In the crowded landscape of weight loss programs, Noom has emerged as a prominent player, garnering significant attention for its unique approach. This article delves into the intricacies of Noom's weight loss zone, exploring its definition, functionality, and potential benefits and drawbacks.
The Rise of Apps in Health Management
In today's world, apps have become essential tools for managing our health. From tracking activity levels and prompting us to move more, to monitoring our food intake and guiding us through workouts and meditations, these digital companions have seamlessly integrated into our daily lives. Noom, which bills itself as "the last weight loss program you'll ever need," has captured considerable attention in this competitive market.
How Noom Works: A Behavioral Approach
Noom distinguishes itself by adopting a behavioral approach to weight loss, aiming to "trick" your body into developing healthier habits. The program connects users with coaches, who are purportedly real individuals (though not registered dietitians), to help set achievable goals and maintain accountability.
When you embark on your Noom journey, you'll complete a series of online questions that assess your current weight, health concerns, and lifestyle, including your cooking habits and daily activity levels. Based on your responses, you'll be assigned a coach and receive personalized eating recommendations. You'll also gain access to built-in tools for tracking your fitness, food intake, blood pressure, and blood sugar. The advice is delivered through short tips and quizzes, which some users find helpful while others find overwhelming.
Noom's Nutrition Philosophy: Calorie Density
Noom's nutrition guidance revolves around the concept of calorie density, which has also been popularized in the book "Volumetrics." Low calorie density refers to foods that provide fewer calories for the amount you eat. Noom categorizes foods into three groups: red, green, and yellow. While no foods are strictly forbidden, the program encourages limiting red foods and increasing consumption of yellow and green foods.
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The Color-Coded System
- Green foods: These foods are the least calorie-dense and/or contain the highest concentration of healthy nutrients. Examples include fruits like watermelon and grapefruit, vegetables like peppers and leafy greens, and grains like quinoa.
- Yellow foods: These foods contain more calories and fewer nutrients than green foods, so they should be consumed in moderation. Examples include lean meats like chicken, legumes like lentils and beans, and low-fat dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese.
- Orange foods: These foods are the most calorie-dense and offer the lowest nutritional value. Examples include red meats, processed foods, and full-fat cheese.
Noom uses a unique color system to help you easily understand what’s in the foods you’re eating, and to help guide you toward healthy food choices.
It’s important to remember that “orange” doesn’t mean bad and “green” doesn’t mean good. We like to think of our color system as a portion guide. “Orange” foods can raise a “red flag” for foods that contain a lot of calories without filling you up. You can also refer to the How are the food colors determined? FAQ to learn more about how foods are categorized, and the Food Lookup Tool FAQ for instructions on how to use the tool to look up a food’s color, nutritional value, and healthy swaps.
The Noom Weight Loss Zone: A Personalized Calorie Range
The Noom weight loss zone is a personalized calorie range that is calculated based on your age, height, current weight, gender identity, and basic activity level. The Noom weight loss zone is designed to help you lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way.
To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit, which means eating fewer calories than you burn. The Noom weight loss zone helps you do this by giving you a range of calories that you can eat each day. You can eat more calories at the higher end of the range and fewer calories at the lower end of the range.
Eating closer to the lower end of the weight loss zone typically leads to greater weight loss (about 2 pounds or ~1 kilogram lost per week), while eating at the higher end of the weight loss zone typically leads to a more moderate weight loss (about 0.5 pounds or ~0.25 kilogram lost per week).
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The Noom weight loss zone is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Your calorie range may change over time as you lose weight and your activity level increases. Noom will adjust your calorie range as needed to help you reach your weight loss goals.
Your target calorie range is also updated each day based on the amount of activity you log, which you can read more about in the How does exercise or step count affect my weight loss zone?
How Does Noom Determine My Weight Loss Zone?
Your weight loss zone is calculated based on a number of factors. Your BMR is then applied to the Harris-Benedict equation to determine the starting point for your weight loss zone!
While we never recommend eating under your weight loss zone, eating at the lower end of your weight loss zone typically leads to a weight loss of about 1-2 lbs per week, and consuming at the higher end of your weight loss zone typically leads to a weight loss of about .5 lbs per week. Keep in mind that this is a projection and that everyone’s body is a little bit different as there are many factors that can impact weight loss.
Staying Within the Weight Loss Zone
It’s important to note that you should be eating within the Weight Loss Zone, not below it. Your body needs calories to function, and even basic bodily functions like breathing and digestion require energy. Going below your zone can lead to headache, fatigue, a weakened immune system, and slow your metabolism down.
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We’ve honed in on giving you a calorie range rather than a precise number to hit because we know that not every day is the same. To keep your body functioning at its best, Noom won’t let those who identify as female or non-binary/intersex adjust their goal below 1,200-1,340 calories per day and those who identify as male below 1,400-1,540 calories per day.
If you’re new to tracking your calories, starting at the higher end of the Weight Loss Zone might feel like a more flexible and realistic place to start. For example, if you have an increased activity level or are lactating, it is recommended that you take in more calories.
