Three Reasons Noom is Not for Me
I was excited to try out Noom, a healthy-habit/weight loss app that’s been getting a ton of press recently. I dutifully entered all of my health info and stats as prompted and waited for my personalized recommendations. Imagine my surprise when Noom gleefully announced that I could lose 15 lbs by March! Surprised because, if I did lose 15 lbs, I’d weigh 100 lbs (I’m 5’6”), which would be unhealthy and darn near starvation.
Noom. It’s an expensive app ($45/month at time of posting) designed by behavioral psychologists to help you lose weight. It’s targeted to millenials, because as stated by the app itself, millennials struggle to perform difficult tasks without hand-holding and cheerleading along the way.
Getting and staying healthy – however one defines it for him/herself – is a priority for many people. This is especially true in the US, where we have a lot of of food but sometimes limited exercise opportunities. Noom, an online platform, was created to help individuals form healthier habits to lose weight, get fit, or maintain these. No doubt, this is a noble goal for the company and its customers. That being said, I feel Noom’s motivations are not noble and its algorithms are simply dumb. I can summarize my reasons in three points.
- Noom seems superficial (in the way it communicates with me and in nutritional science)
- It’s algorithms need to be improved.
- It’s too expensive for what you get.
Noom is condescending and superficial, it’s algorithms are weak, and it’s too expensive.
First, Noom feels patronizing and impersonal.
The tagline is “Stop dieting. Get life-long results.” But wait, people use noom to lose weight, which involves burning more calories than you consume. So, in one way or another, there will calorie restriction (ie, a diet).
- Patronizing: Noom advertises itself as “not a weight loss but a healthy habit” app. Yet, the only service it provides (and advertises) is weight loss assistance. Also, it encourages me to “trick myself” into healthier habits. Um, I’d rather be honest with myself and form new habits intentionally.
- Impersonal: I get cheerleading messages and reminders from a coach, but the notes are super generic. Any health coach that actually looked at my profile would respond differently.
Second, Noom’s algorithms should be smarter.
Noom doesn’t serve individuals who do not want to or should not lose weight.
- For example, Noom recommends that I limit my caloric intake to 1200 calories per day (for an active, 42-year-old woman who weighs 115 lb and is 5’6”), so that I can lose 15 lb in the next eight weeks. There are so many things wrong with this, that I can’t list them all, but here’s the top two:
- Noom is the perfect tool for triggering and encouraging eating disorders (ED) like anorexia. I can just put in how much I want to lose – say, 25 lb – and Noom will cheer me on, all the way down to 90 lb. Not healthy.
- 1200 calories is at least 10% lower than my resting metabolic rate (RMR). The RMR is the number of calories required for my body to simply exist and not break down its own tissue. Add in any activity (like sitting here on my computer), and my daily caloric requirements go up. So, no matter what, the program recommended by Noom guarantees that my body will be in a starvation state. (To be honest, this is what a diet is meant to me – energy restriction; however, IMO, every conscious human adult needs more than 1200 calories/day).
Noom’s color-coded food categories are misleading because they are primarily based on caloric density.
- For example: whole milk Greek yogurt is a “red” food, meaning that it has “the least healthy nutrients and should be eaten less frequently and in smaller portions.” At the same time, nonfat flavored yogurt is a “green” food, meaning that it “contains the highest concentration of healthy nutrients and should make up the bulk of your diet.” Problems with these classifications:
- A 4-oz serving of whole milk Greek yogurt (WGY) contains no added sugar, while 4 oz of nonfat flavored yogurt (NFY) contains 12 g (or about 3 teaspoons) of added sugar.
- WGY contains double (or more, depending on brand) the protein of NFY.
- WGY contains lots of healthy, satiating natural fats, which have been mostly removed from NFY.
- Because WGY has less sugar, more protein, and more fat; I think that it is a much healthier and more satisfying choice.
Third, Noom costs too much for what you get.
Noom is very expensive compared to other, superior tools. At $45/month, you can explore a lot of other (free or low-cost) options:
- The most obvious example is their food logging platform, which is less intuitive and has a smaller database of foods than free food loggers. I estimate that it takes me 30% longer to log food into Noom than MyFitnessPal. This is due to the wonky serving size suggestions and non-intuitive navigation of the Noom food logger. Other examples include: step-tracking in Noom is super inaccurate, Noom doesn’t sync with my Garmin watch.
- $45/month (that’s $540 a year) will buy a lot of really great wellness books or subscriptions.
