Strategies for Silencing Food Noise Without Depending on Ozempic
In the realm of mental health and wellness, a new concept has emerged: food noise. Food noise refers to a preoccupation with food that can take over one's life, causing feelings of guilt after eating certain foods and leading to impulsive eating of high-fat, high-sugar foods.
According to registered dietitian and therapist Gisela Bouvier, planning meals with flexibility, limiting exposure to things that disrupt food peace, and working with a dietitian and therapist can help reduce food noise. A more sustainable approach, she suggests, is mindful and instinctive eating. This approach involves listening to hunger cues, savoring meals, and letting go of rigid rules.
Dawn Menning, a registered dietitian and education specialist with health and wellness app Nutu, echoes this sentiment. She recommends reducing stress by finding activities not centered around food. If Instagram or TikTok accounts trigger food noise, it may be best to mute or block them, according to Menning. Unfollowing accounts that bring up food noise can also help, as per Menning.
Journaling emotions that trigger food cravings can help identify patterns, Menning suggests. Getting more sleep is another effective strategy, as it helps in reducing food noise.
While semaglutide (Ozempic or Wegovy) is known to help reduce hunger and cravings, Gisela Bouvier does not believe it addresses the underlying mental patterns around food. If someone is planning to use semaglutide, Bouvier recommends working with a dietitian and therapist to learn ways to practice mindful eating.
Food noise, while not an eating disorder, can worsen disordered eating in some people. The best mental health apps in 2025, such as Petit BamBou (noted for meditation and mindfulness helping reduce stress and anxiety) and Bearable (a symptom and mood tracker aiding mental health insight and management), primarily focus on mental health improvement rather than directly reducing eating noises.
In the long run, addressing food noise with a professional can be beneficial. The goal of managing food noise is to make thoughts about food manageable, reducing stress, guilt, and constant mental chatter. One important aspect of getting rid of food noise is to get back in tune with natural hunger cues, as explained by Gisela Bouvier. By adopting these strategies, one can enjoy meals without undue stress or guilt.
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