Noom vs. Lifesum - Which Health App Is More Effective?

Noom vs. LifeSum – two mobile apps that offer food logging, fitness tracking, and dietary plans. Using a tech-based app for weight loss creates a sense of accountability that improves your chances of reaching your fitness goals, but which app is more effective? We’ve analyzed the science surrounding LifeSum and Noom so that you can decide for yourself.

What is Noom?

Noom is the 16-week weight-loss program that fits in the palm of your hand. It utilizes cutting edge smartphone technology to provide users with a personalized diet plan, live support, educational resources, and the tools you need to live a healthy lifestyle.

Noom’s foundation is built around behavioral psychology. Experts believe that intrinsic motivation plays an essential role in weight loss, so people who want to lose weight to meet society’s ever-changing and often unattainable beauty standards are likely to fail.

However, those who strive to lose weight to enjoy a better quality of life are apt to succeed.

Noom encourages dietary changes and behaviors that make users feel good and create reward pathways in the brain. By creating positive associations between healthy foods and the way you feel, the program gradually changes how your brain works.

The Noom app features a fitness tracker, personal Noom wellness coach, food logging tool, and nutrition lessons designed to educate and motivate users. Users can choose to follow a personalized diet plan developed by industry-leading experts or use the app to create their meal plans.

Check out Noom’s free trial offer today. You can give the latest in weight-loss technology a try at no risk.

What is LifeSum?

LifeSum is a self-care app that helps users lose weight through diet and exercise. It matches users with a meal plan that fits their needs and provides them with tools to monitor their progress.

• LifeSum features include:
• Hydration reminders
• Food journal
• Recipes
• Fitness tips
• A supportive community

LifeSum offers a free membership and a premium subscription plan. The two options differ in the amount of feedback provided to the user.

Noom vs. LifeSum – History

Brief History of Noom

Noom, originally called WorkSmart Labs, was founded by two tech experts who partnered with physicians, psychologists, dietitians, nutritionists, and personal trainers to create a new way to lose weight. The company was launched in 2008, but the Noom app didn’t go live until 2016.

In four short years, Noom has grown to be one of the most searched lifestyle programs globally. The CDC considers Noom a recognized lifestyle program that promotes positive change.

Fifty million users have downloaded the app, and the Noom community is growing every day. The program has partnered with global healthcare companies, including Novo Nordisk, to battle obesity.

Noom added more than 1,500 health coaches in 2019, and the company continues to expand.

Brief History of LifeSum

LifeSum is based in Stockholm, Sweden. The company was launched in 2008 after the first iPhone was released in Sweden.

The founders of LifeSum wanted to create an app that would help users live a healthier lifestyle without affecting their quality of life.

Noom vs. LifeSum – Who’s Behind the Plans?

Who Created Noom?

Artem Petakov and Saeju Jeong never expected that they would be the founders of a diet program that would change millions of lives.

Petakov, a computer scientist, was working for Google maps when Jeong, an electrical engineer, approached him about entering the world of digital health and wellness.

Saeju Jeong served as a board member for one of Korea’s largest private hospitals, and he saw firsthand the effects of the obesity epidemic. Jeong wanted to change the way the world looked at weight loss.

Petakov is from Ukraine and later relocated to the United States to attend school. He developed an interest in psychology while attending Princeton University, and he knew he could play an integral role in the company that would one day become Noom.

Jeong and Petakov moved to New York City, where they launched WorkSmart Labs. WorkSmart Labs eventually evolved into Noom. Many people mistakenly believe that the name Noom is a play on the word “zoom.”

However, Noom is the word “moon” in reverse. The moon is a symbol of wisdom and guidance, and the makers of the program felt that it was a perfect way to describe their weight-loss programs.

Who Created LifeSum?

Martin Wählby and Tove Westlund are the founders of LifeSum.

Westland and Wählby are proud to have created the first app in Sweden to be featured in the iPhone app store. The tech-loving duo set a goal to have 100 downloads of their newly developed app.

LifeSum has now been downloaded more than 6 million times in Europe alone. The Tech startup employs about 80 people and is available in multiple languages.

Noom vs. LifeSum – The Rules

Rules of Noom

If the following rules were easy, there wouldn’t be a need for programs like Noom. Strict diets often fail, and following restrictive diets can create an unhealthy relationship with food. That’s why Noom approaches weight loss differently.

