you're right there are no losers in the show but Tara lost more weight and should have won. I think the rules of the show are a little weird. EIther way, good for both of them!

I think it would be hard to determine the rules. Yes, Tara lost the most weight but its a lot easier for someone who's 23 and never had children to lose weight compared to a 48 year old with 3 kids. Just my opinion but I definitely think Helen deserved to win. Just don't get too muscly Helen, thats gross

HELEN DIDNT LOSE THE MOST WEIGHT. THE PERSON WHO LOSES THE MOST WEIGHT SHOULD WIN THE SHOW. PERIOD.

Tara worked so hard---never fell below the yellow line and won 12 of the 18 challenges. Mike looks amazing and also worked so hard. Helen chose herself over her daughter to stay on! Come on---who does that. She looked sick like she starved herself while Mike and Tara just looked amazing!

Why are you even asking this question? The person with the biggest PERCENTAGE of weight loss wins. That was Helen. If they did it by weight alone, you might as well not go on the show unless you weigh 400 pounds, because you won't have a chance to lose the most. For those who think Tara should have won because she lost more POUNDS, if that was the qualification then Mike would have won, so you lose either way.

I totally agree with Lynda34 - Tara nd Mike looked fantastic and very healthy - Helen looked like a skeleton. I told both my daughters, I bet she did not stick to a proper diet but likely ate very little or next to nothing so she would have a better chance at winning the $. I am sure she does feel better and "has her life back" but I bet the motivating factor was the $ why else, as Lynda34 said, would she choose herself over her daughter - and yes, Lynda34 - who does that????

Neither of them lost the most weight...Mike lost 207 lbs!  He should have won over both of them.  207 lbs is a heaping lot more than 140.  Helen looks unhealthy and gross.  They are all winners but Helen's attitude sucked all season.  

Helen sacrificed her daughter to be on the BL. Shannon really wanted to stay and you could tell that she didn't want to hurt her mom. THAT was the first thing that got me not liking Helen. Then last night-her attitude! I was appalled at the way she carried herself and the way she was looking at Tara and Mikey. Helen looked like CRAP! 117 lbs on her frame is ridiculous. She looked gaunt-skeleton-like. Tara stayed above the yellow line the whole time, was good to everyone and has a great attitude. Mikey had a great attitude and was so unselfish. I had no respect for Helen when she agreed to have her daughter sent home so she could stay and I definitley lost respect last night for her with her attitude. SO disappointed.

I can understand those who didn't like Helen that much. She did seem selfish to stay on the ranch (twice!) and send her daughter home. Other than that, though, I thought she was OK. She won fair and square - it's not a personality contest. And do you guys really think she looks unhealthy? She looked great to me, not too skinny at all. The healthy weight range for her height (5'6") is 124-155, according to weight watchers, so she might be a tiny bit underweight, but not a lot. Her skin might have been more, well, hangy, because of her age, but that has nothing to do with her health.

To Gladys S - Do you know any women who could lose 207 pound without being hospitalized? I doubt it. I'm obese but if I lost 207 pounds I'd be the weight of an infant. Judging by pounds alone makes it impossible for a woman or anyone who's not frighteningly, morbidly obese to win. Which is why they use percentage of weight lost. If I weigh 200 pounds and lose 20, that's 10% of my weight, and it's just as hard for me to do that as it is for someone who weighs 400 pounds to lose 40.

Actually, Mike lost 204 pounds so using the logic of most pounds, he won...  Ron lost 192 pounds, Jerry lost 177 pounds...  So that made Tara 2nd of top three and 4th overall.  Percent of total is the fair way to go...  Do not get me wrong, I wanted Tara to win...

Mike should have won.  Just 5 more pounds and he would have but I find it hard to ask even that from someone who lost over 200 pounds!  He looks incredible and I wish him the best for his future.

Helen looked terrible.  She looked much better at the last aired episode.  She is way too thin...she will need to gain back about 20 pounds to look at least healthy...she doesn't now.

I CAN NOT BELIEVE HELEN WON!!!!!!!!  SHE looked aweful.........really bad! When I saw her on the final last night I told my husband she looked like Skelletor!!!!   What a major dissapointment that someone who is obviously NOT healthy could win. I hope Bob and Jillian kick her bonney butt!!

It's clear that Tara was the fan favorite and deserved to win.  I think  Helen's diet consists of grapes and water: I agree with those who think she's too thin.  And throwing Shanon under the bus?  Who would do that to their daughter?

Fair is fair, but this woman is definitely an unpopular ego-centered winner.

If they went by weight loss numbers  NO WOMAN would ever win.  The men always lose a bigger number but making it a percentage gives everyone a chance to win.

