Noom, the popular weight loss app focusing on long-term psychological and behavioral changes to support weight loss, has rolled out some new features. Our reviewer tries them out, and our dietitian weighs in.
Since its inception in 2008, the Noom diet, or Noom, has grown to become one of the most popular weight management programs around.
According to Noom, people who use the program and adopt a healthy lifestyle can expect to lose 1 to 2 pounds (lb) (0.5 to 1 kilogram [kg]) per week.
But you may wonder whether Noom is just another fad diet or an effective program for healthy, sustainable weight loss.
Our registered dietitian tried the platform to assess it from an expert’s perspective and determine whether it is a program she would recommend to others. We also asked one of our in-house testers to sample Noom for 2 months and share her honest thoughts.
Here are their perspectives, along with everything you need to know about Noom, what it is, how it works, what our testers liked, and what they think could be better.
diet review scorecard
- Overall score: 4.25
- Weight loss: 5
- Adherence: 4.75
- Whole body health: 3.5
- Nutrition quality: 4
- Health promotion: 4
BOTTOM LINE: The Noom diet encourages you to eat low calorie, nutrient-dense foods and monitors your progress via a mobile app.
Although its well-established methods are likely effective, it focuses mostly on weight loss. The food psychology of Noom is found through its education courses and modules.
Noom is a mobile app you download to your smartphone or tablet. It focuses on behavioral changes, and because of this, Noom calls itself a lifestyle rather than a diet.
To support behavior change, the app provides access to the following:
- Weekly challenges and educational information: Topics involve nutrition fundamentals, stress management, goal setting, and healthy habit formation.
- Tools to track your progress: Noom tools allow you to log your meals, exercise regimen, and body weight.
- A virtual coaching team: Noom guides, and interest-based communities, known as Noom Communities, are meant to help you stay on track through video chats, phone calls, and in-app messaging. Individualized support with Behavior Change Coaches is also available via phone and Zoom for an additional fee.
- Biometric tracking: These features help you monitor your blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
Noom offers a 7-day trial if you’d like to test it out before paying the monthly fee.
Pros
- applies a psychology-based approach
- uses a simple color-coded system to promote foods with a low calorie density
- does not entirely eliminate any foods or food groups
- promotes behavioral changes versus fad dieting
- provides support via a virtual team, including individual coaching for an additional fee
- offers customizable options
- may be offered as an employee benefit through some employers
- requires coaches to go through rigorous training and certification through Noomiversity
- Noom Med: offers prescription medications to support weight loss for those who qualify
- Noom Move: While the primary focus of Noom is on weight loss and nutrition, Noom Move adds an element of fitness tracking and movement encouragement to help users achieve more holistic health goals.
Cons
- price
- time commitment
- requires a smartphone or tablet
- categorizes several nutrient-dense foods as “orange” foods depending upon preparation method (think steamed green beans vs. green bean “fries”)
- recommends a low number of calories, which may not be suitable for everyone
- Noom “colors” experience can be inconsistent
- limited portion control guidance
Dietitian’s take: A well-designed app and resources — with room for improvement in food tracking
Here are some things registered dietitian, Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD, liked about Noom during her experience testing it in 2022:
- App: “The Noom app is well-designed, intuitive, and easy to use.”
- Quiz: “The online quiz developed a customized plan based on needs and goals and allowed me to reflect on the habits, behaviors, and environmental factors that may contribute to personal eating patterns.”
- Daily lessons: “I felt the daily lessons were simple and straightforward yet informative. Being able to select the amount of time you want to spend on these daily lessons is also very useful, especially for those who want to spend only a few minutes per day on the app.”
- Support: “The Noom guides were helpful and offered resources, advice, and support, which can definitely be an advantage if you have trouble staying motivated. Additionally, Noom Communities can help you connect with others to foster a sense of support within the community.”
When Ajmera first tested Noom, she felt the tracker tool was a bit cumbersome and confusing when it came to logging her foods each day. Certain foods were categorized as green in one entry, but yellow or orange in others. Since then, the platform has made improvements. Read on for our tester’s experience with Noom in 2024.