Diet

Noom breaks all foods down into one of three food categories: red, green, and yellow. Users enter the foods they eat, and the Noom app groups the food item into the appropriate color category.

However, how does this help you lose weight? The program does this by teaching you to choose foods that are low in calories but high in nutritional value.

Every Noom subscriber is assigned a daily calorie goal based on their physical health, height, weight, and goals. Let’s assume you’re assigned a calorie goal of 1,700. When it comes to calorie counting, all calories are counted the same, but that doesn’t mean they have equal nutritional value.

So, you’ll want to get the most out of your 1,700 calories. One cup of broccoli has about 35 calories. One cup of white rice has over 200 calories. You can eat more broccoli than white rice, making you feel full longer.

Green Foods

Green foods are nutritious and low in calories. They do not contain added sugars or unhealthy fats. These foods include:

• Egg whites
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Pineapple
• Broth-based soups
• Sweet potatoes
• Bananas
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Avocados
• Brown rice
• Non-fat yogurt and cheese
• Brussels sprouts
• Zucchini
• Corn
• Almond milk
• Skim milk
• Cashew milk
• Tofu
• Corn
• Polenta
• Brown rice
• Whole-grain cereal
• Whole grain pasta
• Whole grain bread
• Whole-grain pita
• Carrots
• Lettuce
• Onion
• Radishes
• Pears
• Plums
• Peaches
• Cherries
• Cucumbers
• Oatmeal
• Oranges
• Zero sugar-flavored water

Yellow Foods

Yellow foods are your main stables on the Noom diet. These foods include protein sources and nutritious ingredients to plan your meals.

Yellow foods are higher in calories compared to green foods, so watch your portions. These foods include:

• Lean pork
• Lean beef
• Lean lamb
• Grilled chicken
• Turkey breast
• Eggs
• Salmon
• Low-fat cheeses and yogurt
• Olives
• Guacamole
• Black beans
• Baked beans
• Hummus
• English muffins
• Deli meats
• Salmon
• Quiche
• Quinoa
• Tempeh
• White bread
• White rice
• White pasta
• Seitan
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Couscous
• Ultra-light beer
• Diet soda
• Coffee with milk
• Greek yogurt

Red Foods

Red foods have high calorie, sugar, and fat content. Fried foods, desserts, and sugary beverages are all red foods. Replace red foods with green or yellow foods when possible, but don’t be afraid to indulge your cravings occasionally.

There are no foods that are off-limits to Noom users. They include:

• Red meat
• Ham
• Sausage
• Bacon
• Salami
• Hot dogs
• Burgers
• French fries
• Onion rings
• Chocolate
• Cookies
• Cake
• Mayo
• Butter
• Full-fat dairy
• Full-fat salad dressings
• Seeds
• Nut butter
• Pancakes
• Honey
• Flour
• Sugar
• Wine
• Orange juice
• Nuts
• Fruit juice
• Whole milk
• Peanut butter
• Pizza
• Crackers
• Candies
• Trail mix
• Energy bars
• Energy drinks

Fitness

You can indeed lose weight through diet alone, but regular exercise can boost your metabolism, improve your mood, and decrease weight.

Noom encourages physical activity by rewarding positive behavior. Fifty percent of the calories you burn will be added to your calorie goal for that day. So, if you burn 100 calories, you get to eat an extra 50 calories that day and still lose weight.

If you’re wondering why Noom only counts 50% of the calories you burn, it has to do with science.

Research suggests that most people, including professional athletes, overestimate how intense their workouts are. They also believe they worked out for longer than they did. Noom adjusts for these types of human error to ensure you have the most accurate data available.

Curriculum

The Noom program may only last for 16-weeks, but users come away with an education that allows them to maintain a healthy weight for life.

Most diet plans only tell you what to do, but Noom explains how and why the choices you may affect your health and your weight.

Noom app subscribers are encouraged to spend as little as ten minutes daily learning about nutrition, health, and wellness. These interactive lessons cover everything from stress relief to food and cognition.

If you’re having trouble comprehending a lesson, don’t be afraid to reach out to your personal coach for insight. With Noom, you have an on-call support system to ensure that you get the most out of this diet and exercise plan. Give it a try today with a free trial offer.

Rules of LifeSum

The rules of LifeSum depend on the diet that the user chooses. LifeSum offers a variety of popular diets.

Ketogenic Easy

Ketogenic Easy is LifeSum’s take on the popular ketogenic diet. The keto diet restricts all foods that contain carbs. Instead, users eat large portions of proteins and fats to force their bodies into ketosis.

