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Noom is a popular weight loss plan in the United States but not as well known here in the UK. Here are the basics behind Noom UK so you can decide if it is for you. It is very different to other plans so do read on to find out more.
What is Noom UK?
Before sharing my review of Noom UK I feel you need to know a bit about the plan and how Noom plans to help you lose weight for good.
Noom was developed with long term weight loss in mind. Using the power of technology with a mobile app combined with trained coaches there is support aplenty. The coaches have all been trained in cognitive behavioural therapy.
With the support of your personalised coaches and peers, you are encouraged to keep track of your daily food and exercise making yourself accountable for your own journey to a healthier lifestyle.
How does it work?
Your first contact point is the Noom website. Initially, there is a questionnaire asking a number of questions about your height, weight, goals and what sort of support you prefer. This is because the health coach allocated to you will be based on this.
Using cognitive behavioural therapy and nutrition your health coach will support you throughout your journey with Noom.
If you suffer from disordered eating or have previously struggled with your blood pressure your coach can help you too. This is why personal coaches are so important, to individualise your plan.
Whether you like a soft gentle approach or a hard straight-to-point approach they can find the perfect coach for you.
Noom has a handy app so don’t worry you don’t need your computer with you everywhere you go!
After the initial 14 days on the plan, you are put into a group with other Noom users so you can discuss ideas and progress with them on the program.
Group members motivate and encourage each other all week so this isn’t limited to weekly meetings.
The group you are placed in is linked to the questions you answered when joining. I love this as it means you are with like-minded people. Every week you have private messages with your health coach.
He/she helps you with how close you are to achieving your ultimate goal eg running a half marathon.
How much is Noom UK a month?
Is Noom free? A 14-day trial of Noom at the moment costs just £1 so almost free. After that, the cost is currently £147 for the program length of 10 months. Keep an eye on Noom for coupon codes too!
The plan is clear and easy enough for you to plan your own food/exercise. Do note that these are the current prices and they as always are subject to changes out of my control.
What can I eat?
Anything! Yes, you read that right you can actually eat anything you want. If it has carbs, you can eat it, if there are no vitamins in it, you can eat it, if it is a take away you can eat it, you get the picture!
So, how do you lose weight I hear you ask? The Noom plan teaches you to eat mindfully and think about making changes.
If you want to use all your daily calories on a burger from the fast-food outlet up the road then go for it. The reality is though you would be hungry later on, wouldn’t you?
When you join Noom your questionnaire answers are used to work out your individualised plan. You are given a daily calorie budget so essentially it works by calorie counting.
This is great because it isn’t a limit it is a budget. If you go over you are less likely to lose weight of course but if it is your birthday why not enjoy it.
The Noom calorie budget, what can you eat?
Using your calorie budget you can eat whatever you like. However, Noom doesn’t just leave it there.
They encourage you to think of calorie density not just calorie counting everything and to group foods into one of three categories.
Using red for the most calorie-dense foods with the least nutrients for example seeds, cakes, and oils.
Green foods are those which are least calorie-dense such as fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
Yellow foods are those in-between which are more calorie-dense than green foods but not as unhealthy compared to red foods.
Examples of yellow foods are lean meats and low-fat dairy products, these should be eaten in moderate proportions.
The Noom plan then suggests the best way to build your meals up is with 30% green foods, 45% yellow foods and 25% red foods.
Obviously, this is just to give you a guideline they don’t expect you to measure everything exactly on your plate!
Noom and exercise
Of course, you are encouraged to exercise if you wish and the app has a section where you can track all exercise you do and even link it to fitness trackers.
Additionally, the program allows you to set workout reminders!
Noom recipes for weight loss
They sure do! The program is full of recipes you might enjoy each telling you how it fits into your budget and the percentage of green foods in it. This of course does not mean you can not use your own recipes too.
As I said previously you can eat whatever you like. Applying the calorie density theory to any food will give you a good idea of how much you should eat and in what quantities.
Sticking to it and support
This is where many people (myself included) fall down when it comes to eating healthily and losing weight. We go a little off track and then just keep going!
With Noom in the early stages, you work with your coach to talk about what will encourage you back onto the plan when you stray. This is then used when you do struggle so it is perfectly designed for you.
Tracking your meals in the app while you are out and about of course helps you to stay on track. The program is really clever too and saves your favourite meals. Making it really easy to add your regular meals.
Your coach and group can help you make changes if you are struggling with eating a good variety of foods or swapping from red foods to yellow foods for example.
Changing your mindset
The fact that Noom not only provide guidance on what to eat but also articles to read makes a huge difference.
The articles are designed to help you address why you eat the way you do. They look at how this can change and your emotions behind it.
The goal specialist chats weekly with you (via message through the app) about your goals. He/she is trained in cognitive behavioural therapy.
The Noom approach is not just encouraging you to lose weight but also addressing the long-term goals you have.
My opinion of Noom
My experiences with the Noom app trying it out to share with you have been good. The articles are really helpful and supportive. I love the way everything is explained in a way that makes perfect sense.
An example of this is when they say that a quarter-pounder burger and a quarter of a pound of salad both weigh the same so they will both fill you up and make you feel full in the same way.
The difference is that the calories in the burger are significantly more than in the salad!
The cost of Noom does sound high but when you break it down to the cost of Noom a month it is not much different to other weight loss plans. The reality is that most weight loss plans do work.
Whether they work for the long term is another matter of course and everyone is different. Some plans would be perfect for one lifestyle but not for another. If this sounds like the plan for you then I am pleased I have helped you find something for you.
Other articles you may find helpful
If you are looking for a new diet to try and still undecided check out my full weight loss guide with lots of different plans. A few popular ones are:
Really interesting
Just signed up to Noom – so watch is space.
Thank you for a fabulous introduction to Noom, it’s something I’ve been toying around with for a while now but am very apprehensive to start; due to having disabilities. I just don’t know if it would work for me.
Looks like a great plan. Will definitely going to check out this later. Good to know that they also provide recipe. Thanks for sharing this
I have never heard of Noom app but I guess I can take a look here. I do want to reduce weight for long term honestly
This is a really great and new way to stay healthy. I would like to learn more about it.
I have never heard of this app. But my cousin is always searching for a good diet plan so I will share this with her.
I’ve heard many people trying and investing to this. It looks pretty impressive looking at some of the results. This is the next big deal for me.
This diet is actually really interesting. Looks like it’s also pretty effective. This is something that I might consider,
I may not like a hard straight to the point approach but know that it’s what I need. It’s great that NOOM recognizes that different people respond differently offer such customization from their coaches. Most important is that you will get out of any program what you put into it.
I heard about Noom, maybe from an ad on Instagram, and was intrigued. I was put off by the price, but I don’t currently pay for a different weightloss plan. If I ever suck it up and get one, I’ll keep Noom in mind!
This is a very in depth review of noon. I feel like I have a better idea of what to expect. It’s nice that you can eat whatever you want starting out. That is good for making small changes little by little, which are known to stick better than fast hard changes.
I have to admit I have never heard of Noom before. But it seems like an interesting way to work towards weightloss and something just a bit different.
I’ve never heard of the Noom app, but I’ve recently put on weight and I’d love to lose some extra kilos this summer. I think I’ll give it try soon! 🙂
Wow this is awesome! I keep seeing Noom pop up on Instagram and Facebook but didn’t know much about it. Thanks for the information!
This sounds like a great plan! I can see people being successful with this. I will have to look into it.