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.
... continue reading