Last weekend I posted that I was going to start doing the Noom for Weight Loss program. If you've been following my journey you'll know that over the course of 26 years I've done both Weight Watchers (WW) and Beachbody. So you might be thinking, why Noom? Why now?
First, I need a program that's right for this phase in my life. I know that WW and Beachbody both work. And I also know what I need right now. I need to get back to the behaviors that serve me well. I watched my husband succeed on Noom and was really curious about the psychology of the program, the focus on behavior change. From watching the commercials about Noom, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. So let me break it down for you.
It's like having behavior management in your pocket. The app is intuitive, entertaining and I actually look forward to using it. Their approach combines psychology and nutrition. You start with a program called Noom 101. Each day you go through mini lessons that are 2-5 minutes long. You can read them or listen to them. I applaud Noom for leading the way in how people want to learn today, taking in small impactful snippets of information. I love that you receive a library of learning and that you can bookmark lessons to go back to for reinforcement. A few that I've bookmarked so far are 1) Overcome Your Thought Distortions and 2) The Story Behind a Habit. These were timely reminders as I embarked on this new journey.
Next the nutrition. Like WW, Beachbody and most wellness programs, you're tracking calories in and out, but with a twist. There's a brilliant color coding system- red, yellow and green. This system helps you to make better choices with a focus on nutrient dense food. Every food you track is assigned a color. The best part? There are no "bad" foods, even though they're red. Noom is just saying, eat less of these foods. As a visual learner, the color coding and nutrition analysis is awesome! I can quickly look at my day and see what I need to do differently. It's an environment of learning, not guilt.
Noom also lets you customize your journey. You have goals beyond weight loss, like smaller S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time sensitive) goals and they have you map out Y.B.P. (your big picture), your why, your motivation.
They also start you with small daily step goal that increases as you progress. The app tracks your steps. The cost of the program ($45/month) also includes access to a coach (if you choose) or you can choose just to use the app. If you're a checklist kind of person, you can earn rewards for completing your lessons, for tracking, etc. What can I say, I like the kudos of the program. I don't mind someone telling me "well done, keep going!" 👏 Can I just pause here on cost? Understandably, this may be cost prohibitive for some. But don't let this be an excuse not to start. At $11/week, if you skip one meal out or a few Starbucks, you're there. Maybe just do the 2 week free trial to see if it's the program for you.
This week was my first week. I've enjoyed really getting to know the program and revisiting some healthy habits that I lost this past year. As I shared on Facebook, I've gained some covid fluff. Between the emotions of covid, full blown menopause and a new role at work, I need to get back on track. I (honestly) hadn't weighed in since July. Yikes! While the scale isn't everything, it is a metric to overall health. I was surprised (but not surprised) to learn I have about 13 pounds to lose. I've been maintaining a 45 pound weight loss (give or take a few pounds) since 2012, so this is a wake up call for me. If I don't stop now, I know I could easily gain it all back. So here I am, humbly sharing my journey with you. I lost 2.2 pounds my first week! Woo hoo! But what I gained was even more. Knowledge that some of my healthy habits have slipped. Remembering how great it feels to fuel my body and not feel hangry. Not to be restricting but fueling. Learning some new techniques around emotional eating which was perfect timing for work this week.
Whether you're starting over or just getting bac on track, your wellness is important. Find a program that is right for the life stage you're in. Maybe you need 1-1 support. Maybe you need in person support. Maybe an app is just enough for you. No matter what program you try there's one thing they all have in common, they all work if you do.
Decide. Commit. Succeed. And do it 100x over if you need to. You're worth the work!
Hugs and friendship,
Tara
