Distinguishing Food Noise from Actual Hunger — What’s Your Method?

[CycleSloth]

For me it matches what several others have described. Actual hunger shows up in the body, while food noise is more of a seeking drive.

When it's genuine hunger, there are real physical signals — an empty stomach, low energy — and basically any ordinary meal seems appealing. After I eat, it fades.

Food noise, on the other hand, is that nonstop mental tug or wondering about the next thing, even once I've already eaten. It tends to be specific cravings, and it doesn't really turn off.

On GLPs, the clearest change has been the stillness. I think about food far less, so whenever something does surface now, it's much simpler to tell that it's true hunger.

 

[Danger1212]

Grogu said:

On these medications, separating food noise from genuine hunger can be tricky at times. Part of the reason, I believe, is that once the food noise gets quieter, any hunger signal from the body can feel like the medication has stopped working — or like the food noise is simply creeping back.

My first step is to check how long it has been since I last ate a meal or a snack. When more than 3 to 5 hours have passed, I ask myself whether my body is showing any physical signs of hunger (a headache, a rumbling stomach, low energy). If it looks like real hunger, I go over the healthiest option available in the house. When that option appeals to me, I eat something healthy. If the food does not seem tempting, or if a tigger is present (stress, boredom, and so on), I typically hold off for a few minutes to see whether the feeling fades.

My reasoning is this: if I reach for the healthiest thing in the house, what is the worst outcome? I gave my body something good.

Using both the clock and how your body feels to tell them apart is a really useful way to look at it. The “would I eat something healthy?” test is a nice one too.

That’s a pretty good filter!

As time has gone on, have you gotten better at spotting the difference, or are there still moments when you doubt yourself? And are there triggers — stress or boredom, for example — that still find a way around that system?

P.S. I’ve begun to pick up on the (headaches, grumbling stomach, low energy) somewhere around 3-5 hours in. That’s been a big help in realizing I should at least get some protein down. Still, I should probably be better about getting ahead of it instead of waiting for it to show up.

 

[Mara_aa]

Danger1212 said:

Prior to using GLPs, I believed I was constantly hungry. In hindsight, though… much of that seems like it was simply food noise.

Even after finishing a complete meal, my mind would drift to what I’d eat next. It wasn’t a physical need—just a persistent urge for something.

These days I’m beginning to pick up on a distinction, yet I’m still working out exactly where genuine hunger ends and mental cravings begin.

What signs do you use to separate the two?

This one lands somewhere so tender for me that I already know my reply will be the dullest one in this whole thread lol.

A bit of background: Tirz is basically my religion. I love it, I adore it, and if it wouldn’t make me sound completely unhinged, I’d build a little shrine for it. And yes, I am permanently terrified that someday it will quit on me. So my way of coping is reminding myself that GLP‑1 research keeps exploding and fresh molecules will always come along to switch to.

Science, please don’t abandon me.

Food noise has been with me for years ( not BED), and I had no idea it even had a name. My old label for it was “emotional hunger”, which sounds poetic until you get that it’s really your brain running a 24/7 food‑themed Netflix autoplay.

It turns up any time I can’t handle pain, stress, boredom, frustration, or any other negative emotion.

For me it looked like:

thinking about what I could eat, what I could cook, what I could buy, which restaurant I could escape to…

And naturally, eating fixed nothing, satisfaction is brief, and fullness lasts minutes.

Real hunger is a different thing. It’s physical, it’s calm, and it doesn’t demand a Michelin-starred experience. Once I’m full, I’m done, no sequel, no post‑credits scene.

The first time I tried Tirz, the food noise got switched off completely.

For days I kept listening in fear for the moment it would return, like a horror movie villain.

It didn’t. It felt like someone had lifted a curse.

My first words were literally: I’m never stopping this medication.

So yeah… that’s how I tell them apart. For me it isn’t subtle at all, it’s two completely different worlds.

 

[BNLFL]

BNLFL said:

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the appetite suppression Reta gives me. Feeling full happens a lot — smaller portions fill me up. Fried foods, ice cream, that whole category? No pull toward them at all. Between-meal snacking on crackers, chips, and similar stuff has stopped too. My injection day is Friday, and by Thursday around dinner I notice I'm a bit hungrier than usual.

