We absolutely love connecting with our #NoomNation on Instagram, so when we started following Ann and Steve Teget‘s journeys, we were so excited! We knew immediately that we wanted to share their unique and inspiring journey to better habits, greater health, and lasting balance with the rest of the Noomily. Recently, we connected with them to learn more about their story, as individuals and as a couple, to learn how they’ve incorporated Noom into a life full of travel and adventure, and used it to make it even more enjoyable. Now, we couldn’t be more excited to share it now with you all!
What brought you to Noom?
We write a travel blog (www.postcardjar.com) and dreaded posting pictures of ourselves at our all-time highest weights. We wanted to find a way to lose weight while traveling and looked for a program that offered the following:
- Could be done from anywhere (because we travel)
- Would be sustainable for life (we can’t see ourselves never having carbs)
- Was not super expensive (more money to save for travel)
- Didn’t involve pre-packaged or frozen meals (we love to cook)
- Allowed us to have an occasional glass of wine or cocktail (duh)
- Didn’t eliminate ice cream from our diet (we have a house just blocks from Charlie’s Sweet Shop in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, home of The Pioneer Woman)
Honestly, we didn’t think we’d find a program that would meet these needs. Ann saw an ad for Noom on Facebook, and we thought we’d give it a try. Surprisingly, Noom checked all the boxes.
Had you tried to lose weight before joining Noom?
Yes. Steve once lost 50 pounds on Jenny Craig, but gained it back after he stopped buying their portion-controlled, prepackaged food. Ann had tried Weight Watchers and other plans, but gave up after not being able to lose more than 50 pounds. Noom was different than both of these because it taught us the skills and control we needed, and helped us to change our behaviors around food.
What was your experience with Noom’s curriculum and the daily lessons you received?
We both thought the lessons were extremely valuable. We found them to be entertaining and fun, and we looked forward to reading them. Best of all, they addressed the things that have been in our minds that have made past weight loss difficult. It was like you knew us and wrote the program for us.
Ann: My most valuable concept was understanding triggers, thoughts and actions. Figuring out what triggers lead to bad habits was key – like how a stressful or emotional day might impact my eating.
Steve: Weight management isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition. I can eat ice cream or cake, or take part in a celebration, and that’s perfectly okay. I just need to plan ahead for it and make sure I have room in my calorie budget.
What was the most valuable aspect of your course?
Really, there are two valuable aspects for both of us:
- Learning about calorie density. Seriously, we almost feel cheated by other diets that never even broached this topic. When we read that lesson in Noom, it was like a lightbulb went off. Suddenly, we understood how to eat and feel satisfied without loading up on a bunch of extra calories. This was life-changing.
- We can’t believe we’re saying this, but weighing ourselves every day. We both had feared the scale most of our lives, but Noom showed us that our weight is going to fluctuate up and down each day. Now, we understand that if it goes up four tenths of a pound, it might be fluid retention and not a character flaw. In fact, we actually look forward to getting on the scale each morning and even take a scale with us on vacation.
What has your progress looked like with Noom?
Ann: As of this morning, I have lost 67.2 pounds, but check back with me for an update before you publish this because I’m not done yet! This is the first time I’ve lost weight without feeling deprived or telling myself, “I can’t have ___,” every day. Finally, although I am just over halfway to my goal weight, I truly feel confident I can get there. I can also walk farther, tie my shoes more easily, and I no longer dread getting on the scale at doctors’ appointments.
Steve: I lost 62.5 pounds and reached my goal weight in seven and a half months on Noom. That said, I still use Noom daily to log both my weight and the food I eat so that don’t re-gain. For the first time in a very long time, I feel a renewed sense of confidence in myself, and feel comfortable dressing in fashionable clothes that fit instead of hiding behind oversized sweatshirts.
Real results with a personalized weight loss program
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How has your life changed since starting your journey with Noom?
When making food choices, we always estimate the calories first, and then make a mental note of how many grapes we could have instead. For instance, would we rather have that little Hershey’s chocolate nugget or 25 grapes? We now think about what we’re going to eat for an entire day (or several days) ahead of time instead of just eating what looks good in the moment–especially when we’re traveling.
Ann: I can walk farther, shop in a variety of clothing stores, and see light at the end of the tunnel. When I started, I had about 120 pounds to lose and it seemed unattainable and difficult. Noom helped me take it one lesson, one meal, and one step on the scale at a time. Now, I feel like I am in control of what I eat and my weight, and I have the confidence to maintain that control for the rest of my life.
Steve: I have gained the skills I need to eat, feel satisfied, and not feel like I’m missing out on life. I now know that I have the ability to change my habits and create new, healthy ones. Quite importantly, my glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure are all in normal ranges. And, for the first time in I don’t know how long, I can bend over to trim my toenails without having to stop to catch my breath.
