Noom Vs Weight Watchers – Healthy Diet or Negative Calories
This Noom Vs Weight Watchers review compares both new school and old school diet programs.
The Noom Diet is newer, marketed more towards Millenials, and is a food tracking platform. Weight Watchers who now goes by WW, has been around for decades. They use a food point system.
Both Noom and WW have been scientifically proven to help with weight loss when used correctly. However, these two programs’ approaches to losing weight are different and have separate methods to help their users follow the path of a fit and healthy life.
Noom Vs Weight Watchers – Diet Differences
Both Noom Diet and WW (formerly Weight Watchers) both are run on a phone app and may look the same at first, but they are not. We are going to talk about the different program approaches and diet methods they use to help you lose weight.
Diet Program Approaches
So what is Noom about? The Noom Diet uses food color lists to give you as many eating options as possible. The three categories are green, yellow, and red. This app encourages you to pick the foods from the green and yellow groups.
The Noom green food list includes whole grains, and the yellow food list contains items like dairy and lean protein. In comparison, the Noom red food list has foods that are a little bit unhealthy, like red meat, snacks, alcohol, and fatty foods. Here’s more information on Noom Food Lists.
WW has a different approach which is the point-based method. This app has assigned a numeric value to different foods according to their nutritional value. It has a Smart Point system that helps you make the right choices, so low-calorie foods give you fewer points while avoiding high-calorie foods that give you more points.
According to your goals and current weight, this app will set a weekly point budget for you. As long as you are eating under the budget, you are free to eat whatever you want.
A major differences in their approaches is that the Noom Diet is based more on calorie density and Weight Watchers diet program is more of a point system.
Diet Plans
Both of these weight loss apps offer different plans. Noom has two plans: the Healthy Weight Program (the Noom Diet) and the Noom Diabetes Prevention Program.
These plans are customized and created based on an in-depth questionnaire you fill out when creating your Noom account. Most people experience the best results in the first 16 weeks as the app steadily focuses on cutting down your weight.
If you have any questions such as, what is the Noom weight loss program, please leave a message at the bottom of this page.
On the other hand, WW offers three weight loss programs. Digital Plus personal coaching, Digital Plus workshops, and Digital Only. The Digital Only plan allows you to use the 24/7 online chat and app. The Digital Plus workshops involve in-person sessions once a week and have features like support and guidance for your plan.
In comparison, the Digital Plus personalized coaching offers you one-on-one support through unlimited messages and phone calls. When comparing Weight Watchers vs Noom, WW doesn’t give you the motivation of an ending date for when your weight loss goal will be reached. Your plan will continue until you cancel the subscription.
Diet Coaches
Both WW and Noom allow you to access the coach 24/7. When you use Noom, you can contact your coach through the app. However, your Noom weight loss coach can only communicate with you during business hours.
If you have messaged at night or early in the morning, you will be talking to someone else who may not have proper knowledge about your lifestyle and diet.
The Noom coaches have certification of a four-week program known as “Noomiversity”. The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) has also approved this program.
When we talk about WW, it also allows you to communicate with coaches through a secure platform. Some of their coaches are former weight watchers’ customers who got successful in losing weight with this app’s help. For WW, the coaches must first earn a certificate to be able to participate with the customers.
Cost Of WW and Noom Diet
For the Noom Diet program, you initiate it with their free introductory period. After that, the charges are $59 per month. For one Noom price, this allows you to receive all of the Noom features.
There are also 2 months for $99 deal, but the strongest one is 6 months for $150. I recommend this one because 16 weeks is generally the amount of time most people will see the best results. The Noom Diet is not a scam, and you can cancel Noom subscription at any time.
WW’s 3 plans cost different amounts of money depending on the level of personalized attention. The following are the cost you need to pay for each plan.
- The digital plan requires you to spend $3.07 each week or $12 to $14 each month. You will gain access to the app and website.
- The digital plus workshop will cost you $6.93 each week and $28 to $35 each month. You will gain the same digital access with workshops and coaching sessions with other members.
- The digital plus personal coaching costs $12.69 each week or $50 to $64 each month. It offers you the same digital access, plus a weekly phone call with a coach instead of meetings.
Noom Pros and Cons
+Noom Benefits
Here are some of the advantages of the Noom Diet.
Stress on Behavior Changes
Noom has used an approach based on the psychology of humans. It helps people who face difficulty in adopting healthy eating. The Noom Diet educates its clients and actually changes the way its customers view the foods that they eat.
Uses Nutrient Density
Noom helps you to opt for food according to their nutritional benefits instead of counting calories.
Scientifically Proven
Several research studies have shown that Noom can help you lose weight. One study shows that candidates lose around 7.5% of their body fat in only twelve weeks.
Learn more at my article on How Does the Noom Diet Work – Strategy to Change Your Eating Habits.
-Noom Negatives
Not all Health Coaches are Experts
Noom’s four-week training teaches human behavior psychology and diet, but coaches do not have advanced degrees in the field.
No In-Person Meeting Option
Noom involves chats with your Noom health coach through the Noom diet app. There is no in-person coaching.
Weight Watchers Pros and Cons
+WW Benefits
Here are some of the advantages of the WW diet.
Cost-Effective Option
The base WW program is much less expensive than the Noom app.
Consistent Weight Loss
WW helps you lose weight at a steady slow rate. This means you will be losing one to two calories per week.
In-Person Coaching for Upgraded Programs
Certain Weight Watchers programs allow you to communicate in-person in the workshops. This works well if you are a person who wants in-person meetings.
-WW Negatives
Coaches Are Not Always Experts
Like Noom, WW doesn’t require educational degrees in the nutritional field to become one of their coaches.
Lots of Calculations
If you are the one who hates to count calories, you will surely find it annoying to calculate your Smart Points too.
May Lead to Long Term Unhealthy Habits
Smart Points can encourage you to label food as good and bad but doesn’t really teach you how to eat better.
Noom Vs WW Conclusion
The Noom Diet and Weight Watchers may look the same but have totally different approaches. It depends on your way of thinking that will determine which approach you can most easily adopt.
Because of my healthy lifestyle, my personal preference is the Noom diet. This is because it’s not only proven to drop body fat but helps to change your eating habits for the better. The way the Noom food list is set up, it helps you to eat a better diet. I would encourage you to try the Noom free trial.
Do you want to eat healthy food with the help of Noom or simply limit the number of calories while continuing with the same diet?
If you have any questions or comments on this WW vs Noom review, please leave a comment below. Keep an eye out for my upcoming Noom Diet Review.