One thing I want to tack on here. From what I've come across, Reta's half life sits around 6 days. So it's likely fading by that point, I figure. Could be why Thursdays feel different. By Friday it's gone, since that's the day I blast the belly. Another thought, just my own take, offered as an FYI. There are times when I recon a fresh vial from a new source, or grab a different size from the same source, and it lands harder. Put another way, stronger appetite suppression plus a bit of heartburn that night. It only sticks around for a day.

That's one more installment of wisdom courtesy of a Newb.

 

[Rtrain]

Danger1212 said:

Prior to using GLPs, I believed I was constantly hungry. In hindsight, though… much of that seems like it was simply food noise.

Even after finishing a complete meal, my mind would drift to what I’d eat next. It wasn’t a physical need—just a persistent urge for something.

These days I’m beginning to pick up on a distinction, yet I’m still working out exactly where genuine hunger ends and mental cravings begin.

What signs do you use to separate the two?

Truthfully, hunger isn't something I experience. My eating is driven by the time on the clock or by boredom. It's possible for me to go an entire day without feeling hungry, or to spend the whole day eating without ever feeling full.

 

[MountainsoftheMoon]

Danger1212 said:

Prior to using GLPs, I believed I was constantly hungry. In hindsight, though… much of that seems like it was simply food noise.

Even after finishing a complete meal, my mind would drift to what I’d eat next. It wasn’t a physical need—just a persistent urge for something.

These days I’m beginning to pick up on a distinction, yet I’m still working out exactly where genuine hunger ends and mental cravings begin.

What signs do you use to separate the two?

When you're on GLPs — it varies by which medication and what dose you're taking — the silencing of food noise, or of hunger signals more broadly, can be extremely strong. That's an expected effect of these drugs.

For me, the only way to handle it has been to approach eating and nutrition as something on a schedule, not as a response to feeling hungry. If I didn't, an entire day could pass without me wanting anything.

My suggestion: decide on a daily calorie target, map out a well-balanced way of eating with a good amount of protein and fiber, (whole foods where possible) set times for your meals, and aim for a steady routine. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, ideally at roughly the same hours daily, makes a solid routine.

Your body needs the right fuel to thrive, and that's tricky when appetite is absent.

A bit of repetition and it becomes second nature. For a packed schedule, prepping meals ahead is essential.

If you approach eating the right foods, in the right amounts, at set times, with the same dedication you'd bring to any assignment at your job, you'll do great! It really is comparable — one more objective to hit, but a crucial one, and the reward isn't a paycheck, it's a better quality of life.

 

[Danger1212]

MountainsoftheMoon said:

Danger1212 said:

Prior to using GLPs, I believed I was constantly hungry. In hindsight, though… much of that seems like it was simply food noise.

Even after finishing a complete meal, my mind would drift to what I’d eat next. It wasn’t a physical need—just a persistent urge for something.

These days I’m beginning to pick up on a distinction, yet I’m still working out exactly where genuine hunger ends and mental cravings begin.

What signs do you use to separate the two?

When you're on GLPs — it varies by which medication and what dose you're taking — the silencing of food noise, or of hunger signals more broadly, can be extremely strong. That's an expected effect of these drugs.

For me, the only way to handle it has been to approach eating and nutrition as something on a schedule, not as a response to feeling hungry. If I didn't, an entire day could pass without me wanting anything.

My suggestion: decide on a daily calorie target, map out a well-balanced way of eating with a good amount of protein and fiber, (whole foods where possible) set times for your meals, and aim for a steady routine. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, ideally at roughly the same hours daily, makes a solid routine.

Your body needs the right fuel to thrive, and that's tricky when appetite is absent.

A bit of repetition and it becomes second nature. For a packed schedule, prepping meals ahead is essential.

If you approach eating the right foods, in the right amounts, at set times, with the same dedication you'd bring to any assignment at your job, you'll do great! It really is comparable — one more objective to hit, but a crucial one, and the reward isn't a paycheck, it's a better quality of life.

Hey Mountain,

I really like that perspective. Basically, you approach nutrition as something on a timetable rather than letting hunger dictate when you eat.

When you were first getting that routine established, did you need to keep a close eye on calories?

 

[HereKittyKitty]

Danger1212 said:

Prior to using GLPs, I believed I was constantly hungry. In hindsight, though… much of that seems like it was simply food noise.

Even after finishing a complete meal, my mind would drift to what I’d eat next. It wasn’t a physical need—just a persistent urge for something.

These days I’m beginning to pick up on a distinction, yet I’m still working out exactly where genuine hunger ends and mental cravings begin.