Tester’s take: Food tracking has been improved but can still be a bit tedious
2024 Update: The Noom app has introduced features to enhance the food logging user experience. Nutrition and food information are now more visible, allowing Noomers to see the calorie quantity and color category of a food item right next to its name without needing to click on it.
Our tester, Shelby Stanley, liked Noom’s new-and-improved version of food tracking for the most part. “They use a three-color food system, ranking different foods into the categories based on their caloric density.” Noom pairs this initially with education about what caloric density is, giving you a foundation for understanding why this method works.
Essentially, Noom’s emphasis is on balancing your colors, e.g., turning more toward low-caloric-density foods like vegetables. Stanley’s take: “It helped increase my awareness of how calorically dense some foods really are, but I didn’t find the in-depth food tracking to be the most sustainable long term.”
“Balancing your protein versus your carb versus your fat intake isn’t a big part of the consideration,” Stanley adds. Noom coaches can send you handouts and remind you to consider it in addition to the color system, but she wishes it was taken into account in the food tracking.
Several foods that are low in calories and high in fiber or protein were categorized as orange or yellow. For example, a fiber crispbread with just 20 calories and 4 grams of fiber in a single serving was classified as an orange food.
Noom clarification: The [color category] classification is not solely based on calorie content but also considers the overall health impact of the food. The same food could be categorized differently based on its preparation method, e.g., fried or sauteed with oil versus air-fried or steamed.
Calorie goals: The number of calories in Ajmera’s daily budget felt very low to her, especially compared with what she normally eats in a day while maintaining her weight. But she said, “I appreciated that I could easily adjust this as needed to set a more realistic and sustainable goal.”
Stanley said she “didn’t like that Noom doesn’t break down the different food categories like protein, vegetables, and fats.” To her, the program preference leaning toward caloric density “felt like it sometimes overlooked the nutritional value of foods. For example, the categorization of healthy fats as ‘orange’ can be misleading and may deter people from making healthy choices simply because these foods fall into the ‘orange’ category.”
Stanley agreed with Ajmera on calorie-counting being a downside.
“Noom’s emphasis on calorie counting sometimes overshadows healthier decision making. For example, while swapping regular Coke for Diet Coke might reduce calories, it’s not necessarily a healthier choice (since artificial sweeteners have their own potential health risks). I felt like this could mean users aren’t actually moving as much closer to a healthier lifestyle as they might think.”
If you’re ready to try Noom, here are the steps you can take to get started.
1. Take the online quiz
To start with Noom, you take a simple quiz on the company’s website or the app.
The quiz collects information about your age, weight, health status, and fitness goals. It also asks for details about your current diet, activity levels, and any habits or behaviors that may affect your health.
Here are a few of the questions the quiz asked me:
- What feelings are you hoping to achieve during your journey with Noom?
- Which best describes the area you live in?
- How long has it been since you were at your ideal weight?
- Have any life events led to weight gain in the last few years?
2. Set your goals
The app uses information from the online quiz to create a custom plan and provide a realistic timeline for reaching your goals.
As Ajmera went through the quiz, the app adjusted her estimated timeline for reaching her target weight based on her answers.
3. Start using the app
Noom requires users to spend just a few minutes per day on the app. The app provides daily educational articles, tips, and activities you can complete at your own pace.
The app also encourages you to log your food intake, exercise, and weigh-ins, send messages to your Noom guide, and join Noom Communities, which are coach-led, interest-based communities for added support.
Additionally, Noom offers an in-app reward system called NoomCoin. It’s designed to increase motivation to help you complete your daily tasks.
You can easily customize the amount of time you want to spend on Noom lessons each day and can choose from specific ranges, including:
- 1 to 4 minutes
- 5 to 8 minutes
- 9 to 12 minutes
Here’s a closer look at how Noom works and how it may support weight loss.
Reduces calorie intake
Noom aims to help you lose weight the same way as most other commercial diet plans and programs by creating a calorie deficit.
