Health
Can’t stop thinking about food? Experts point to an unexpected cause
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Amid conflicting guidance, GLP-1 weight-loss trends and recent updates to dietary guidelines, navigating nutrition advice can feel overwhelming.
As weight-loss conversations increasingly focus on medications, some Americans may be looking for more natural ways to quiet what’s often called “food noise.”
Here are some tips to help tune it out.
WEIGHT-LOSS EXPERTS PREDICT 5 MAJOR TREATMENT CHANGES LIKELY TO EMERGE IN 2026
What is food noise?
Food noise can be described as frequent thoughts about food that can sometimes be mistaken as hunger, experts say.
Food noise can be described as frequent thoughts about food that can sometimes be mistaken as hunger, experts say. (iStock)
Northwell Health’s The Well describes it as a “steady background loop of food-related thoughts” that can interfere with daily life and decision-making about eating.
This can lead someone to eat excess calories, causing weight gain, obesity and other medical problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
DOCTOR WARNS MANY AMERICANS EAT ‘FOOD-LIKE SUBSTANCES,’ NOT REAL FOOD
“It’s a lot of unnecessary, excessive thoughts around food that can be exhausting,” Kat Garcia-Benson, registered dietitian-nutritionist at VNutrition, a wellness brand that offers plant-based dishes and expert nutrition tips, told Fox News Digital.
“You might have thoughts like: ‘I’m craving this,’ ‘When is my next meal?’, ‘What should I eat to be healthier?’, ‘I should eat this,’ or ‘I shouldn’t eat that,’” added the Texas-based expert.
Certain behaviors — such as skipping meals, ignoring hunger clues, relying on rigid food rules and cutting out entire food groups — can worsen food noise. (iStock)
Certain behaviors can worsen food noise. These may include skipping meals, ignoring hunger clues, relying on rigid food rules and cutting out entire food groups, according to Garcia-Benson.
Studies have shown that some medical conditions, like polycystic ovarian syndrome and depression, can also increase food noise, as can stress and inadequate sleep. Certain medications, such as antidepressants, can also exacerbate it.
EATING FOR PLEASURE MAY BOOST HEALTH, SAY EXPERTS — HERE ARE 6 FOODS TO TRY
“It’s also important to note that food noise is not a personal failure or [due to] having a lack of willpower,” Garcia-Benson added. “For many people, it’s a response from years of dieting/food restriction, stress or inconsistent nourishment.”
Drivers of hunger
“The impulse to eat is driven by three core aspects: hunger, satiety, and pleasure or reward,” Dr. Vinita Tandon, chief medical officer of Medi-Weightloss, a physician-supervised weight-loss program based in Tampa, told Fox News Digital.
The body naturally makes a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, which helps to regulate appetite and food intake.
“It’s a lot of unnecessary, excessive thoughts around food that can be exhausting.”
In people with obesity, however, the body’s natural GLP-1 response may be less effective at signaling fullness, Tandon noted.
GLP-1 medications, including Ozempic, can fast-track weight loss by mimicking a natural hormone that suppresses appetite and helps people feel full sooner, the expert said.
In people with obesity, the body’s natural GLP-1 response may be less effective at signaling fullness. (iStock)
They also offer an additional benefit by acting on the brain’s rewards pathway.
When someone eats a brownie, for example, they experience a surge in a “pleasure hormone” known as dopamine, Tandon said. GLP-1 medications blunt this response, so the person feels no differently eating a brownie than when eating a spinach salad.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“We no longer crave those unhealthy, sugary foods because we don’t derive pleasure from them anymore,” she added.
6 tips to tune out food noise
Some triggers of food noise may be internal – like certain hunger hormones that can make us eat more — while others are external, like seeing a favorite snack or getting a whiff of a freshly baked pie.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
“[Some] people find that peeling back the layers and building a healthier relationship with food can quiet the food noise, especially when it comes from a lifetime of diet cycling – like moving between restrictive diets and periods of overconsumption,” Garcia-Benson said.
Experts shared the following natural techniques that can help reduce food noise.
No. 1: Keep a “hunger record”
Writing down when your food cravings are loudest — such as when scrolling on your phone — can help you identify any triggers.
Health experts recommend that adults get 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day and at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, with higher protein intakes often advised for appetite control. (iStock)
No. 2: Increase fiber and protein intake
Research shows that these nutrients help you stay full longer, stimulating natural GLP-1 hormones to send signals to the brain that lessen cravings.
