Does food noise ease over time when trying to lose weight?

[Overthinking1234]

Keen to get some other views if possible! So I’m trying really hard to lose weight and tone up at the minute and it’s been going well - consistent eating and strength training and daily food noise has dropped which used to be really loud. BUT I’m in the office today and there are loads of amazing snacks and food noise/stress is back with a vengeance. Curious to hear from people who have worked hard to overcome food noise/binge eating as to whether I should expect this reaction for ever and whether it’s just a case of having to exercise a lot of willpower every time in order to override the reward seeking part of my brain or whether there does come a point where I may look at high calorie/sugar/fat food dispassionately?
Logically, I know the satisfaction will be short term vs my longer term goal of looking and feeling better and more confident, but it’s so hard to keep that in mind when my brain is just shouting at me to give it that reward!
I can’t imagine ever getting to a point where I don’t want to massively overeat when confronted with delicious food, and was curious about other people who may have been on a similar journey/battled similar demons re food noise/binging?

Nope never until I tried Mounjaro and then for the first time in my life the obsession and constant thoughts about food have reduced greatly. They haven’t gone completely but it’s died down to such an extent that I can focus on other things in between meals now.

No it gets worse :) my obesity specialist lecturer says that people should take a break from their deficit every 3-6 months for 2-4 weeks. As otherwise people find it incredibly difficult to stick to because the brain is screaming at them to eat more to regain the weight. The max weight you achieve has indicated to your brain that you can have that much fat in storage (which it likes) and it will seek to always get you back up to max storage.

However if it makes you feel better appetite naturally slows down as we age so you won’t always be quite so food driven.

You could try an ACT response (which is a form of CBT). I found it really helped with craving snacks in the evening! The more you practice it, the easier it becomes.

Say the following to yourself whenever you experience cravings/urges in the office.

"I’m noticing a strong urge/craving.
My brain is telling me the ‘office snacks’ story again. (No judgement, just observation.)
I don’t need to silence it or obey it.
I can let it be while I choose the action that aligns most with my values. (What action moves me towards the person I want to be?)"

ACT teaches expansion, allowing the uncomfortable feeling to exist without trying to get rid of it. The urge becomes background noise rather than a command.

ACT doesn’t promise a future where food noise disappears. It promises a future where food noise no longer controls you.

The goal isn’t to eliminate wanting. It’s to build the skill of choosing your actions even when wanting is present.

If you want to learn more, I can recommend, The Weight Escape: Stop fad dieting, start losing weight and reshape your life using cutting-edge psychology, which applies ACT to losing weight. https://amzn.eu/d/0bgpCmWU

I lost a stone using the book and calorie restriction/ healthy eating.

Not without Mounjaro, no.

Never. I have yo yo up and down for over 30 years. The food noise was the thing that stopped me from keeping my weight off. The more I lose the harder it got. WLI switch it off.

I can relate to this. Office snacks used to trigger me too, but it’s definitely become easier over time. Since starting MJ through sh e-med, the food noise has been much quieter, and when it does pop up, I remind myself it’s just a passing feeling

I find the work snack drawer really difficult. I do find things that trigger me like being tired, emotional eating, being bored, being hungry etc so work hard to keep those things in check which does help a lot. Work is the only place I have easy access to the foods I don’t normally eat. I can often go weeks without junk (not especially trying to but not interested) but if I have any triggers and am in work I find it very hard. That has not changed for me regardless of what weight I am.