Silencing Food Noise

Why It Happens and How to Take Back Control

Laura SHAMMAH MS, RDN

Have you ever found yourself constantly thinking about food? You’ve just eaten, but your mind keeps wondering: What else could I eat? Why did I eat that? Is that healthy? Is that fattening? Will it make me lose? Will it make me gain? What should I have for dinner tomorrow? If this sounds familiar, you may be experiencing what’s known as “food noise.” This term is gaining increasing attention, especially in discussions about weight loss, partly due to the rise of GLP-1 medications. What exactly is food noise, what causes it, and how can you quiet the constant chatter in your head? Let’s take a closer look.

What Is Food Noise?
Food noise refers to the ongoing, often intrusive thoughts about food. It can manifest as a constant mental soundtrack of questions and concerns like, What should I eat next? How much is too much? Is this the right food for me? These thoughts are more than just occasional contemplations; they can become overwhelming and affect your relationship with food.
Food noise doesn’t just lead to mental stress—it can also contribute to overeating, choosing the wrong foods, or feeling guilty after eating. Common signs of food noise include:

• Obsessing over when, what, or how much to eat
• Constantly thinking about your next meal during the one you’re currently having
• Comparing “good” foods to “bad” ones
• Feeling guilty after eating certain foods
• Over-analyzing calories or portion sizes
  It’s important to distinguish food noise from normal hunger cues. While hunger signals are your body’s natural way of telling you it needs nourishment, food noise is often driven by external pressures, societal influences, or underlying emotional factors.

Who Does Food Noise Affect?
While anyone can experience food noise, certain groups may be more susceptible. People struggling with weight loss, those in high-stress environments, teenagers, and athletes can often experience heightened food noise.
Additionally, individuals with eating disorders, such as emotional or binge eating, may be particularly vulnerable. Food noise can significantly impact their mental well-being, leading to unhealthy eating patterns and a distorted relationship with food.
It’s important to note that food noise exists on a spectrum. For some people, it may be a minor nuisance, but for others, it can become an all-consuming obsession that makes it difficult to make positive changes in their diet or lifestyle.

What Causes Food Noise?
Food noise comes from both biology and society. Our ancestors had to focus on food to survive, so our brains may still be wired to constantly think about it. Modern life also plays a role. Food is everywhere, and pressure to eat a certain way or look a certain way can make food thoughts louder. Social media, ads, and diet culture can add to this, making us think more about what, when, and how much to eat.

How to Quiet Food Noise
If food noise is making your life more stressful than it needs to be, there are several strategies that can help bring some peace to your mind. Here are a few approaches experts recommend:

Practice Mindfulness –
Work with a Therapist
One of the most effective ways to quiet food noise is through mindfulness. Journaling your thoughts can help you recognize patterns or triggers. For instance, you might notice that food noise spikes in the evening or during stressful moments. Understanding these triggers can be a key first step in managing them. Working with a therapist can help you realize your patterns and create new healthy, positive behaviors and thoughts.

Introduce Alternative Behaviors
When food noise feels overwhelming, try redirecting your focus. Physical activity, such as taking a walk or doing yoga, can help distract from obsessive thoughts about food. Meditation or deep breathing exercises can also reduce the mental chatter that often accompanies food noise.

Prioritize Balanced Nutrition
Eating regular meals that include protein, fiber, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates can help keep hunger at bay and stabilize blood sugar levels, reducing the frequency of food noise. Regular hydration and balanced snacks are also crucial for maintaining a steady mental and physical state.

Work with a Registered Dietitian
If you find that food noise is interfering with your overall health or weight loss journey, consider working with a registered dietitian who specializes in emotional eating. A dietitian can help identify any unhealthy food habits and guide you in creating sustainable, long-term changes. With their help, you can learn how to build a healthy relationship with food and break free from the cycle of obsessive food thoughts.

Consider Medication or Supplements
For some individuals, weight loss medications like GLP-1s (such as Ozempic) or oral pills like Contrave can help reduce food noise. These medications work by curbing cravings, slowing digestion, and reducing the intrusive thoughts that can dominate your mind. While they can be effective, they should always be used under the guidance of a knowledgeable healthcare professional, as treatments must be individualized and monitored. These medications are tools to help navigate and stick to a healthy lifestyle. Medication may not be for everyone, but everyone needs to find what I say is their right cocktail—what will help them get a healthy mind and body. For many, they find that coming to see me and a therapist gives them their balance. For some, it’s medications with all of the above. If you find your thoughts are taking over your life, don’t stop until you can find out what cocktail is right for you.
Food noise can be relentless, creeping into your thoughts and influencing your relationship with food—especially during times of stress, weight loss, or disordered eating. But understanding its roots and learning how to quiet the mental chatter can be truly empowering. With the right strategies—whether through mindfulness, lifestyle shifts, or professional guidance—you can regain control, silence the noise, and foster a healthier, more balanced connection with food.

Laura Shammah MS, RDN specializes in eating disorders but has clientele that run the gamut from people dealing with PCOS, infertility hypertension, high cholesterol, Crohn’s disease, diabetes and cancer. She also helps clients who run in marathons, are pregnant and those who would like to lose or gain weight in a healthy way.