A calorie deficit
Noom uses an algorithm to estimate your daily calorie needs based on your sex, age, height, weight, and answers to a series of lifestyle questions. When Ajmera used Noom, this was known as your calorie budget. Now, Noom provides an ideal calorie range, which is known as your weight loss zone.
For safety reasons and to ensure adequate nutrition, the app does not allow a weight loss zone below 1,200 to 1,320 calories for women or 1,400 to 1,540 calories for men.
Noom encourages food logging and weekly weigh-ins. These two self-monitoring behaviors are
Noom also allows you to view an analysis of your foods as you log them throughout the day. It displays the color categories of the foods you’ve eaten, the number of calories you’ve consumed from each category, and your total calorie intake for the day.
When Ajmera tried Noom, the color categories were green, yellow, and red. The company has since updated its categories, replacing red with orange.
Promotes other healthy habits
Noom encourages regular exercise by setting daily step goals and providing a generic workout guide.
Users can log their physical activity in the app, which provides an extensive list of exercises to choose from. Because Ajmera has an iPhone, Noom automatically connected to her Health app to display her total daily steps.
Noom also allows users to track several other measures of progress, including water intake and mood.
If they like, users can enable notifications to set up meal reminders at specific times during the day.
Noom offers the following subscription plans:
- Monthly auto-renewing plan: $70
- 2-month auto-renewing plan: $129
- 3-month auto-renewing plan: $159
- 4-month auto-renewing plan: $169
- 5-month auto-renewing plan: $174
- 6-month auto-renewing plan: $179
- 7-month auto-renewing plan: $184
- 8-month auto-renewing plan: $189
- 9-month auto-renewing plan: $195
- 10-month auto-renewing plan: $199
- 11-month auto-renewing plan: $205
- Annual auto-renewing plan: $209
If you’re confident you’ll use Noom for more than a few months, the company’s yearly membership, at $209 per year, provides the best value. Noom also offers discounts frequently throughout the year.
If you work for a company that offers a workplace health and wellness program, you can contact the human resources department to determine whether you may receive a financial incentive for participating in a wellness program like Noom.
Still, starting at $70 per month for a monthly auto-renewing plan, Noom may cost more than you’re willing or able to spend.
Note: Noom Med — Noom’s weight loss medication service — costs an additional $49 per month and does not include the cost of any medications prescribed to support your weight loss journey.
Available add-ons
For an additional cost, Noom offers several optional add-ons.
You can choose from:
- customized meal plans (pdf format)
- customized workout plans (pdf format)
- a metabolism test kit
- a mental wellness course
- behavior change coaching
- prescription weight loss medications
You can also purchase a smart scale for an additional fee. A smart scale tracks your body weight and several other body composition metrics.
Weight loss medications
Noom recently introduced their new program, Noom Med, which is intended to be paired with their behavior change program to promote weight loss.
After signing up, you complete a medical intake form, upload a copy of recent blood work, and schedule a video visit with a Noom clinician.
The clinician then assesses whether you’re a candidate for prescription weight loss medications, including GLP-1 agonists. These medications work by reducing your appetite, slowing the emptying of the stomach, and increasing feelings of fullness after you eat.
If you qualify for a prescription, your care team will also provide ongoing support, monitor your progress, and adjust your care plan as needed while taking these medications.
Mental wellness course and behavior change coaching
Optionally, you can add a mental wellness course to your subscription for $50. It’s designed to help you minimize stress and manage cravings.
You can also purchase a subscription to work with a Behavior Change Coach for a monthly recurring fee of $150.
According to the company’s customer service team, Behavior Change Coaches can help refine your goals based on your lifestyle and needs. They provide additional support via email, phone, video sessions, or in-app messaging.
Noom also offers a separate program called Noom Mood. It’s designed to help you practice mindfulness and better manage stress levels. However, you cannot enroll in both Noom Mood and the weight management program simultaneously.
Metabolism test kit
Noom recently partnered with Everlywell, which offers an at-home metabolism testing kit.
The testing kit is designed to measure levels of
Users can purchase the kit when signing up or directly on Everlywell’s website. However, because of state regulations, the testing kit is not currently available for residents of New York.
