South Beach Diet vs. Weight Watchers

Research on diets shows a significant uptick in success when people follow structured diet plans in comparison to DIY solutions. With a structured diet plan, it’s easier to eat the right amount of calories, digest nutrient-dense foods, and continue towards a pre-determined goal.

This is why more and more people are starting to lean towards organized diet plans for their weight loss needs.

Keeping this in mind, it’s still important to find a safe diet plan that’s designed by professionals. To meet this demand, solutions such as the South Beach Diet (meal delivery program) and Weight Watchers (diet app) have entered the market.

Here’s an in-depth comparison of the two options and how they work.

1. South Beach Diet: An Overview

Dr. Agataston is a well-regarded cardiologist and is the brains behind what’s now become a heralded diet [1]. The South Beach Diet was created in the 90s as a way to help people lose weight, stay healthy, and make positive changes to their lifestyle.

His research led to this comprehensive diet after he noticed patients showing noticeable results on the Atkins Diet. The results were dictated by what they consumed, how much they consumed, and for how long they consumed it. This allowed him to create a phase-based diet plan such as this one, which worked using a timeline and different food groups.

The South Beach Diet (read our Review of South Beach Diet to learn more) is all about using lean proteins, unsaturated fats, and low-glycemic-index carbs as the foundation of one’s dietary intake.

This diet has now been combined with an all-in-one meal delivery program that allows members to customize their weight loss journey. It’s an easy way to set weight loss goals, go through the different phases, and receive good meals at your doorstep.

How it Works: Key Features

1. Phase 1

The South Beach Diet is divided into three distinct phases.

Phase 1 lasts two weeks and is often the most challenging portion of the diet plan.

In general, the goal is to reduce certain types of foods including whole grains, fruits, and higher-carb foods to control your insulin levels, cravings, and blood sugar.

This phase also includes:

• Targeted Weight Loss Goal (8-13 lbs.)
• Lean Protein, Healthy Fats, Legumes, and Non-Starch Vegetables
• Multiple Healthy Snacks Per Day

While going through this phase, members are asked to consume a set number of meals per day (3). These meals can only include specific foods that have been pre-approved by the South Beach Diet.

To make things easier, the diet also encompasses snack breaks (two per day), which include healthy snacks involving veggies and lean protein.

2. Phase 2

After the first two weeks, it’s time to enter what’s termed as Phase 2.

This phase revolves around compounding the effects of Phase 1 through structured dieting.

This phase includes:

• Targeted Weight Loss Goal (1-2 lbs.) Per Week
• Whole Grains, Good Carbs, and Fruits

In general, the average person will receive additional food options during this phase such as carbs, whole grains, and fruits. It’s important to note all foods available in Phase 1 will be readily available in Phase 2 as well.

3. Phase 3

This is the final phase and is perhaps the most important phase in the South Beach Diet.

The premise is to make it a lifestyle by implementing positive changes and maintaining them. Phase 3 involves following all of the relevant Phase 2 guidelines while allowing yourself some leeway for healthy treats.

This phase includes:

• Emphasis on Sustainable Weight Loss Plan
• Complete Freedom with Food Groups
• No Overindulgence on Foods or Drink

It’s important to note, Dr. Agatston believes it’s best to avoid overeating during this phase and quickly starting with Phase 1 again. It’s about creating a cycle, so your body gets used to staying fit and healthy.

Price Comparison

• Silver Plan: $7.97/day, $223.07/month
• Gold Plan: $9.07/day, $253.84/month
• Platinum Plan: $9.89/day, $276.92/month

The South Beach Diet also encompasses additional expenses alongside the plans. These expenses include specific menu options depending on what a person chooses to consume, supplemental food options (i.e. groceries), and potential DIY meals. The average member will prefer having leeway while creating DIY meals and these expenses need to be accounted for.

The same applies to those eating out once or twice during Phase 3.

Sample Menu Options

1. Phase 1

• Lentils
• Lean Pork, Lamb, Veal, and Beef
• Hummus
• Chicken and Turkey Breast
• Edamame
• Split Peas and Black-Eye Peas
• Navy Beans, Pinto Beans, Garbanzo Beans, Kidney Beans, and Black Beans
• Fish
• Seeds and Nuts
• Soybeans
• Nut Butters
• Cashews, Pecans, Walnuts, Peanuts, Almonds, Pistachios, Macadamias
• Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sesame Seeds

2. Phase 2

• All Foods from Phase 1
• Whole-Grain Bread
• Whole-Grain Hot Cereal
• Sweet Potatoes and Yams
• Peas
• Whole-Grain Cold Cereal
• Winter Squash
• Turnips
• Rutabaga
• Grapefruits
• Apples
• Bananas

3. Phase 3

• All Foods from Phase 1
• All Foods from Phase 2
• Certain Varieties of Alcohol

Who Should Join South Beach Diet?

