Noom vs Lose It!: My Honest Review of Two Top Weight Loss Apps

Hey there! If you‘re reading this, chances are you‘ve been considering using an app to support your weight loss efforts. I‘ve been there too. With so many options out there, it can be tough to know where to start.

Two programs that always seem to be top-of-mind are Noom and Lose It!. They‘re both hugely popular, with millions of users and strong success rates. But how do you know which one is right for YOU?

Never fear, I‘m here to break it all down! As a self-professed app junkie and yo-yo dieter determined to crack the weight loss code, I‘ve personally tried both Noom and Lose It! extensively. I‘m laying it all out here in this ultimate guide so you can make an informed decision.

We‘ll dive into the nitty gritty of how each program works, compare their key features, check out real user results, and I‘ll share some insider tips that can help you get the most out of whichever one you choose.

So grab a snack (a healthy one, of course!) and let‘s jump in to this Noom vs Lose It! showdown!

Noom 101

First up, let‘s talk Noom. Founded in 2008 by two tech entrepreneurs, this app has skyrocketed to weight loss fame in recent years. It‘s not hard to see why – the program takes a refreshingly psychology-based approach that aims to shift your whole mindset around food and health.

The journey starts with an in-depth quiz that asks about your health history, lifestyle, goals, and even your personality. This helps Noom create a personalized plan tailored to your needs. Mine included a daily calorie budget, food recommendations, and a 16-week curriculum of bite-sized lessons.

One thing that sets Noom apart is its color-coded food system. It categorizes foods as green, yellow, or red based on calorie density. The goal is to eat mostly "green" foods like fruits and veggies, be mindful of portion sizes for "yellow" foods like lean proteins, and enjoy "red" foods like treats in moderation.

Logging meals is a breeze with Noom‘s huge database, barcode scanner, and ability to save custom dishes. The app also prompts you to weigh in regularly and tracks other health metrics like steps, blood sugar, and blood pressure.

But Noom is about way more than just counting calories. Each day, you get 5-15 minute lessons drawing on nutrition science and psychology. They cover topics like emotional eating, sleep, stress, and goal setting. According to a study in Nature, 78% of Noom users sustained weight loss over 9 months – pretty impressive!

Another key part of Noom is the coaching. Every user gets matched with a goal specialist for one-on-one messaging. My coach helped me set manageable goals, work through challenges, and stay motivated. You can also opt into a group for extra support and encouragement.

How Lose It! Works

Now, let‘s talk Lose It!. Created by a former Microsoft employee in 2008, this app has been a trusty go-to for calorie counting for over a decade. It‘s a straightforward, no-frills tool to help you stay within a calorie budget and shed pounds.

Like Noom, Lose It! has you start by answering questions to generate a personalized weight loss plan. You input your vitals, goal weight, and desired pace of weight loss, then get a daily calorie target.

From there, it‘s all about the tracking. You log your meals, snacks and exercise to see a running tally of your remaining calories for the day. The robust food database makes it easy, with over 27 million items and a barcode scanner.

Lose It! displays a macronutrient breakdown for foods, which is handy if you‘re following a specific diet like keto or watching your protein intake. It generates weekly projections and reports to show how your choices are impacting progress over time.

One unique Lose It! feature I appreciate is "Snap It". This lets you simply take a pic of your food to log it visually if you‘re short on time. The app also has a "Patterns" tool that flags things that tend to throw you off track, like that 3pm office cookie habit.

While Lose It! doesn‘t have dedicated coaches like Noom, it does foster community and accountability in other ways. You can add friends, join challenges, and participate in groups for your age or locale. There are also fun achievement badges to earn as you hit milestones.

Tale of the Tape: Noom vs Lose It!

Now that we‘ve walked through the basics of each app, let‘s size them up side-by-side! Here‘s how Noom and Lose It! compare on the key aspects of a weight loss program:

Feature	Noom	Lose It!
Tracking Tools	Color-coded food logging, exercise, weight, blood pressure, blood sugar	Calorie & macronutrient tracking, exercise, weight
Food Database	3.7 million options	27 million options
Standout Features	Daily psych-based lessons, 1:1 coaching	Snap It food pics, Patterns insights
Community & Accountability	Coach messaging, support groups, challenges	Friends, groups, challenges, achievement badges
Educational Content	Extensive 16-week curriculum personalized to user	Blog posts & newsletters with general tips
Price	$59/month or $199/year	Free with ads, $40/year for premium

As you can see, both apps excel at the fundamentals – tracking intake, accounting for exercise, and logging progress over time. They each have vast food databases, handy features like barcode scanning, and ways to connect with others for support.

