In a world where new diet trends seem to surface overnight, the Noom diet has emerged as a unique technology-driven approach to weight management. The diet taps into the psychology of individuals to foster healthy habits. It focuses on life-long behavioral changes rather than instant weight loss results. This article will explore the different aspects of the Noom diet, including how it works, its pros and cons, and its effectiveness for weight loss, providing a sample one-week meal plan.
Understanding the Noom Diet
The Noom diet is a health program that uses technology to help users build the right dietary habits. It uses a variety of tools and services to help people lose weight and is especially helpful for people who do best with guidance and structure. This program measures food intake, provides personalized meal plans, and gives insights based on individual success to keep users interested and motivated during their journey.
It incorporates a subscription-based health application (called Noom) that operates through a smartphone. The app combines physical workouts and meal plans with personalized coaching and support. It educates and motivates users by providing valuable information for a sustainable approach to weight loss. The program aims to make behavioral changes that focus on a healthy lifestyle.
What is unique about the Noom diet is that it works without creating any fear towards a specific food group. It instead adopts an educational approach to assist users in comprehending the principle behind a balanced diet and the rationale behind their food recommendations.
The diet promotes the consumption of low-calorie, nutrition-rich foods like lean protein and fresh vegetables. The app sorts foods into three groups based on their calorie content. These groups include green (low-calorie), yellow (moderate-calorie), and orange (high-calorie). It recommends you eat more of the ‘green’ foods and very few of the ‘orange’ foods. This way, it helps you make better decisions about your food without entirely eliminating specific foods.
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Noom computes the recommended daily calorie range based on your age, gender, and specific weight loss objectives. You just need to record every meal and snack and monitor your daily weight and physical activity on the Noom smartphone application.
How the Noom Diet Works
The Noom diet works through a structured approach that involves several key steps:
- Getting Started: Download the app on your Android (Noom: Health & Weight) or iOS (Noom: Healthy Weight Loss).
- Online Quiz: Take an online quiz that collects data including your age, weight, health status, fitness goals, diet, activity levels, and other related habits.
- Setting Goals: Noom uses the quiz data to create a customized plan for you. Based on your input, the app provides a realistic timeline to reach your weight loss goal.
- Using the App: Spend a few minutes on the app every day. Browse daily educational articles, tips, and activities at your own pace. Log your food intake and workouts. Ping your health coach for guidance and support. Join Noom Circles, which are coach-led, interest-based communities for additional support. Use NoomCoin, an in-app rewards system to keep yourself motivated.
- Food Logging and Calorie Budgeting: Noom categorizes foods into color-coded groups based on their calorie content and nutritional makeup (e.g., green, yellow, orange). The app encourages you to choose foods with higher water content and lower calorie density. Noom calculates your daily calorie needs based on your profile and lifestyle. It sets for you a calorie budget and a target for calorie intake to aid weight loss. You can customize your calorie budget or weight loss speed as per your goals. Food logging and weekly weigh-ins are promoted to monitor progress and help you stay on track.
- Feedback and Guidance: Noom provides feedback and guidance according to your weight loss goals, the foods you log, and your activity levels. Coaches and support groups within the app offer information, encouragement, and motivation.
The Noom diet follows a systematic approach to change your behavioral patterns and instill the right habits for long-term weight loss.
Pros and Cons of the Noom Diet
Like any diet, the Noom diet has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
Pros:
- Promotes Accountability: The Noom app offers features that help users stay on track. This makes them accountable for their goals.
- Offers Support and Guidance: The app offers specific guidance on meal choices and daily activities. This is helpful for individuals who struggle to determine healthier food options for them.
- Ideal for Beginners: It is especially suitable for those just beginning their weight loss journey as it offers comprehensive guidance, is intuitive, and has lucid instructions.
- Offers Diverse Food Options: Noom encourages the fusion of a wide variety of foods and flavors to ensure a diverse and enjoyable eating experience.
- Has No Food Restrictions: There are no strict restrictions or eliminated food groups on Noom as it promotes a flexible approach to eating.
- Has a Structured Plan: Noom provides a structured plan along with recipes that are easy to follow.
- Community Support: The Noom app fosters a sense of community, where users can share experiences, offer encouragement, and learn from one another. This social aspect can be incredibly motivating and helpful in staying committed to the program.
Cons:
- Is Expensive: Noom monthly subscription costs close to $60 and not everyone may be able to afford it.
