Losing weight is hard, and it’s something a lot of people struggle with. In this post, I will compare Noom vs. Mayo Clinic Diet. Both of these diet plans share some similarities but have some distinct differences, as well. Please keep reading as we dissect these popular weight loss programs and see which one is right for you.
Contents
Although losing weight is a simple concept, burn more calories than you take in, it’s not easy for everyone to do. There are so many fad diets out there that claim to have some crazy secret to losing weight. At the end of the day, it’s about eating fewer calories than you burn.
A lot of people either don’t know where to start when it comes to dieting. Or they have failed in the past. That is where a diet program can come in very handy. The right plan will walk you through the weight loss process and help you meet your weight loss goals.
With that said, let’s get into these popular weight loss platforms.
Noom vs. Mayo Clinic Diet
Similarities
Both of these diet plans have a similar goal, which is long-term weight management. They are more of a lifestyle change than dieting. Typically when we think of dieting, we believe losing weight and cutting back on food intake and getting rid of junk food.
Nothing ground-breaking here, the basic premise of both diets is eating healthy, but you don’t have to stop eating food that you enjoy entirely.
Breaking habits
To achieve sustainable weight loss, people need to change their behaviors and break bad habits related to food. Both of these platforms help you to find a new way of eating that is sustainable for your lifetime.
Noom
Noom gives you daily articles, with bits of information on things like food triggers or eating in social settings, and how to make healthy decisions when faced with these types of situations. Maybe you eat when you are stressed.
Things like this are covered in the daily lessons, and you can save them to refer back to them later. There is a short quiz at the end of the lesson to make sure you understand the concept. The Noom app is well designed and easy to follow, the content flows seamlessly.
The whole idea is to help you form healthy habits.
Mayo Clinic Diet
This diet gives you daily doses of information about things like the evils of sugar, which is a significant point of emphasis on this program. At the end of the articles, there are things like recipes to help you get through the day. The overall feel of the materials is kind of like a newsletter.
Advantage: Noom. The articles are concise and easily integrated into the platform.
Technology
Noom
The user interface with Noom is very impressive. The app is super easy to use and walks you through every step of the process. You answer some questions about your goals and current habits, then you set up your account, and away you go.
Mayo Clinic Diet
For some reason, I was not able to download the Mayo Clinic Diet app. Maybe that’s because there isn’t one for Android users. This is a significant drawback to this platform. If you are an Android user, your only option is to follow along on the website. There is an app available for iPhone, though. I think this is a big downer for the Mayo Clinic Diet.
Advantage: Noom
Calorie tracker
Noom
Tracking your food intake with Noom is really easy, with a giant database full of food options to choose from. You can scan labels or input food manually. The food is then categorized into green, yellow, or red. Foods in the green category should fill the majority of your diet and include things like fruits, veggies, and cooked whole grains.
Yellow foods are okay too but should be eaten in moderation, like lean meats and starches. Food in the red category are not off-limits but should be limited, things like red meat and desserts. Noom takes the approach that no food is forbidden, but you must watch portion sizes.
Mayo Clinic Diet
Here they take a different approach; there is no precise calorie counting requirement. This diet relies on the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid to serve as a guide for your smart eating. The concept is really the same as Noom, eat more fruits and veggies, and lay off the bad stuff.
Mayo Clinic Diet tracking is done with their Habit Tracker, which is more of a “yes” or “no” answer. For instance, items in the Habit Tracker include things like “Prepared all of my own meals” or “Ate fruits and vegetables,” or “Ate healthy fats.” So there is no precise counting or entering everything you eat.
Honestly, a break from counting calories can be kind of refreshing since tracking can be challenging. But the Mayo Clinic Model also leaves a lot up to the individual.
Advantage: Noom. These two programs are basically saying the same thing, but Noom uses technology to help you along the way.
Cost
Noom
Has several different price plans, $59 for a monthly plan all the way up to $199 for an annual plan. There are price points in between, as well. Of course, with all of these plans, you have access to coaches who help you along the way, the food tracking database, and daily articles to help you make healthy decisions when it comes to food choices.
Mayo Clinic Diet
At $4 per week billed quarterly, this program costs $52 for 3 months and is less expensive than Noom. You can also pay an extra $5 per week (billed quarterly) for a coach. By the time you add the cost of the diet and the coach, you are at $117 for 3 months, or $39/month.
Advantage: Noom. A 4-month plan is $129 which works out to $32.25/month
Coaching
Noom
Coaches are included in your paid subscription. You have access to a Goal Specialist as well as a Noom coach. This team is there to help you if you have questions about nutrition, exercise, or just need some extra motivation. If you slip while you are on the program, your coach can help you right the ship and get back on track.
Mayo Clinic
Also offers coaching at an additional charge of $5 per week. Again, your coach is there to help you achieve your weight loss goals in the short and long-term.
Advantage: Noom. Coaching is included in your subscription
Education
Noom
Within the Noom app, you have daily articles that get into the psychology of losing weight. You learn about food triggers and how to make healthy choices. Noom educates you on things like eating water-rich foods that offer fewer calories but help to fill you up. The education that Noom provides is fantastic, and it’s designed in a neat little package within the app.
Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic Diet also has articles that you read to help you understand weight loss and how to achieve long term success.
Advantage: Noom. The daily articles and quizzes really help you understand how to live a healthy lifestyle.
Customer support
Noom
Support is available Monday through Friday during business hours (9-5 ET). You can send messages to your coaching team via in-app messaging. There is also support available via support@noom.com.
Mayo Clinic Diet
Offers live chat and, wait for it, a phone number. Again, like Noom, the customer service folks at Mayo Clinic are available M-F during regular business hours.
Advantage: Mayo Clinic Diet. The ability to connect to someone in real-time puts Mayo over the top
Trial offer
There is a 14-day trial with Noom, and you can cancel any time before the trial expires.
Mayo Clinic offers a 7-day free trial, which is an excellent way to test out the program for a week. If you cancel before the trial expires, you owe nothing.
Advantage: Noom. They have a longer trial offer
Conclusion: Noom vs. Mayo Clinic Diet
Both of these diet programs are tailored to fit your needs and are not a one-size-fits-all approach. Both are created by a team of health experts. Both are designed to help you break old habits and develop new, healthier habits when it comes to eating. Both aim to help you maintain your weight loss and live a healthy lifestyle.
Sorry, I really wanted to get that point across. One of the most significant differences is at the beginning of the diets. Mayo Clinic Diet has two phases, “Lose It” and “Live It.” The “Lose It” phase is designed to help you lose 6-10 pounds during the first 2 weeks by breaking bad habits and creating better eating habits.
“Live It” is designed to last a lifetime. You will continue to lose 1-2 pounds per week until you reach your goal.
The two diet programs are not anything crazy that you haven’t heard before, so if you are looking for a magical way to lose weight, these are not for you.
If you are looking for an effective weight management program, both can help you achieve your goals.
I think Noom has the advantage with the technology they have in place. Mayo Clinic Diet does not have an app for Android, so in my book, that is a significant flaw. Noom has everything included, even coaching, whereas you have to pay extra for that with Mayo.
If you just want to pay for $4 per week for the Mayo Clinic platform, that is not a bad choice at all, I just think Noom offers a more comprehensive package.
You can read my complete Noom review here.
You can read my complete Mayo Clinic Diet review here.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.
Have you tried either of these diets?
Which one would you choose?
Thanks for stopping by.
Steve