Can You Do Noom While Pregnant? (Why It’s Not A Good Idea)
November 14, 2022 November 14, 2022
Pregnancy is an exciting time for expecting mothers, but many are still concerned about reaching their weight loss goals, or even preventing weight gain during pregnancy. Can Noom help you lose weight during pregnancy?
While weight loss still may be on your mind during pregnancy, it is not a good idea to try to lose weight while pregnant using Noom.
Noom is a weight loss tool focused on your brain and your psychological ties to food, but it still involves a calorie deficit, and a calorie deficit is not something that should be of primary focus during pregnancy.
However, there are ways you can prevent excessive weight gain while pregnant and it can be easier than you think.
It is not recommended to try to lose weight using Noom while you are pregnant as Noom still involves being in a caloric deficit.
While Noom can be a great option for those who are looking to lose weight by starting with the main issue at hand (the brain,) Noom is not magic. You will still need to decrease overall calories consumed so that your body will begin to burn fat for fuel.
It is a smart idea to tackle the reasons why you make the food choices that you do, but in order to lose weight, a calorie deficit is needed.
The Science Behind Noom
Noom is a unique weight loss app as it focuses on the real problem behind why most people gain weight in the first place, psychology.
I am sure you have seen the commercials mentioning the “clean plate club” or users who learned they have had unhealthy relationships with the foods they eat.
Using this app has helped them learn the real reasons for poor food choices or perhaps choices they were making that they did not even realize.
Noom will help you identify the reason behind why you make the food choices that you do, and help you how to think differently about your relationship with food.
One great thing about Noom is that no foods are barred, they are just separated into three different categories based on calorie contents and overall nutrients.
Green Foods- vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and dairy
Yellow Foods- proteins such as chicken, fish, dairy, beans, grains
Orange Foods- oils, seeds, nuts and nut butters
As you move from green foods to orange foods, overall calories in the selections will increase and nutrients will decrease.
The Noom app is also able to connect you with a coach that can help guide you through this psychology focused app. You will also have the opportunity to chat with other Noom users as well.
It’s also rather convenient as it is all right there on your phone.
However, it is important to remember that Noom still only works if you are in a calorie deficit.
This is one aspect of Noom that is not mentioned right up front. A calorie deficit is how weight loss is achieved, and is the only way for weight loss to occur.
Unfortunately, a calorie deficit is not something that should be top priority when in the stages of pregnancy.
Calorie Deficit and Pregnancy
It is not recommended to start on a weight loss journey during pregnancy, as the body’s normal metabolic rate will change to adapt to changes during pregnancy and you may not be consuming adequate calories for the baby’s growth and development.
Your baby is going to be counting on you to provide the energy and nutrients that is needed for vital development.
In fact, it is actually estimated that someone who is expecting will require on average 300 additional calories per day.
When losing weight, it is required that you will consume 200-500 calories below your maintenance amount of calories (basal metabolic rate,) this is known as a calorie deficit.
When you are pregnant, your basal metabolic rate can change throughout the pregnancy because your energy needs will increase.
This is solely because you are providing not only for you, but for your baby too.
You do not want to be decreasing your overall calorie intake without knowing if it is too much or too little to provide for the growing baby that is relying on these calories for energy and development.
Does Noom Have a Pregnancy Mode/Setting?
Noom does not offer a pregnancy mode or setting within the app, as the makers of Noom are focused on weight loss in individuals who are not expecting to make sure pregnancy is as safe as possible.
Noom does not offer assistance with weight loss during pregnancy at all as it should be of top priority to make sure you are supplying your baby with adequate calories and nutrients for growth in the womb.
As we discussed, Noom utilizes a calorie deficit to lose body fat in conjunction with changing your mindset toward food and forming a healthy relationship with it.
A calorie deficit is not something that should be top of mind when pregnant because making sure your growing baby is receiving adequate amount of nutrients and energy from calories is paramount.
Can You Do Noom While Breastfeeding?
You can safely do Noom while you are breastfeeding, but keep in mind that you may need to work with your Noom coach within the app to account for a needed increase in overall calories and customize your plan based on calorie intake.
Breastfeeding still requires an increase in overall calories to provide essential calories and nutrients that the baby will receive from breast milk, as well as yourself.
Breastfeeding mothers should be consuming on average an additional 300-400 calories during this time, per the CDC.
However, keep in mind that most mothers will actually lose weight while breastfeeding.
