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What is Food Noise? (+ 3 Key Strategies to Deal With It)

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August 18, 2025

Do you ever feel like there’s a constant stream of chatter in your head about food? 

“I shouldn’t eat that cookie, it’s too many calories.” 

“I was so bad at lunch, I need to skip dinner.” 

If these kinds of thoughts sound familiar, you may be experiencing what’s known as “food noise”. In this article, we will explore its peculiarities and strategic ways to deal with it.

What is Food Noise?

Food noise or Food Related Intrusive Thoughts (FRITs) could be defined as the constant mental dialogue you might have around food, eating, and your body. It’s the voice in your head that comments on your food choices, judges your eating habits, and criticizes your appearance.1,2

The internal chatter caused by food noise is often negative, anxiety-provoking, and distracting. It could stem from external messages you may have internalised over time—from diet culture, media, family, and friends—and turns to often manifests as:1,2

  • Repetitive thoughts about what to eat next, even immediately after finishing a meal
  • Continuous mental calculations about calories, portions, or “food rules”
  • Persistent worry about making the “right” food choices
  • Intrusive thoughts about weight, body image, and eating behaviors

How Do GLP-1 Medications Affect Food Noise?

The conversation around food noise has intensified with the widespread use of GLP-1 agonists. Research indicates that these medications seems not only to affect physical hunger signals but may also influence neural pathways involved in food-related thought patterns and reward systems.2

Key findings about GLP-1 medications and food noise include:2

  • Some patients report changes in how they think about and experience food
  • The medication may affect food reward centers in the brain differently than traditional appetite suppressants

Managing these changes requires specific strategies and support. Consider consulting with your healthcare specialist to receive healthy weight loss guidance today.

3 Evidence-Based Strategies to Deal With Food Noise

While you might not be able to completely silence your food noise, there are strategies you may use to turn down the volume:

Strategy 1: Implement Mindful Eating Practices

Research shows that mindful eating could significantly reduce food-related anxiety and intrusive thoughts.3 Here’s how to practice it effectively:

  • Create a dedicated eating environment free from distractions3
  • Use the “HALT” method before eating (ask yourself if you’re Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired)4
  • Practice the “first three bites” exercise – focus intensely on the first three bites of each meal5

Strategy 2: Develop a Flexible Structure

A study in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders suggests that maintaining a flexible eating structure could reduce food preoccupation.6 This approach could be personalised for daily life to include:

  • Establishing regular meal and snack times that work with your schedule
  • Planning balanced meals while allowing for spontaneity
  • Creating a sustainable framework that accommodates both routine and special occasions

Strategy 3: Address Emotional and Environmental Triggers

Further research suggests that understanding and managing triggers could be  important for reducing food noise. Consider these evidence-based approaches:7

  • Maintain a thought journal to identify patterns in your food-related thoughts
  • Create a supportive environment that promotes peace with food
  • Develop alternative coping strategies for emotional triggers

When should you seek professional help? 

It’s important to recognise when additional support might be needed. Consider consulting your healthcare provider if:

  • Food thoughts significantly interfere with daily life
  • You’re struggling to adapt to changes from GLP-1 medications
  • Anxiety about food is affecting your social relationships or mental health

Wrapping It Up!

Remember that managing food noise is a journey, not a destination. It requires patience, self-compassion, and often professional support. 

References:

  1. Ain HU. Food Related Intrusive Thoughts: A Pilot Study. UR Scholarship Repository. Published 2023. Accessed January 24, 2025. https://scholarship.richmond.edu/honors-theses/1676/
  2. Hayashi D, Edwards C, Emond JA, et al. What Is Food Noise? A Conceptual Model of Food Cue Reactivity. Nutrients. 2023;15(22):4809-4809. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15224809
  3. Ruffault A, Czernichow S, Hagger MS, et al. The effects of mindfulness training on weight-loss and health-related behaviours in adults with overweight and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice. 2017;11(5):90-111. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orcp.2016.09.002 
  4. HALT: Pay Attention to These Four Stressors. Cleveland Clinic. Published May 24, 2022. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/halt-hungry-angry-lonely-tired
  5. Stop Emotional and Stress Eating in Just Three Bites. Psychology Today. Published 2024. Accessed January 24, 2025. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/practical-mindfulness/202410/stop-emotional-and-stress-eating-in-just-three-bites
  6. Wing RR, Jeffery RW, Burton LR, Thorson C, Nissinoff KS, Baxter JE. Food provision vs structured meal plans in the behavioral treatment of obesity. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders: Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity. 1996;20(1):56-62. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8788323/
  7. Serin Y, Sağlık G, Fakültesi B, Şanlıer N. PSYCHIATRIC NURSING. Emotional eating, the factors which affect food intake and basic approaches of nursing care. J Psychiatric Nurs. 2018;9(2):135-146. doi:https://doi.org/10.14744/phd.2018.23600

All content and media on the Actually Healthy Website is created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

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