Smart phones allow us to text, call, stream music, shop, video chat, and now, lose weight? It should be no surprise that in this “world at our fingertips” era, technology has quickly saturated the weight loss market. A quick search shows dozens of apps offering help to users in losing weight.
Although these apps are well-intentioned, many miss the mark in addressing lasting behavior change. A successful and sustainable weight loss app should have characteristics that empower and allow users to make lasting change. Let’s take a look at a few specifics we believe are key to a successful weight loss app!
You need more than logging
Many of the most popular weight loss apps are at their core, platforms for logging. Whether food, activity, or sleep; these apps provide users the ability to log specific behaviors that can play an integral role in weight loss. Many platforms for weight loss make food logging the core focus and encourage users to log everything, 100% accurately. Logging macros (protein, fat, carbs) and staying within certain ranges for those nutrients can cause stress and lead to food choices that may not fit a user’s lifestyle or preferences. This can also create an unhealthy relationship with food and leave users feeling stressed. Does that sound like a true pal? Not to us.
Now I know what you are thinking. Doesn’t Noom encourage food logging? You betcha! At Noom, we believe food logging is simply one tool in the tool box to help develop awareness around food choices, stress, and sustainability. Food logging is never going to be completely accurate (even though we believe our food database is the most accurate #humblebrag). Logging food at Noom also focuses only on total calories. We believe this helps keep things sustainable and develop overall awareness instead of meticulous stress.
Seek expert support
Another key aspect that most weight loss apps miss out on is a lack of personal coaching and accountability. Like mentioned earlier, popular weight loss apps are simply platforms for tracking. This leaves things largely up to the user and can often become isolating.
At Noom, we know the importance of individualized support. Your Noom coach is focused on one thing: empowering you to find the habits and choices that best fit your lifestyle, preferences, and will lead to lasting change. Your coach will use the information you provide (like food logging) to help dive deeper and explore patterns and habits that can help lead to lasting change!
Make it personal
Another commonality among most popular weight loss apps is the lack of personalization. These apps may tell you to eat a certain amount of protein, or do a certain exercise, but if those behaviors don’t fit your preference or lifestyle, are you going to do them? How sustainable are choices that someone else chooses for you?
At Noom, we will give you a daily calorie budget based on the Harris-Benedict equation and other factors such as exercise and speed at which you are hoping to lose weight. If your calorie budget doesn’t feel sustainable, change it! Your coach will work with you to find your best approach. We know weight loss is not “one size fits all” and must be an individualized journey. Don’t rely on an app to tell you what to do in order to reach your goals but instead work with a coach and be empowered by an app to discover and develop your best approach!
Interested in trying the last weight loss app you will ever need? Tired of logging food someone else tells you to eat or doing exercise you don’t enjoy? Start your personalized trial today and start making the choices that are best for you!
