How I Ended Up in a Noom Commercial

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links and other affiliate links. I will receive a small percentage of the sale, at no additional cost to you, if you purchase through my link. Thanks for your support!

I was in a Noom commercial. Did you see it? (There’s actually 3 versions!) If you are wondering how that all came about, then this post is for you. I wrote it for me actually, because being in a national TV commercial was one of the craziest experiences of my life. This posts exists so that you can hear the story, and I can never forget exactly how it happened.

Here’s a brief history behind how I even came to use the Noom program in the first place, and how being cast in a commercial for their product even came to be.

The Beginning of the Noom Journey

I started calorie counting with Noom in November of 2019. Initially, I used the Noom program simultaneously with WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers). I did this so I could compare the two programs and document the journey. My hope was that the side-by-side comparison might help others along their own weight loss journeys.

It just so happened that I didn’t lose any weight during the WW/Noom overlap, but in my defense it was over the holiday season. But I didn’t gain either, which I count as progress during the holidays!

Before Noom, I Used to Swear by WW

When I first joined Noom I honestly didn’t expect to prefer it to WW. I was loyal to WW. It was the one and only weight loss program that had ever worked for me. I’d been on a dieting rollercoaster my entire adult life, and had tried lots of things other than WW yet only WW worked.

Over the course of 4 years with my off/on WW journey, I managed to lose 45 pounds. But it wasn’t easy, by any means. It was always an epic battle to stay within my point allotment. Plus, whenever I stopped following the program, I’d promptly gain 5-10 pounds right back. That’s why I was always on and off it and trying fade diets in between.

I Thought I Didn’t Like Calorie Counting Because of MyFitnessPal

My history with calorie counting, however, was far worse. Every time I used MyFitnessPal I somehow ended up gaining weight. HA! Not exactly the outcome you look for when you start counting calories.

Calorie counting, at the time, was super tedious, wasn’t paying off, and was a poor fit with my personality. So you can imagine my surprise when, 5 years later, I found myself enjoying tracking my calories.

Noom Changed My Relationship with Calorie Counting

I give Noom credit for structuring calorie counting in an encouraging, success supporting way. The Noom calorie tracker has a different, more positive feel to it than MyFitnessPal. For some reason I love tracking my food in Noom.

The Noom weight graph motivates me to weigh myself everyday. It’s fun for me to watch how my weight plays out everyday. Not to mention, this morning ritual has all but eliminated the scale anxiety and emotional attachment to the number I used to suffer from.

The transition to Noom full time

After using both WW and Noom side-by-side for 2 months, I decided Noom was the weight loss tracker for me! Read more in-depth about how the two programs compare here. I made the complete switch to Noom from WW by January 2020. I didn’t see my weight drop, however, until the end of February.

By that time, including the WW overlap, I’d been using Noom for 3.5 months already. Without seeing any weight loss progress! It would’ve been easy to throw in the towel and move on to the next diet program, but I hung in there. I knew the WW to Noom transition would take some adjusting. I had to give myself, and Noom, time.

Get Used to Tracking

The main adjustment was tracking, quite literally, everything. With WW some foods are considered “free,” meaning you don’t need to include them in your daily food log. Things like chicken breasts, vegetables, and fruit are “free” for example.

When I started with Noom, I was not in the habit of tracking EVERYTHING. It took me nearly 2 months to fully comprehend and commit to this practice. But once I did, it got easier and easier as time went on.

Now, even when I go over my calorie target, I enter each and every bite and crumb that passes my lips. And I have a much better understanding about how my body works, and what it takes to see weight loss.

In the beginning with Noom, I made the rookie mistake of setting my weight loss pace to the fastest one possible. It was too hard to eat just 1200-1300 calories. As much as I love Noom, I’m not sure how it could assign anyone a calorie range that ridiculously, impossibly low in the first place. It shouldn’t even be an option. I increased my calories, committed to logging everything, and in 29 weeks I was down 20 pounds.

How the Noom Commercial came to be

First, I Sent a Submission Video

The entire time I was using Noom, I would hashtag Noom on my Instagram posts. A Noom employee started following my journey, and reached out to me, asking if I wanted to be featured on Noom’s Instagram. I said yes, and they posted my photo and story on their page!