The South Beach Diet is excellent for those requiring a sense of structure while dieting. It’s not easy to know what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat while shedding fat, which is why people get confused.

The South Beach Diet takes all of these questions out of the equation right away. Instead, as soon as a member signs up, they will receive a customized plan that is going to include what foods they can and cannot eat. The program’s simplicity is something that makes it easier to shed weight and remain fit for years to come.

This is also ideal for beginners that have never had the opportunity to create a diet plan. The South Beach Diet takes care of everything and allows you to focus on losing weight.

2. WW (Weight Watchers): An Overview

Weight Watchers is a complete diet app that offers the ability to personalize weight loss goals, food preferences, and/or eating habits. This includes implementing proven weight loss strategies to maximize weight loss progress.

In general, the app is iOS and Android compatible while offering a long list of features all in one place.

The premise is to deliver relevant information including at-home recipes, grab-and-go options, and meal ideas for those wanting to make diet-conscious decisions. It also allows members to quickly speak to expert coaches at any time of the day to learn more about their options.

The Weight Watchers app encompasses things such as a barcode scanner, food tracker, and a rewards system. It’s all about using a point-based system to better understand what’s going into your body.

How Does it Work: Key Features

• Detailed Food and Activity Tracker
• Barcode Scanner
• Live Weight Watchers Coach Sessions
• Rewards System (SmartPoints, FitPoints)
• Synchronize with Your Fitness Tracker
• Audio Workouts (Aaptiv)
• Community Support
• WW-Friendly Meals in Nearby Restaurants
• WellnessWins (Free Rewards)
• Mini-Meditations (Headspace)

How Much Does it Cost?

Weight Watchers has a specialized diet app that offers a slew of features to its users. However, the app does come with three specific plans based on what the user requires.

These plans include:

1. Digital ($3.87/Week)

• Award-Winning Weight Watchers Diet App
• Award-Winning Weight Watchers Diet App
• Access to Digital Tools
• SmartPoints System
• 24/7 Chat Support
• FitPoints

2. Workshop + Digital ($8.20/Week)

• Award-Winning Weight Watchers Diet App
• Access to Digital Tools
• SmartPoints System
• 24/7 Chat Support
• FitPoints
• Community Support
• Weekly Wellness Workshops

3. Dual Membership ($3.47/Week)

• Award-Winning Weight Watchers Diet App
• Partner-Based Features
• Access to Digital Tools
• SmartPoints System
• 24/7 Chat Support
• FitPoints
• Community Support
• Weekly Wellness Workshops

Who Should Join WW?

Weight Watchers is perfect for those wanting to access a tech-friendly solution for their dietary needs. It provides exceptional food tracking options, a complete food database, community support, and the ability to reach out to Wellness professionals.

This is a great way to lose weight for those who want to keep things simple and accessible throughout the year.

How to Decide Whether South Beach Diet or WW is the Right Diet for You

The South Beach Diet is ideal for beginners and those wanting a hands-off approach to dieting. It removes all of the guesswork out of meal preparation, food selection, and making sure you’re consuming the right amount of food each day.

Each phase is empowering, unique, and allows you to focus on weight loss.

While the Weight Watchers diet app is a unique way to learn more about your dietary options, track foods and reach out to Wellness Coaches.

However, it doesn’t offer a built-in meal delivery program that comes along with the South Beach Diet.

Comparison Summary

In the end, both the South Beach Diet and Weight Watchers diet app bring something unique to the table.

It’s all about finding what works best for you and your weight loss journey. Some prefer a structured diet plan such as the South Beach Diet, while others don’t mind having a fully-integrated app by their side.

Take the time to choose something that’s easy to customize based on your lifestyle and routine. Whether this is a comprehensive meal delivery program or a diet app.

Noom Alternatives: Top 3 Competitors

Wondering if there are any decent alternatives to the Noom diet app? While we’re big fans of Noom around here, it’s not always the right choice for everyone.

