Metabolism: "Food Noise." Is it real?
And why does it happen?
As I typed the title for this Substack, “Metabolism:….” I accidentally typed “Meatball…”
Our dinner is almost ready to be pulled out of the oven. The smell is wafting into my office, and my mental slip aligns with the topic. I can’t make this up.
What is “food noise?”
While food noise is not a new concept, it’s something we’re hearing more often in the media, and amongst friends and obesity experts.
It’s now frequently discussed thanks to the skyrocketing popularity of GLP-1 agonists (you may know them as Ozempic® or Wegovy® (Semaglutide) and Mounjaro® or Zepbound® (Tirzepatide). Read more here.
“Food noise” is a pesky, constant voice in your head that makes you think about food more often than is productive.
This is different than straight up hunger. Food noise is more mental than physical.
When you’re hungry, you instinctually think about (or obssess about) eating due to physiologically mechanisms. Your body experiences true hunger signals that drive you to find and consume food.
While sometimes true hunger accompanies “food noise”, other times you simply think about food because:
Someone mentioned the word cake in conversation, and now that’s all you can think about.
You decided against getting popcorn at the movies, and now you’re watching a movie and it’s all you can think about.
You finish breakfast, and can’t stop thinking about what you’ll eat for lunch.
You’re in a work meeting and can’t focus because your’re craving something sweet.
You eat a meal and begin overthinking it. Did I eat enough? Did I eat too much? When can I eat again?
The clock is getting close to 11 am, and this is the time every day you get excited because you’ll get to eat again soon.
You start to feel slightly hungry and begin hyperfixating on what you can eat and how you’ll get it.
These are all examples of food noise that I’ve heard from clients over the years, and candidly, some I’ve experiencing personally.
Doesn’t Everyone Experience This?
What’s interesting is that if you experience food noise, you may think this is the norm. You’re not aware that some people live their life without thinking about food 24/7.
Or maybe you’re very aware that you’re a foodie or that you struggle with this.
As mentioned above, when a person is truly hungry, they will start thinking about food. What’s interesting is that people vary in how they experience this.
What varies amongst individuals is:
The level of hunger that’s required to start experiencing increased food noise.
How frequently people think about food.
How much thinking about it distracts them or interferes with their quality of life.
How they respond to the food noise.
Here’s what I mean:
We all have that friend who says he/she “forgets to eat” sometimes. For some people, that blows their mind, they cannot fatham ever forgetting.
We all have that friend who can eat a tiny sliver of dessert and then move on, without exerting willpower or even thinking about it. They put their fork down and continue with the conversation, never missing a beat. For those with food noise, there’s chatter about how much more they should/shouldn’t eat and it’s hard to focus until they’ve made the decision (or their plate is taken away).
We all know someone who is dedicated to choosing the “best” food they can find, often at the expense of their mental health. I find that those who have orthorexic tendencies to have food noise. They think about how they can secure the healthiest food everywhere they go, and bring food with them because most places don’t meet their incredibly high standards.
Why Women Navigate Food Noise
I find women, in general, struggle more than men with food noise due to harmful societal pressures to be thin and ‘eat like a bird’. This messaging often leads women down the road of long-term or impropertly executed calorie deficits.
Some of the noise is true hunger; however, even after an individual eventually calls it quits on their diet, they are often left with pretty messed up brain chemistry.
You lose trust in your ability to know when you’re hungry or full.
Your body’s hunger hormones that impact satiety (including leptin, GLP-1, PYY, and CCK) may not function as well.
Your body’s metabolic health (insulin and glucose levels) may be dysregulated, which impacts hunger.
While we need more research, I have a strong suspicion that an individual’s levels of leptin and naturally occurring GLP-1 impact the volume of food noise they experience. That there could be individuals navigating GLP-1 deficiency or resistance just as there are people navigating leptin resistance, which impacts accurate satiety signaling.
What You Can Do
If you’ve read this far, maybe you’re thinking “Yep, that’s me. I have food noise.” To you I would say, you’re in good company. You’re also not broken. Food noise is something many people relate to, and yet we all experience it slightly different.
If you noticed that food noise is impacting your quality of life or requires you to exert a lot of brain power that could be better spent elsewhere, here’s where I’d start.
Optimize leptin signaling
I will share more about this in a future post.
For now, a few things you can work on are avoiding late night eating (after 8 pm), getting light exposure in the early AM and after dinner, getting daily movement, and going to bed before 10 pm. This is a lot, choose 1-2 for now.
Optimize blood sugar regulation
Refer to my Substack on this for more information.
Labs can help you better understand your blood sugar levels (get your fasting insulin, fasting glucose, and hemoglobin A1c checked).
Hit your calorie, protein, and fiber goals
Refer to my Substack on this.
For many women, this means consuming 100 grams of protein (at min) and 30 grams of fiber (at min) each day.
Work with a therapist/coach to identify the root cause
If you have a history of dieting, obesity, or disordered eating, you’ll want to dive deeper. There is a LOT more to nutrition and hunger than physiological cues. Sometimes emotional triggers, trauma, and subconscious self-destructive habits are involved.
Explore creative outlets (hobbies) that don’t involve food
Finding creative outlets to direct your mental energy can be incredibly helpful for those who hyperfixate on food. Whether it’s learning to play piano, learning how to rock climb, joining a club sport, or getting lost in a book series, you choose. The idea here is to get your brain and hands active and off of food. To help your brain rewire and find other ways (outside of food) to soothe or be stimulated.
Consider ways to stimulate GLP-1
It’s true that naturally produced GLP-1 doesn’t last nearly as long as the peptide/medication version (minutes vs days). Naturally produced GLP-1 sticks around in the blood for 1-2 minutes after eating, leading to feelings of hunger for 1-2 hours). Peptide/medication versions lead to feelings of fullness for days. At the surface, this may sound discouraging; however finding way to stimulate GLP-1 and other satiety hormones can make a difference!
Ways to support GLP-1 production naturally include the priniciples above (eating more fiber, lean protein, and fat). Fat and fiber slow down gastric emptying leading you to feel fuller for longer. Protein (at 30 grams/meal) stimulates GLP-1 from intestinal cells.
Supporting your gut health always helps optimize GLP-1.
Yes, there are some supplements that can be helpful here, although you know my stance on this. THESE should compliment, not replace, other things you’re doing.
And for some people, especially those navigating diabetes, overweight/obesity - especially those who are committed to the foundational steps above, who are still struggling with food noise — GLP-1 peptides (I often recommend compounded versions so you can dose low/slow) can be game-changers.
As always, this information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider regarding a medical condition.
So tell me below, do you experience food noise?
Does this reasonate?