When I thanked them for the shout-out, I casually mentioned how I’d be willing to participate in a commercial also, if they were interested. Yep, it was all my idea. If you don’t ask the answer is always “no,” amiright?

It Worked!

A few months down the road, Noom reached out again. They asked me to send in a submission tape for possible casting in a Noom commercial! I shot my submission video alone in our homeschool room, and looked like a robot.

I reluctantly sent Noom the robot tape, then emailed Noom requesting the opportunity to resubmit. And could they kindly burn the tape (aka delete the email). Noom thankfully said sure, so I called in reinforcements. I explained my situation to my faithful friend Andi, and she suggested I record my submission tape while I was talking to her.

It turned out so much better, more natural, and much less robotic! I sent it to Noom, barely beating my submission deadline. The new-and-improved video I shot while talking to Andi was a success! I received an email requesting a Zoom meeting with the Noom commercial producers.

Next, There Was a Zoom

I did the Zoom, and answered all their questions. I like to think I’m at least slightly entertaining, but the guys leading the interview barely chuckled the entire time we spoke. It fell as flat as the robot submission video.

Not expecting to hear back, I moved on with my life. Much to my surprise, I did hear back! Noom sent me a series of emails with verbiage indicating they were strongly leaning toward casting me in a commercial.

But It Didn’t Happen

Unfortunately, COVID restrictions were ramping back up in California in November 2020, and this commercial was to be shot in LA. After some back and forth, Noom ultimately decided to keep things COVID-friendly, avoid unnecessary travel, and go with someone local.

That was that. It was a letdown, but the truth is, I was TERRIFIED of going to LA alone. I’m a small town girl. I’m used to, and rather enjoy, things being slow-paced. Where I live there are two highways with a speed limit of 35. I told my friends if I ended up getting cast and going to LA, I’d probably never make it back. LA would eat me alive. So as sad as I was I didn’t get cast, I was equally relieved.

Shortly after this all took place, for unrelated reasons, I deleted my Instagram account. I was certain the commercial opportunity would never come around again after I did that. People seem to forget about you if you aren’t on social media. But a few months later Noom reached out yet again.

Take 2

By now I consider my primary contact at Noom a loyal friend.

She said, “I am writing to see if you would be interested in being considered for our next campaign! You know how much we love you!!! We have held on to your submission video, are all inspired by your journey and think that you could be a great fit for this project! We would be filming you, in your home ideally April 7, 8 or 9th- with a very small crew and taking into consideration every precaution to comply with Covid safety guidelines.”

My first thought was, “Oh perfect, so glad I accidentally cut all my hair off. Just in time for National TV!” My next thought was, “Thank goodness I haven’t gained those 20 pounds back!”

This opportunity sounded way more up my alley than the first. I wouldn’t have to go to a giant city alone, and I wouldn’t have to leave my family! Now I really wanted it. But it wasn’t a done deal – the producers still had to interview and choose me. This time around the directors were a perfect match with my personality! We were all laughing and I felt connected right away. Now I really, really wanted it.

But There Was One Problem

While I waited to hear whether or not I got the gig, Noom emailed to ask if my family could also be in the commercial. Seeing as how I don’t show my kids’ faces or post their names online, I was in a predicament. I was certain having such a boundary would discourage Noom from working with me.

But I also hold true to my standards and convictions, so I replied that my family could not be in the commercial. After that, I felt like the commercial wouldn’t happen. However, I was pleasantly surprised when Noom called a few days later to tell me I was cast for the upcoming commercial!

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Things moved pretty quickly after that. I had one more Zoom with the directors to give them a tour of the house. Then another Zoom to go through my closet and figure out what I would wear.

Then it was just the waiting game to the day of the commercial shoot. At one point during which I asked how many people would be in the “small“ crew coming to my home town. 20-25 people! That doesn’t sound small to me! Little did I know just how crazy the day of the commercial shoot would be.

To Continue this Story, read “Behind the Scenes of a Noom Commercial”…coming soon!