How is the Biggest Loser different from Weight Watchers??? Any advice on which one is better or are they sort of the same???

I've done weight watchers before, but its been about 6 years. You have a lot of "point" counting and such. You can use fresh food or buy their frozen food. And of course there are the weekly meetings that you have to go to. I haven't tried BL.

I do WeightWatcher's online since we don't have any meetings in my area. Basically the main difference is that with WW you count points and with BL you count calories. For me, counting points is less work but it's still about watching portions and not eating more than my body really needs to function and workout. Both plans are great and it's really about which plan works best for you, as not everyone likes WW and not everyone likes counting calories. With Weightwatchers I think some people's problem is that they tend to eat alot of processed junk and just count points, when they should be trying to get in the 8 healthy guidelines that WeightWatchers sets out for them (Drinking water, fruits and veggies, dairy, healthy oils, protein, etc)and anything else should be extra. That can be said about counting calories though to. If you go to WeightWatcher's meetings you don't have to speak and participate if you don't want to and no one can see your weight when your being weighed except for you and the person weighing you, and since they were overweight at one time themselves they are not going to judge you for how much you weigh, if you lost, gained, etc.

There is also a non point counting plan called the core plan where you can eat lean proteins, whole grains(not bread) and fruits, veggies and fatfree dairy and not have to count points for it, just go by your hunger signals (Which for many of us is something we are not able to do yet obviously)and then you have 35 points a week you can use if you want to eat bread and other stuff that is not on the core plan.

I myself find that if I do the points plan and just try and eat alot of core like foods I do better. WeightWatcher's has alot of frozen meals and ice creams but honestly, like all over frozen foods they are full of processed chemicals and stuff so I think your better off just eating the real thing in a smaller portion if you want ice cream. It might be a point or two higher than the fake stuff but at least it only has like three ingreadiants. Milk, cream and vanilla, etc. Ingrediants you can pronounce and know what they are LOL

Even though I do WW I have the BL cookbook, workout dvd and other stuff.

I did WW a few years ago and like the point system but of course you have to do alot of figuring with a special slide or book on hand. What I found is that approx 1 pt = 50 calories.. so it was easy to eyeball things. So if you figured out your point allowance and compared that calorically...it was still a controlled eating plan. So if something had 150 calories I would designate it 3 pts.. The real point system is a calculation based on 3 components of a food.. Calorie, fat and fiber.. But as I said it is roughly 50 calories per point.. and the goal of WW has always been to eat healthier.

Consumer Reports had a run down of the diets in an issue this past year and WW was rated near or at the top. I think most of us have belonged to WW more than once.. But I know it's not for me... My daughter did great counting points.. But then regained when she stopped and slid back into old eating habits.. I think the goal should be to make it a lifestyle change.. One cannot count calories, fat grams or points indefinitely.

Get regular exercise, eat sensibly, more complex carbs (whole grain products) less simple carbs.. (sugar) and cut the bad fats..

If the OP is looking for a good option.. They should check out Sparkpeople.com.
It's free...and you probably can custom make your own plan.. You can track your eating and it will tally up your calories and fat, carbs etc.. They have TBL fan groups and forums for every type of diet out there..(the non quack ones) It can be a great complement to any program you do choose to try. But it can easily stand on its own..

Educating yourself rather than following a particular diet is going to the best way to go. Spark people can offer that and a community of support who are at various stages of their own journeys.

I agree, it's really about just eating less (and healthier options) and moving more. Actually for some people it can be about eating MORE (like those people that only eat one meal a day and think they will lose weight.)and moving more.

I think that in reality, I will get to a point with WW down the road where I will just be able to as you said, eyeball it in my head and automaticly know how much I should and shouldn't be eating and won't need to count every little bite that I eat, not because i've given up on WW, but because I will be eating the proper amount already that WW taught me to eat. In fact someday when I have learned all I can from the points program I may try and do the core plan which is the non counting plan and more about just watching portion sizes. It will take me a long time to get to that point but I will get there eventually. I think the main thing is to make sure that getting to goal weight isn't the end of watching portion size and exercise.

I am on WW and it works for me pretty well. I also use other tips from other places like BL and it helps. When I really follow it, I lose about 2lbs per week. After a while, things you use regularly you will know the points in your head (like most bread, one slice is 2pts) I also have a point calculator and take it with me -its small and fits in my purse easily.

I joined WW a month before the first season of TBL aired. I've lost my weight with WW. I'm a big believer in the program. That said, I have TBL books as well as a club membership (both a good for getting ideas no matter what program you do). I find WW to be the easier approach for me. Counting Points is way easier than counting calories since the numbers are smaller. And with WW, you count down rather than add up, so you know how many Points/calories you have left over for the day. I find WW to be more flexible, too. You build treats into the program rather than viewing them as a cheat that needs to be worked off. But both programs are great and very similar (eat less, move more, make it a lifestyle NOT a diet, etc.). You can't go wrong with either one. So, pick the one that works for you and your life.

And you're all right. After a while, you can look a food or even the nutrition label and know the Points Value. It's kind of funny.