Use Psychology and Behavior Change to Become Fit and Healthy

Disclaimer: Noom.com is the sponsor of this article. There are a few affiliate links that pay a small commission to Sydney Chic. However, there is no cost to you, and it helps fund this blog. This post is written by myself because I like the product. In saying that I did purchase a Noom subscription to write this post and found it to be so good, I am keeping the subscription going.

I just turned 60, and although I am pretty fit for my age, I’m not my ideal weight. I’m certainly not massively overweight, but I want to lose four kilos and keep them off. I like to think of myself as pretty healthy with my diet, and I exercise daily, but those four kilos are stubborn and give in to some temptations. It is harder to keep the same shape as you were in your younger years. However, I’m determined to get back to my ideal weight.

Noom is a digital health platform to help people everywhere live healthier lives through behavior change. Powered by technology, human coaches, and psychology, Noom empowers people to achieve proven health outcomes —from weight management to diabetes prevention to stress reduction.

I decided to sign up on my desktop and found the process interesting; you answer questions about your lifestyle, and the platform creates an ideal plan for you to obtain your perfect weight. It also helps you become more mindful of your diet and gives you the date you should achieve your goal and, most importantly, keep to your ideal weight.

I found it encouraging as I answered the questions that would form my lifestyle plan that the achievement date kept dropping back. I figured out that the psychology behind the questioning determines your level of activity, mindset and other factors to help achieve the goal. I opted for the add-on recipes and meal plans with some fantastic recipes with photos, overview, instructions, and nutrition information with my purchase. Once you choose the recipe, you can log it into your daily quota, and if you are already over your quota, you will see that, so best find something to eat with fewer calories.

NOOM MOOD

Speaking of Psychology, that's another big bonus being a "Noomer" there is Noom has spent the last 13 years assisting millions of people in achieving their health goals, from weight loss to diabetes management. Now they are here to help you tackle stress with Noom Mood.

Learning to manage your daily stress is a process, and the first step is frequently the most difficult. That's why Noom Mood helps walk you through the steps to mental wellness – and to help you develop the techniques, emotional awareness, and resilience you need to reduce stress and live a happier life. (Note this is an additional subscription).

LOGGING

Having used other logging apps, I can say that Noom's app is straightforward to use. Once you sign up, your daily calorie intake will automatically update your allowance for you to keep track of what you eat. You can search for foods to log, and if a particular meal or drink isn't already on the platform, you add it yourself with the serving size and calories. Very user-friendly.

DAILY LESSONS

Noon works on psychology, so as part of your journey, you will receive daily inspirations and a small quiz at the end. Working on this for a few minutes a day is part of the mindfulness teachings for your new lifestyle. One of the first things I had an 'ah ha' moment was that food weight, not calories, significantly impacts how full you feel. For instance, eating grapes v raisins will leave you feeling fuller. Also, if foods are colour coded, i.e. green are the least calorie-dense and/or contain the highest concentration of healthy nutrients, i.e. whole grains, fruit and veggies.

Yellow foods have more calories and/or less healthy nutrients, i.e. lean meats and low-fat dairy, and should be eaten in moderation. I find the coding of food like this an easy way to choose what to eat.

Red foods are the most calorie-dense and/or have the least healthy nutrients i.e. meats and desserts so eat these less frequently.

I am also impressed with the FAQ's provided by Noom, plenty of great information there alone.

SCIENCE

Noom guides users through the ups and downs of their health journeys, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques, and supports them along the way to long-term change. Noom teaches you how your mind works and why you make the decisions you do.

KEEPING YOU ON TRACK

As I mentioned before, Noom helps you keep on track with easy to use exercise and food trackers. The actual app itself is user-friendly and filled with heaps of information.

COACHING

Another big plus for me is having my own goal specialist/coach who are real people trained in psychology, fitness and nutrition. My coach, Laura, has already sent me a list of green, yellow and red foods for easy reference.

IN A NUTSHELL

Noom is a digital health platform on a mission to help people everywhere live healthier lives through behavior change. Powered by technology, human coaches, and psychology, Noom empowers people to achieve proven health outcomes and has helped millions of people meet their personal health and wellness goals—from weight management to diabetes prevention to stress reduction. The company has been awarded multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health and was the first mobile application to be recognized by the Centers for Disease Control as a certified diabetes prevention program.

If you are serious about changing to a healthier lifestyle, then Noom is an affordable and efficient way to make the change. Before I was using Zoom, I was tracking calories in a spreadsheet which was time-consuming and probably not very accurate. Also I had to find meal plan ideas myself! Now it’s quick and easy.

To discover this amazing platform yourself, head over to the Noom website.