Noom categorizes foods as green, yellow, or orange (previously red) based on their calories and nutrient density.
The app recommends consuming a set percentage of foods from each color category:
- 30% green
- 45% yellow
- 25% orange
Users receive a target calorie range for their weight loss zone and are allotted a specific number of calories from each category.
For example, of Ajmera’s total daily 1,350-calorie budget, her calorie distribution for each category was as follows:
- Green foods: 405 calories
- Yellow foods: 608 calories
- Red (now classified as orange) foods: 337 calories
According to the Noom website, here are examples of foods for each color:
Green
- Fruits: bananas, apples, strawberries, watermelon, blueberries
- Vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, salad greens, carrots, onions, spinach
- Starchy vegetables: parsnips, beets, sweet potatoes, squash
- Dairy: skim milk, nonfat yogurt, nonfat Greek yogurt, nonfat cheese sticks
- Dairy alternatives: unsweetened almond, cashew, or soy milk
- Whole grains: oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain bread, whole grain pita, whole grain pasta, whole grain tortilla, whole grain cereals
- Condiments: marinara, salsa, sauerkraut, ketchup, light mayo
- Beverages: unsweetened tea and coffee
Yellow
- Lean meats: grilled chicken, turkey, and lean cuts of beef, pork, and lamb
- Seafood: tuna, salmon, tilapia, scallops
- Dairy: low fat milk, low fat cheeses, low fat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt
- Legumes and seeds: lentils, pinto beans, chickpeas, peas, quinoa, black beans, soybeans
- Grains and grain products: couscous, white rice, white bread, white pasta
- Beverages: diet soda, light beer
Orange (previously red)
- Meats: ham, red meats, fried meats, bacon, sausage, hot dogs, hamburgers
- Nuts and nut butters: peanut butter, almond butter, almonds, walnuts
- Desserts and sweets: cake, chocolate, cookies, candy, pastries
- Snack foods: french fries, potato chips, energy and snack bars
- Condiments and toppings: butter, mayonnaise, ranch dressing
- Beverages: wine, juices such as orange juice
Remember that, depending on their preparation method, some foods may not necessarily fit into the categories exactly as outlined above.
For example, when logging sweet potatoes, Ajmera found that certain entries — such as grilled sweet potatoes, boiled sweet potatoes, and sweet potato wedges — were classified as green foods. But others — including mashed sweet potatoes, baked sweet potato fries, and oven-roasted sweet potatoes — were yellow foods.
Noom explains this is because some preparations typically require ingredients that can lower the color category, including sugar, more salt, cream, or oil.
After using Noom for several weeks, Ajmera felt that the app made it easier to decrease her calorie intake by categorizing foods as orange (previously red), yellow, or green.
She said she can see the simple color-coded system helping promote long-term weight loss, especially when it’s combined with the quick and easy daily lessons for developing healthy habits.
Though Ajmera personally didn’t track her weight while trying the app, her mom has used Noom twice with great results. In 2021, she lost about 20 lb (9 kg) over 4 months.
A 2023 study also found that most overweight Noom users experienced lasting weight maintenance for 1 or even 2 years after leveraging a digital commercial behavior change program.
Recently, she started using it again and has lost 10 lb (4.5 kg) in 1 month. (Of course, the amount of weight you can or should lose will vary based on factors such as your height, weight, age, food intake, and activity level.)
Ajmera’s mother, Kathy Link, 67, attributed much of her success to her group and personal coach. Both provided motivation and support to help her stick to her diet and reach her goals.
While any reduced-calorie diet plan or program can help you lose weight if you follow it, sticking with a diet
What the research says
While research on Noom’s effectiveness is limited, one
Researchers also found that those who tracked their diet and weight more frequently were more successful at losing weight.
Additionally, a 2020 study including 225 adults with binge eating disorder found Noom to be more effective at reducing the number of days participants engaged in binge eating over 52 weeks than standard care.
It’s important to note that the study above was funded in part by Noom, and several authors have conflicts of interest because they’re employed by or have equity ownership in Noom.
Overall, more comprehensive research on the program is needed.