I thought I was going crazy last night.  I thought I was the only one to think Helen looked terrible and that she was so selfish!  I am glad to see that it was not just me.  Shannon still weighed almost 200 pounds and Helen looked sickly, I hope the money satisfies her, since Shannon still did not look all that comfortable with herself.  What a wonderful mom to put her daughter under the bus to move ahead.

As for Jerry, I was soooo proud of him!  He deserved it!  

Only Joelle and Helen did not deserve to win anything really.  But, fair is fair I guess.  If she starved herself to win,  she will have live with herself for promoting a wrong idea to millions of viewers.  The others handled themselves with diginity and  obviously lost the weight in a healthy manner.

I agree Helen looked unhealthy. Her BMI is now 18.9.  18.5 is considered underweight.  She is dangerously close to being underweight.  And she certainly looks it.  

Anytime someone loses such a great amount of weight (1/4 to half of their body weight) they will have loose skin, regardless of age.  I have always been amazed how good people look at the finale, with seemingly no loose skin.  Last night, however, the loose skin was pretty evident in many contestants.  Mostly the arms.  But, you know it's loose everywhere (abdomen, legs, etc)

In time, if the weight is kept off, the skin will become less loose to a degree.  But, with such significant weight loss, it's impossible for the body to simply 'reabsorb' all that extra skin.

Drastic weight loss also causes many to look much older than they did before.  Jerry and Stella look much older than their ages now.

Helen says her primary motivation was not the money.  But, to go from the bottom in the final three with her total percentage of weight loss, to the top.  She definitely wanted that money.  I highly doubt she will maintain her finale weight.  For her sanity, not to mention her health.

Also, had we seen Helen on a weekly basis as the last 40 lbs came off, we would have a chance to get used to how she looks. Rather than thinking she looks so unhealthy, it would seem less creepy.

It took me awhile to get used to Ali Vincent's new look.  She finally looks 'normal' to me and not super stick-thin.  She has maintained her finale weight.  

Many contestants regain weight after the finale. Anywhere from just a few pounds to practically all the weight they lost.  It's not easy.

I think the winner should be based on body fat percentage, not percentage of weight loss.  Tara probably has more muscle than Helen, and Helen probably has more fat.  Weight alone isn't a measurement of fat loss, it weighs everything, bones, muscle, fat, etc.  

I was hoping Tara or Mike would win.  But when Helen walked out we immediately knew she had won.  However, she did not look good.  Way too thin and too many visits to the tanning salon.   The slabby arms indicate she dieted more than exercised.  She lost more weight in four weeks at home than she did in fours weeks on the ranch.  I agree with many that she may have not lived the healthy lifestyle Jillian preached.  Tara and Mike looked great.  It was disappointing that Tara came in third place, but as long as she is happy.  And Mike looked great too.  Although Jerry won the at home challenge, he did not look good at all.  The show tries to teach healthy eating habits and exercise as the goals for losing weight.  I do not feel Helen or Jerry have followed those rules.  It also amazes me that Max still does not look like he has lost any weight.  What is his mother feeding him?  Tara and Mike have such charisma and the camera loves them.  We will be seeing more of them in the future.  Regarding Helen, despite what people say that her daughter WANTED to go home, she said right on camera "I want to make my mother happy".  So it was really Helen's decision that Shannon go home.  Perhaps Helen was more of a game player than we thought.  But not once did I ever hear Tara say that she wanted to win.  Mike said it all along and Helen started saying it at the end.  Mike, Tara and MIke made Biggest Loser history...Tara won the most challenges and the most weight of any woman on campus, Mike lost the most weight of any man on campus and Helen is the oldest contestant to win.  Congratulations to each of them.  

They should probably do it by final bmi. It's the only way where no one really has an unfair advantage.

If you do it by pounds lost, bigger starting contestants have a better chance. If you do it by percentage bigger contestants also have a bigger chance. This season, Helen lost about 54%. If Coleen from last season had lost 54%, she would be 100 pounds which is impossible.

If it is done by final bmi, height and starting position don't matter.

I too was disappointed that Helen won.  Her appearance last night was very disturbing and appears to be contrary to the goals of the show; i.e., loose wieight in a healthy way.  I was not a fan of Helen after she selfishly manipulated her daughter into leaving the show.  As well she knifed Tara in the back by eating that cookie which caused Tara to have to add 5 minutes to her race time and robbed her of the first $10,000.  And she did it with a snear.  Then when Tara's partner won the challenge and had the power to vote the next person off, Helen tried to convince her to eliminate her own partner.  And the constant whinning "I need to be here" "I need to be here". She may have won the game, but clearly lost the respect of alot of viewers.