- This may seem incredibly obvious, but getting support and accountability from friends and family is FREE and usually much more fulfilling in the long term. I’d much rather have an accountability/workout partner that was a trusted girlfriend than some maybe real person/avatar.
Long story short: Noom has its place for people with disposable income who know nothing about wellness and would like very consistent, completely anonymous (meaning, no support from the people they know in real life) help in their weight loss journey.
If you have a reason to get healthy and/or lose weight, I encourage you to explore options other than Noom. There are better ways to get a more interpersonal and individualized approach. For example, you can join a running group or read a wellness book with your spouse or a friend.
In Summary …
Despite the advertising, Noom strikes me as a one-size-fits-all approach to goal setting and behavior change. At best, it’s a relatively expensive yet generic approach to getting people into healthier habits. At worst, it’s a dangerous platform that promotes weight loss (and happily charges for the service) for everyone, even those individuals who should not be dieting.
Have you tried Noom, or have friends who have? I’d love to hear your experience, even if you totally disagree with my assessment!
31 Comments
Suzanne
I have tried numerous weight loss and calorie tracking apps and I absolutely agree with your comments about Noom. What I found most annoying about it was the oversimplification of calorie tracking and food measurements. My impression of it was that it actually felt condescending, as though I as a user were too stupid to understand the ins and outs of calorie tracking and making smarter earing choices. I canceled before my free month was up – no way I wanted to feel patronized by an app I was paying a ridiculous amount for.
Lindsey
If you join any Noom community, you will see that many, MANY people are much older than millennials (the oldest of whom are turning 40 next year btw in case you are someone who calls all young people “millennials”). Maybe you’ve never had to lose a large amount of weight, but it’s extremely difficult for EVERYONE who tries it, with only 5% of people keeping the weight off long term. It’s hard. Maybe you’ve never had to do it, but it’s hard. So maybe lose the attitude about millennials (sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder about them) and hand-holding, since most people trying to lose a lot of weight could use a little hand-holding, because if you’ve never done it, it’s harder than you could possibly imagine. Otherwise you have some good information and some good criticisms in this article (like it is stupid that they set that weight loss goal for you) – too bad you couldn’t leave your personal biases out of it.
Resee
I couldn’t have agreed with you more! I thought this article was very condescending and missed the point. First off, the writer is 115 lb at 5’6. Most of us who join noon are significantly overweight and need a little bit of hand holding. She obviously doesn’t, yet she’s assuming that most of us have the same amount of willpower and nutritional education that she does. Secondly, to assume that nooms users are millennials is just plain wrong. I have not run into a millennial since I started using new. I think if she would have dropped the condescending, know it all tone, the article could have been much more insightful and could have let the readers know that this program is not helpful for a person who is already in shape or who already has significant nutritional and psychological knowledge. However, for those of us who are benefiting from the psychological tricks, it’s a lifesaver.
Magnus
I’ve been trying Noom for a couple of days. The positive thing is some of the tips around the psychology of maintaining focus and the mind aspects of it. I think this is the most important part of continuation and sustaining weight loss. Hopefully using the tips will help me off my main weakness, which is snacking when bored.
From a diet perspective, I see nothing with Noom that isn’t common sense. Eat healthy, restrict calories as required (1200 calories is not set in stone, they change it depending on the goals you set – and why, as in the original article, you would use Noom if not to lose weight is beyond me). Most people who know nutrition basics won;t learn anything form Noom. Success is about how well you follow what you know.
For me, who once I’m committed always follow through until I reach my goal, the coaching and encouragement Noom provides are not needed.
I agree with the comments about some food being very strange in regard to red/yellow/green classification.
The app itself is pretty annoying (Android in my case). After having done the daily lessons you get a stupid popup everytime you open the app asking if you want to keep Nooming or take a break. You have the popup every time you want to log a glass of water, add a meal, record steps, weight etc. Its almost like its telling you to back off and stop using the app until tomorrow.
The meal logging isn’t the best. Compared to FatSecret it is really bad. The measurements are hard to use, it has pre-defined portion sizes that may not suit. There isn’t a way to add exact weight, only choose between predefined values. Strange bugs, like a food (Quest bar) showing that one bar = 125 Cal (wrong) by default but if you go into size selection and choose 1 bar it logs 190cal (correct).
Once you log a meal you go back to main menu instead of the option to add another meal (like snack).
If you jump out of a lesson mid way it doesn’t track progress. Next time you open the lesson you’re back to the start, including if you’ve already answered quiz questions.