Changing Your Weight Loss Zone to a Calorie-Specific Target:
To change your Noom weight loss zone to a calorie-specific target, you can follow these steps:
- Open the Noom app.
- Tap the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner.
- Tap Settings.
- Scroll down to Manual calorie adjustment.
- Tap the Manual calorie adjustment bar to open up the slider bar.
- Slide your finger left or right across the slider bar to adjust your calorie target.
- Tap the circle with the selected calories to save the adjustment.
Here are some things to keep in mind when changing your calorie target:
- You should not change your calorie target too drastically. A good rule of thumb is to change it by no more than 100 calories at a time.
- If you are new to Noom, it is best to start with the default weight loss zone and adjust it as needed.
- It is important to listen to your body and adjust your calorie target as needed. If you are feeling hungry or tired, you may need to increase your calorie target.
- If you are working out regularly, you may need to increase your calorie target.
- If you are unsure how to change your calorie target, you can always reach out to your Noom coach for help.
The Pros and Cons of Noom
The Pros
- Scientifically Validated: Research suggests that Noom can be effective for weight loss and maintenance. One study involving nearly 36,000 Noom users found that almost 80% reported weight loss after using the app for a median of 267 days. Tracking dinner proved to be a particularly effective strategy, while tracking overall calories, activity, and weight also contributed to positive outcomes.
- No Food is Off Limits: Noom embraces an inclusive approach to eating, allowing users to enjoy any food they desire. While the app may provide gentle reminders about exceeding portion limits for red foods, it also offers encouragement for tracking food intake.
The Cons
- Flawed Food Categories: While encouraging fruit and vegetable consumption is commendable, the calorie density approach overlooks the nutritional value and satiety provided by many high-calorie-dense foods. Nuts, seeds, olives, avocados, and their associated products are rich in protective plant compounds that combat inflammation and reduce disease risk. These foods have also been linked to improved body weight and waist measurements and may aid in preventing weight gain.
- Mixed Online Reviews: Many users have reported inconsistencies in coaching quality, with some describing the responses as canned or practically non-existent. Others have criticized the database for lacking many foods and being unreliable, making food tracking a cumbersome process. There are also numerous complaints regarding the cancellation process.
- Coach Qualifications: The qualifications of health coaches may not match those of registered dietitians (RDs). Individuals with food sensitivities, medical concerns, or lifestyle challenges may benefit more from working with an RD who can provide personalized guidance.
- Potentially Low Calorie Recommendations: Some users have reported that the app recommends excessively low-calorie diets, which may not provide sufficient nutrients. It’s important to ensure that calorie intake is adequate to support overall health and well-being.
Research on Noom's Effectiveness
Apps such as Noom encourage people to self-monitor their weight loss regularly. A 2017 study found that people who frequently and consistently record their dietary habits experience more consistent and long-term weight loss.
Another older piece of research found that out of 35,921 participants with overweight or obesity, 77.9% reported a reduction in their weight. This suggests that Noom is an effective tool for many people trying to lose weight.
Newer work includes a 2023 cross-sectional study that investigated the effectiveness of the Noom app as a tool for weight reduction and maintenance. The survey respondents included 840 people who reported a loss of at least 10% of their body weight using the Noom app 6-24 months before taking the survey. Of these 840 participants, 75% maintained at least 5% of their weight loss after 1 year. Meanwhile, 49% maintained a 10% loss, and 65% of the participant’s initial weight loss was maintained after 1 year and 57% after 2 years.
Additionally, researchers of a 2020 randomized controlled trial investigated the long-term weight loss and its effect on regulating the glycemic index of a mobile-delivered diabetes prevention program (DPP) compared with a control group receiving usual medical care.
Researchers divided 202 participants with prediabetes into either a mobile-delivered, coach-guided DPP (Noom) or a control group that received regular medical care, which included a DPP paper-based curriculum and no formal intervention.
Results showed that participants using Noom achieved significant weight loss for up to 1 year compared with those in the regular care group. Results showed that those using Noom experienced a 5.6% weight loss at 6 months and a maintenance weight loss of 4.7%. This is in comparison with those in the regular care group, who saw a weight loss of -0.15% at 6 months and a weight gain of 0.33% at 12 months in those in usual care.
However, neither of the above studies compared the Noom app with any other app. As such, it is difficult to know whether this service is more effective than other weight-loss strategies.
Newer research set to progress in March 2024 will assess the effectiveness of Noom for weight loss.
Additional Tips for Weight Loss on Noom
People on the Noom diet may also find the following helpful for weight loss:
- tracking all food intake using the app
- drinking plenty of water
- avoiding processed foods and added sugars
- eating breakfast every day
- exercising regularly
Alternative Weight Loss Programs
Several apps are available to help people reach their fitness and health goals. Examples include Weight Watchers and Trim Down Club.
WW is a well-known company that takes a holistic approach to weight management. The company provides advice on food, activity, sleep, and mindset, with coaches offering expert support.
Trim Down Club is a company that aims to replace current eating habits with healthier ones. It provides customized meal plans and allows people to access nutritional advice from professional nutritionists.
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