I too was seriously irritated that Helen won.  A.) She threw her daughter under the bus to stay on the ranch; B.) her personality sucks and she irritated the crap out of me all season; and C.) Tara, given all of her successes during the season (not being below the yellow line, winning 12 of 18 challenges, etc.), DESERVED IT SO MUCH MORE!  Oh, yeah -- and Helen looked like total crap.

I knew Helen had won the mi

Mike and Tara are total hotties now! I thought Mike looked like a younger, taller, and better looking Tom Cruise. If I were18 again.......

I love the Biggest Loser but every part of it is too extreme...No where have I seen that a 400 lb person had to be beat to death in the gym  or forced to climb a mountain on their first day on campus.  The whole show is unhealthy weight loss and it in no way shows how to live in the normal world.  There is nothing healthy about the winner Helen.  God bless her heart, she is skinny I wish I was that skinny but the only thing she has now is $250,000 possible anorexia and hours in the gym.  I hope the very best for her and all of them .

The way Helen looks is not a picture of a healthy person.  She looked gaunt and like she had ate lettuce and water for 30 days.  She had a snide attitude the whole time she pranced around the stage at the finale.  How can she live with herself after stealing an opportunity from her daughter to be at the ranch, not once but TWICE.  Her daughter had a lot more weight to lose and is still struggling.  Shannon could have been the biggest loser had she had the opportunity to stay.    NO RESPECT FOR HER AND HER SELFISH WAYS!

if you're looking for the person that loses the most amount of lbs to win, this game will always have the fomer 400 or 300 lb young person winning.

percentage body weight loss is the only fair way for everyone to have a chance or we will always know who the biggest loser will be from the first show.

helen congrats on your win and tell the haters to eat their hearts out!

I too was disappointed that Helen won. She definitely was not a fan favorite. Her 'look at me attitude' was nauseating.  'Look at me I'm a marathon runner'. Look at me I am 48ish'. Look at me, look at me, etc. etc.   She definitely came across as manipulative and her demeanor on stage was plain gross.  She acted like she was a contestant in a beauty contest. Pose, pose, pose.  I was rooting for Tara all the way.  They are all definitely in a better place health wise.  The rules are the rules and they were constant thru the whole contest. Yes, contest.  I didn't like the outcome but it was clear how the game was played from the start.

I thought Helen looked wonderful; she's my age and I am trying but can't seem to lose the weight.  Kudos to you Helen.  Don't lose anymore though :)  

I was so impressed with the way Tara and Mike looked; major kudos to them too.  I think that all 3 should have won some major amounts of money.........they all worked so hard.

But they are all winners in my book!

Helen looked like a stick woman. I can imagine how saggy her behind looks, having got down to 115 myself at the age of 49. (I, too, am 5'6".) She's too skinny to be considered truly healthy, imo. Then again, if she goes back to drinking and smoking the weight will come back. Good luck, Helen.

Mike should have been the winner; he was a mere 01.5% or so from doing so. To be that big all of your life, having bad eating habits instilled for so long, is a daunting task to escape from. Congratulations, Mike.

Tara looked amazing. Healthy, happy and ready to live her 20's and beyond! Yay, Tara!!!

Jerry looked as though his teeth were going to fly across the stage at any moment. Enough said. Estella, though, really turned her future around with her weight loss.

Maybe TBL might consider doing a Couples Prize, too, seeing how it is billed as a couples show. I'm thinkin' Helen wouldn't be walking away with that prize. I do hope she will help her daughter out from under that bus.

I really hate that Helen has won the biggest loser, I couldn't stand her at all. She was a major whiner who sent her child home, who does that??? I thought that Tara was going to win, she had such great spirit and determination throughout the whole season. She looked awesome, and Helen just looked too thin and sickly. makes me wonder how Helen lost the excess weight? They should have some type of health standards for the contestants to follow.

Bet in seasons to come we don't see as much of Helen as we do of Michelle and Ali!

tara shouln't be ashamed. She has done a fantastic job and has accomplished everything she dreamed of. Good job Tara. You are hot

Helen looked gross and ill......wrong message to America considering it was about a healthy lifestyle.

I was not bothered whether Mike or Tara won - either deserved the win as they both looked like they should after such an intense regime. I wish them great success and I'm sure that they will make more than the lost prize money in endorsements..

Helen will not be a poster winner for the show in years to come, because she will go back to her true self - selfish self......wrong message to her daughter too..you are less important than me!

