Are you on a diet? Is it bringing you the results you expect? Chances are, unless you're working with a personal trainer and nutritionist, your progress over the last few months wasn't what you expected.
Without professional guidance, it's challenging to stay on track to meet your goals – even when you're motivated. The result is a few missed meals here and there and a few more cheat days than you deserve.
What if there was a way to get customized, professional advice without signing up with a PT or nutritionist?
Do weight loss apps work? We've all seen them advertised on social media, but is anyone getting results with this technology?
In this review, we'll unpack everything you need to know about the best weight loss apps available.
It's a close call, but Noom is our recommendation...
We recommend Noom given its better feature set like the personalize recommendations and the easier navigation.
Pros
Cons
How Do Weight Loss Apps Work?
These apps work by using data to analyze if you're meeting your daily weight loss goals. Most of them integrate with sensors on your phone to collect data on your physical performance during the day.
Weight loss apps come with a variety of functionality. Some are simpler than others, while some apps go into extensive detail about the data it collects and analyzes your weight loss efforts.
They also allow you to enter details on your diet and weight loss goals, creating a customized diet plan and exercise schedule for your weight loss efforts.
What are the Best Weight Loss Apps?
Noom Review
This weight loss app is our top choice for the best product in its class. With Noom, the app makes sustainable suggestions for altering your diet and lifestyle to meet your weight loss goals.
This app has a database of over 3.5-million food items, helping you track your diet choices. The app allows you to enter data on your body weight, exercise routine, and other vital health indicators like your blood sugar level.
Noom comes with virtual coaching and costs $59 for a monthly subscription or $199 for the year.
Lose It! Review
This app is another popular choice. You enter your data into the app, and it responds with a customized weight loss plan to meet your daily calorie requirements.
Log your food intake with the app, and use the apps barcode scanner for quick checks on your groceries. Lose It generate weekly reports on your progress, and you get access to the Lose It! community for support with your diet.
The app is free to download from the Google Play or Apple App Store. You get access to the app's premium features for $9.99 per month or pay upfront for a year's subscription at $39.99 once-off.
Weight Watchers (WW) Review
WW uses a points-based system to keep you on track with your diet. Based on your goals, the program allocates you a specific amount of "points" you can use in a day.
By staying within your points allocation for the day, you gradually sustainably lose weight without changing your lifestyle too much. The app also comes with live coaching.
Access to the app costs you $3.22 per week. Adding digital coaching to your package costs you $12.69 per week.
MyFitnessPal Review
This app searches its database of 11-million foods to help you track your calories each day. MyFitnessPal gives you a breakdown of the calories and macros in all your meals, keeping you on track with your diet.
The app generates reports and comes with a barcode scanner to help you while you're grocery shopping. You get a free download from the Google Play and Apple App Store and premium monthly access for $9.99. Sign up for a year and save with a one-off payment of $49.99.
GOLO Review
The GOLO diet was a trend in 2016, and it's growing in popularity. With GOLO, you manage your insulin levels – making it a great choice for people with diabetes.
You get 30-, 60- or 90-day GOLO programs, without the need to track your calories or macros. GOLO claims that the secret of the diet is managing your hormone levels.
What are weight loss apps similar to weight watchers?
We already covered some of the most popular alternatives to Weight Watchers. Here are a few other options we feel are great choices.
- Fitbit
- FatSecret
- Cronometer
- Fooducate
- SparkPeople
- MyNetDiary
Why use a weight loss app instead of a nutritionist or personal trainer?
A weight loss app is by your side, 24/7. You get customized advice and recommendations tailored to your data.