I was chatting with helpdesk and as soon as my screensaver came on the phone the chat reset and back to square one, with no chat history logged.
So aside from the lessons on mind and behavioral habits, I personally don’t see benefit with Noom. I think it depends how self-motivated and mentally strong you are. People who easily get distracted and need support to maintain focus may find it useful. If you just want to keep track of calories, FatSecret or similar apps are much better (and free). For nutrition advice, the standard plate model (1/2 leafy non-starchy veggies, 1/4 protein, 1/4 good carbs) and knowledge of good/bad carbs, proteins, fats will suffice.
THall
Just tried Noom for 4 days. Cancelled it. Worsened my binge eating disorder. It is severely calorie restrictive- 1300 and encourages me to eat green foods, like pasta and cereal and sugar added yogurts, while discouraging full fat salad dressings, nuts/seeds and certain cheeses which I have always added to my salads.
Food logging multiple times a day and then the very strange green/yellow/red foods definitely made triggered my eating disorder. Sitting here way over full and far over the allowed calories.
The ‘coach’ seems really generic, and didnt really answer my questions, but instead answered with random click-baity type answers.
Cancelled my sub.
Leigh Milner
Price varies by how much you need to lose.
I agree that some of the food classifications are wonky, but the program produces results. Further, I find it ‘s banter and silly humor amusing and motivational, despite NOT being a millinial. Once the weight is off and I am moving my body more, I plan to transition to a ‘healthier’ overall diet. (l love the mediterranean diet, but i don’t lose weight eating that way.)
But as for losing weight, Noom works.
Helen Schwietert
I love Noom! Even as a 66 year old woman, I am inspired by my personal coach and I have been on Noom for 18 months. Not sure why you pay 45 dollars a month. I was able to negotiate a much less expensive cost. I just asked.
My group is amazing. Lots of diversity within and we support each other.
While I was going through the bulk of the articles we read, I wanted more tailoring to my age group.
I suggested they try to help those of us that are retired. All comments I have shared have been taken seriously.
I struggled with an eating disorder for years. This program has helped me eat foods I enjoy, stay active, encouraged and healthy.
There is no perfect program. Everyone find their niche and go with it.
163 down to 141. Slowly and steadily wins the race.
Plus it helped me focus on good habits through the pandemic when many people used the pandemic as an excuse to eat and got fat.
Kat
On Noom trial at the moment that ends on 1st July and have no intention to continue. I find it ridiculous that white pasta is supposed to be more beneficial over a handful of walnuts; and allegedly low calorie dense. I’m interested in eating food that keeps me full for hours and recommended foods like rice and pasta just don’t do it. Since I started the trial I doubled my water intake (great for skin!) but also found myself eating bigger portions and still feeling hungry two hours later, not to mention feeling sleepy after meals containing rice and especially pasta. They claim it’s about changing habits and yet all I’m doing is logging food (I was quite happy with learning to eyeball smaller portions based on the premise that I’ll be hungry in two hours’ time anyway so why stuff myself with more food – veg, very little dairy). I started obsessing more over food than before the trial with very little benefit (weigt loss maybe a 1.5kg since the beginning of the trial), and even frustrated with the food logging process and claims that two tablespoons of olive oil per day to cook your effing food is too much! It’s been slowly making me miserable. Going to have pizza for dinner and cancel Noom tonight.
Sharee S Adams
I honestly take noom’s food grading system and nutritional advice with a grain of salt …for instance, I use olive oil all day and had been using it even before i had any weight issues; it never contributed to my weight gain (the medium pizzas, pancakes, and biscuits, however, did lol) so I don’t even count the olive oil that I use. It hasn’t effected my weight loss…I think noom is focused more on caloric density than necessary, but their psychological approach has really helped me to cut down on some of my trigger foods and focus on fruits and vegetables as my main source of nutrition, which I had trouble doing before.
