nless you regularly engage in dangerous activities, the best thing you can do to increase your chance of a long life is to remain fit and healthy. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans reports that the mortality rate for people who sit most of the day skyrockets over someone who is physically active.

Remaining fit reduces your risk of experiencing heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and many types of cancer. The guidelines recommend that you get 150 to 300 minutes of moderately intense cardio activity a week to maintain or improve your overall health and fitness.

​Read more:​ 10 Ways to Stay Fit and Healthy

Declaration of Independence

In addition to the likelihood of living longer, you'll have a better quality of life and greater chance of remaining independent during those extra years if you exercise and consume a healthy diet. Staying in good shape gives you more energy to perform everyday tasks at work and at home. That makes it more likely that you'll have energy to spare when the work day is over and it's time to have some fun.

If you remain fit as you age, you also reduce your risk of falling, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In other words, a fit person is not only at less risk for many diseases, but is also less likely to be injured accidentally.

Use Your Head

It's not only the Zen masters who'll tell you that the mind and body are connected. Medical professionals understand the connection as well. According to the American Heart Association, remaining active and fit reduces your risk of depression and helps you maintain a healthy brain. The brain, like your muscles, is a physical construction that can decline with age. But just as exercise can keep the rest of your body healthy, it can also slow or even reverse harmful age-related effects.

​Read more:​ 8 Habits of Highly Fit People

Grow Your Brain Cells

Apart from the obvious health benefits of exercising, the social benefits —if you play sports or are involved in fitness classes — your brain reaps the rewards of keeping fit and healthy. BDNF — brain-derived neurotrophic factor —is a protein in the brain that actually grows new brain cells when you exercise on a regular basis, says the American Council on Exercise. Your memory, mood and cognitive ability all improve when this protein is activated.

ReferencesPeople Are Reading1How to Boost Your Energy When You Are Over 502How to Relax the Nervous System Naturally3What Is a Good Exercise Heart Rate?You May Also Like1What Are the Health Benefits of Being Physically Fit?2Why Is It Important to Maintain a Healthy Body?3Athletes Vs. Non-Athletes Heart Rate

1. Health
2. The Human Body
3. Human Life Cycle

How to Boost Your Energy When You Are Over 50By Carly Schuna Updated August 15, 2017Man eating a bowl of salad in the kitchen.Image Credit: Jupiterimages/Stockbyte/Getty Images

When you turn 50 or 60, no one expects you to have the same energy levels you had in your teens and 20s. Slowing down as you age is normal, but experiencing chronic and extreme fatigue is not. Wanting more energy is evidence of vitality and a healthy appreciation for life, and there are many simple ways to boost your energy level and improve your overall health.

Getting and Staying Active

Making a point to get regular exercise can improve your strength and increase your energy level, according to the National Institute on Aging. You don't have to hit the gym hard to get benefits, either -- just 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on most days of the week is enough to make a positive difference. Brisk walking, gardening, dancing, biking and playing actively with your grandkids all count. If you're not already active, start slowly, with easy 10- or 15-minute exercise sessions, and build up to more challenging activities.

Hit the Sheets

Aging is the most important factor affecting your sleep rhythm, according to Harvard Medical School physician Julie K. Silver. That means your risk of insomnia increases as you age, and even if you're not an insomniac, you are likely to spend less time in deep sleep. Getting a good night's rest is critical in maintaining a healthy energy level during the day, however. Silver recommends against napping, which can prevent you from feeling tired at night. Instead, take steps to adopt a less busy schedule and reduce your daily responsibilities. Going to bed at the same time every night and following a nightly routine may also help improve sleep quality and quantity.

Eat Well

The link between what you eat and how energetic you feel isn't always obvious, but it's there. Eating healthy, nutrient-dense foods promotes better vitality and higher energy levels -- but when you're tired and your energy is lacking, you're more likely to crave sugary and salty foods that are low on nutrients. Combat cravings by keeping nutrient-rich foods close at hand. Snack on fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, yogurt or hard-boiled eggs. You may also enjoy better energy levels if you eat fewer, smaller, higher-protein meals throughout the day, according to AARP.

