Skip to Content

Noom Review: Is It Worth It?

 

This post is in partnership with Noom and contains affiliate links.


Have you ever heard that to create lasting change in your habits, you need to change your lifestyle? It’s true. Quick fixes and fast changes in your diet and exercise routine are only going to put you right back where you started in the long run. To truly change your habits and reach your goals, you need to focus on creating sustainable change. And that’s where Noom comes in.

If you haven’t heard of Noom, it’s a weight loss app that you’re expected to check into daily. The curriculum writers creates a program around your specific goals. You then have a goal coach to keep you on track. The app also provides information and research to keep you motivated. You log your weight, your food, and can communicate with a group of people who are at the same stage in the program as you. All from your phone.

Noom Review

How Does Noom Work?

You start by taking the free 30-second online evaluation. It’s quick and easy and gives them an idea of where you’re starting from and where you’d like to be.

Noom has a smooth interface and an easy sign-up process. Plus, they offer trial period to help you decide if Noom is right for you before committing.

Here are a few examples of the questions you’ll see on the evaluation, in no particular order:

The cost of the program depends on your specific program and goals. Each plan is customized to your needs so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all-price. You will, however, see the price of your unique program before committing. It will be sent to you after filling out the quiz!

After you sign up, you’re paired with a coach who is trained to help you with your goals, needs, and specific struggles. You’ll also be assigned to a group with other members who are at a similar place to you.

On the app, you’ll log your daily food and exercise (and steps), and your weight. Other features that make Noom different from other apps you may have seen are:

  • color-coded food logging system
  • group chat and support
  • an expert coach to keep you on track with your goals
  • daily behavior modification education

These features may vary in importance to you and your personal health journey, so we’ll walk you through what we see as pros and cons next.

Noom Pros and Cons

Pros and Cons After 4 Months Using Noom

After using the app for, Samantha* has some insights to share based on her experiences. Her favorite thing about Noom is:

I enjoy Noom for its evidence-based approach to weight loss. They always back up their claims by citing specific studies. It takes only about 10 minutes a day to learn something new about weight loss/health while checking in with myself. Noom helps me answer questions about myself that I never even thought to ask, like WHY do I want to lose weight or what specifically triggers me to overeat.

One of Samantha’s favorite features? The color-coded food system. She loves the food grading system as “green,” “yellow,” and “red.” No food is “bad” but the app encourages you to eat a lot more “green” foods than “red” or “yellow” foods.They emphasize that no food is “bad”, but some you should eat a lot of (green), and some should be enjoyed in moderation (red). You can still treat yo’self without feeling deprived. And that, my friends, is what we call #balance.
You can still choose what you eat so there’s no need to follow a strict meal plan. Remember, this is about creating lasting change so you’ll be learning more about what foods work best for your body and goals.

Sign up for your trial with a customized plan here! 

Noom also syncs with many fitness trackers. If you’re already using one, you can use both in tandem as tools to help you reach your goals.

The aspects of the app that focus on behavior modification are so effective. Because they are research-based, they’re truly targeting the behaviors you need to change. Not only to see results but also to make those results last — and help you live a healthier life from here on out.

The behavior modification comes to you in daily snippets that are easy to digest and easy to remember. They focus on keeping you motivated to reach your goals and educate you along the way. You know objectively that to lose weight you need to eat less calories than you burn, right? But that doesn’t tackle things like emotional eating, stress eating, eating out of boredom, negative thinking when it comes to exercise, and social pressure, among other things. This part of the program is especially supportive for those who need additional support emotionally.

Losing weight and making lifestyle changes is a challenge. Noom aims to make that easier by supporting you emotionally and physically throughout your journey.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Noom App Review: Is It Worth It? Here are the pros and cons: ” quote=”Noom App Review: Is It Worth It? Here are the pros and cons: “]
Noom Review with pros and cons

Who Is Noom Best For?

Samantha says that she would recommend Noom to people who are “highly motivated to improve their health and can stick to an online program. I’ve seen it marketed as ‘Weight Watchers for Millennials,’ but I think people of any age can benefit from it.”
 
The truth is, most of use just have a lot going on. Between school, working, social outings, and families of our own, it’s often hard to make the time to learn about changing your habits. Making changes is simpler when the work is already laid out for you — you just have to commit to the changes!
 
Checking in with the app takes just a few minutes per day and makes you more mindful of your habits. In Samantha’s case, she specifically
 
“became more mindful of my habits and the “whys” behind them. I think the main benefit of NOOM is the almost meditative experience of checking in with the app and reading articles. It gives me some “me” time to really think about what I want and how I’m going to get there.”
 
If learning new habits and adjusting to them feels like a chore, you’re probably going to be surprised to discover how Noom becomes a source of “me” time for you. On top of helping you stay on track of your weight loss goals, you’ll find that the time you spend learning and interacting about a healthier lifestyle becomes a form of self-care. You’re taking a few minutes out of your day to better yourself, which is undoubtedly going to make you a happier person!

Sign up for your trial with a customized plan here! 

It might not be for you if you need your meals to be made and guided through every workout to make better decisions. Noom is designed to help you reach your goals by creating a sustained change in behavior. They don’t want you to be dependent on them for life!

The app is especially great if you consider yourself introverted. There’s no need to go to meetings or put your face on your goals. That said, if you are looking more for the outgoing support, you can use the group and coach features to adjust the app to your tastes! Either way, you’re still getting support from trained professionals.

Noom Review Post

So… what are the cons?

Well, for starters, if you’re not going to commit to using the app, you’re not going to see results. Plain and simple.

Noom gives you a plan, but you still have to put in the work. If you do, you’ll see major changes that will give you more confidence. Plus, you’ll feel better about making the best choices for you.

Samantha had no major cons but did note that: “some of the articles and examples assume I’m a person who works in an office from 9-5, have kids, and hate eating healthy. None of these are the case. However, I understand that most of their users may fit that mold, so I just imagine how the scenarios/examples apply to my life.”

Not every example is going to fit you perfectly, and that’s okay! There are still strong takeaways where the underlying lessons can be applied.

Samantha also notes that for her the coach and group haven’t been particularly motivating because she is more internally-motivated. That said, for those of us who aren’t (hi, hello, how are you), the coach and group are an amazing feature that makes Noom really stand out!

Overall Thoughts

If you’re struggling to reach your goals and need extra support and guidance, Noom is an excellent tool for you. After 4 months of use, Samantha is seeing results and is not ready to stop! She enjoys the time with the app and seeing the progress she has made. Plus, she feels better overall knowing that she’s changing her habits. By tackling the behaviors that got her to where she *didn’t* want to be, she’ll end up changing her life.

The quiz is quick (will take you just a few minutes max!) and you can use the trial to officially decide if the program is right for you. The exact pricing will depend on your goals and program, but you’ll find out that information before you commit to paying. Take the quiz here to get started! 
 

Are you interested in the Noom app for weight loss or changing your habits?


*Thank you to Samantha, an anonymous contributor, for testing the program and for her contributions to this piece. 

About the Author

Nicole Booz

Nicole Booz is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of GenTwenty, GenThirty, and The Capsule Collab. She has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is the author of The Kidult Handbook (Simon & Schuster May 2018). She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s probably hiking, eating brunch, or planning her next great adventure.

Website: genthirty.com