Food Noise Series: What is Food Noise?
Understanding the Constant Chatter Around Eating
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Does your mind feel crowded with thoughts about food — what to eat, when to eat, whether you ate too much, or if you’ll gain weight? This persistent mental buzz is called food noise, and it can disrupt how you experience meals and snacks. At first, you might blame a lack of willpower. However, the reality is more nuanced: food noise usually has deeper roots in diet culture, emotional triggers, and even past trauma.
Food noise refers to the steady stream of thoughts about eating or not eating. It can play like background static in your day, influencing what you do, how you feel about yourself, and even your relationships. Sometimes, it leads to overeating or restricting food intake in ways that harm your body and emotional health.
Food noise impacts everyday life. Feeling guilty after meals, constantly tracking calories, or repeatedly checking the fridge can all signal disordered eating patterns that quietly take over. These behaviors might become so ingrained that you assume it’s “normal” to always think about food. But a healthy relationship with food allows for spontaneity, enjoyment, and flexibility without that incessant mental chatter.
When left unaddressed, food noise can fuel a negative cycle of self-judgment, binge eating, or extreme dieting. By recognizing it for what it is — that is, an echo of deeper issues — there’s a better chance for real change.
If you’re nodding along to any of this, you don’t have to navigate it alone. At New Approach Nutrition, we focus on compassionate, trauma-informed nutrition therapy. Book an appointment with me, Emahlea Wilcher, MPH, RD, LD, or one of our caring providers. We’re here to help you find relief from constant food chatter and begin nourishing your body with less noise and more peace.
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Read more of the Food Noise Series by New Approach Nutrition
Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