What signs do you use to separate the two?

For me, food noise lives in the mind — it's that automatic, mindless eating pattern.

Real hunger, on the other hand, shows up as something I feel in my body.

 

[Devilseye]

lessthanhalf said:

I've dropped close to 80 kilos across 4 years, and for the last 18 months I've cycled through 4 different GLP medications. Even so, the term "food noise" still doesn't fully click for me.

Hunger I get. I understand the everyday kind, the low-level background hunger that lingers during and after weight loss. I also know the intense version that shows up once you've lost a lot of weight and start eating the foods that set you off. But what people label food noise? That part remains murky.

What I do notice is this: when I cut calories and the scale starts moving, I become fixated on hunting down low calorie, high protein options I'm still allowed to eat. That doesn't seem to match what others describe, though.

On GLP's, my appetite drops and the pull toward junk food I've sworn off gets much weaker. If I had to name the nearest equivalent, it's simply that I spend fewer hours preoccupied with eating or with being hungry, thanks to the medication.

I'm in the same boat. To me, hunger and food noise run along one and the same neural pathway. What gets labeled food noise is simply hunger that isn't essential — hunger with no survival purpose behind it. Of course, sorting it into categories comes down to a subjective call, but the pathway involved doesn't change. Take my own case: I have bipolar disorder and was prescribed seroquel and olanzapine. Inside 1 month I put on 15 pounds. I simply noticed hunger turning up more frequently. It wasn't any different from ordinary hunger, just more of it around. I have no way to tell real hunger apart from what others call food noise in any objective sense. In my opinion, food noise is nothing more than dysregulated hunger.

 

[Danger1212]

anhydrous said:

To me, the line between the two is fairly straightforward. Food noise, as I see it, is a seeking drive — similar to how someone might chase sex or a drug. It’s about pursuing something pleasurable. Back before I started a GLP-1, my mind was consumed with thoughts, fantasies, and anticipation of my next chance to eat. The moment I opened my eyes, the question was what sounded good for breakfast. After a large breakfast, I’d move through my day, but throughout it I’d drift into imagining what would hit the spot for lunch. And it wasn’t limited to that single day. Since I’m the one who cooks for the household, I’d catch myself planning dinners for tomorrow, for a birthday, for a holiday, or simply because the weekend offered extra time to create something special. Everything revolved around chasing the next want — not what my body needed or what I should choose. If chocolate cake appealed to me, I’d pick up a mix and bake it. I’d eat as much as I desired, and I desired all of it, but I’d make a polite deal with myself and stop at half so others could have some too.

These days, I simply care far less. Bacon comes to mind as an example: I haven’t cooked it since January, while previously it was a weekly ritual without fail.

Hey Anhydrous.

That explanation is excellent. Looking at food noise as a seeking behavior clicks for me, particularly the contrast between wanting food for excitement and eating because your body genuinely requires it. The bacon example landed for me as well, since those ingrained habits and cravings can run on autopilot. It is encouraging to hear how much that nonstop anticipation faded for you.

 

[TazaTaza]

Food noise tends to stick around and come on strong, as if I absolutely have to get something sweet or some savory item, since it's normally connected to a mood and a memory I'm chasing.

Actual hunger is a bodily sensation for me, and my reaction is more like "okay, time for lunch." I notice fatigue, feeling slow, a bit dizzy, and so on. It's pretty nonspecific, not especially pressing, yet it has to be handled, similar to a chore. Food noise, on the other hand, registers as enjoyment or something to anticipate.

Here's my wrinkle: because I deal with insulin resistance, food noise never actually pushed me to eat — I ate simply because it felt obligatory. Cravings and thoughts about McDonald's, buffet spreads, donuts and the like still show up, but I never give in to them, since I "don't feel hungry." That said, if I'm driving, go past one of those places, and do feel hungry, I'll pull in for a small fry.

 

[MountainsoftheMoon]

Danger1212 said:

MountainsoftheMoon said:

Danger1212 said:

Prior to using GLPs, I believed I was constantly hungry. In hindsight, though… much of that seems like it was simply food noise.

Even after finishing a complete meal, my mind would drift to what I’d eat next. It wasn’t a physical need—just a persistent urge for something.

These days I’m beginning to pick up on a distinction, yet I’m still working out exactly where genuine hunger ends and mental cravings begin.

What signs do you use to separate the two?

