So, I’m trying Noom, the weight loss app thing, and here’s my honest review after the first week.
Warning: I’m going to whine about it!
First, let me explain a bit about why I’m trying Noom.
The last time I dieted was in the 7th grade and I’m not kidding. I’ve always been able to exercise a few times a week, eat what I want within reason, and stay within 5-10 lbs of the weight I was on my driver’s license at age 16. But as I approach my 50th birthday and “The Change”, aka menopause, this is no longer the case. Waaaaaah.
I’m about 10 pounds heavier than I’ve ever been, except when pregnant, and it only took me a couple years to get this way. I haven’t done anything different except get older.
So I decided to try Noom, which is a program 100% in an app on your phone. It consists of articles with tips and encouragement, plus logging your food and exercise each day.
Surprise! Noom is a diet
Even though they sell you that it’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with the articles and far-out thinking about life, Noom is a diet. For me, Noom instructs me to eat 1300 calories a day rather than > 2,000 calories. You can read all the CBT articles you want in the Noom app, but if you limit your calories, then that’s why you’re going to lose weight.
So I don’t like that it’s a diet, because I was hoping it was something more. Truly, I need guidance about eating better. You do log your snacks and meals and your foods show up as green (good), yellow (meh) or red (NO!). I’m just getting the hang of that and will save my comment for a later time.
Also, I don’t like the price. It’s weird. I’m paying $10 for a 2-week trial and then my plan is prepaid $74.25 for 2 months. But others got a free trial and then have to prepay for 4 months. Huh? And no matter how hard you Google, you can’t find a solid answer to how much it costs.
Then there is the upsell. Noom is like the salesperson at the car dealership that tries to get you to buy the floor mats and paint protection. Noom tries to upsell you on things like menu plans that are on top of the price of the program.
Also, they ask me at least once a day to refer a friend and get $20. Like, I’m on Day 5 and I’m hungry, and why would I try and sign up my friends when I don’t even want to tell them that I’m getting old and developing a soft middle? (Note: I did not even link to the Noom program in this post because I’m a bad salesperson.)
So there you have it. My whiny baby review of Noom, the first week. Stay tuned to see if I can stick it out! Or if I become all body positive and just love my midlife self!
Two Words. OK, two Initials. WW. I went through exactly what you’re going through when I approached 50. !0 magical pounds suddenly appeared and I wasn’t doing anything differently. Ugh. After several starts and stops with Weight Watchers (success then “la-la-la, I’ve reached my goal, I can eat anything …”) and I finally accepted that it’s a lifestyle. It wasn’t a diet, but a lifestyle. I’ve stayed two pounds within my goal weight for the past four years. Covid has been challenging, I’ll be honest. However, I’m still within those two pounds. I haven’t paid a dime to WW for 4 years. My leader has been the same gal for the entire time and I swear I’ll follow her if she moves. Even to Alaska. She’s an absolute delight.
No counting calories, too, which is grand in my books.
If at the end of your Noom signup you’re looking for an alternative, check out WW. You won’t be hungry. Promise.
I see a “la-la-la, I’ve reached my goal, I can eat anything …” moment in my future!
I very much appreciate hearing about your experience with WW, Kelly. Thank you for sharing! I know others who enjoyed WW, too. I will definitely keep it in mind. Especially if I’m still hungry after Noom!
Katy recently posted…My Whiny Baby Review of Noom, the First Week
This is exactly how I would be on Noom. Ha! Love the title. Good luck with the weight loss though! You can do it, Noom or no Noom.
I was hoping someone else out there could relate to my title! 🙂 Thanks for the well wishes. I think I can lose it, but keeping it off will be a different story.
Katy recently posted…My Whiny Baby Review of Noom, the First Week
I keep seeing it advertised and the curious side of me has been searching, but like you, it’s not giving m anything concrete. It was the idea of using CBT to help manage a healthier dit that had me intrigued, but after reading this, I think I will avoid. Money better spent on nutrition books.
Sam recently posted…4 Amazing Tips For A Good Night’s Sleep
That’s why I wanted to write about Noom, for sure. It’s a little too mysterious–and that should make us all cautious! It’s not that it’s inherently bad, it’s just not the life changing CBT course they advertise. It’s a new fangled way to diet.
Great review, thanks for this! Like you, my weight was pretty consistently the same until I turned 50. That was 13 years ago, and it’s been a battle! I signed up for Noom, but I immediately cancelled because of the weird payment structure and how much it was going to cost me if I forgot to cancel! I then signed up for Weight Watchers (WW), and I lost 8 pounds in a couple of weeks, but I’ve plateaued. So, I’m a little discouraged! I do have an underactive thyroid, but I don’t understand why the plan was working at first and then stopped… I popped over from the Happy Now party.
Pam recently posted…Caring for Your Senior Dog
I wish that as a society we could reframe our weight gain around 50/menopause! I read somewhere that it’s our body’s response to the change and that the weight gain, especially around our middles, is our body’s effort to protect our organs. But we are still supposed to look like super models somehow! Good luck to you in your journey and thanks for the visit!