Noom’s program emphasizes a long-term approach to weight loss. It may have several benefits over quick-fix methods.
- Focuses on calorie and nutrient density: The program categorizes foods by color — green, yellow, or orange — based on their calorie density and nutrient concentrations. In addition to helping you
lose weightTrusted Source by eating fewer calories, this categorization system encourages a more nutrient-rich, balanced diet. - No food is off-limits: Overly restrictive diets can promote disordered eating, which may lead to eating disorders or obsessive behaviors surrounding healthy or “clean” eating. Noom takes the opposite approach, offering flexibility by allowing all foods to fit into your diet.
- Promotes behavior change: Noom uses a psychology-based curriculum that
encouragesTrusted Source self-efficacy. This is the belief in your ability to execute the habits necessary to reach your goals. In this way, Noom may better equip you with the tools and education necessary to make the behavioral changes that underlie successful long-term weight loss maintenance.
While Noom is a comprehensive tool you can use to help you reach your health goals, there are a few things to keep in mind about the app, including:
- It requires a smartphone or tablet and access to Wi-Fi or cellular data.
- It does not offer in-person interaction with coaches or communities.
- There’s an additional cost for personal coaching.
- The coaches are not qualified to replace a registered dietitian or doctor.
- Tracking food intake
may promoteTrusted Source disordered eating patterns, such as food anxiety and excessive calorie restriction.
Other considerations include concerns over calorie goals, limited focus on overall health, and potential weight regain.
Calorie goals may be too low
Several reviewers note that Noom recommended a calorie goal that was quite low and significantly less than their typical intake. Ajmera also found this to be true.
Cutting calories too drastically can have negative effects, including making it more difficult to stick with your new diet. Noom allows users to adjust their calorie goals.
However, without the help of a trained nutrition professional, such as a registered dietitian, many people may not realize that their goals need adjustment.
Limited focus on whole-body health
Noom mostly focuses on promoting weight loss by reducing calorie intake. Educating people on the psychology of their relationship with food and making healthy food choices is embedded in Noom’s educational programming on the app.
Studies — like this 2021 study involving 65 overweight women in their 20s — do demonstrate that supportive psychotherapy helps weight loss.
However, weight loss is just one piece of the puzzle regarding health.
In fact, many other factors are just as important, including maintaining your mental health, getting enough sleep every night, exercising regularly, and managing your stress levels.
Although Noom offers some advice and educational resources on these topics, it’s not designed to specifically address these other pillars of health.
Additionally, many nutritious and health-promoting foods are categorized as yellow or orange. This implies that these foods are less nutritious or should be limited as part of a balanced diet.
While Noom emphasizes that all foods can fit into a healthy diet, the color-coding system and categorization of foods may give some users the impression that calorie content is the most important factor to consider when building a balanced diet.
Potential for weight regain
As with most diets that focus on calorie reduction, there’s a chance you
While Noom encourages making sustainable lifestyle changes, some users may find their new habits difficult to maintain without ongoing accountability.
Additionally, given that Noom categorizes foods based on their calorie content, some foods higher in calories may actually be beneficial for maintaining your weight.
For example, nuts and nut butters are considered orange foods because they are calorie-dense due to their high fat content. However, eating healthy high fat foods, including nuts, has been shown to aid prevention of weight gain and support weight maintenance.
Heads-up
Trying to “do it right” when it comes to nutrition may feel tempting, but it can backfire.
If you’re preoccupied with food or your weight, feel guilt surrounding your food choices, or routinely engage in restrictive diets, consider reaching out for support. These behaviors may indicate a disordered relationship with food or an eating disorder.
Disordered eating and eating disorders can affect anyone, regardless of gender identity, race, age, socioeconomic status, or other identities.
Any combination of biological, social, cultural, and environmental factors can cause eating disorders — not just by exposure to diet culture.
Feeling empowered to talk with a qualified healthcare professional, such as a registered dietitian, is welcome and wise.
Noom is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and holds an A+ rating from the organization.
As with many weight loss apps and programs, Noom’s reviews are mixed.
Positive reviews note that the program provides plenty of guidance, support, and motivation and is effective for long-term weight loss.