When you're on GLPs — it varies by which medication and what dose you're taking — the silencing of food noise, or of hunger signals more broadly, can be extremely strong. That's an expected effect of these drugs.

For me, the only way to handle it has been to approach eating and nutrition as something on a schedule, not as a response to feeling hungry. If I didn't, an entire day could pass without me wanting anything.

My suggestion: decide on a daily calorie target, map out a well-balanced way of eating with a good amount of protein and fiber, (whole foods where possible) set times for your meals, and aim for a steady routine. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, ideally at roughly the same hours daily, makes a solid routine.

Your body needs the right fuel to thrive, and that's tricky when appetite is absent.

A bit of repetition and it becomes second nature. For a packed schedule, prepping meals ahead is essential.

If you approach eating the right foods, in the right amounts, at set times, with the same dedication you'd bring to any assignment at your job, you'll do great! It really is comparable — one more objective to hit, but a crucial one, and the reward isn't a paycheck, it's a better quality of life.

Hey Mountain,

I really like that perspective. Basically, you approach nutrition as something on a timetable rather than letting hunger dictate when you eat.

When you were first getting that routine established, did you need to keep a close eye on calories?

In most cases, yeah. The place to start is figuring out your daily calorie needs for whatever you're aiming at — keeping the weight you have now, or dropping some — and that means taking age, height, weight and similar factors into account.

After you've got that daily number pinned down, the next piece is knowing roughly how many calories each meal is putting into you.

A free nutrition calculator online is what I relied on:

(For some reason the link won't post, but the site goes by nutrition value dot org)

I kept using it until I'd built up a decent sense of the calorie counts in the foods I eat regularly.

Since I prepare the majority of what I eat myself, keeping tabs on my intake is pretty straightforward. When I'm eating out, or having something that isn't part of my usual rotation, I'll check the calories anyway so I don't drift too far, then balance it out at my next meal.

There are also cheat days scattered in here and there — I'm only human, and I still like variety in flavors and the occasional comfort dish. My cravings aren't what they were, but every so often, Buffalo wings... (about 6 is my limit before I feel like I'll burst, lol. Back before GLPs I could put away a pile of wings )

Anyway, circling back to what I was saying: treating food as a scheduled priority each day, the same way I'd treat any task at work, is what pushed me toward some practical changes. My thinking was, "I give this much effort on the job — why wouldn't I give myself that same attention and care?"

I need a set amount of calories, a set amount of protein or fiber, plus enough variety to cover all the nutrients. That's honestly the whole thing.

Keeping it uncomplicated is why I lean on bowls a lot. Quinoa or wild rice goes in as the base most of the time, then I switch up vegetables, leafy greens, and a protein, and I rotate the seasonings and flavors as well. (Sometimes Japanese-leaning: quinoa, nori, avocado, shaved carrots, soft boiled egg, chicken breast, and Japanese BBQ sauce or soy sauce… other times Mexican-style, like grilled sea bass with red pepper over fajita veggies with wild rice and beans… and so on…)

Losing weight without losing muscle or bone was the goal, so my daily protein targets are high and I make sure I hit them. Same reasoning with the GLPs — I wanted the side effects kept to a minimum and a digestive system that stays healthy, so fiber is a daily focus for me too. In practice that means plenty of greens and fiber-heavy foods at every meal.

 

[anhydrous]

Mara_aa said:

Danger1212 said:

Prior to using GLPs, I believed I was constantly hungry. In hindsight, though… much of that seems like it was simply food noise.

Even after finishing a complete meal, my mind would drift to what I’d eat next. It wasn’t a physical need—just a persistent urge for something.

These days I’m beginning to pick up on a distinction, yet I’m still working out exactly where genuine hunger ends and mental cravings begin.

What signs do you use to separate the two?

This one lands somewhere so tender for me that I already know my reply will be the dullest one in this whole thread lol.

A bit of background: Tirz is basically my religion. I love it, I adore it, and if it wouldn’t make me sound completely unhinged, I’d build a little shrine for it. And yes, I am permanently terrified that someday it will quit on me. So my way of coping is reminding myself that GLP‑1 research keeps exploding and fresh molecules will always come along to switch to.

Science, please don’t abandon me.

Food noise has been with me for years ( not BED), and I had no idea it even had a name. My old label for it was “emotional hunger”, which sounds poetic until you get that it’s really your brain running a 24/7 food‑themed Netflix autoplay.