Red Flags

According to a study published in 2007 in the "Journals of Gerontology," senior citizens who consistently feel fatigued have more health problems, hospital stays, home care services and emergency room visits. If your flagging energy levels are severe and simple changes don't seem to make any difference, you could be experiencing a symptom of arthritis, lung disease, anemia, sleep apnea, a heart and kidney disorder, or depression. To rule out any medical causes of fatigue, see your doctor for a checkup.

Is This an Emergency?If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the National Library of Medicine’s list of signs you need emergency medical attention or call 911. If you think you may have COVID-19, use the CDC’s Coronavirus Self-Checker.ReferencesPeople Are Reading15 Healthy Reasons to Take a Nap2Should I Exercise When I'm Exhausted?3Need Some Motivation to Make Healthier Choices? Here Are 4 Big PayoffsYou May Also Like1Why Is it Important to Keep Fit and Healthy?2How Long Before You Feel the Benefits of Exercise?3Exactly How to Power Nap, According to a Sleep Expert

1. Weight Management
2. Weight Loss
3. Weight Loss Diets

Noom vs. Weight Watchers: Which Is Better for You?By Kelly Plowe, MS, RDN Updated January 7, 2021With both the Noom and WW weight-loss apps, no food is considered off limits.Image Credit: gbh007/iStock/GettyImages

One thing we've never had a shortage of is weight-loss diets. And while it seems that each year there's a trendy new diet vying for your attention, it can be hard to determine which — if any — is right for you.

App-based diets are on a whole other level. There are nutrition plans, coaches, food tracking, in-app purchases and so on — it's enough to make your head spin. Sorting through that to understand what's what can really suck up your time.

Which is why we've matched up Noom and Weight Watchers (WW), two of the leading weight-loss apps available today. Read on to compare their features, pricing and structures to help you determine if one might fit your goals.

How Each Diet WorksNoom

Noom is a weight-loss app that focuses on diet, exercise and behavioral changes. It's that last part — behavioral changes — that really sets Noom apart from most other weight-loss programs. When you sign up, you receive a personalized plan focused on small lifestyle changes, which you'll work towards with the help of your personal health coach.

The program exists solely within an app where you're able to track your food intake, physical activity and motivation levels, interact with your personal health coach and community and also receive education.

Related Reading

What Exactly Is the Noom Diet — and Should You Try It?

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers is a point system where every food is assigned a specific point based on its nutritional value. Similar to calorie-counting (just in a different currency), you have a set number of points you're allowed to eat each day and each week.

The Weight Watchers diet has undergone many renditions over the past 50 years, continuing to update as more scientific research is published. It too exists on an app where you're able to track your food and activity intake, and access workouts, recipes, your coach and the WW community.

Related Reading

Is Weight Watchers Right for You? Here's What You Need to Know

How the Diets Are StructuredNoom

After completing an initial questionnaire, you're provided an individualized plan based on your calorie needs. Noom also uses a color-coding system to indicate the following:

• ​Green foods:​ These are the least calorie-dense and/or contain the highest concentration of healthy nutrients. These foods should make up the bulk of your diet. Examples: broccoli, apple, tofu, oatmeal and brown rice.
• ​Yellow foods:​ These foods have more calories and/or less healthy nutrients per serving than green foods and should be part of your diet in more moderate proportions. Examples: grilled chicken, salmon, black beans and avocado.
• ​Red foods:​ These foods are higher in calories and have the least healthy nutrients and should be eaten less and in smaller portions. Examples: olive oil, almonds, peanut butter, pizza, ice cream and fries.

Each day you log your food intake, track your motivation and exercise for the prescribed amount of time. The goal is to stay within the established calorie limit. You can connect with your coach or the online community if you have questions or have hit a roadblock. The app also gives you health and wellness info.

All of the coaches have undergone a specific training program to help them work with their clients, but they're not required to be a registered dietitian. The coaches work with you to customize your plan and help you understand your current choices and behaviors with the goal of making small and sustainable changes.

