Hypnotherapy and Hypnosis Resources

What is Food Noise? Everything You Need To Know

Written by Erika Flint, BCH, OB | Apr 17, 2025 5:05:22 AM

The Truth About Food Noise - And How to Quiet It Naturally

Have you ever felt like food is always on your mind?

Whether you’re counting points, tracking calories, prepping your meals, or just thinking about what to eat next… it can feel like food is taking up way too much space in your brain.

That’s food noise - and in this post, we’ll explore what it is, why it matters, and how you can finally turn down the volume.

What Is Food Noise?

Food noise is that constant internal chatter about what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, and whether it fits your “plan.” It’s the mental load of managing your relationship with food like it’s a full-time job.

Even after I lost weight, I found myself still mentally consumed by food. I had transformed physically, but inside, I was stuck in a constant cycle of overthinking meals, macros, and movement — a noisy loop of judgment and analysis that felt exhausting.

That’s the tricky part: even healthy habits can become food noise when they dominate your attention.

Why Food Noise Increases Appetite

It seems counterintuitive, but here’s the truth:

The more you think about food, the more you tend to eat.

This isn’t a character flaw. It’s a principle of the mind: what you focus on grows. Constant thoughts about food naturally raise your appetite, whether you’re actually hungry or not.

So if you’re writing down every bite, thinking about lunch during breakfast, or stressing over macros mid-meal - you’re probably increasing your hunger without even realizing it.

This Isn’t About Willpower

The modern food environment and diet culture both contribute to food noise. With endless advice - fasting, protein goals, sugar limits, etc. - it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

And when your brain is overwhelmed, it freezes. That’s why many smart, capable people find themselves stuck. It’s not that they don’t know what to do - they just can’t quiet the noise long enough to do it consistently.

How to Quiet Food Noise (and Reclaim Peace)

In the video above, I share several ways to dial down the noise and restore a natural, peaceful rhythm with food:

✅ 1. Listen to Your Body

Like going to the bathroom, hunger is a physical signal. Many of us were trained to ignore those signals as kids -  forced to clean our plates or eat when we weren’t hungry.

You can retrain your body to trust those signals again.

✅ 2. Use Hypnosis to Reset Patterns

Hypnosis helps reduce mental stress, calm the nervous system, and reconnect you with your internal compass. It quiets the external noise so you can hear what your body is actually asking for.

 

✅ 3. Stop Journaling in Real Time

Planning your meals is great,  but journaling while you eat (or thinking about what’s next while you’re mid-meal) keeps your focus locked on food and ramps up your appetite.

Plan ahead. Then let your mind rest.

✅ 4. Step Away from the Scale

Constantly weighing yourself ties your emotions to a number. If the scale goes up, you feel bad. If it goes down, you feel anxious about keeping it there.

Give your body time to adjust to your new habits. You’ll feel the changes before you see them.

One Last Test: Are You Actually Hungry?

Use the broccoli test. A binary indicator of true hunger. 

Would you eat plain broccoli right now (or an apple) ? If yes - you’re probably hungry. If not, you're likely not hungry. You may feel stressed, tired, bored, or just used to eating out of habit.

Hypnosis helps your subconscious start to respond to real needs, not old programming. That's why it feels effortless to make changes to eating habits with hypnossi.

The Takeaway

You don’t need more rules. You need more peace.

Reducing food noise isn’t about giving up foods,  it’s about tuning in. When you stop micromanaging every bite and start trusting your body’s wisdom, eating becomes simpler, calmer, and a lot more joyful.

 

Want help getting started?

Visit reprogramyourweight.com to download a copy of my best-selling book and a hypnosis recording to discover how quieting your mind can help you reclaim your freedom - and your health.