It turns up any time I can’t handle pain, stress, boredom, frustration, or any other negative emotion.

For me it looked like:

thinking about what I could eat, what I could cook, what I could buy, which restaurant I could escape to…

And naturally, eating fixed nothing, satisfaction is brief, and fullness lasts minutes.

Real hunger is a different thing. It’s physical, it’s calm, and it doesn’t demand a Michelin-starred experience. Once I’m full, I’m done, no sequel, no post‑credits scene.

The first time I tried Tirz, the food noise got switched off completely.

For days I kept listening in fear for the moment it would return, like a horror movie villain.

It didn’t. It felt like someone had lifted a curse.

My first words were literally: I’m never stopping this medication.

So yeah… that’s how I tell them apart. For me it isn’t subtle at all, it’s two completely different worlds.

To me, that counts as the most beautiful answer rather than the most boring one!

 

[Danger1212]

alphaamigo said:

Being hungry doesn't bother me. It's something the body does naturally — a cue that it's time to take in calories. On its own, hunger can even feel almost nice, like a little rumble in the stomach. Food noise, though, is a completely different beast. Food noise is waking up and having nothing on my mind except getting breakfast. It's the panic that I'll show up at a party, feel hungry, and therefore not have a good time. It's my brain circling back again and again to how rich and creamy cream cheese would taste on Oreos, until I simply can't stand it anymore. When that noise lifts, everything in life gets so much lighter. What I don't like is when GLP1s kill hunger so thoroughly that I can't even think about food — including the healthy food my body actually needs. That bothers me. Still, there is something wonderful about cooking a meal all the way through without having eaten half of it straight from the pot because of food noise.

Hey, Alpha!

Think of hunger as a notification.

Food noise, on the other hand, is an all-out alarm system

Still, I'm on the same page as you. Hunger isn't something I want to eliminate — I just want to dial down how loud the obsession gets. Getting through a meal without eating half of it while you're still cooking is elite-level progress…

Though why did "Oreos??" have to enter the conversation? Haha those are trigger words!

 

[Danger1212]

clemochi said:

tendency said:

Danger1212 said:

Prior to using GLPs, I believed I was constantly hungry. In hindsight, though… much of that seems like it was simply food noise.

Even after finishing a complete meal, my mind would drift to what I’d eat next. It wasn’t a physical need—just a persistent urge for something.

These days I’m beginning to pick up on a distinction, yet I’m still working out exactly where genuine hunger ends and mental cravings begin.

What signs do you use to separate the two?

My take is straightforward: hunger shows up in the body (a growling stomach, for example). Food noise, on the other hand, is that repetitive mental loop and fixated thoughts about eating — what to have next, "oh wow I'd sure love to eat this" — or simply having food on the brain while not physically hungry, in a way that feels intrusive and brings mental unease or restlessness.

This is precisely it. When your stomach is rumbling and you feel somewhat weak, that's true hunger. But when thoughts about cheesecake or similar keep intruding without any of those physical signs, that's food noise.

From my own experience, beginning weight loss through CICO by itself gave me the self-reflection I needed to recognize these patterns, as well as many other elements of my former disordered eating. Sadly, at a certain point that self-reflection by itself wasn't sufficient to overcome my urges, yet I think it will be valuable down the road when I hit my goal and lower the dose for maintenance. Peptides eliminate both the food noise and real hunger so effectively that, had I begun with the peps immediately, grasping my relationship with food and what sets off overeating for me would surely have been harder.

Hey Clemochi!

That perspective really holds up.

Beginning with CICO likely handed you an awareness that most folks never develop. You were actually observing your own patterns, triggers, and habits rather than simply covering them up. Sure, it may not have carried you all the way on its own, but that sort of self-examination matters a lot, particularly once maintenance comes around.

I'd say you got it exactly right. Peptides can dampen things so thoroughly that picking up those lessons might actually be tougher if someone begins with them. You addressed the why first, and now the peptides are assisting with the execution.

That pairing looks like the strongest option for making it last over the long haul.

Really useful stuff!

 

[Bluesunf]

In my case, food noise means food is on my mind nonstop despite no physical need for it. Actual hunger shows up as stomach rumbling, and if I let it go too far I start feeling nauseous. Since starting tirz, thoughts about food only appear when I am truly hungry — and even then, hunger takes much longer to arrive. Between meals on tirz, food doesn't cross my mind at all.