- May Not Be Suitable for Those with Eating Disorders: Noom’s approach may not be suitable for individuals with a history of eating disorders. The app doesn’t set limits on weight loss and may end up encouraging unhealthy habits in some cases.
- Lacks In-Depth Nutritional Guidance: While it is equipped to provide guidance on meal choices, Noom does not offer in-depth nutritional education.
- Requires a Mobile Device: Since it is a mobile app, it may not be accessible to those who do not use a smartphone.
- Offers Virtual Coaching Only: Noom only offers virtual coaching. This may not be as personalized or effective for individuals who prefer in-person coaching.
- May Require Active Engagement: Users’ active involvement, such as their commitment to logging meals and regular usage of the app, are key to the Noom diet’s success. Users may not get the most out of the program’s features if they don’t contribute frequently.
Effectiveness of the Noom Diet for Weight Loss
Noom can indeed be a valuable tool for weight loss as it offers a unique approach to fostering healthier eating habits and promoting accountability. It doesn’t prescribe a specific daily menu, and instead encourages users to input their food choices and categorizes them through a color-coded system. This simplifies the process of choosing the right foods and also brings awareness to one’s habits.
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The diet goes beyond just tracking food and exercise. It also addresses the psychological aspect of weight management and improves a user’s relationship with food by educating them about mindful eating and providing them support through personal coaches.
Research indicates that many users were able to improve their eating patterns and experienced weight loss while using the Noom Coach mobile app (1). Noom is designed to create a calorie deficit, which is a fundamental principle of any weight loss program. It encourages feelings of fullness on fewer calories by focusing on low-calorie foods.
In a study with 70 female participants, those who used Noom with one-on-one guidance from a therapist lost more weight and fat mass compared to those who used the app without any intervention (2). This only tells how the professional support system offered by Noom can help the users achieve their goals more effectively.
In yet another study, Noom users were able to lose more weight than those receiving standard clinical care. After 16 weeks, Noom users lost an average of 12.1 pounds while the comparison group lost less than one pound (3). It is also worth noting that Noom’s approach supports long-term weight loss too. Participants using the Noom app were able to maintain a 7.5% reduction in body weight at 15 weeks and sustain most of the weight loss even at the one-year mark (4).
These studies suggest that Noom can not only assist individuals to lose weight but also maintain it over time.
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Sample 1-Week Noom Diet Plan
Here is a sample 1-week Noom diet plan to give you an idea of what a typical week might look like:
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Vegetable frittata and two slices of whole-grain bread | One egg sandwich | A glass of banana- ginger smoothie with egg whites | One scrambled egg wrap | A glass of cranberry, apple, nutmeg smoothie | One bowl of raspberry yogurt parfait | Apple and banana with oats soaked in almond milk and flaxseed, walnuts, and honey |
| Lunch | One slice of Mediterranean turkey sandwich | One bowl of lemony fennel salad | One bowl of butternut squash bisque | One bowl of kale and white bean soup | One bowl of vegetarian bean chili | Herb-stuffed squash | One bowl of broccoli quinoa pilaf |
| Dinner | One bowl of vegetarian bean chili | A single serving of tofu pad thai | One lean pork lettuce wrap | One bowl of crisp stir-fry vegetables | One bowl of eggplant and green bean salad with noodles | Green bean casserole | One bowl of mushroom and rice soup |
| Snack | Spiced sweet potato chips | Fig and prosciutto tortilla bites | Banana Nutella roll-up | Smoky paprika kale chips | Chocolate cake | One bowl of creamy cucumber and dill salad | One anchovy and tomato toast |
This sample plan is just a starting point. Feel free to adjust it based on your preferences and dietary needs.
Foods to Eat and Restrict on the Noom Diet
With Noom, the key is being mindful of the color-coded food system that categorizes foods under green, yellow, or orange based on their calories and nutrient density. Understanding these color codes can help you make informed choices to support your weight loss goals.
Green Foods: Green foods are your allies in the Noom Diet. They are nutrient-dense, lower in calories, and a substantial part of your daily intake. These foods include:
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Bell peppers
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Oatmeal
- Brown rice
- Quinoa
- Non-fat yogurt
- Non-fat cheese
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Tofu
These foods provide essential nutrients while helping you effectively manage your calorie intake.
