Quiet the Food Noise and Reclaim Inner Wisdom
/Lately, I’ve had countless conversations with clients about food noise—that constant inner chatter about what, when, and how much to eat. One of the top goals I hear is:
"How do I turn down the volume on food noise?"
What Is Food Noise?
It’s pretty simple. It’s the voice of your inner critic (ego) telling you all the ways you are going to mess things up based on what you eat, so you had better choose wisely!
Should I eat salad? Protein? Carbs?
Is dairy bad for me? What about gluten?
Am I getting enough trace minerals?
Should I worry about lectins? Is that even a thing?
This ongoing dialogue comes from different "parts" of you, each with its own agenda.
One voice might be trying to share with you all the nutritional information it has patiently gathered from thousands of different sources.
One voice might be telling you it’s time to cut loose and have some fun! Let’s make sure lunch is AMAZING!
One voice might be your Dad when you were 10 - “do you really want to eat all that ice cream?”
Another voice might be from your Doctor. “You know that food isn’t going to help your heart condition or your high blood pressure.”
Another voice might be tired and just wants something fast and easy.
And another voice might be saying, “Oh don’t go look at your relationship/job etc, that’s WAAYY too painful so let’s go agonize over potato chips vs carrot sticks instead. You are so used to doing that and it’s way easier than looking at the true source of our discomfort! Let’s stay right where we are!!”
I think you get the idea.
As you can see, one voice wants to be nutritionally responsible, another seeks pleasure, another echoes past criticism, (yes Dad, I DO want to eat ALL that ice cream!) and yet another just wants something quick and easy. When they all compete at once, the result is confusion, stress, and self-doubt.
And if you have weight concerns, food noise gets even louder—every bite feels like it carries high stakes.
Here’s the truth: Food noise isn’t guiding you toward the “right” decision—it’s distracting you from trusting yourself.
Because a woman who trusts herself is powerful and unstoppable.
When you trust your body and instincts, you:
✔ Make choices from confidence, not fear
✔ Break free from external control (diet culture, other people’s opinions)
✔ Feel peace and ease around food
✔ Stop wasting energy obsessing over every bite
Food noise loses its power when you trust yourself.
So how do we break this vicious cycle and take our power back?
How to Quiet Food Noise and Reclaim Your Power
1. Acknowledge and Validate
Pause. Take a deep breath. Remind yourself:
"These thoughts are normal. My system is just trying to keep me safe."
Your mind is working overtime to make the “best” choice. But instead of getting caught up in the noise, step back and observe without judgment.
2. Get Curious
Tune in. Ask yourself:
What are these voices really saying?
What emotions or fears are beneath them?
How can I appreciate these thoughts without letting them control me?
Your thoughts are trying to protect you—even the critical ones. But you get to decide which voice deserves your attention.
3. Identify and Rewire Restrictive Thinking
Food noise thrives on rigid rules and guilt. If you’ve ever been on a diet (even once!), that judgmental voice can get LOUD.
Reframe restrictive thoughts:
🚫 "I shouldn’t eat this." → ✅ "All foods can fit in a healthy lifestyle."
🚫 "This food is bad." → ✅ "I’m allowed to eat this without guilt."
Letting go of food rules creates freedom and balance.
4. Connect With Your Emotions Before Eating
Before making a food choice, slow down:
Use breathwork, tapping, journaling, or meditation.
Ask: "What state is my system in? What do I truly need?"
When you check in with yourself first, you’re more likely to eat with intention instead of reaction.
5. Love What Is
Place a hand on your heart and take a deep breath. Say:
"Thank you, body, for showing up for me every day. I appreciate you."
Then, listen:
"Hey body, what do you need right now?"
If you’ve spent years overriding your body’s wisdom, rebuilding trust takes time. It’s like taming a feral cat—it won’t open up immediately. But with patience, love, compassion, and LOTS OF PRACTICE you’ll reconnect with your inner voice of food wisdom.
And the most important part of your decision?
❤️ No matter what you choose—love it. ❤️
Ready to Turn Down the Noise?
If food noise is running your life, let’s change that. I’m now offering private coaching consults where we’ll dive deep into your mindset, nervous system, and next steps for healing.
📅 One-hour private 1:1 video call → $111
💡 If you move forward with coaching, this amount is applied to your package!
✅ If coaching isn’t for you, you’ll still walk away with clarity, confidence, and an action plan.
Are you ready to quiet the noise and reclaim your power? Let’s do this together. 💛
Live Free,
Elizabeth Hall
Certified Professional Mind Body Eating & Intuitive Wellness Coach
Here are the resources that inspired today’s post.
Release the Good Girl Programming - Dr. Kim’s Good/Bad Food Video
This book - Unburdened Eating. Full disclosure, I have not read this yet. It’s by Jeanne Catanzaro and is based on internal family systems. I can’t wait to dive in!
Dr. Kim Daniels podcast - all about IFS and food
Feasting on Magic - this is a marvelous little book on how to change your relationship with food. It does talk about weight loss, which can keep us stuck in unhelpful loops, but I’ve included it because weight loss isn’t the point and it’s one of the best books I’ve read on how to really practice eating more intuitively.
FOR A LIMITED TIME, you can re-watch the episode of The Body Confident Woman Summit with Marc David from The Psychology of Eating for FREE. In this episode, Marc talks about the different eating archetypes and how they impact our eating experience. This video will be unlocked until April 30. Enjoy!