers for portion control.
  • A “Start Here” guide for the 21 Day Fix program.
  • The eating plan for the whole 21 Day Fix program.
  • A Quick-Fix guide for Before and after pictures (to use during the last three days of 21 Day Fix)
  • Dependable 24/7 online support for continued support.

And here are the highlights of the 21 Day Fix Diet, both the things that we liked, and the things we didn’t like all that much.

Pros

  • It’s an integrated plan for overall body wellness
  • Perfect for people who like working out
  • Allows a wide variety of foods
  • Quick results boost confidence
  • The fitness goals are monitored mainly by images not by the scale

Cons

  • The overall price could be a bit expensive
  • Not suitable for people who aren’t that sporty
  • It’s impossible to follow for people who can’t prepare accurate food portions

Try the 21 day fix for FREE here >> Beachbody On Demand 14 Day Free Trial!

Main Features of the 21 Day Fix Diet

The following are the main benefits you’d get from the 21 Day Fix Plan, assuming you’re like me, a bit new to exercising. 

Quality

This is a premium quality, extensive program, that is clearly well designed. It also has the element of 24/7 support, which shows credibility and dependability.

Price

The initial price of the 21 Day Fix basic package isn’t terribly outrageous, and often hovers around $60. It’s still higher than comparative weight loss programs, then again, the other programs often lack the exercise, recorded materials, and support parts.

There’s also the added costs for supplements, which could be as expensive as $70 for a recovery supplement. 

Brand

The Beachbody brand is quite well known among health and fitness seekers. There are affiliated coaches you could work with, or you could access the services of these programs directly through their website.

Reputation

The 21 Day Fix program is covered by health and fitness specialists in numerous media venues. It’s also mentioned extensively in weight loss forums. Overall, this program has a positive clean rep.

Newcomers to the program might be a bit surprised with the active promotion of supplements. To the point that some feel they’re being pushed into buying drugs they don’t necessarily need. This however, goes with the company’s business plan. They do manufacture supplements, so it’s normal that they’ll offer them to their clients.    

Drawbacks of the 21 Day Fix Diet

We already mentioned briefly that this program could feel a bit pricey, and it’s not suitable at all for these folks who flinch at the mention of a pilatis. There’s also the supplement thing, but it’s not a recurring issue.

The calorie classification might be a bit of an issue though. As it’s calculated based on the weight alone. It doesn’t factor in the general lifestyle, age, and normal daily activities.

The assumed value isn’t always compatible with the actual requirements. Which could cause a person to feel too tired, or the opposite. The calorie deficit might not be sufficient to start real weight loss.

Looking for an alternative? Here’s a thorough Focus t25 vs 21 Day fix comparison.

What Is the Custom Keto Diet?

This is a dieting plan devised by Rachel Roberts, who had suffered long and hard with being overweight.

The Custom Keto Diet plan is based on the ketogenic distribution of carbs, fats, and proteins. However, it takes into consideration a person’s gender, age, weight, activity level, and food preferences. The custom-tailored plan increases the likelihood that this diet would actually work.

It’s also rather flexible, and avoids the pitfalls that derail overly-strict weight loss plans. It provides alternatives to the suggested meals, various recipes, and shopping lists. There’s also a possibility to skip meals and go into intermittent fasting.

The totally unexpected perk of this diet is the list of keto friendly outings and fast food venues. In addition to a piece of desert, more than once a week! It should replace a portion of carbs though.  

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Effective
  • Offers a wide variety of foods
  • Possible meal replacements 
  • All natural ingredients in the food plan
  • Gives flexibility for intermittent fasting
  • Availability of keto-friendly fast food venues 

Cons

  • Keto flu
  • Doesn’t include a physical fitness component
  • Might affect the lean muscle mass

Check out our full Custom Keto Diet review here.

Main Features of the Keto Diet 

Keto diets are so varied to the point that there’s hardly a single profile of what a keto diet is all about. That’s why we’ll consider the basic ketogenic diet, along with the most popular formulas like the Custom Keto Diet.

Quality

The Custom keto Diet is a well-studies, heavily researched weight loss program. The creator of that plan herself is living proof that it works well. And she continues to help people across the globe in reaching their weight loss goals.

Price

The cost of the Custom Keto Diet is well below $50, which makes it easily accessible to many users.  

Brand

There are plenty of trusted brands for ketogenic diets, and several of them are copies of one another. The Custom Keto Diet has built a name for itself in recent years, and many users already look for it and talk about it.

It’s only accessible through the website, so that might limit its spread a little.

Reputation

Ketogenic diets have always had a highly colorful reputation. From doctors who swear by its effectiveness, to researchers who warn against its side effects. There’s a tendency nowadays to see keto diets as applicable to a wide variety of users, provided they get their doctors’ opinions first.

The Custom Keto Diet is known to be easy-to-follow, and often gives good results within the specified 8-week period.  