I didn't like Helen the wole season. It was always how SHE deserved to be there. I was very disappointed for Mike and Tara. It was a disappointing ending to a great season!!!

Helen played the game to win and obviously knew that she would have to go to extremes to beat Tara and Mike. Since she obviously will not be taking Ali's 24 Hour Fitness endorsement contract away, she can take the money, go to that Polish grocery and buy all the dessert she wants to level off. But first, she has to pay her daughter's lawyer fees for defending her after her arrest.

Sorry..but it is percentage of weight loss and it was obvious that Tara could not maintain the weight loss at home so yes, Helen shouldve won.  Personally I find it irritating that these people are given such an opportunity and waste it.  I am speaking of the guy that only lost like 45 pounds.  I was most impressed with Jerry..who was so sick at the beginning of the show and lost an amazing 177 pounds at home. It was the best season ever!

PingBack from http://thebiggestlosernews.info/?p=3668

I really loved the biggest loser this season. Helen won fair and square. I would have been happy to see any of the finalist win - but truthfully, didn't they all win?

I really don't get the whole controversary about Helen - what, if you are the mother you don't count as much? She and Shannon made the decision of who should go home jointly. Honestly, I thought it was just a matter of time before she would be sent home.... and she proved me and I'm guessing just about everyone else wrong! The fact that she made it to the end really says something about her strength. I find her inspiring.

I was devasted that Helen won, like most of you on here, I couldn't believe she sacrificed her daughter twice!

I got my mum into watching this with me in the UK, and she was disgusted with the way she sent her daughter packing twice. I hope the $ are worth it, but if I were Shannon, I'd have a lot of unanswered questions about their relationship!

My husband and I watched the finale together and when Helen came out on staged both of us gasped. She just didn't look right. She looked dehydrated. My husband felt that she had "over-dieted" to become the winner of the competition. A couple of days after I read that she spent the night before the weigh-in at the gym in a final 12-hr workout. Now it makes sense that she won..perhaps if she drank a glass of water after the workout, Mike would be the Biggest Loser!! I understand that its a competition, and there is a winner and a loser, but if money is the ultimate goal, and a contestant is allowed to win at any cost...that's a crappy message to send to the average Joe that is trying to do this in a healthy way. I think that they should have labwork before the weigh-in to catch any "cheating" behaviors.  

I am glad that other's had the opinion of Helen looking unhealthy. My friend who is also a personal trainer said she looked terrible. Her skin was hanging, no muscle at all! Mike and Tara looked very good.

Personally I think it's very unhealthy for someone to loose that much weight in 19 weeks. If Helen did starve herself the weight will just come back on twice as much once she starts eating again.

I realize just how important it is to eat healthy, I have a very physical job and walk over 3 hours each day delivering mail. You would think I'd be a tooth pick walking up and down stairs with a heavy mail bag, but I am not. In fact I have recently gained weight (since my father's passing) so just like Bob said to Mike and his father, they need to consume more calories and not starve them self. I need to do the same during the day, eat 5-6 small balanced meals and consume the proper amount of calories.

I love watching this show and think it has helped motivate a great deal of people to start eating healthy and start exercising. We are living in a very obese society and it needs to change quickly.

The winner is the one who loses the highest percentage which is why Helen won.  That said, it still doesn't seem fair that this selfish, self-centered woman allowed her daughter to leave so she [Helen] could regain the figure she had when she was younger.  Regardless of her claims that the producers showed her in a different light and that her daughter wanted to go home, Helen didn't argue with her daughter.  She lost my support from that moment on and now that I see her with this magnificant weight loss (yes, I do give her kudos for the accomplishment), I would hope she will soon realize she's in her late 40's and is dressing far too young for herself.  That hair - oh don't get me started.  I can only say, "Clinton and the What Not to Wear Crew:   Please help this lady switch from  country, trailor trash to that of a respectable 48 year old woman".  ....and while your add it, pls do something with that brassy long hair.  

I too noticed how thin Helen looked and thought it was too much. But she is my age and I really looked up to her. If she could do it why can't I? Well reality is that for all those weeks all they did was exercise eat the food that was bought for them and they also had doctors 24 hours a day . I have none of those things.  I work full time , take care of my husband, two dogs, my elderly mother , then there's yardwork and laundry and if I'm not too tired I try to do some quilting. Working out is not always possible. Sometimes it means walking the aisles buying my own groceries. I wish I could have that kind of a chance but for now I have to settle for just trying to eat healthy and not cry so much about how I can't get below 260 lbs.

Yeah, im a Tara lover, from the first episode I was rooting for her. She went so far and helen looked like she starved herself, She looked very sick and tara just looked and still looks amazing!