Classic

The Classic LifeSum diet plan encourages a lower caloric intake for weight loss. A user’s daily calorie allotments are based on their age, weight, height, and level of physical fitness.

Food for Strength

Food for Strength is a high protein diet for users who want to build muscle mass. This diet can also be used for weight loss.

Scandinavian

The Scandinavian diet revolves around the foods typically enjoyed in Scandinavian countries. Berries, legumes, fish, and whole grains are the main staples of this diet.

Mediterranean

The Mediterranean diet focuses on whole foods and clean eating. This diet is widely accepted as a safe and effective diet for weight loss.

Clean Eating

The Clean Eating diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet, but it adds raw meals to its menu. Raw meals can maximize the number of nutrients absorbed by the human body.

5:2 Diet

The 5:2 diet is an intermittent fasting diet plan. Users eat a balanced diet five days a week, and they fast for two nonconsecutive days each week. Experts are divided on the safety and effectiveness of intermittent fasting.

Noom vs. LifeSum – Eating Plans

The Noom Eating Plan

You have two choices with Noom: request a detailed, personalized diet plan or use the app to create your own meal plan. Noom works well for individuals who choose to live a vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free lifestyle.

Here’s an example of a user-created menu that adheres to the Noom diet:

Monday

• Breakfast: Avocado on whole-grain toast
• Snack: Apple slices with blueberries drizzled with a vanilla topping
• Lunch: Chicken and broccoli with whole grain pasta
• Snack: Greek yogurt with fresh fruit
• Dinner: Salmon on a bed of wild rice

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Fruit smoothie
• Snack: veggies with a low-fat dipping sauce
• Lunch: Lean beef and vegetable soup
• Snack: One chocolate chip cookie
• Dinner: Turkey tacos

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Tomato, onion, and turmeric omelet
• Snack: Red bell peppers and guacamole
• Lunch: Chickpea salad
• Snack: Fruit with low-fat cottage cheese
• Dinner: Steak with a spinach salad side

Thursday

• Breakfast: Macadamia ricotta on tomato toast
• Snack: Cucumber slices with hummus
• Lunch: Spring rolls with a peanut sauce
• Snack: Dark chocolate
• Dinner: Turkey breast wrap

Friday

• Breakfast: Green goddess smoothie
• Snack: Sliced cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto
• Lunch: Cauliflower pizza
• Snack: Dressed tomatoes and mozzarella
• Dinner: lean-cut pork roast, carrots, and potatoes

Saturday

• Breakfast: Berry parfait
• Snack: Celery and peanut butter
• Lunch: Garden salad
• Snack: Beef jerky
• Dinner: Grilled chicken wings with hot sauce

Sunday

• Breakfast: Quinoa fruit salad
• Snack: Marble cake
• Lunch: Pork and lettuce wraps
• Snack: Peanut butter and banana chia pudding
• Dinner: Orange mandarin salad

The LifeSum Eating Plan

Your LifeSum eating plan will vary based on the specific diet you choose. Most LifeSum diet plans focus on eating more whole foods and cutting out unhealthy snacks and processed foods.

LifeSum offers eating plans for people who enjoy a keto, paleo, vegan, or vegetarian lifestyle.

Noom vs. LifeSum – Plan Duration

How Long Does Noom Last?

Noom’s original Healthy Weight Plan has a duration of four months. After you complete the program, you can continue to use the Noom app to lose additional weight or maintain your current weight.

Noom also offers an eight-month Diabetes Prevention program for people who are considered obese and at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes. This program is designed to help users lose weight and regain insulin sensitivity.

How Long Does LifeSum Last?

LifeSum offers 7-day meal plans, but users can continue to use it for as long as they see fit.

Significant Differences Between Noom and LifeSum

The most significant difference between LifeSum and Noom is the program offerings. LifeSum doesn’t offer the educational resources, personal coaching, and fitness tracker that make Noom so effective.

Another difference is the dietary restrictions. While LifeSum features multiple diets with varying restrictions, Noom focuses on creating sustainable weight loss through behavioral changes.

LifeSum does offer a hydration maintenance tool that reminds users to drink more water. Noom does not. Research suggests that the majority of the world’s population is not drinking enough water. Drinking more water can reduce your caloric intake and improve your overall health.

