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Noom is one of those apps that was recommended to me by a colleague when I got frustrated with all the other food journaling and weight loss apps out there.
I’ve now gone so far to ask all my clients to install and use it on a daily basis to better help us figure out the best diet and exercise regime for their weight loss goals.
But before you make any kind of decision, let me give you a full overview of what Noom does and what benefits you can expect.
Read on to find out all about Noom.
Noom Review
Noom is a mobile app and web-based service that combines diet journaling, health and nutrition coaching, and group support in one convenient place.
This might seem like an obvious thing to do, but until Noom came along, there really wasn’t anything like it.
While a lot of the functionality is available for free, there are also some paid features that are quite impressive and very reasonably priced.
Ultimately, the service allows you to log everything you’re eating on a day-to-day basis, get professional advice on what you’re doing wrong, and immediately work on solutions to work towards a healthier life.
Noom Review Video
Check this video below to learn more about Noom.
What Does the Noom App Do?
One reason so many people never succeed to lose weight in the long-term is that they believe they eat a lot less food than they actually do.
The only way to truly get the full picture is to write everything down and then calculate the calories you ate. I remember doing that with pen and paper, but Noom has created something that millions of users compliment for ease of use.
Basically, you log into the app, and you can either scan the barcode of the food you’re eating, or you search the database. Then add the amount you ate, and you’re done.
This will automatically calculate your calorie intake and provide you with a running total for the day.
You can also sync the app with an activity tracker like Fitbit or Polar, which will then tell you whether you actually have a net positive or negative calorie balance.
At that stage, there will be no lying to yourself about what you’re actually eating.
But then it gets interesting...
What Is the Noom Diet All About?
Knowing what your energy balance is over days and weeks is one thing. But most people then struggle to figure out a solution. This is where Noom claims to have created one of the easiest diet support programs available.
With a paid subscription service, you get access to a professional dietitian who has access to your diet and exercise data that you share. Once they review the data about foods, kcals, and your eating habits, they will tailor a diet plan to make it easier for you to lose weight.
This will include advice on healthy meals with easy to follow recipes, all still provided within one app. Your coach will check in with you on a regular basis to keep you motivated and focused on your goals.
This will all help you change your eating habits, and you’ll quickly learn to avoid the red foods in the database (these are the bad ones) and eat more of the green foods (these are the healthy ones).
In fact, some people even shared on their social media profiles how they achieved their fitness goals with the help of Noom.
What Benefits Can You Expect?
Overall, I found 5 common benefits highlighted in reviews.
1. Easy To Use Food Journaling
First of all, I have to agree with the hundreds of reviews I read that said they love how easy it is to use. The designers really seem to have put a lot of effort into making it very user-friendly.
When you first log in, you have to create an account and set your age, gender, height, and weight to create a profile. This is completely free and is needed in order to make accurate calorie-burning calculations.
After that, you simply go to the Log Your Meals section and add the food you eat. I highly recommend doing this every time you eat; you’ll be surprised how quickly you forget about that sneaky cookie.
2. Huge Database of Ready to Search Foods
According to the company, their food database has grown to over 3.7 million (yes, that’s million) different food items. Personally, I have yet to search for something I couldn’t find.
The great thing is that you can either type in the search, or scan a barcode on the packaging of the food. After that, you just need to enter the amount you ate for it to do its magic.
Just make sure you’re always honest!
3. Goal Orientated Weight Loss Programs
A lot of people think it is just a different form of Weight Watchers, but the diet programs are very different. WW is all about assigning points to different foods with the goal to limit the bad stuff you eat.
Noom takes a more calculated approach based on actual calories in and out. In fact, according to some studies, ability to accurately estimate calories is important for weight management (1). It does encourage making health-conscious choices by color-coding food in red and green.
You can then choose a program based on your individual needs. Whether you’re trying to control the impact of diabetes on your life or just want to lose weight, there is a support service to get you to your goals.
4. Personal Coaching
This is where the subscription plan really shines.
Once you sign up, you are assigned a dietitian who can help to change your diet and meal plans and suggest exercises to help your body shed some more pounds.
You’ll get access to healthy recipes and grocery lists that make staying motivated and on-target that much easier.
5. Sync with Other Fitness Apps
This is where things get really interesting, especially for your personal trainer. If you’ve ever had to manually calculate energy in vs. energy out, then you know what I mean.
Basically, you can synchronize with other apps and services that are geared towards tracking your fitness activity.
Whether you go for a CrossFit or yoga class, or you just went for a long walk, that activity data can be loaded to let you know if you ended a day or week with net negative energy.
The best thing about the Noom app is that it encourages eating real, whole foods and recommends more nutrient-dense meals and snacks as often as possible.
Jaclyn London
Registered Dietitian
Does Noom Have Any Limitations?
There is one minor thing I would point out.
You can manually log exercises, but the power comes from loading accurate data from other apps. However, with some services that synchronization can be delayed.
Apparently, this is down to security features in the data exchange, which I guess is a positive
What this means is that you could finish your evening run and then check Noom if you’re on target, only to be told that you haven’t burned enough calories.
Just keep this in mind; most of the time, I see fully up-to-date data within about 10 or 15 minutes.
Pricing and Subscription Options
First of all, the app is free to download, and the free services can be very helpful to lose some bodyweight.
But the real power comes from the programs and coaching which do require a subscription.
Prices start quite high at $59 per month, but there are some serious savings if you subscribe for longer.
If you go for a full year, then it’s only $199, which many review comments highlight as very good value for access to a dietitian.
FAQ
Does Noom work for weight loss?
Does Noom tell you what to eat?
How much does Noom cost?
Can you use Noom without a subscription?
Does Noom give you a meal plan?
Is Noom Worth Trying?
If you have been struggling with losing weight and keeping it off, then frustration is often your worst enemy. You can get to a stage where you just think what’s the point, right?
In my own experience, and having witnessed it with countless clients, Noom really is a great option. I highly recommend that if you haven’t been able to afford to hire a dietitian, that you take full advantage of the subscription service.
The coaches are great, the support groups provide encouragement, and with less than 10 minutes per day, you can set yourself up for long-term success.