Autumn
I have had a different experience with Noom. I started a few months ago and have lost 15 lbs so far. I really think it all depends upon your individual needs. I have tried the whole in-person accountability buddy thing and found that it is impossible to have someone there seven to ten times a day to interact with you about things you are experiencing in your thought process, emotional state, eating habits throughout the day. Realistically, a couple times a week or weekly check-in is great, but Noom helps attain that level of “handholding” that is helping me reach my goals. It may be critical to say that some people need “handholding” but as someone who needs that level of reminders about things, if it is helping me reach my goals and helping me stay motivated, I am going to do it. Noom is the first thing that has ever helped me to see actual progress towards developing healthier habits. When I log my food, I am not doing it to be rigid. The value I get from it helps me to realize that before, I was consuming all of my daily calories by the end of lunch. The level of mindfulness is helping me plan better and gage better how much and what I eat so that I am not overdoing myself. I don’t feel like a failure eating around 1400 calories a day despite the screen telling me I went 200 calories over (1200 calories) but it helps me know when to stop eating better. I never go to bed hungry. We all have different experiences for sure. If it doesn’t work for you, you obviously don’t do it and if it does, great! 🙂
Brook Hagen
Autumn, thank you for weighing in with your positive Noom experience! I’m glad to hear that the food tracking feature has been very useful for you, and that you appreciate the frequent coaching. It also sounds like you are able to keep a “level head” about calorie fluctuations on a day-by-day basis, taking the 1200-calorie mark as more of a guideline than a rule. While I personally question Noom’s methods and believe that a 1200-calorie/day diet is unhealthy and not sustainable, I acknowledge that it has helped millions of people lose weight and eat more mindfully. 🙂
Katherine
Thank you for an objective review of Noom. I haven’t looked at it seriously in part because of the price, in part because it seems to rely entirely on tracking (which MFP is much better at), and in part because things that are too good to be true usually are.
But mostly my concern is for the millions of women and men who have struggled with eating disorders. By marketing itself as a “lifestyle change” and coaching program, it’s easy to get sucked into the “it’s not a diet” and gamification strategy. As a recovering anorexic – which I will always be – tracking my food intake is a slippery slope. 1400 calories – why not 1200? 1200 – too much, 800 is fine for me. Look how much I’ve lost, another 3 pounds would be even better. The high from restricting food is like an irresistible drug.
All “eating programs” have a place – but I cringe whenever I see the pablum that Noom, WildFit, and other fad diets put out. As soon as you stop tracking, stop the app, stop paying and return to normal eating, weight stabilizes often higher than a so-called “ideal weight.” These apps encourage people to drop excess weight, yes – and then keep dropping below the body’s set weight. The fact that nonfat sweetened, dyed yogurt is considered healthier than plain yogurt with real fruit is just par for the course.
Brook Hagen
Thank you for your input! I share your concern about the risk for eating disorders after using Noom, and I’ve seen this play out in real life. The easiest way to relapse or begin disordered eating is to use a program like Noom and be cheered on for maintaining a super low-calorie diet whilst weighing yourself daily and tracking everything you eat.
Maureen Carroll
I’m so happy to read your review. I was using the free version of MyFitnessPal and was pretty happy but decided to try Noom bc I heard many good things about it. I’ve done my research and the calories are too low and I do find the coaching to be hokey. But my biggest complaint is for recording food, calories, and servings on Noom vs. MFP. I find it way easier to record my food on MFP. I find Noom to be way off on regards to calories and when I scan barcodes to enter foods, most of them don’t show up. They also catagorize foods in yellow and red way too easily in my opinion. I’m on a free trial with Noom right now but I’m 99% sure I’m going to cancel before I have to pay.
Brook Hagen
Thank you for weighing in (pun!) Maureen. 😀 I’m glad you found the review helpful. You point out several key distinctions between Noom and MFP that make MFP better for food logging! I very much agree with all of your points about Noom’s coaching and food rating system, too. It sounds like you’ve decided that Noom isn’t worth the $$ for you. Thanks for reading!
Lizz
I was on Noom for about 6 months. For the first month I lost weight easily. But the counseling made me feel like I was a failure. I do not have overeating obsessions, in fact I dealt with an eating disorder which was much for about too much control. Thinking that this was all in the past, Noom brought about those feelings of inadequecy again. After a few months of feeling like this was actually harmful for me emotionally. I asked if I could do Noom without a counselor. They put me on the free “NO FRILLS” Noom. At this point my eating did not change, but my weight did not budge. After a month, I started gaining weight. Still… what I was eating did not change. I knew it was time to make a change. I then switched to an app that focused more on drinking water and keeping track of my carbs. I’ve always done well on a 40-30-30 Zone style diet. Once I switched to this eating style I started to lose weight again and I am feeling much better. I always felt hungry on NOOM. Avocados, one of my favorite foods, took up so many of the daily calories on Noom. Now, I am able to enjoy avocados again. I’m happy to say that I am NO longer doing NOOM!!!! My eating experience is much less emotionally stressful, less expensive and I am actually losing weight. I am using MY NET DIARY and it is FREE. Of course they want you to sign up for the DELUXE Edition, but for now, the minimal version is working great! Each person responds differently to calorie counting. It was NOT the answer for me.