You can take Noom for a test drive with the free trial offer available today. Don’t wait – you have nothing to lose but those extra pounds.

Can You Follow LifeSum on Noom?

There’s no reason to subscribe to LifeSum if you’re already a Noom member. Noom provides all the features of LifeSum along with a personal coach, fitness tracker, and food journal.

Possible Side Effects of Noom vs. LifeSum

Using a mobile weight-loss app is one of the safest ways to lose weight. Neither LifeSum nor Noom recommends excessive dieting, untested supplements, or intense workouts.

You can try either program without worrying about side effects, but it’s always smart to talk to your family physician before attempting any diet or exercise program.

Noom vs. LifeSum – The Research

Clinical Research on Noom

A two-year clinical study that followed more than 30,000 Noom users had impressive results. Nearly 80% of the study’s participants lost weight, and they kept the weight off for the duration of the study. The study, which was published in Scientific Results, concluded that Noom is an effective weight loss and weight management program.

Anyone who has tried a fad diet is all too familiar with the term “yo-yo dieting.” Yo-yo dieting happens when a person loses weight in a short period and regains the weight in the following months.

One study formally published in Metabolic Syndromes and Related Disease followed obese South Korean males. The study found that these men lost weight and kept the weight off in the months following their completion of the Noom diet.

Clinical Research on LifeSum

The makers of LifeSum have not provided clinical research to support their product, but there is evidence that smartphone apps are a useful tool for weight loss.

A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine demonstrates that mobile weight management apps increase accountability and self-awareness, meaning they can improve the likelihood of the user achieving permanent weight loss.

The Facts About Noom vs. LifeSum

Quick Facts on Noom

• The Noom program can be completed in 4 months.
• Uses behavioral science to reinforce positive behaviors.
• Simplifies the calorie counting process.
• Backed by extensive clinical research.
• No foods are restricted on the Noom diet.
• Developed by physicians and psychologists.
• Whole foods and portion control are an integral part of the Noom program.

Quick Facts on LifeSum

• Supports several popular diets.
• Offers a free and a premium version.
• Publishes an informative blog that contains recipes and fitness tips.

The Final Take on Noom vs. LifeSum

LifeSum is inexpensive and easy to use, but it lacks all the features that Noom offers. Noom’s psychology-based approach and food categorization system gives it an obvious advantage over LifeSum.

LifeSum may help you shed a few unwanted pounds, but Noom provides users with the foundation for a healthier lifestyle. We recommend Noom for anyone who wants to change their dietary habits permanently.

Since Noom offers tons of clinical research to back their claims, we have decided to partner with the program and offer all of our readers a free trial offer for a limited time.

Noom vs. LifeSum Questions and Answers

What is the Noom diet plan?

The Noom diet plan is a food-based program that teaches users how to choose the healthiest food options based on a traffic-light system. Green foods are go to eat as much as you want. Yellow foods should be consumed with caution, which means you need to watch portion sizes. Red foods are to be consumed in moderation – or, in terms of the traffic light, stop and think about what you’re eating and how much before digging in.

What do you eat on Noom?

Noom doesn’t restrict any food – so you will eat all your favorites while losing weight. You’re encouraged to stay within a calorie goal and taught how to choose foods that allow for the largest serving size with the least number of calories.

What are green foods on Noom?

Green foods are low calorie density foods. You can eat larger servings for fewer calories.

What are yellow foods on Noom?

Yellow foods are moderate calorie density. You eat about 40% of your calories from this group – and nearly all proteins are found here.

What are red foods on Noom?

Red foods on Noom are to be eaten in moderation. These foods are often “not allowed” on more traditional weight-loss plans.

How much does Noom cost a month?

You have options when you’re ready to subscribe to Noom. The first is the month-to-month price at $59. There are also packages available so the user pays less if they need more time on the program. For instance:

2 months = $99 or $49.50/month
3 months = $129 or $43/month
4 months = $139 or $34.75/month
5 months = $149 or $29.80/month
6 months = $159 or $26.50/month
7 months = $169 or $24.14/month
8 months = $179 or $22.38/month
12 months = $199 or $16.58/month

How do I cancel my Noom account?

Simply send a message saying you’d like to cancel your subscription to your coach to cancel your Noom account.

What exactly does the Noom name mean?

Interestingly enough, Noom is the reverse of Moon. The moon offers light at night, when times are the darkest. Noom does the same, but it offers a guiding light to people trying to find their way to lasting weight loss.