Health experts recommend that adults get 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day and at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, with higher protein intakes often advised for appetite control.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
No. 3: Slow down and be more present when eating
Focusing solely on food and eating mindfully can help to curb appetite, experts say.
Harvard experts recommend eating more slowly and paying attention to each bite — without distractions like phones or TV — to better recognize fullness cues and avoid overeating.
No. 4: Get enough sleep
People who don’t sleep well may have a difficult time being disciplined about food intake the next day. They often crave highly processed and carb-heavy foods to increase their energy, multiple studies have shown.
Health authorities recommend that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night.
Focusing solely on food and eating mindfully can help to curb the appetite, experts say. (iStock)
No. 5: Manage stress
Chronic stress lowers the production of natural GLP-1 and leads to high cortisol levels, which can lead to weight gain, according to Tandon.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Experts recommend managing chronic stress with mindfulness, meditation and consistent physical activity to help lower cortisol levels and support healthier metabolic function and weight regulation, per Cleveland Clinic.
No. 6: Exercise regularly
Physical activity has been shown to boost GLP-1 levels. Most health authorities recommend that adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week and at least two days per week of muscle-strengthening activities.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
At 75, Jane Seymour isn’t fighting the years under her belt — she’s leaning into them. The former Bond girl in “Live and Let Die” and star of “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” has a simple outlook on aging: She’s just grateful for the opportunity.
Her perspective shifted radically in her 40s after a near-death experience involving anaphylactic shock, according to an interview the actress did with Women’s Health.
“I remember looking at my body from above and thinking, ‘That’s your vehicle. I am responsible for taking care of this car,’” Seymour recalled.
COMMON EATING HABIT MAY TRIGGER PREMATURE IMMUNE SYSTEM AGING, STUDY FINDS
The actress shared the following four key habits she uses to navigate her 70s with vitality.
1. Embrace a positive attitude
Seymour’s perspective shifted in her 40s after a near-death experience involving anaphylactic shock, she told Women’s Health. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Elton John AIDS Foundation)
For Seymour, the mental game of aging is just as important as the physical. She said she approaches every day with a sense of optimism, which she describes as “getting up and not giving up.”
In a recent interview with Future of Personal Health, Seymour said that being depressed over lost youth is “redundant.” Instead of mourning the past, she embraces the present.
EXPERTS REVEAL WHY ‘NONNAMAXXING’ TREND MAY IMPROVE MENTAL, PHYSICAL HEALTH
“You were 20, and you had whatever that experience was,” she said. “Now, maybe you’re 70, and it’s a whole new world.”
2. Know your body
Seymour’s fitness routine is built on consistency rather than intensity, she shared. The actress aims to work out at least three times a week, but refuses to push herself to the point of injury.
“You were 20, and you had whatever that experience was,” she said. “Now, maybe you’re 70, and it’s a whole new world.” (Jane Seymour/Instagram)
“I listen to my body,” she told Women’s Health. “I’m not going to overdo it.”
Seymour’s workouts focus on strengthening her core, arms and legs. While her preference is the reformer (a Pilates machine), she is highly adaptable.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
When traveling without workout equipment, Seymour said she performs bodyweight exercises, even doing incline press-ups against a kitchen counter.
“I’m not going to pretend I’m 20 when I’m 70,” she said. “I’m going to be the best I can be at the age I am.”
3. Nourish your body
Rather than fighting the natural signs of a life well-lived, Seymour said she views her appearance as a professional asset.
Seymour focuses on a rigorous skincare and nutritional routine to maintain the “vehicle” she was given, she said. (Emma Mcintyre/Getty Images)
“I’m not chasing wrinkles,” she added. “My laugh lines and even my frown lines are useful in my work – they’re part of my toolkit.”
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
The actress said she focuses on a rigorous skincare and nutritional routine to maintain the “vehicle” she was given.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
This includes a daily regimen of exfoliation and hydration, alongside a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
“I’m going to be the best I can be at the age I am.”
When her filming schedule makes fresh meals difficult, Seymour supplements with antioxidant blends to ensure there are “no nutritional gaps,” aiming for a holistic balance that allows her to “think sharper and move stronger.”
4. Nourish your mind
Perhaps the most profound tool in Seymour’s toolkit, she said, is her commitment to purpose. Inspired by her mother, a survivor of WWII concentration camps, Seymour believes that longevity is tied to how much one gives back to the world.
