If you’ve ever found your mind consumed with constant thoughts about food, chances are you have experienced food noise. It's usually brought on by conflicting messages about nutrition, either through everyday conversation or content online. It could be feeling guilty because you ate a cupcake when you promised yourself you weren’t going to touch sweets for a while, or maybe you’re trying to meet your protein quota and are obsessively keeping track of it. These thoughts are common, and in some cases, they can become obsessive. That’s where the problem lies. Whether you’ve never heard of food noise or experience it regularly, there are some key things to understand. Additionally, there are ways to manage food noise if you need coping methods or treatment. What does food noise sound like? In extreme cases, food noise keeps your mind constantly preoccupied with food to the point that it seems to take over your life. You often wonder about what, when and how much food to eat. Registered Dietitian Gisela Bouvier says conversations around food that we see and hear every day in the media, at work and among family or friends can contribute to food noise. She points out that social media has made food noise worse for some people. “There’s a lot of food noise out there -- nutrition misinformation, fear-based content and a constant stream of ‘health hacks’ that leave people more confused than empowered,” she explains. Andrey Popov/Getty Images Food noise may look like: You’re constantly thinking about food, even when not hungry. Thinking about your next meal while still eating or shortly after a meal. Eating late at night or waking up to eat. Eating in secret or hiding food. Feeling guilty after eating certain foods. Impulsive eating of ultra-processed foods that are high in fat and sugar. Although food noise itself isn’t considered an eating disorder, it can cause some people who already struggle with food to be super restrictive with their diet or worsen disordered eating. However, it becomes easier to quiet food noise when you better understand why it happens and have the right tools to help manage it. “The goal isn’t to eliminate all thoughts about food, but to make them manageable so you can eat without stress, guilt or constant mental chatter,” says Bouvier. How to ease food noise Carolin Voelker/Getty Images If food noise regularly plagues your mind, there are some ways to combat it when the thought strikes. Bouvier says, “I recommend mindful and instinctive eating -- really listening to your hunger cues, savoring meals and letting go of rigid rules.” She advises practicing eating mindfully during meals and keeping that time uninterrupted. Dawn Menning, a registered dietitian and education specialist with health and wellness app Nutu, recommends reducing stress by finding activities to do that aren’t centered around food. “Getting more sleep helps as well because if you’re not well-rested, you may think about food more,” Menning warns. Menning also suggests looking for patterns that trigger food noise. “Journal what emotions you feel when you get a craving; you may notice patterns that you can change,” she says. If you find your “For You” page on Instagram or TikTok full of wellness influencer videos with content that's triggering your food noise, it may be best to mute or block these pages. Unfollowing accounts that bring up these feelings can also help since the algorithm will avoid showing you similar pages. It’s easy to get caught up in information overload on social media, so remember that you can control the content you consume. One important aspect of getting rid of food noise is to get back in tune with your natural hunger cues and knowing when you’re full, while also eating foods you enjoy versus forcing yourself to eat foods you don’t like. “Planning meals with flexibility, limiting exposure to things that disrupt our food peace and working with a dietitian and therapist can also help,” explains Bouvier, who says she’s seen clients experience success with these strategies. Precautions to take with semaglutide for food noise Tatsiana Volkava/Getty Images The first time I heard of food noise, it was associated with semaglutide (better known as Ozempic or Wegovy). Some reports showed that semaglutide helped ease food noise that people experienced before going on the drug. The medication is known to help reduce hunger and cravings, which may also ease food noise for some. Its increase in popularity has also shown how the wellness and fitness industry is starting to cater to those on these types of weight loss medications. However, Bouvier doesn’t like using semaglutide as a solution for her patients. “I do not believe semaglutide addresses the underlying mental patterns around food because once someone stops taking it, the mental and internal chatter can return if they haven’t been equipped with the tools to help manage it,” she explains. Bouvier recommends that if someone is planning to use semaglutide, they should work with a dietitian and therapist so they can learn ways to practice mindful eating and methods for a more sustainable approach. Takeaway Food noise is a common experience, but if you find yourself in an unhealthy pattern consumed with thoughts of food, it may be time to address it with a professional. Learning methods that can help your everyday life will be beneficial in the long run. If you use a more medical-forward approach like semaglutide, it’s important to do so with the guidance of a dietitian and therapist. They’ll ensure that you’re using the drug properly and making progress to reduce food noise in your everyday life.