 

[Danger1212]

Mara_aa said:

Danger1212 said:

Prior to using GLPs, I believed I was constantly hungry. In hindsight, though… much of that seems like it was simply food noise.

Even after finishing a complete meal, my mind would drift to what I’d eat next. It wasn’t a physical need—just a persistent urge for something.

These days I’m beginning to pick up on a distinction, yet I’m still working out exactly where genuine hunger ends and mental cravings begin.

What signs do you use to separate the two?

This one lands somewhere so tender for me that I already know my reply will be the dullest one in this whole thread lol.

A bit of background: Tirz is basically my religion. I love it, I adore it, and if it wouldn’t make me sound completely unhinged, I’d build a little shrine for it. And yes, I am permanently terrified that someday it will quit on me. So my way of coping is reminding myself that GLP‑1 research keeps exploding and fresh molecules will always come along to switch to.

Science, please don’t abandon me.

Food noise has been with me for years ( not BED), and I had no idea it even had a name. My old label for it was “emotional hunger”, which sounds poetic until you get that it’s really your brain running a 24/7 food‑themed Netflix autoplay.

It turns up any time I can’t handle pain, stress, boredom, frustration, or any other negative emotion.

For me it looked like:

thinking about what I could eat, what I could cook, what I could buy, which restaurant I could escape to…

And naturally, eating fixed nothing, satisfaction is brief, and fullness lasts minutes.

Real hunger is a different thing. It’s physical, it’s calm, and it doesn’t demand a Michelin-starred experience. Once I’m full, I’m done, no sequel, no post‑credits scene.

The first time I tried Tirz, the food noise got switched off completely.

For days I kept listening in fear for the moment it would return, like a horror movie villain.

It didn’t. It felt like someone had lifted a curse.

My first words were literally: I’m never stopping this medication.

So yeah… that’s how I tell them apart. For me it isn’t subtle at all, it’s two completely different worlds.

Hello Mara The Anointed One!

That comparison to "food-themed Netflix autoplay" hits way too close to home

A lot of what you described — it being connected to stress or boredom rather than real hunger — really resonates with me.

The interesting part for me has been noticing how loud that background chatter actually was, now that it's starting to fade. It's almost like you can't perceive it until it's no longer there.

I also appreciated the way you framed true hunger as calm… That's been a key difference for me as well. It doesn't come across as urgent or demanding — more like a signal than a command.

I'm wondering; even while on Tirz, do certain triggers (stress, boredom, and so on) still manage to slip through for you, or has it gone pretty much silent all around?

P.S. I Loved This!

 

[Danger1212]

BNLFL said:

BNLFL said:

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the appetite suppression Reta gives me. Feeling full happens a lot — smaller portions fill me up. Fried foods, ice cream, that whole category? No pull toward them at all. Between-meal snacking on crackers, chips, and similar stuff has stopped too. My injection day is Friday, and by Thursday around dinner I notice I'm a bit hungrier than usual.

One thing I want to tack on here. From what I've come across, Reta's half life sits around 6 days. So it's likely fading by that point, I figure. Could be why Thursdays feel different. By Friday it's gone, since that's the day I blast the belly. Another thought, just my own take, offered as an FYI. There are times when I recon a fresh vial from a new source, or grab a different size from the same source, and it lands harder. Put another way, stronger appetite suppression plus a bit of heartburn that night. It only sticks around for a day.

That's one more installment of wisdom courtesy of a Newb.

Hey brother, this is great and really useful!

I truly value all the extra insight you’ve added!

 

[RubbaDubba1]

To me, actual hunger comes from "Ghrelin," which the stomach makes. It shows up as growling or mild stomach cramps, a signal from your body that it's time to eat. Food noise, on the other hand, is "thinking" about your next meal while you're still chewing what's already on your plate.

I know this may come across as nonsense (can't say I'd blame you). When I had weight loss surgery, the portion of the stomach responsible for producing ghrelin was taken out, and the hunger never returned. For most people who undergo weight loss surgery it does come back; I count myself lucky. Once I reached the 10mg dose of Tirz, I began forgetting to eat quite often, and at 1 point went 3 days without any food. That, to me, is the food noise — it went a bit too far, so I lowered the dose. Sometimes I almost miss it.

 

[GTS97]

Are you simply bored and craving something sweet that isn’t good for you? If an apple were offered, would you eat it? Has it been 6, 8, 12, or 24 hours since you last ate?