The biggest difference comes down to approach. Noom takes a deep dive into the psychology of eating and aims to change your habits from the inside out. It provides a lot more structure and guidance, with daily education and a dedicated coach.

In contrast, Lose It! sticks to the nuts and bolts of calorie counting. The main focus is on quantifying your daily choices with less emphasis on the "why" behind them. It‘s a more flexible, autonomous experience.

Another major point of differentiation is price. At $59 per month or $199 per year, Noom is one of the pricier weight loss apps out there. Lose It! has a free (albeit ad-supported) version, and premium is just $40 a year.

What Real Users Are Saying

Of course, the most important question is: do these apps actually help people lose weight? Let‘s look at what real users have to say!

Noom has an impressive 4.7 out of 5 stars across a whopping 627K reviews in the App Store. Many users report finally cracking the code after years of failed diets:

"I‘ve struggled with my weight all my life…Noom taught me how to have a healthy relationship with food. I learned so much from the daily articles. The support and encouragement from my coach kept me going. It‘s not a diet, it‘s a lifestyle change. 75 lbs lost and counting!" – Sarah, App Store

There are some caveats, though. Some users found the lessons repetitive after a while, and the subscription can be tricky to cancel:

"I really liked Noom at first, the content was interesting and I was motivated. After about 6 months though, it felt like I was just going through the motions. And when I tried to cancel, I kept getting billed! Had to jump through hoops with customer service." – Mark, Trustpilot

Lose It! also enjoys a solid 4.7 out of 5 rating across 489K App Store reviews. Many praise the simplicity and effectiveness of tracking:

"Lose It! is hands down the best calorie counting app out there. The database is huge, logging is quick and easy, and the reports are super helpful. It‘s not flashy but it gets the job done. I‘ve lost 30 lbs and feel so much better!" – Jenna, App Store

However, some users warn that the estimated calorie budgets can be a bit aggressive:

"I like Lose It! but take the calorie recs with a grain of salt. It put me at 1200 per day which is not enough for most people! I had to manually adjust my budget. The app works well otherwise, just be careful not to undereat." – Chris, Reddit

All in all, both Noom and Lose It! have helped countless people lose real weight and keep it off. Success stories abound across review sites and social media. The key seems to be consistency and finding a strategy you can stick with long-term.

Tips for Success

No matter which app you choose, there are some universal tips that can help you get the most out of the experience. As a veteran of both programs, here are my top pieces of advice:

1. Log everything. Yes, even that handful of M&Ms or extra glass of wine. It all adds up! Being honest and accurate is key.

2. Plan ahead. Decide what you‘re going to eat in advance and log it in the morning. That way you‘ll make more mindful, balanced choices throughout the day.

3. Aim for progress, not perfection. There will be days when you go over your calorie budget. Don‘t beat yourself up! Just get back on track with your next meal.

4. Find an accountability buddy. Having someone to share struggles and celebrate wins with can be a game changer. Recruit a friend or lean on the in-app communities.

5. Celebrate non-scale victories. Weight fluctuates a lot day to day. Focus on other positive changes like looser clothes, more energy, and better sleep!

6. Make it a lifestyle. The real magic happens when healthy eating becomes just part of your routine. Experiment to find foods and habits you actually enjoy and can see yourself keeping up for the long haul.

Remember, a weight loss app is a tool, not a magic bullet. It can give you the information and support you need to reach your goals, but the daily choices are still up to you!

The Bottom Line

Phew, you still with me? We covered a ton of ground in this Noom vs Lose It! deep-dive! Hopefully you‘re feeling better equipped to decide which app is the best fit for your weight loss needs.

If you‘re looking for lots of structure, education and emotional support to kick-start some major lifestyle changes, Noom could be worth the investment. The daily lessons and individual coaching can be a big help if you tend to struggle with motivation or fall off the wagon easily.

If you‘re more of a self-starter and just want a streamlined way to track the numbers, Lose It! gets the job done. It‘s an intuitive, affordable option if you prefer to have a bit more autonomy in your weight loss journey.

Whichever you choose, know that lasting, healthy weight loss is possible and SO worth it. Speaking from experience, the energy, confidence and peace of mind I‘ve gained have been truly life-changing.

I hope my story and insights have been helpful as you embark on your own path. Feel free to drop any questions in the comments – I‘m happy to weigh in! Here‘s to becoming the healthiest, happiest version of YOU! You‘ve got this!