Food Noise

This past week in WW (Weight Watchers) we talked about food noise. I must be honest with you that is not something I deal with on an everyday basis.

Food noise was defined as persistent thoughts and cravings about food that can make healthy behaviours more difficult.

A member talked about food noise in the context of what I know to be the addictions world. She said "one bite is too many and 1000 not enough. Man did that ever hit me. I am so familiar with this concept in the context of alcohol. I know this persistent world of food thoughts and cravings to be true in terms of the life I lived with my partner who died from complications of obesity.

The food world is complicated. We need food to survive. Sometimes we eat too much and sometimes we eat too little. Both ends of the spectrum are issues.

Sometimes we eat fatty, salty or sweet foods that trigger a dopamine hit reinforcing our desire for those foods. I am told our blood sugar dips can also increase cravings--especially for quick energy foods like sugar or carbs. Being exposed to folks who are diabetic I get to witness those dips and how one responds to them. Especially if one if in the cold state or what I know as new brain. Choices are so much better in this state.

Other things we were exposed to were how restrictive diets can backfire, making our brain hyper-focused on "forbidden" foods. It is why when I joined WW as Wellness Wins it was at the time where lifestyle was more front and center, more in line with my values and really progress in its movement out of the diet culture. I loved the focus on the four pillars (sleep, mindset, activity and food) We also explored the role of emotions and how stress increases our hunger and when we are hungry... sometimes our choices are not so great. Lots of time our choices are not so great.

One of the helpful pieces of science this past week was speaking of food noise in the context of:

1. Emotional triggers like boredom, aloneness, stress. I would say being in the hot state or what others know as old brain.

2. Environmental cues such as watching tv and being impacted by those annoying commercials or by being out for a walk and walking by and smelling pizza or burger joints or any number of places.

3. Lack of structure that might lead to boredom and grazing from the mindless mindset. I am a grazer if I am not focused. It is one of the places that I run into trouble with my food journey.

One of the key things is staying ahead of our hunger. Planning, eating regularly, prioritizing protein and fibre to stay fuller longer are great strategies.

When it comes to hunger, I often think of Ken who asks... are we hungry from the neck up or the neck down?

Having food noise is a gift in my world. It helps me to remember to eat in a timely matter and it is a much healthier way to live. For those of us who have food hunger regularly we can use our skills of urge surfing to delay and distract our urge. We can label what is happening as food noise. We can care for ourselves by nourishing ourselves regularly and spend time eating mindfully. It is about meeting the challenge through the lens of responding versus reacting.

May your food journey have balance and strategies to make the healthiest choices for you. May the food noise be there yet limited in its loudness!