If you fall into this category, consider yourself lucky, because there are plenty of great Noom Alternatives that can fit a variety of dietary needs, lifestyles, and budgets.

Here are the alternative diets will be discussing in this report:

1. myWW (Weight Watchers)
2. Nutrisystem
3. Trim Down Club

Each of these diets differ from Noom, and all are great alternatives for a lot of people. WW and Trim Down Club are fairly similar to Noom, but have different pricing points and features that may make them a better choice for you when compared to Noom.

Nutrisystem, on the other hand is totally different than Noom. It’s included here, because a lot of people prefer a done-for-your diet that makes weight loss very easy and straightforward. It’s a meal delivery diet, so if you like the idea of having most your food choices made for you, then you may want to nudge Nutrisystem to the top of your list.

With those things in mind, let’s dig into these diets in more detail. By the end of this report, you’ll hopefully know if you want to try Noom, or one of the other diets on our list.

We’ll get things started with a look at WW (Weight Watchers).

1. myWW (Weight Watchers): Most Similar to Noom

WW (Weight Watchers ) recently launched a new program called myWW. It’s a customized diet plan, that they say has been proven to make weight loss easier.

How it Works

myWW is guided by many of the same principles that have always made Weight Watchers such a popular diet option. That includes using a points-based system for tracking your food and exercise. Now, though, they’ve taken their level of personalization up a few notches with the release of myWW.

Here’s how you can get started:

• Complete Your Personal WW Assessment: This helps them better understand your personal preferences and lifestyle better.
• Get access to a weight loss program that has been designed just for you.
• Option of attending in-Studio meetings and/or get 24/7 coaching support via your app.
• Make smarter eating and exercise choices with your daily SmartPoints budget.
• Use the app, the coaching, and in-person meetings (optional) to reach your diet and health goals.

What Makes it Similar to Noom?

If you’re looking for a diet plan that is the most similar to Noom, then we’d say WW is the top choice. The two diet apps are very similar.

The both:

• Offer Coaching
• Connect You with a Community via the App
• Have a Huge Food Database
• Teach You Healthy Eating and Exercise Habits
• Are Largely App-Based
• Pricing is very similar

What Makes Them Different?

While Noom and Weight Watchers have a lot in common, there are a few things that make them different from each other a well.

These differences include:

• WW uses points to help you learn healthy eating and exercise habits
• WW offers in-person meetings and coaching
• WW has several different plan options to pick from, while Noom offers one main plan
• WW has been around for decades, Noom is the “New Kid on the Block”
• WW has been named the number 1 diet for weight loss by U.S. News & World Report for 10 years running

Who Should Join myWW?

In terms of pricing, WW and Noom are pretty much on par with each other. You can bring the price of Noom down substantially if you commit to months at a time. For example, if you opt for month-to-month, its about $59 per month to use their services. If you purchase a 12-month subscription all at once, though, you can bring the monthly price down to about $20 per month.

Here are a few factors, though, that may make WW more appealing to some people when compared to Noom:

• In-Person Meeting and Coaching: If you like the idea of attending in-person meetings and coaching sessions, then WW is your choice.
• SmartPoints: WW pretty much invented to points system for tracking food and exercise, and it’s been proven to work great.
• WW has the longer track-record of success: Noom still works great, though, too.

Ready to Learn More about WW?

If the new myWW sounds like a good fit, then you can learn more at their website.

2. Nutrisystem

While Noom and WW can work great for a lot of people, others prefer a more done-for-your program to get started. Maybe you’re super busy, don’t like meal prepping and planning, or just really dislike going to the grocery store (that’s me ;-)).

Whatever the reason, millions of people turn to Nutrisystem every year (read our review), and a lot of them enjoy great weight loss results using their diet delivery program.

If a meal delivery diet sounds more appealing to you than the app-based diet plans like WW and Noom, then we suggest considering Nutrisystem.

How it Works

When you sign up with Nutrisystem, expect to get a month’s worth of food sent to you every month, as long as you’re a member. Eat the food, stick to the plan, and lose an average of 1 to 2 pounds each week.

To get things started quickly, their new Personal Plans program can help people lose up to 18 pounds during their first month on the diet.

Here’s how the diet plan works, if you decide to join:

• Eat 6 times per day: Most of your meals and snacks provided by Nutrisystem
• Menu built around balanced nutrition designed to maximize weight loss
• New Personal Plans designed to utilize your body’s natural fat-burning mode
• No guesswork: Just eat the food and follow their plan
• Mix in moderate exercise
• Weekly flex meals: Meals you make at home or eat at restaurants
• Plans for Special Diets including vegetarians and people with type 2 diabetes

What Makes Nutrisystem Similar to Noom?

