Quieting Food Noise
What is food noise?
- It’s an emerging concept, so there is no agreed-upon definition.
- Generally-accepted descriptions of food noise would be:
- “Persistent, intrusive thoughts about food that are disruptive to daily life and make healthy behaviors difficult.”
- “It’s a constant inner voice about what to eat, when to eat and how much to eat.”
How much food noise is too much?
To an extent, food noise is normal and helpful:
- You have been working all day and forgot to eat, so your body gives you hunger signals reminding you to eat.
- You think ahead about what to make for dinner so that you don’t end up at the drive-thru.
- You realize you haven’t had your favorite cookie in a while, so you go pick one up from the bakery.
How much food noise is too much?
Whether food noise is a problem depends on the frequency and intensity of the thoughts, and how they affect one’s behaviors.
Signs of excessive food noise:
- Frequently eating when you are not physically hungry.
- Frequently distracted by intrusive thoughts about food.
- Avoiding social situations that involve food.
- Shopping for food multiple times a day.
- Checking your pantry or fridge repeatedly.
- Obsessing over the “perfect” meal or snack.
- Thinking about your next meal while eating your current meal.
- Seeing or smelling a food and immediately thinking “I need that.”
What causes food noise?
Biological factors:
- Our brains are hard-wired with a scarcity mindset, but food is all around us.
- Individual differences in brain signaling mean that:
- Some people may experience hunger more intensely.
- Some people may have a stronger reward response to food.
Diet culture:
- The brain interprets restriction as scarcity, which increases food preoccupation.
- Rigid food rules make the brain fixate on what it can’t have.
Environment:
- Access to food has never been easier or more immediate.
- Foods are manufactured to be hyper-palatable.
- We’re bombarded by food advertisements, especially through targeted social media ads.
Ways to quiet food noise
Honor your hunger:
- Know your hunger signals and eat when you are hungry (but not too hungry!).
Focus on fiber and protein (including some carbs!):
- Helps you stay fuller longer and feel satisfied from food.
- Stabilizes blood sugar, which prevents the “crashes” that cause sudden hunger and cravings.
Neutralize food language:
- Avoid labeling foods as “bad” or “off-limits.”
- Use phrases such as “fun foods” or “play foods.”
Give yourself permission to eat all foods:
- It doesn’t mean you do, but you always have the option based on your needs and wants.
Ways to quiet food noise
Engineer your environment:
- Consider what foods you keep readily accessible.
- Use the “out of sight, out of mind” principle to your advantage.
- Adjust your travel routes to avoid food triggers.
Focus on overall self-care:
- If basic self-care needs are not met, food becomes a stronger reward.
- Sleep loss, stress and unmet emotional needs increase our brain’s response to rewards, making highly palatable foods even more tempting.