On the other hand, less favorable reviews report issues with the food tracker and the app’s functionality, as well as dissatisfaction with the responsiveness and level of support Noom guides offer.
Many popular weight loss plans have several similarities to Noom.
Here’s a closer look at how Noom stacks up against two competitors: Calibrate and WeightWatchers.
• promotes long-term behavioral changes
• interest-based communities
• behavior change coach
• focuses on nutrient density
• not overly restrictive
• provides support
• may not provide enough structure for some people
• offers several plans with varying degrees of flexibility
• meal planning tools
• workout plans on app
• not overly restrictive
• encourages healthy habits
• provides support
• virtual doctors’ visits
• smart scale
• personalized support from a health coach
• includes an initial consult with a doctor
• may be covered (fully or partially) by insurance
• strict eligibility criteria
• requires injectable medications
Noom vs. WeightWatchers
Noom and WeightWatchers are two of the most popular diet programs. Both offer simple, user-friendly mobile apps and promote weight loss by encouraging healthy food choices and lifestyle changes.
However, they also have several differences.
Tester Susanne Arthur has a unique perspective, as she has tried both programs firsthand.
Arthur participated in WeightWatchers for several years based on a friend’s recommendation. Thanks to the accountability and support she found in weekly in-person meetings, she reached her goal weight and maintained it for a year.
Arthur switched to Noom after moving abroad and not being able to enjoy in-person camaraderie and barcode scanning that was available in the United States. With Noom, they found several app features very helpful, including its intuitive design, the ability to set your own speed for weight loss, and the support from a personal coach.
However, Arthur pointed out that Noom lacks some features of the WeightWatchers app, including the ability to plan meals in advance.
“I think, for me at least, online support alone only goes so far. It is a supportive tool, but there can be a lot of challenges as well. I believe in order for me to be successful, I’d need in-person support. So I think if WeightWatchers were available in Iceland with in-person meetings, I’d go back to that and prefer WeightWatchers over Noom,” Arthur said.
For a detailed comparison of WeightWatchers and Noom, check out our comprehensive article.
Noom may be a good option for people who:
- are trying to lose weight but unsure how to get started
- need extra motivation from coaches or peers to stay on track
- are looking to build healthy habits and seeking a more sustainable alternative to fad diets and other short-term solutions
However, Noom might not be ideal for:
- people who regularly cook homemade meals, since logging each individual ingredient may feel tedious or inconvenient
- people who enjoy cuisines from a variety of cultures or use ingredients in their cooking that are less common in the United States, as the selection of foods available on the app is somewhat limited
- people who are very active or have increased calorie needs, as Noom provides very low calorie recommendations
If you’re unsure how many calories you should consume each day, our dietitian recommends reaching out to a healthcare professional, such as a registered dietitian.
Additionally, if you have any underlying health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes or kidney disease, you should talk with a healthcare professional before changing your diet.
Noom emphasizes choosing foods with a low calorie density, which may be an effective strategy for weight loss.
One 2016 study found that Noom was effective at promoting weight loss in 78% of users. However, whether Noom will work for you depends on many factors, including your diet and activity level.
Noom’s monthly auto-renewing subscription costs $70. Meanwhile, an annual auto-renewing plan costs $209, which is about $17.42 per month.
However, this cost doesn’t include any optional add-ons, such as behavior change coaching, weight loss medications, custom meal plans, or custom workout routines.
According to Noom, users can expect to lose an average of 1 to 2 lb (0.5 to 1 kg) per week while using the app, though this may depend on several factors, including your diet, lifestyle, health status, and activity level.
While Noom may be a good fit for some people, there are some downsides. Most notably, Noom does not offer in-person interactions with coaches or other Noom members. The cost, concerns around low calorie goals, and potential pitfalls of food tracking are among other downsides of the program.
Noom is an app you can access using a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet.
The app may help people lose weight by promoting low calorie, nutrient-dense foods and encouraging healthy lifestyle changes.
If the cost, manual food logging, and accessibility requirements are acceptable to you, Noom may be worth a try.