Brook Hagen
Lizz, it sounds like you’ve found a system that works for you (not NOOM lol)! Thanks for sharing your experience!
I agree with you 100% that Noom can be very problematic for someone with a history of eating disorders, and I also found the color-coded food rating system frustrating.
You found MyNetDiary, and that helped you in a way that works best for you – by drinking more water and following a Zone-style diet – without the stress, restriction, and expense of Noom. (I am not familiar with MyNetDiary and am now interested to learn more about it.)
Thanks again for reading and sharing – your input is both helpful and encouraging. 😊
Marcy Rogers
This! This says everything!! I logged into noom and immediately got red flags when they encourage people to use the scale every day and the 1200 calorie diet for someone who is 41 – I am overweight, but extremely active and I don’t see anything there even asking what my body type is or my activity level.
I have been trying to work with more intuition and less focusing on scale and calories. I am looking for a community that was more focused on psycholoy and wellness vs. the scale. I guess I still remain on the lookout.
Brook Hagen
Thank you for sharing your experience and frustrations! Yes, 1200 calories for any adult person, but especially an active one, is not enough. That amount of restriction, along with the daily weigh-ins sets some people up for feelings of shame and potentially disordered eating.
If you’re looking for a book resource, “Intuitive Eating” by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch is a great place to start. They are THE intuitive eating pioneers. (They literally wrote the book on it 😉)
I invite you to sign up for my email list, grab the FREE Healthy Habits Guide, and join my newsletter community; where I share easy, actionable, and delicious healthy eating tips. No scales and calorie-counting required.
Warmly, Brook
Anne Woods
I started Noom in early July 2021. It adjusts the calorie limit based on my steps for the day. If you don’t have it pulling data from an exercise app I assume it stays 1200. Yesterday’s target went from 1200 to 1430.
Tyna Meeks
I consider myself a success story for Noom. My personal coach and I actually had a great conversation about the 1200 calories NOT being enough for me and how to better determine my needs as I made progress over time. I was able to change my eating habits (even though my signifcant other was not) and that was a step I had struggled with for a very long time. 30 pounds gone over 4 1/2 months, slow and steady, with a year maintaining the new weight.
It may not be for everyone, and I’ll be the first to encourage the research needed to get healthy and determine your truly healthy weight, but doing that on my own and adding this in was successful for me.
Brook Hagen
I’m happy to hear that you had a positive experience – thank you so much for sharing! It sounds like you were able to “take or leave” what you needed from the app and move forward with your own, unique plan. Congratulations on achieving and maintaining your goal!
Peggy Smith
I started NOOM on January 11,2021. It is now the end of March and I have only lost 2-3 lbs at most. I’ve been following the 1200 calories a day, drinking the water, and walking. I have had no significant weight loss and I’m sooo frustrated!!! I had high hopes for this program. My goal coach only checks in with me once a week, even if I text a few messages. Her answers to my frustrations are very general and answers my questions with questions! Drives me nuts! I get more feedback from the other Noomers in the group chat. I only signed up for 5 months and once it’s over I don’t plan on signing up to extend the time. I think I will be better off just using the MYFITNESSPAL app.
Brook Hagen
Thanks for your comment and for sharing your experience! It sounds like you’re putting a lot of effort into the program, and I’m sorry to hear that you’re not seeing the results you had hoped for – and frustrated with the platform in general.
MyFitnessPal is a great resource for logging food intake (as well as water and exercise), if you find that helpful. The free version even has a community aspect to it. Another app that I like for community is SparkPeople (sparkpeople.com).
If you haven’t already, sign up for my newsletter to get no-strings-attached nutrition and exercise tips every week (or two), and like/follow my FB page (https://www.facebook.com/DiligentSpoon/) or Instagram at @diligentspoon.
Maggie
Thank you for writing this. I just downloaded it to check it out. I have two friends who have lost weight with it, and one is very happy with the changes in his habits. But good lord, I find it extremely lacking. I’m close to your age but much bigger — 5’11” 190#. They also gave me the 1200-calorie recommendation, which is just astounding. I had selected right in the middle of their weight loss pace range, too.
I have the same issue as you with the way they categorize some foods as problematic — avocado and Greek yogurt in the red, chicken breasts in the yellow. I should be eating as much chicken breast as I can handle…
The way they completely ignore macros is troubling to me too. I asked my “coach” if there is a way to track macros, and get this response: “Our color system is similar to macro counting, as it’s calculated by caloric density.” This is SO NOT TRUE.