21 Day Fix! Lose up to 15 lbs. in 21 Days! Start now – for FREE!

Drawbacks of the Keto Diet

The keto flu tops the list of drawbacks when it comes to this diet plan. It usually happens around the third day of dieting, and lasts for a week or more. The body tries to acclimatize to the lack of carbs, and it’s naturally rather unsettling.

It’s not unusual to feel irritable, hungry right after having a meal, constantly fatigued, and unable to focus. The symptoms of the keto flu could also be tougher than that, and present as headaches, constipation, nausea, and brain fog.

Ketogenic diets are also known to give good results initially, but it’s hard to adopt this regimen long term. Several people lose the extra weight by following a strict keto plan, only to regain it once they stop.

This is compounded by the fact that keto diets aren’t tied up to an exercise plan. Muscle mass could be affected by the drop in weight, and it’s not supplemented by regular activity. It’s worth noting that athletes are often careful with following keto diets for this specific reason.

Special Features of the 21 Day Fix and the Keto Diets

This is what you should be comparing to see where your money and effort should go. The success of our next weight loss program hinges on making the right choice here.

Special Features of the 21 Day Fix Diet

These are the aspects of the 21 Day Fix program that we like best.

Focuses on Overall Health

I like to follow a diet plan that makes me feel good at the end of the day, rather than hungry and exhausted. There’s a bunch of exercises that work towards that end. Here are some of them.

  • Upper Fix
  • Lower Fix
  • Total Body Cardio Fix
  • Cardio Fix
  • Pilates Fix
  • Yoga Fix

The sum total of these workouts addresses the strengthening, flexibility, and cardio. In addition to the mental calm and better breathing that comes with Yoga.

The Container Plan Provides All the Needed Calories

The 21 Day Program is divided into 4 plans depending on the caloric needs per day for each body weight. The contents of the 6 food containers vary according to which plan goes with your parameters. The calories needed for exercising are also added.

You shouldn’t feel depleted as you go through the calorie deficit, as your necessary daily requirements are accounted for.

Offers a Large variety of Approved Foods

Being bored with a limited amount of food choices could easily derail any diet. This system clearly gets this, and hence you get to eat a variety of culinary options.

Special Features of the Keto Diet

These are the highlights and best features of a Keto Diet. 

Potentially Positive Health Benefits

Ketogenic diets were first proposed as a remedy for various chronic diseases. That was before the weight management applications of keto diets were a thing. It’s believed that keto diets could be helpful in managing heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, in addition to various other health issues. 

Professionals believe that there are several health benefits for keto diets, as long as they’re followed properly, and under medical supervision. 

Works Well With Bodies That Resist Weight Loss

Ketogenic diets address the problem of persistent fat head-on. The mechanics of this diet ensures that the insulin resistance, inherent to many obese bodies, is sorted out.

The Custom Keto Diet takes this a step further, and factors in various lifestyle, body type, and food preference parameters. This precision further ensures that the suggested plan would effectively reduce the stubborn weight.  

Based on Eating Healthful Natural Foods

Almost all of the ketogenic weight loss plans incorporate large amounts of vegetables, proteins, and good fats. The origin and purity of these foods is also integral to the successful implementation of a keto diet. 

You’d always see recommendations of picking only the best ingredients, and especially the ones free from harmful chemicals and GMOs. This often shows in the enhancement of hair, skin, vitality, serenity, and overall well being.  

FAQs

Q1: Why Do I feel so tired after two weeks of keto?

Your body isn’t in full ketosis. It’s suffering from the decrease in carbs, and doesn’t yet have an alternative supply of energy. You can decrease the daily carbs, and increase your intake of healthy fats and proteins.

Q2: Is it okay to have a carb day on keto?

Getting a ‘cheat day’ on keto wouldn’t flip the regimen on its head and destroy it completely. However, it would slow down the previous weight loss progress. The body takes a bit of time to adapt to a ketogenic system, and once this state is disturbed, it would need a bit more time to pick up again.

Q3: Is 21 Day Fix low carb?

The carb content of the 21 Day Fix plan is around 40%, which is much higher than the 5-10% carb content in keto diets. Also, the 21 Day Fix is more concerned with calorie count, so a bit more here and there isn’t an absolute faux pas. It’s just frowned upon.

Conclusion

We all know that slow and sure works best if we need to lose the weight and keep it off. However, quick weight loss is occasionally needed, and it’s best to look for effective and doable solutions.

The 21 Day Fix plan is perfect if you like to do sports. You don’t necessarily need to be an Olympic athlete, just a regular person who’s not totally repulsed by a daily workout. The best part is, that by the end of the three weeks, you’d probably pick up the habit, and get all into workouts.

Ketogenic diet plans come with the requirement to be highly disciplined. That’s the deal breaker for many people, but it’s totally manageable. It’s actually much less restrictive than the low carb-low fat diets which limit your calorie intake to 500 calories per day.

In my opinion, the 21 day Fix is the better overall choice. I like the integrated approach that puts equal importance on nutrition as much as physical exercise. Even though it’s a 3-week program, it’s benefits could surpass that time and extend to a healthier lifestyle later on.

Leave a Comment