Noom diet for weight loss

What is Noom diet 

Noom diet is a well-known, psychologically motivated weight loss plan. This is unlike the regular diet plan. The base of Noom’s digital weight loss programme is cognitive behavioural therapy, a form of talk therapy utilised in clinical psychology settings. 

Noom was designed by behavioural psychologists, dietitians and personal trainers to aid in long-term weight loss. It asserts that rather than promoting more extreme eating habits (For example: cutting out specific food groups or nutrients), it places a greater emphasis on creating real, long-lasting lifestyle changes. 

The software, which Noom touts as the best sustained weight-loss method available today, enables a customer to,

• Create a customised calorie breakdown based on a series of questions about their lifestyle
• Utilise a database search or barcode scanning to keep track of the foods consumed.
• Track daily activity, weight, blood pressure and sugar levels.
• Get personalised health coaching in-app during business hours.
• Use interactive articles and quizzes to maintain motivation.

Merits of Noom diet 

• Certified health coaches

To become proficient in cognitive behavioural therapy, the approach that underpins Noom’s weight loss programme, all of Noom’s health coaches undergo a four-week training programme with the company. 

• Psychological strategy

Cognitive behavioural therapy, a tried-and-true technique, enables people to comprehend the connection between their feelings, thoughts and behaviours.

• Keep an eye on the long term. 

Noom’s psychological methodology strongly emphasises habit change, which is the key to long-term weight loss. Noom strives to assist an individual in developing a sustainable perspective about food, fitness and wellness rather than forcing them to lose weight quickly for the first few weeks.

• Focus on whole foods

With Noom, there is no requirement to purchase frozen meals, ready-made shakes, or protein bars. Instead, the goal is to focus on eating healthy for life by choosing foods that satisfy both the taste buds and the body. One can choose nutrient-dense foods with Noom’s colour strategy (green, yellow and red foods) while still pursuing weight loss objectives.

• One-stop assistance

Noom serves as a personal trainer, nutritionist, health coach and accountability partner all at once. Noom might be a fantastic choice when an individual prefers to keep all their health information in one place.

Demerits of Noom diet 

• Expensive

With a minimum monthly cost of $59 (Roughly around 4800 INR), Noom is more expensive than many people may be able or ready to pay for a weight loss programme.

Although Noom’s user experience is intended to be motivational, some people may find the language to be a little insulting. For people who actually struggle with food triggers or emotional eating, the app and website’s usage of phrases like “conquer your food triggers” could be troublesome. 

These overly broad generalisations fail to consider the possibly complex and ingrained difficulties that people may encounter.

• No face-to-face option 

Noom might not be the best option when an individual thrives on face-to-face coaching. Everything is done through the chat service, including discussions with an individual health coach. The process doesn’t involve in-person or video counselling.

• Coaches might not be industry experts.

It’s true that the National Consortium for Credentialing Health and Wellness Coaches (NCCHWC) and the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaches have both given their approval to Noom’s health coach training programme, “Noomiversity” (NBHWC). However, this does not imply that every one of their coaches is a certified nutritionist, registered dietitian, personal trainer, medical doctor or another licenced health care provider not affiliated with Noom’s independent training programme.

While the colour-labelling method of food selection may be effective for some, it may also lead to irregular eating patterns or a negative relationship with food for others. For instance, almond butter is classified as a red food because of the high number of calories it contains, despite the fact that, when consumed in moderation, almond butter is a perfectly healthy food.

Who is Noom for? 

Noom may suggest its Diabetes prevention programme to some obese and pre-diabetic individuals. This programme is the first mobile health programme to be acknowledged by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for providing an evidence-based type 2 Diabetes prevention programme.

How Noom works? 

With the help of the app, one can trick the body into developing better habits by using a behavioural approach to weight loss. Noom advertises its coaches as real individuals who help set realistic objectives and hold individuals accountable. However, the nutritionists (coaches) are not licensed.

The process initiates with responding to a series of online questions about a person’s current weight, health issues and lifestyle (like if a person cooks or dines out more and whether one sits at a desk most of the day).

From there, a coach will be assigned to an individual, and they will receive eating advice in addition to having access to built-in tools for tracking exercise, diet, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

Reviews claim that a lot of the information is presented as brief tips and tests, which may be beneficial. 

What can you eat and what you can’t? 

Noom doesn’t necessarily state that particular foods are restricted, but the firm employs green, yellow and red colour coding to indicate which foods may assist in the efforts to lose weight. According to the noom diet, around 25% of the daily calories should come from red meals, 30% of the daily calories should come from green foods, and 45 per cent of the daily calories should come from yellow foods.

Food categories

The categories that Noom divides into are as follows.

Green foods 

These have the highest concentration of beneficial nutrients and have the fewest calories. Examples include particular fruits and vegetables, tofu, shrimp, non-fat milk, and other dairy products.

Some examples of green foods are as follows.

• Apples
• Berries
• Bananas 
• Quinoa 
• Spinach
• Eggs whites
• Fat-free dairy products
• Wholesome bread
• Peppers

Yellow foods

Foods that are yellow have more calories and fewer nutritious ingredients per serving than green foods. Lean beef, black beans, olives, hummus and other foods are among them.

The following foods are classified as yellow.

• Avocado 
• Beans
• Whole eggs
• Brown beans
• Salmon
• Chicken 

Red foods

Foods in the colour red have the highest calorie content and the fewest beneficial nutrients. 

Red foods consist of the following.

• Avocado 
• Seeds
• Beef 
• Burgers 
• French fries 
• Cakes
• Full-fat dairy 
• Nut butter 
• Nuts

According to Noom, the colours are more of a portion guidance than an indication of good or bad dishes.

Is the Noom diet a healthy choice? 

Noom may not be the best strategy for users looking for a quick way to lose weight (although one ought to consider sustainable weight loss over quick weight loss). Noom can be an excellent choice for people who need assistance developing sustainable, healthy lifestyle habits that allow them to lose weight and keep it off in the long run.

Benefits of the Noom diet 

By self-monitoring their food intake and physical activity levels, users are given psychological support based on scientific research to reach their ideal body weight.

To help customers comprehend and estimate their consumption, a portion size guide is also accessible.

The psychology-based approach of the Noom weight loss programme results in behaviour changes, lifestyle alterations and an increase in the development of lasting healthy habits.

The application also boosts customers’ self-monitoring of their overall diet and exercise levels. It encourages them to maintain a balanced diet that includes foods that naturally aid in weight loss.

A further motivator is to promote the user’s adherence to a balanced diet, incorporating natural weight loss foods in the diet and self-monitoring their total dietary and physical activity status.

Risks of Noom diet 

Although the Noom diet has no known health hazards, people who have had or are at risk of eating disorders may wish to steer clear of a weight loss plan that demands thorough recording of daily eating patterns and forbids consuming some of the so-called healthy foods.

Conclusion 

The Noom diet is a fantastic resource for tracking and monitoring weight reduction. According to studies, people who routinely track their food consumption and body weight experience significant weight loss.

An additional plus for them is that they can monitor their own body weight, caloric intake and physical activity. 

An individual wanting to lose weight should remember that there are many different methods to pursue healthy weight loss. General health is greatly influenced by exercise, sleep and other lifestyle choices. Always choose a healthy diet that complements one’s lifestyle for lasting effects.

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