PART 2: everything you need to know about quieting food noise

If you missed Part 1, make sure to go back and check it out ​here​! This is the sequel to all things food noise.

Do you think you've experienced food noise? (As a reminder, food noise can be defined as constant or intrusive thoughts about food, persistent cravings or food obsessions). If you have experienced food noise, you know how intrusive it can be. No one wants to be a slave to food choices or to experience shameful thoughts after eating.

If you're ready to ditch food noise, keep reading. Below, I'm going to tell you exactly how to cut through pesky food noise for good.

Eat Adequately and Regularly

Your body is programmed to help you survive. When you're fueling inconsistently, your body will up-regulate your hunger hormone, ghrelin, to obtain energy for daily activities. Unfortunately, your body sometimes overcompensates and it can be hard to stop eating once you start when ghrelin is too high. Don't skip meals in order to avoid this. Eat breakfast. Take your lunch break.

Conversely, if you go extended amounts of time without eating, then your hunger cues will die off and you will likely not feel hungry. In this case, your gut has lost trust with your brain and is no longer sending cues to your brain to tell yourself to eat. In this case, you desperately still need food, your brain is simply no longer recognizing hunger.

Balance Blood Sugar

If you are having major spikes and crashes in your blood sugar throughout the day, you can easily feel out of control around food. You may find yourself ravenous one moment with intense cravings and then lethargic and "snacky" the next. A great way to stabilize your blood sugar throughout the day is to pair a protein containing food with a carbohydrate. ( cheese + apple; turkey slices + cucumber; nuts + handful of plums etc). Additionally, aim to have a snack or meal every 3-4 hours.

Ditch Restrictive Dieting

Instead of stressing over particular rules around food, get serious about noticing how certain foods make you feel. Do you feel more energized after eating certain foods than others? Are you full longer when you pack fiber and protein into your meals? If some foods leave you feeling bloated then skip those next time and pick options that leave you with a happy gut. Adopt the mantra, "All foods fit in moderation" to keep certain foods off a pedestal. The more you restrict "off limit" foods, the harder it will be to eat them in moderate amounts when presented to you.

Explore your Cravings

As yourself what textures, temperatures and flavors of food you're craving. Is there a food item that fits your desires that could also provide some nutritional value to your body? Are you craving certain memories tied to a food rather than the food item itself? Sometimes cravings are clues to deeper longings you may be experiencing.

Practice Mindfulness

Taking the time to roughly plan out your meals and snacks can be a game changer in reducing food noise. Decide on specific entrees to have for dinner, pack a lunch, and have fuel-filled snacks handy at your work or inside your pantry. When you sit down to eat, involve all 5 senses to increase your satisfaction after eating. Notice taste, smell, texture, sound, and appearance of your food.

Get Professional Help

Instagram gurus and social media influencers can only take you so far on your health journey. Sometimes, they may even steer you away from health. If you are suffering from food noise on a daily level, you need a team of support to quiet the noise. Reach out to me, or another experienced dietitian that knows how to navigate the challenging waters of food thoughts. I also always recommend finding a trained therapist in food issues and body image to support you. Therapists are a tremendous weapon that can help you fight food noise.

Reduce Stress

When you go long periods of time with high levels of stress, your blood sugar rises, blood pressure increases, cholesterol spikes and cravings skyrocket. (Thanks, cortisol.) This can make food choices feel very confusing.

Use the HALT check-in method to help brave the food decision maze. Be as unbiased as possible when doing this. Refrain from judging whether you "should" or "shouldn't" be experiencing a craving. Instead, ask yourself, "Am I hungry, angry, lonely, or tired? (HALT)" This simple tool can help you determine what you truly need in moments of emotional intensity and cut through stressful food thoughts. If you are not hungry, then maybe you need to take some deep breaths, connect with a friend, go for a walk or take a nap in order to more effectively reduce your stress.

I hope you've found these tips helpful. Cheers, to a happier eating experience.

If this article has sparked interest in you to further reduce food noise in your own life, apply to work with me here! I would love to help get you started on a path to food freedom.