So yeah an app that recommends I eat 1200 calories a day, and uses coaches who think that calorie density is the same thing as macros… I can’t trust that app with my nutrition.
Brook Hagen
Maggie, thanks for sharing your experience! I’m quite shocked that Noom would suggest 1200 calories for someone of your height. That’s crazy and disappointing to me, as I’m sure your basal metabolic rate (at complete rest) is way above that. If you’d like to learn more about your calorie needs, I recently wrote a post on making sure you’re eating enough at: https://diligentspoon.com/curious-if-youre-eating-enough/
I’m wondering if you’ve had luck with myFitnessPal’s food logger? I find it less restrictive, and although it doesn’t provide all the “coaching” that Noom does, you can adjust your calories based on your activity level and goals, it syncs with other apps and devices, and is all-around easier to use than Noom’s logger. Plus, if you’re into tracking macros, it will do that for you, too.
I hope these posts and this info is helpful for you. Feel free to drop me a line via email or DM on social media anytime! 😊
Laura
I’m currently using it, lost nearly 20 lbs in the first month with the 1200 calories per day. I was excited at first but I knew better and knew it was too much, too fast. I did my own research regarding calorie restricted diets discovered that yes, this was not a healthy approach to losing weight. Not only was I losing fat tissue but muscle tissue as well. I reached out to my “coach” with these concerns and was told, “Yes, but your lean muscle mass is the last to go. Just keep eating a balanced diet and stay active.” I keep wondering what advise they provide when it comes to maintaining the weight loss at the end of the program. Another fun side effect of these severe calorie deficits and drastic weight loss is a lowering of the Basal Metabolic Rate which may last well beyond the weight loss period. I’ll stick with it because of the ridiculous amount I spent on the 8 month subscription but I feel zero shame when my calories come in at 1400 or 1500 for the day. I have a hard time fitting my healthy fats and lean proteins into anything less.
Brook Hagen
Thank you for sharing your experience! I can tell by your comments that your metabolic health is very important to you. You recognize the detrimental impacts of low calorie diets – muscle loss, slower metabolism, and poorer overall nutrition.
I’m glad to hear that you do not feel pressure to maintain the 1200-calorie limit. As you point out, that is not enough food (unless you are a young child!). Best wishes on your health journey!
Please feel free to email me at [email protected] or send a direct message via social media links if you have any more questions or concerns!
Anne
Noom was terrible for me. I was hangry the first five days doing the restrictive diet and the fruit and pasta just made me hungrier without satiation of eating enough protein or fat. Calorie density is just another way to calorie count. A pat of butter actually makes me more satiated than two big bowls of spinach and the blood sugar spikes of all that fruit was no good for my energy levels (took a lot of naps those first few days). So after five days of their logging and being irritable from the hunger, I then gained weight 4 days in a row, the last two days were from binge eating every night at about midnight (midnight binge eating is something I have never done). Up six pounds in less than two weeks on the app. The coach was AWOL during my 4 day streak of gaining weight: crickets, despite reaching out to her. Cancelled subscription and deleted it.
Mikki
Hi Brook. I wanted to let you know that this was an eye-opener for me. I’m a writer with The Mighty and I’m going to be writing about this. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hypermobile type) and need to lose weight to try to help mitigate future injuries (it happens whether I want it to or not, really). I thought, “Hey! Noom! Woohoo!” but no. I realized quickly that someone with MY body type (5’9″, thin waist, large hips, chubby) would be fine on it. Then I noticed the 1200 calorie restriction. Well, how does that work with my D deficiency and my hypoglycemia? It doesn’t. They asked immediately that I cut out whole dairy foods. I literally cannot. Even with D supplements, I’m just over the bottom line for D in my system. Throw in that I crash when I eat carbs in the morning and we’ve got a big problem. I even added a recipe of homemade tomato soup (no additives and 3 T of salt for a gallon) and was just absolutely blown away that they didn’t count it at all.
I’m sure this app could help a lot of people, but it looks like another extreme that has absolutely no interest in personalization. Thank you so much for writing this.
Brook Hagen
Hi Mikki. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and thoughts! I’m so glad you found the post helpful and validating. You and I are fortunate to know what our bodies need, regardless of what an app recommends. I agree with you – Noom seems to be designed to help the masses, not for individuals. That being said, 1200 calories/day is low for just about everyone, not to mention unsustainable.
Thanks for mentioning The Mighty! I was not familiar with that site – it looks like an inspiring and uplifting community.