​Looking to lose weight for good? Noom gives you the support and tools you need to stay focused and achieve your weight-loss goals.​

Try Noom Today!

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers is a point-based system. After completing a personal assessment, you're assigned to a blue, green or purple group, which determines the number of recommended points you should eat each day, along with specific food choices.

From there you track the foods you eat at each meal. Similar to calorie-counting, you want to stay within your "point budget." WW also provides a list of ZeroPoint foods that you don't have to track, like grapes, carrots and bananas. These foods vary depending on which color group you were assigned to in the beginning.

Through the app, you can access tons of recipes, workouts and a community. Weight Watchers also offers a rewards program.

Foods You Can and Can’t EatNoom

When following Noom, there isn't any food that you ​can't​ eat. This is very different from other diets like paleo and Whole30 where there are literally lists of foods to avoid. Noom's color system helps guide you, by showing you which foods you should try to eat more and less of, but nothing's off the table.

Weight Watchers

WW follows the same philosophy: No food is off-limits. Like calorie-counting, you can eat whatever you want within your point allotment. That said, foods are assigned points to help guide you toward healthier choices. The ZeroPoint foods are included to offer more flexibility, as well.

How Much Does Each Program Cost?Noom

Noom has a free version of the app where you're able to track your food intake, weight and activity. If you want to upgrade to receive your personal nutrition plan and coach, and access to the community and exercises, the fee is currently donation-based for a 14-day trial. The price after the trial is $129 for three months.

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers has three membership plans:

• ​Digital​ (access the app and website tools): A three-month plan that runs $3.22 per week
• ​Digital + virtual workshops​ (get support from an expert and other members): $6.92 per week
• ​Digital + personal coaching​ (receive a personalized plan with weekly one-on-one phone calls and unlimited messages): $12.69 per week

Additional Support

The programs are similar in many ways. They both offer an app, tracking system, workouts, coaches, community support and education via their apps, emails, newsletters and more.

Noom is unique from most other online programs because it offers a psychological aspect that digs into the "why" of weight loss. Noom helps you identify barriers to change that you may struggle with and enlists cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to help you make long-term changes.

Weight Watchers is unique in that it has a three-tiered membership plan that allows you to pick a program that fits your needs, including virtual workshops, which are not available through Noom. They have a rewards program, studio locations and offer WW cruises, which are not available through Noom. Additional support is provided by WW through their own food line spanning across breakfast items to snacks and desserts.

Ready to Lose Weight?

Set yourself up for success with LIVESTRONG.com's 30-Day Weight-Loss Kickstart.

Results and Promises

Noom promises that it's the last weight-loss program you'll ever need. The results are backed by 15 published clinical studies. Some of the major findings include:

• 64 percent of Noom users lost more than 5 percent of their weight in a September 2016 study in the ​BMJ​
• 78 percent of Noom users sustained weight loss over nine months in a November 2016 study in ​Scientific Reports​

Weight Watchers says users can expect to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week. The diet ranks as the fourth Best Diet Overall and is tied for first (with the flexitarian diet) among the best Weight-Loss Diets by U.S. News & World Report.

So, Which Is Better for You?

Noom is probably best for someone who is interested in losing weight and is committed to tracking every meal. In the November 2016 ​Scientific Reports​ study, researchers found that while the rate of sustained weight loss was high, people who failed to track their dinners were not as successful. It's also smart for someone who's interested in learning more about their behaviors and how to make long-term changes, but it may be cost-prohibitive for some

Weight Watchers is also for someone looking to lose weight who wants flexibility in their diet. That said, you have to track your meals and be committed to tracking for success. It's not overly complicated like some other diets, so it might be a good option for someone who just wants to get started and not have to worry about learning the ins and outs of a new diet. It's not as costly as Noom (for the basic digital membership), so it may be appropriate for those on a tighter budget.

Neither Noom nor WW is appropriate or recommended for anyone with a history of disordered eating or an eating disorder. If you have a chronic medical condition or disease, you should consult with your doctor before adopting any new diet plan.