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I’ve used WW before, but I want to dry something different. Noom seems kinda similar (eg no restrictions on food types) but a little more cerebral. Anyone try it? Thoughts?

And anyone want to be an accountability buddy?

I was also wondering about Noom. I have quite a few dietary restrictions so losing weight is even more of a struggle. In the past I have tried weighing, calorie counting and logging my food in an app. I had very minimal short term success with that.

I just started exercising again.

I would also love to have an accountability partner. Let me know if you're interested.

I have a negative view of the diet industry. It’s geared for failure, many people jump from one to another.
Noom, from everything I’ve seen is a 1200 calorie cookie cutter plan.

There are 3 things you need for success, exercise, nutrition and mindset. Most "diets" and big box gyms only offer 1 of the 3. You are better off hiring a trainer and nutrition coach to help change your lifestyle, not just loose some pounds.

Tanner - agree with you. Noom works by basically mindfulness. Log what you eat and it then provides a quick nutritional analysis that is color coded with great, good, or eat with limitations. It "works" by helping you make better choices over time. It does show calories and you can connect to your fitbit or apple phone if you want it to track your exercises or you can manually log that. So it pushes nutrition and exercise, but without any tricks like keto or fasting or cabbage soup or avoiding any specific foods (or alcohol). It also provides lots of little positive rewards to keep you motivated.

I think personal accountability is where I struggle. Knowing what to do and then actually doing it are two very different things, as we all here on SI know.

As for a trainer, I had one a few years back and she was AMAZING. She was my age, understood the realities of being in my 50s in a way the 20-something’s at my gym just can’t. She was hardcore but the biggest cheerleader for me — nationally ranked Crossfitter in her age group, but sadly she moved away and I’ve not found anyone affordable and with whom I connect so well. Still looking. (She only charged $50 a session and I only saw her once a week, but she advised what I should do all week at the gym on the other days and she would then develop a plan to complement that). Typing this makes me miss her even more!

I am up for trying noon
I have heard good things about it. Can people do small groups in the app?

I just got a gym membership so am hoping to go there 2-3 times a week and lift weights with a friend.

I looked into it. After Covid I with no warning type 2 diabetes. Since I already have a health issue that prevents meat, the majority of raw veg and fruit I needed to figure out a basic structure. I was giving the standard amount of test strips, but bought twice as mini. I took away all beverages except water. I measured my blood sugar before a meal and two hours different. I didn’t count calories. I came up with a lunch of a hand ful of nuts a can of drained green beans and a teaspoon of ranch dressing. I could safely egg 12 eggs a week. I had about 1 1/2 egg with steam broccoli. I have a low capacity stomach. I discovered a rice cake and a table spoon of almond butter. Avocado sometimes works others it doesn’t. I got a tuna poke bowl without out the rice and spilt it into 2 small meals. I just grazed my way through the day. Air popcorn worked well. 1/2 a banana.

So after doing this a month, down 14lbs. Oddly enough less obsessed about food. I realize I do better with a repeat menu. Like same every day.

My blood sugar is fasting at average 100 and at most 137. So my food is working. Oh the less processed more home cooked the better I feel.

[This message edited by PricklePatch at 12:17 PM, Monday, February 6th]

As for a trainer, I had one a few years back and she was AMAZING. She was my age, understood the realities of being in my 50s in a way the 20-something’s at my gym just can’t.

My W is a trainer and has a trainer. She knows fitness and nutrition forward and backwards but has to have the accountability, the third piece.

I’ve watched her yo-yo diet throughout our M trying all the different diet programs. In 2016 she cleaned up her diet and learned nutrition. It was a lifestyle change for her, not a diet. When she started losing weight, got involved in CrossFit and started getting in shape. She went from 240 lbs to 125 and has maintained it.

Edit: have you looked at My Fitness Pal?

[This message edited by Tanner at 6:21 PM, Tuesday, February 7th]

I would highly recommend seeing a certified dietitian first. One of the comments was that Noom was a calorie restricted diet of 1200 calories. IF that is true, I hope it's not, that is very unhealthy unless you're under 5 ft tall. The Mediterranean diet is probably the best out there because it isn't actually a diet. You eat very healthy on it. That's all.

Do you know what your micronutrients requirements even are? How many calories, on average, are you currently eating a day? What percentage is protein, carbohydrates, fat? Is your fat intake mostly Omega 3s and 9s, while limiting Omega 6s? Do you know what ratio of the omegas you're supposed to be eating daily? Are you eating 2 cups of leafy green vegetables a day? What lab work have you done to assess if you need to curtail your daily diet to health specific needs?
A certified dietitian has had a BS in Science (emphasizing nutrition), has done a 1 year internship with VERY specific education and training requirements (as prescribed by ACEND), and then taken a rigorous certification test. As of this year, to be a certified dietitian, you must now have a Master's degree in Nutritional Science.

People mean well, but unless they're in the medical/health industry (with a degree to back up their profession), you could be getting horrible advice that could be dangerous.

I'm studying to be a dietitian. My minimum science requirements were Chem I and II, Organic Chem I and II, 2 courses in molecular biology, 2 Biology courses, 2 A and P (physiology), Biochemistry 384 and 385, and about 10 Nutritional courses that are basically in depth education on metabolic pathways. These specify how the body metabolizes on a molecular level the various macro- and micronutrients that our cells metabolize.

BTW most of my fellow classmates are pre med or pharmacy students, if that gives you an idea of how science intense a dietitian's educational requirements are.

Good luck!

[This message edited by StillLivin at 5:45 PM, Wednesday, March 1st]

I’ve been trying Noom for a few weeks now to see what it is all about (and sorry I did not get back to this thread…got busy).

Noom bases your calorie goal on age, weight, gender, and goals.
For me, the "weight loss zone" of calories is 1680-2430 calories, so certainly NOT a crash diet. They aim for lifestyle changes not quick fixes.

As for food, it encourages you to eat more foods with low caloric density and fresh, not processed food. Other than that guidance, no food restrictions.
It also allows you to set exercise goals. It’s really all about logging what you eat as a mindfulness exercise and providing some guidance on how to handle food triggers and set backs, that sort of thing. It does ask you to weigh yourself daily as a way to remove the fear of the scale. (But reminds you that weight fluctuates day to day). You can also log exercise, blood pressure and blood glucose as a way to track and manage.

It offers meal plans if you want them, but that’s an optional add-on. The recipes look meh. (I prefer some folks on SM that I follow that have great recipes, like SkinnyTaste) The coaches seem weak— slow responses, seem overworked, and no idea if they have any real training in diet or nutrition. The app is okay— WW has a better app, but it’s functional.

And lastly- they do allow you to create a private friend circle/community, so you can communicate, share, encourage, etc. If anyone wants to join me there, I’d welcome it!