If You Can’t Stop Thinking About Food: What Your Mind Might Be Trying to Tell You
It can feel exhausting when thoughts about food seem to take up all the space in your head! What you’ll eat, when you’ll eat, what you “should” or “shouldn’t” have. Many people blame themselves for feeling “obsessed” with food, but these thoughts are rarely the real problem. They’re often a message from your mind and body that something deeper needs care.
At recoverED Clinic, we help people across Australia whether that is cities like Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and Hobart or deep in the country (rural areas) to explore these thoughts with curiosity rather than judgment. Because when we listen, instead of fight, our food thoughts can become powerful messages.
When Food Becomes a Way to Cope ✨
For some, food thoughts are a way to create control and predictability in a world that feels uncertain. If you’ve experienced trauma, anxiety, or burnout, planning or restricting food can bring a temporary sense of safety.
For others, constant thinking about food comes from deprivation, physical or emotional. When your body isn’t getting what it needs (enough nourishment, rest, or kindness), your brain tries to protect you by turning up the volume on food-related thoughts.
The Butterfly Foundation (2023) explains that food noise can be a sign that your body and mind are trying to regain balance after restriction. It’s not a personal failure; rather, it’s a biological response. So the next time you felt stuck in food noise try the folowing:
Recognise the Eating Disorder Voice: Notice when the food noise shows up and remember: you are not the eating disorder. Try separating it from your true self; you might name it, imagine its tone, or picture it as an external voice.
Prepare for Challenging Situations: If you know certain foods, events or comments might trigger anxiety, plan ahead. Chat with your support network, therapist, or someone you trust about what might help you feel safe and grounded.
Challenge Unhelpful Thoughts with Compassion: When the noise tells you what you “should” or “shouldn’t” do, gently replace it with something grounded in kindness, such as:
“My worth is not measured by what I eat.”
“Food is fuel and connection.”
“I deserve to enjoy this moment.”
4. Focus on Connection, Not Control: Try shifting your focus from food rules to what really matters to you, such as connection, rest, laughter, and meaning. The more you nurture your nervous system with calm and care, the quieter the food noise tends to become.
What Your Mind Might Be Saying 💛
Instead of asking, “How do I stop thinking about food?”, try asking yourself:
What might these thoughts be protecting me from?
Am I getting enough nourishment, both physically and emotionally?
Is there a part of me that’s craving care, connection, or rest?
Am I trying to escape or control something to avoid feeling pain or distress? or am I trying to avoid my emotions?
The shift from control to compassion is central to recovery. In therapy, we may use concepts driven from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Focal Psychodynamic Therapy, and Schema Therapy to explore these patterns, not to get rid of thoughts, but to understand what they’re trying to help you manage.
Relearning Trust and Presence 🌿
Your relationship with food isn’t a reflection of willpower; it’s a reflection of your story, your nervous system, and your needs. When we soften toward that truth, the noise often begins to quiet.
Our psychologists at recoverED Clinic are passionate about providing neuroaffirming, trauma-informed, and evidence-based care to help you feel safer in your body again.
If you’d like to explore this gently, you might like to speak to one our team members. Contact Us
You Don’t Have to Figure It Out Alone 🌸
If food feels all-consuming right now, it’s not because you’re broken, it’s because something in you is trying very hard to stay safe. You deserve support that honours that complexity.
Our team offers online eating disorder therapy across Australia, so you can access help wherever you are.
If this resonates, you can learn more about our team or contact us to book an appointment to begin exploring your relationship with food in a compassionate, safe and inclusive space.
You can find more resources on the InsideOut Institute.
Note: The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and is NOT intended as medical /psychological advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for personalised guidance.
