It’s the time of the year when people are looking to change their diets and lifestyles. Many of us turn to programs. The extra support can be hugely beneficial. While systems like WW (previously Weight Watchers) are well known, Noom is relatively new and picking up speed. Although almost 60 years old, WW has now transitioned to being app-based, so you can take the program with you wherever you go. Noom is a phone app, which makes them easy to compare.
WW uses the point system so you can track what you eat to hit your daily goals. You also log exercise, activity, weight, recipes and look up restaurants. There are also quizzes, articles and other features. Depending on your plan, you can have just access to that information, that plus digital meetings with coaches and other members or one-on-one coaching. It costs $3-$9 a week.
Noom teaches you about nutrition and assigns you a coach who learns why you want to lose weight and messages you every couple of days to check-in. It gives you checklists of things to read and quizzes to take to make sure you’re learning more about food and health. You log what you eat. It calculates the best times for you to eat, based off on when you eat breakfast. It logs calories instead of points. Noom costs $59. That’s more expensive, and you have to count calories, but you do get a personalized coach and timed meals.
If you like community and support, WW is your best pick. There are so many people on all the forums, dedicated Facebook pages and communities that you will always have someone to talk to. But, for coaching, people who have tried both programs say that Noom is better.
People who like Noom do praise it for being educational. It doesn’t simply help you with your current diet goals but teaches you information for the future. Of course, you can memorize WW’s point system, but having a program that has you read so much about nutrition and fitness can help you learn a lot. And, hearing about how it makes people question their goals and focus on their reasons sounds promising. A plan works best when you focus on your endgame, and an action is often better than a number. “I want to do x,” can be more motivating than, “I want to weigh x pounds.”
One big drawback of Noom that many people have spoken about is that users have had problems canceling the service. In October, the Better Business Bureau warned that it had received more than 1,200 complaints. People thought they canceled their free trial but were charged between $20 and $180. In December, people were still saying it was difficult to cancel. If you decide you like it and want an annual plan, it’s $199, which isn’t bad compared to some plans. However, to get that price, you are tied into a lengthy commitment.
Before committing yourself to any plan, you should speak to your doctor and talk to your friends about their experiences. Often your friends are your best resources. They’re a support system on the ground, so if a program is working for them, you might want to try it just so you have a buddy system. You can lean on each other and cheer on one another in your everyday lives!