This is because breastfeeding burns calories, up to 500 additional calories burned per day.
Most mothers find that they will lose much of the weight they gained during pregnancy while breastfeeding, however this is individualized and will not be the same for everyone.
For example, if you were extremely overweight at the start of pregnancy or were healthy weight but gained much more weight than needed, you might not experience much noticeable weight loss while breastfeeding.
However, Noom may be of use to you while breastfeeding because you will be able to work on the psychological reasons behind why you are overweight and why you make your food choices.
You will be able to use this newfound knowledge later when you are ready to set out on losing weight with a calorie deficit.
Preventing Weight Gain During Pregnancy Without Noom
While it is not the best idea to try to lose weight using Noom during pregnancy, there are ways you can prevent excessive weight gain during pregnancy.
Weight gain is normal during pregnancy, but it is important to not use this as an excuse to gain an unhealthy amount of weight.
Most pregnancies will result of a weight gain of 25-35 pounds. Any weight gain that exceeds this amount is really not necessary.
You can prevent unwanted excessive weight gain during pregnancy by:
1. Not exceeding 500 extra calories per day
It is important to not use pregnancy as a time to eat anything and everything under the sun.
It is not necessary and will only lead to unwanted and unsafe weight gain in the grand scheme of things.
You will need to slightly increase your overall calorie intake, but you can stick to 500 calories extra per day.
Pregnancy requires a slight increase in calories, but does not require you to eat in unsafe amounts that will cause you to gain an unhealthy amount of weight and put you at risk down the line.
Fruits and vegetables are a great idea because they are lower in calories and also will help you to feel fuller for longer.
The extra water content found in vegetables will take up more space in the stomach, signaling to your brain that you are satiated.
If you love spinach, now is a better time than ever to increase your intake as spinach is a healthy source of folic acid, which is especially important for neural tube and spinal cord/brain development early in the first trimester.
3. Consuming Adequate Protein and Calcium Rich Foods
Protein is important for your baby’s growth as well as helping you to stay full.
You can find ample protein in foods such as eggs, chicken, and yogurts.
Calcium is also important for your baby’s growth and your own. Pregnancy can wreak havoc on your skin and nails, so get your calcium in!
You can find calcium in many dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt as well as in many leafy greens.
4. Consuming Whole Grains
Whole grains such as quick oats and Raisin Bran contain on average 20 mg of iron which is important for supplying blood and oxygen to you and your baby during pregnancy.
Whole grain foods are also usually lower in calories than sugary cereals so it is smart to increase whole grains.
5. Drinking Water
It may sound silly, but drinking water is important to prevent weight gain.
Not only does staying hydrated prevent complications during pregnancy, but drinking water also helps you to feel full and stay fuller longer.
Drinking an adequate amount of water also helps your body function at the cellular level and excrete wastes, so drink up!
These tips will surely help you to prevent unwanted weight gain during pregnancy, but it is also important to discuss your pregnancy course with your OB-GYN and your primary care provider to make sure none of these tips are contraindicated for you.
6. Stay Moving
Movement is important. Just because you are pregnant does not mean that you should slow down on how much you move.
If you are trying to prevent excess weight gain beyond the healthy amount when pregnant, continue to move.
If you are someone who did not do any form of cardiovascular exercise before, now would be a great time to begin.
This can be something as simple as walking around town. Staying active and mobile will help to keep you burning calories and also make sure you are staying heart healthy.
7. Strength Train While Pregnant
Strength training while pregnant is still possible, and is a great way to prevent unwanted excess weight gain while pregnant.
You want to make sure to keep it simple and not over exert yourself and also not lift weights while lying on your back or extending above the head.
Other than this, light weight lifting during pregnancy can help to keep you healthy and prevent decrease in muscle mass, while also burning calories.
Last Words
Losing weight with Noom while pregnant is not recommended, as being in a calorie deficit is not something that should be of primary focus during pregnancy.
It is important that you still consume healthy, nutrient packed foods while pregnant and are not drastically increasing your daily calorie intake to unnecessary levels.
While it is not a great idea to be trying to lose weight during pregnancy, it is possible to prevent unwanted weight gain by following the tips above.
Pregnancy is a wonderful time, and it is vital to spend this time giving your growing baby the nutrients needed for growth and having a safe and healthy pregnancy.
You can then come back to Noom and soak up everything the app has to offer to try and tackle your psychological connection with your food choices.