Seymour, inspired by her mother, a survivor of WWII concentration camps, created Open Hearts Foundation to give back to the community. (Jane Seymour/Instagram)
“My mother always said there’s someone worse off than you, and you can find purpose by helping others – listening and making them feel heard,” she shared.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
This philosophy led Seymour to found the Open Hearts Foundation, a nonprofit that empowers others through grant-making and volunteerism.
“That’s the best way to end the day — knowing it wasn’t wasted.”
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The idea that aging is a steady, predictable process is being challenged by a new book, which describes a so-called “flicker stage” where some aspects of aging may briefly reverse.
Stuart Kaplan and Marcus Riley, authors of the book “Your Aging Advantage,” say aging may be more fluid than chronological age alone would suggest. They call this phenomenon the “flicker stage,” just one of seven stages of aging.
The “flicker stage” suggests functional age isn’t fixed, with people shifting between levels of youth and vitality based on lifestyle and mindset, the authors state.
FAITH DRIVES MAN TO HELP ANOTHER THROUGH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN DRAMATIC LIFE-OR-DEATH SCENE
Periods of feeling significantly younger, followed by times of feeling one’s age, may reflect what the authors describe as the “flicker stage.”
Riley said healthier aging involves “flickering back” to a younger state, noting that while stress or setbacks can make people feel older, those shifts aren’t permanent.
The secret to aging healthier is learning how to “flicker back” to a younger state when life pushes you forward, the authors said. (Milan Markovic/iStock)
“Through positive interventions, we have the ability to flicker back to the stage of age we want to be in … these setbacks or unforeseen circumstances might propel us to a different stage of aging, but we have this ability to flip it back through positive intervention.”
“Aging or growing older is [not] a problem to fix… it’s an opportunity to be seized.”
Riley said this requires identifying personal “flicker triggers” — physical, psychological, social or environmental shifts that help reset one’s pace, such as exercise or renewed social connection.
AGING ‘HOTSPOT’ FOUND IN BRAIN, RESEARCHERS SAY: ‘MAJOR CHANGES’
Most people already live with a “feels-like” age that doesn’t match their chronological age, said Kaplan, comparing it to a weather report.
“In the summertime, the weatherperson might say it’s 85 degrees outside, but with the humidity, it feels like 95… The feels-like age is the lived age, as compared to the chronological age or the age on your birth certificate.”
The authors suggest that engaging in your community is one way to activate the flicker stage. (iStock)
Focusing on the “lived age” may allow people to intentionally shift into a younger stage, according to the authors.
Instead of “aging in place,” which focuses on where one lives, they suggest focusing on “aging on pace.”
PSYCHIATRIST REVEALS HOW SIMPLE MINDSET SHIFTS CAN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE CHRONIC PAIN
“It’s more about what’s important to us on a personal level… do we want to stay in employment and work for as long as we can? Do we want to be shifting gears… and pursuing other interests and pastimes that are important to us?” Riley asked.
Kaplan said the common focus on age 65 as a point of decline reflects a socially imposed retirement benchmark, not a biological marker.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“It comes from the Social Security Act that was created in 1935 in the United States. And here we are 90 years later, and we’re still thinking that 65 is an important age…. We didn’t use the word retirement back then. I mean, have you ever seen a farmer back in the 1800s… that says, ‘Oh, we’re going to retire because Grandpa is now going to be 62 or 65 years old?’”
The flicker effect works best when you stop viewing aging as a “downhill” perspective, the experts said. (iStock)
The flicker effect works best when you stop viewing aging as a “downhill” perspective, Riley and Kaplan said.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Even after a health setback shifts someone into a later stage, maintaining a positive and active approach may help move them back toward an earlier stage of aging, according to the authors.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Ultimately, the goal is to stop seeing the passage of time as a problem to be solved, Riley said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
“Aging or growing older is [not] a problem to fix.… We want the mindset [that] it’s an opportunity to be seized.”
-
World6 minutes agoClash between Azerbaijan and European Parliament at the Yerevan summit
-
News36 minutes agoHere’s how medication abortion works with just one drug that’s still fully available
-
New York2 hours agoHow a Hairdresser and Painter Lives on $70,000 a Year in Chelsea
-
Detroit, MI3 hours agoGas prices up 84 cents in Michigan from last week, up 76 cents in metro Detroit
-
San Francisco, CA3 hours agoSan Francisco woman gets photographer’s old number. It changes both their lives
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoPolice say a crash led to an attempted carjacking and a fatal shooting in Garland
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoWinners and losers of F1 Miami grand prix
-
Boston, MA3 hours ago‘Distressing’ Number of Boston’s Gen Z Residents Eye the Exit as Housing Costs Soar