Not much really. In fact, these two diets are pretty much the complete opposite. With Noom you’ll use their app to help you build a meal plan, and will be on your own to make meals, snacks etc.

Nutrisystem provides you with a 28-day supply of meals and snacks as part of your membership.

What Makes them Different?

We pretty much answered this above, but here goes again: Nutrisystem is a meal delivery diet program, Noom is an app-based diet plan. Nutrisystem provides you with most of your food for the month, Noom doesn’t provide you with any food.

Noom also offers coaching via their app, which something Nutrisystem doesn’t currently offer. Nutrisytem does have weight loss counselors available via phone or email, though, and they are there to offer whatever diet support or answers questions/concerns you may have.

Nutrisystem does offer a free app, called NuMi. It’s also very useful and has a bunch of tools to help your reach your goals, so be sure to use it should you decide to join.

Who Should Join Nutrisystem?

If diet delivery sounds appealing to you, then we suggest considering Nutrisystem. It’s the most-popular meal delivery diet in the world, and they’ve been helping people lose weight for more than 30 years.

If you want a diet that eliminates guessworks, provides most of your food for the month, and is easy to follow, then Nutrisystem may be just what you’ve been looking for.

Ready to Learn More About Nutrisystem?

Get more details, see their menu, plans, and pricing options at the Nutrisytem website:

3. Trim Down Club

For some, bells and whistles are a turn off. If you’re looking for a simple, yet effective weight loss program, then consider Trim Down Club as an option. No fancy apps or frills here, just a system that’s been shown to help people lose weight.

Trim Down Club does have a website that you’ll access everything you need for weight loss success.

It also happens to be the most cost-effective diet on our list.

How it Works

Everything has an app these days, why doesn’t Trim Down Club? Well, they keep things simple, and for a lot us, that’s great. You will access their diet plan through a membership website.

Once you’re in the member’s area, you’ll enjoy access to:

• A Customizable 8-Week Weight Loss Plan
• Personalized Menu Planner (Based on your dietary preferences and needs)
• Recipe Database
• Diet Journal
• Progress Tracking
• Grocery Shopping List
• Learn the Foods to Eat and Those to Avoid
• Live Forums: Connect and chat with other Trim Down Club members. Ask questions, get support, and more.\

What Makes Trim Down Club Similar to Noom?

Trim Down Club and Noom have a lot of differences, but there are a few similarities to consider too:

• Teach you healthy eating habits
• Large food databases
• Join other members in their “Communities”. Chat, get support, and more.
• Menu planners and grocery guides
• On your own for making meals and making smart choices while dining at restaurants (of course, they offer tips for dining out)

What Makes Them Different?

Everything with Noom is run through their app, while Trim Down Club doesn’t currently offer an app. Beyond that, there are couple of other key differences:

• Coaching: Noom pairs you with a coach when you join. Trim Down Club doesn’t offer 1-to-1 coaching.
• The App: As mentioned, Noom is an app. You can still use Trim Down Club from a smartphone or tablet, but you’ll access it via your internet browser vs. an app.
• Price: Trim Down Club is the much cheaper alternative. It costs $1.99 to join. After that it’s only $9.90 per month to keep your membership.

Who Should Consider Trim Down Club?

If you want a simple, yet effective weight loss program, that is also one of the most affordable diets we’ve reviewed, then we recommend considering Trim Down Club.

On top of that, they connect with a community via their live forums, so you can connect with members, build a sense of community, and get support from Trim Down Club’s team of weight loss experts.

Ready to Learn More About Trim Down Club?

If Trim Down Club sounds like the right fit for you, then head to their website. Right now, it’s just $1.99 to join.

Summary

While Noom is one of the fastest growing diet communities in the world, it’s not always the right choice for everyone. That doesn’t mean we don’t recommend it, though. In fact, Noom is one of our top-rated diets: Read our Noom review to see why.

If you don’t feel like Noom is right for you, then we recommend checking out one of the other highly-rated diet plans that we’ve outlined above.

Some are cheaper (Trim Down Club), while others are just a totally different approach to weight loss (Nutrisystem). Either way, find a plan that meets your needs, lifestyle, and fits your budget.