LIFE

What is the Noom diet and how does it work?

First published on Wednesday 20 November 2019 Last modified on Monday 22 March 2021

This weight-loss app was the third most googled diet in recent years and has over 45 million users. So what is Noom, how does it work and how quickly will you lose weight if you start doing it in 2021? Find out here ...

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What is Noom?

Noom is a weight loss app that uses a combination of psychology and nutrition to help you make long-term and sustainable changes to your eating and lifestyle habits.

A spokeswoman for Noom told Netmums:

‘We're not about just weight loss … we're focused on habit-changing to improve health/wellness, so "counting calories" is only a small part of the picture.

‘The focus area is on more of a balance between habits (psychological) and health (calories/food colors), which both equal wellness.’

Noom has more than 1,000 coaches who give advice on everything from emotional eating to exercise. 

The brand says they combine ‘... decades of proven psychology based techniques and new AI technology to “trick” your body into forming better habits, faster.’ 

How does Noom work?

When you sign up, you’ll fill in an online questionnaire. This includes how much weight you want to lose, your activity level, what you typically eat for lunch and how often you snack.

Based on those results, the app will work out how long it will take you to hit your goal weight. You'll also get access to 1:1 coaching and fitness programs that have been chosen for you using an algorithm based on how you answered the questionnaire.

Through the Noom app you can:

  • Log your daily food intake
  • Count your activity level with the in-app pedometer

Using this info, the Noom app then creates reports showing:

  • Your weight trends
  • A summary of the calories you’ve had
  • The type of exercise that could help you reach your target body weight.

How much weight will I lose using Noom?

If you follow your customised Noom plan, the company say you can expect to lose between 0.5kg and 1kg a week.

Research published in the British Medical Journal found 64 percent of Noom users lost five per cent or more of their body weight. And a 2016 study found 77 per cent of Noom users lost weight while they were using the app.

Meanwhile the University of Sydney’s Medical Center ranked Noom number one out of 800 weight loss programmes.

What can I eat on the Noom diet?

Unlike other diets, no food is off limits. Instead, food is split into groups and labelled either green, yellow or red. The aim is to eat mostly green foods and then fewer of the more calorie-heavy yellow and red foods.

There’s also a barcode scanner to help you track your food.

What are green foods?

Green foods should make up the majority of what you eat. They include:

  • Fruit
  • Vegetables
  • Skimmed milk (or Almond or Cashew milk)
  • Non-fat yoghurt
  • Egg whites
  • Brown rice
  • Wholegrains including wholegrain pasta and bread
  • Potato and sweet potato

What are yellow foods?

Yellow foods have more calories and should be eaten in moderation. They include:

  • Grilled chicken
  • Lean cuts of beef, pork or lamb
  • Tuna
  • Salmon
  • Eggs
  • Low-fat milk and cheese
  • Cottage cheese
  • Avocados
  • White rice, bread and pasta
  • Houmous
  • Beer
  • Couscous and quinoa
  • Baked beans

What are red foods?

Red foods are the most calorific and should be eaten in much smaller portions than your green or yellow foods. They include:

  • Ham
  • Red meat (beef, pork or lamb)
  • Sausages
  • Burgers
  • Pizza
  • French fries
  • Chocolate
  • Wine
  • Sugar
  • Whole milk
  • Peanut butter

How much does Noom cost?

It’s not cheap — it costs around £39 a month to subscribe.

Look out for offers including a free 14-day trial to see if Noom is right for you.

Can I use Noom when I’m pregnant?

No. A spokeswoman for Noom told Netmums:

‘We do not offer support during pregnancy, as we want to make sure that you have a healthy pregnancy. Since some weight gain is necessary for a healthy pregnancy, any amount of weight loss may pose health risks.

‘While our program does focus on sustainable habits, much of the content you'll be receiving is focused on weight loss.’

Can I use Noom if I’m breastfeeding?

According to Noom, lots of their users are new mums who are breastfeeding. They have created content specifically around breastfeeding and weight loss.

The Noom spokeswoman adds: 

‘If you let your coach know that you're breastfeeding, they can make sure to include this content early in your personalised program.

‘Those who are breastfeeding do need between 400-500 more calories per day to ensure enough energy is being provided for both you and your child.'

You can also adjust the Noom app to be more of a "weight maintenance" program rather than a "weight loss" program. This gives you more control over your calorie budget each day.

Noom: our expert's verdict

Priya Tew, the dietitian for BBC’s Eat Well For Less says:

‘I would tend to steer clear of any app. The questionnaire when you sign up is quite good but, as with all these diets, we need to learn what our bodies need. 

‘The best advice is to start connecting with your own hunger and fullness signals and think about what foods you eat regularly that could be impacting your health. 

'What can you add into your diet rather than these diets which are focusing on what you can take out of your diet?’

It can be hard to find time to diet when you're rushing around after the kids! Is there a diet or eating plan that fits into your lifestyle? Join the chat in our thread, below ...

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