Are GLP-1s the Only Solution to Food Noise?

Jul 23, 2025
2 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

In a nutshell: no!

You don’t necessarily need medication to quiet constant food thoughts. While GLP-1s reduce appetite and subsequent thoughts around food, there are sustainable, empowering and effective ways to reduce food noise without altering your biology.

Let me be clear: I'm not against taking medications to support health and personal goals. And biology is often stringer than psychology However, the weight regain after finishing medication is at a very high percentage - and many of us understand that our eating patterns can absolutely be lifestyle or thought-led.

So, it's worth checking that the basics are covered before resigning yourself to a lifetime of expensive medication.

Things that massively increase or decrease food noise:

Going on a restrictive diet
Dieting (without GLP-1 meds) is quite literally designed to increase food noise. Threat of famine keeps food emotionally charged and responses heightened - so we don't under-eat and die. In contrast, unconditional permission to eat reduces urgency. The more you fight biology 24/7, the louder it will become. If you come off the meds and don't know how to eat - you may mistakenly think that your appetite is broken, where really, you were never truly nourished, or without the threat of starvation.
Instead of labelling food as “good” or “bad,”
Shift from obsession to neutrality - try seeing it as just... food. Some foods sustain and nourish you for longer, others don't. We live in a society that demonises single ingredients and praises rigid rules and diets. We can always use strategies to try to eat better, but guilt stops us being able to hear - and drives us to override - our body's natural responses. Easier said than done? Try working with with someone experienced in food psychology.
Move your body!
When movement is enjoyable, it becomes about feeling good, not calories. Try joyful, sustainable movement that connects you with your body. Increased exercise helps to reduce appetite, sensitise to hunger signals, and feel generally better - it can change where we put our focus!

Learning to tolerate discomfort
Food noise often spikes when we want to escape feelings - boredom, stress, uncertainty. Building emotional resilience helps you pause, feel, and respond instead of react. It gives you other solutions and fewer longings for distraction. Is it truly a food problem, or is it a stress problem? If this sounds too difficult, try working with someone to support you in shifting these patterns.

Your relationship with your body
It's easy to place too much emphasis on appearance in an image-obsessed culture. You don’t have to love every inch of yourself to feel more at peace. Working on body neutrality - simply respecting your body and meeting its needs - reduces internal conflict and makes food choices less fraught. It's easier said than done - but none of us are getting out of here looking perky if we have the privilege of old age. We need to find value within.

Reducing food noise isn’t about willpower - it’s about trust. When you’re not at war with food, your body, or your emotions, there’s a lot more quiet, and a lot more freedom.

Are you struggling with any of the above concepts, or feel like this would be impossible for you to achieve? Reach out!

Lizzie x