Yellow Foods: Yellow foods have moderate amounts of calories and nutrients. They should be consumed in moderation. Examples include:
- Lean proteins such as grilled chicken, turkey breast, lean ground beef, and eggs
- Tuna and salmon
- Greek yogurt
- Low-fat cheese
- Black beans
- Chickpeas
- Whole-grain tortillas
Yellow foods add variety to your meals and also aid your weight loss objectives.
Orange Foods: While no foods are strictly off-limits on the Noom Diet, the app organizes calorie-dense foods as ‘orange’ foods that may be enjoyed in smaller portions and not as frequently as the other food groups. Orange foods include:
- Oils
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Nut butters
It is important to be aware of the portion sizes of orange foods.
In simple words, roughly 30% of your daily food intake should consist of green foods, while 45% should be yellow foods, and the rest 25% should come from the orange category. The key is to maintain balance.
Clean Eating and Noom
Clean eating is about eating more unprocessed, whole foods. Some studies have shown associations between eating ultra-processed foods and negative health outcomes, including the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Benefits of Clean Eating:
- Boost your energy levels: Say goodbye to those afternoon slumps and hello to sustained energy throughout the day.
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight: Clean eating focuses on whole foods, often less calorie-dense than processed foods.
The magic of clean eating comes from personalization. Noom understands that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to nutrition. The platform is designed to understand your lifestyle, goals, and preferences and create a plan that’s as unique as you are.
How to Create a Clean Eating Meal Plan:
- Assess your habits: Reflect on your current eating habits. What’s working for you? What could use a little tweaking?
- Set S.M.A.R.T. goals: Dream big, but start small. Set specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound goals that align with your needs and preferences.
- Stock up on tasty, nutritious food: Fill your kitchen with colorful fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
- Plan ahead: Spend a little time mapping out your weekly meals and snacks.
- Get creative in the kitchen: Clean eating doesn’t need to feel boring! Noom has created a color-coded food system to help you make informed choices. Many clean or whole foods are found in the green category. Yellow foods are still healthy, but enjoy them in moderation. And orange foods? Remember, flexibility is key.
Sample Clean Eating Meal Ideas
Here are some sample clean eating meal ideas that align with the Noom diet:
- Breakfast: Kickstart your day with plain Greek yogurt and a handful of fresh berries. Add your favorite toppings, like a drizzle of honey, dried coconut, chia seeds, or a spoonful of organic nut butter. Or, whip up protein-packed scrambled eggs with whatever leftover veggies you have and some sliced avocado.
- Lunch: Savor a light and flavorful Asian orzo and shrimp recipe. Alternatively, use quinoa as a base for a healthy lunch bowl. Add leftover grilled chicken to a salad with mixed greens and your favorite vegetables.
- Dinner: Indulge in a lighter version of Mongolian beef with a Sweet Peas and Saffron recipe. Try a fun and healthy twist on a classic with an egg roll in a bowl recipe from Well Plated. Keep it simple with a 20-minute meal-prep chicken, rice, and broccoli recipe from Gimme Delicious.
- Snacks: Pair sliced fresh veggies like carrots, celery, and cucumber with homemade hummus. Build your own healthy trail mix with your favorite nuts, dried fruits, and other ingredients for an energy-boosting snack that’s easy to grab on the go.
Tips for Grocery Shopping for Clean Eating
- Make a plan: Before hitting the store, map out your weekly meals.
- Use the Noom color-coded system: This will help you navigate the grocery store aisles. Choose mostly green and yellow foods, with a few orange foods to add flavor and variety.
- Buy frozen: If fresh produce isn’t available, don’t worry! Frozen vegetables and fruits retain most of the nutrients and are great in a pinch!
- With meals at the ready, it’s often easier to meet your goals.
- Shop around. Different stores offer the same foods at different prices.
- Buy frozen fruits and vegetables.
- Eat seasonally. When fruits and vegetables are in season, they’re more abundant and less expensive.
- Bulk up. Buying non-perishable foods like steel-cut oats, quinoa, nuts, and seeds in bulk will give you more bang for your buck.
Real Noom User Experiences
Desirea N. shares, “My favorite parts of Noom are the care team and other Noomers. Sharing and getting help made me feel like I wasn’t doing it alone.”
Matthew M. says, “Noom has taught me that every day is a new chance to make better, healthier choices.”
Lila M. appreciates, “Clinicians who understand how supportive medication can be is one of the best parts of Noom!”
Sonday K. mentions, “My doctor recommended Noom after I was frustrated trying to lose weight. The lessons helped change my relationship with food.”