Maria Tripodis, founder of Miami-based Rebel Nutrition, is a proponent of the diet because she says Noom addresses not only the eating aspect of dieting, “but also, more importantly, the mental and emotional barriers to healthy eating.”
Although Noom was a most-searched 2018 diet, according to health.com, its intentions are not unlike many trendy diets: It aims to “foster healthier habits and shed weight long term.” Health.com explains a slight distinction involves registered dietician nutritionist-designed eating plans that are color-focused: green foods are “go” foods, yellow means slow down and red warns to “whoa,” or eat only occasionally as a treat.
Some other specifics regarding Noom, shares health.com:
1. No foods are banned.
2. Green-labeled nutrient-dense foods are encouraged.
3. Yellow-labeled proteins and starches are minimized.
4. Red-labeled “fun” foods — pizza, candy, alcohol — are discouraged, except occasionally.
5. Membership required through noom.com to get all the bells and whistles, such as meal-logging capabilities, exercise plans and help from a personal health coach. FYI: Noom.com details cannot be accessed until completing a free 30-second evaluation.
Maria Tripodis, founder of Miami-based Rebel Nutrition, is a proponent of the diet because she says Noom addresses not only the eating aspect of dieting, “but also, more importantly, the mental and emotional barriers to healthy eating.”
“A huge reason why fad diets never make their way into your long-term eating regimen is because they lack the education portion. People are told what to eat and what to avoid, but they have no idea why they’re doing it,” she said. “Noom is more than just a diet; it brings a very strong education component, which doesn’t only impact your food choices in that moment, but it’s contributing to healthy eating behaviors in the long term.”
Critics site drawbacks as the cost — $50 a month after a short free trial — and the fact that the personal health coaches are not necessarily RDNs.
Yet, health.com asserts, “In a nutshell, Noom offers a lot of bells and whistles not available with many other weight loss approaches.”
COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE
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