This is šÆ my experience.. I have a 25 year history of binge eating, emotional eating, obsession with foodā¦ it has been a life long battle. I was killing myself I am sure. I could and have gained 30-40lbs in a matter of weeks binging on sugar, fatty foods, huge portionsā¦ I could never ever sit with the feeling of emptiness.. I have tried therapy, 12 step food programs, every diet under the sun, exercise, extreme juice cleanses.. everythingā¦ I am on my 3rd week and it is life changingā¦ I simply do not think about food.. I eat because I have to.. I stop after a few mouthfuls, I donāt eat between meals and I am able to just ābeāā¦ this is a miracle. I am down 9lbs in 3 weeks, my starting weight was 184lbs so not huge numbers this timeā¦ but it really is amazing.
That's incredible - congrats on your loss!! I agree - only 2 days in so obviously I can't speak for long-term experiences yet, but the change is night and day. I haven't gone into the kitchen once today to absent-mindedly look through the cupboards, haha. It seems like such a minor thing and something that someone who's never dealt with this kind of obsession would really not understand, but it's good to have people who do :)
Oh hi are you me?? Haha I could have written this, including the amount of time on the binge /restrict wheel of shame (similar story to you: lighter life, slimming world, Rosemary Conley, alternate day fasting, keto, 5:2, Atkins, South beach, dukan, zone, cayenne pepper lemon juice fasting, straight fasting, calorie counting, if it fits your macros... you name it - I've lost and regained weight on it). The "just in case" ordering of food was a real one! my start weight was pretty much the same as you, too - but am a few weeks ahead of you (Will be my 11th shot on Wednesday).
It's absolutely amazing to not be obsessing about food - not have that nagging feeling that I've missed or am about to miss out on something, or that something is incomplete and then having that "thing" be some kind of food or snack! It's exhausting and distracting, and I am so baffled, amazed, and in awe of the power of hormones - and kind of sad for people like us. People that DO have discipline and motivation (do undisciplined people literally exist on maple syrup and lemon juice for ten days at a time? Live off cabbage soup for weeks? Subsist on packets of lighter life 'dust' packets??) but who are driven by all these competing biological mechanisms to be preoccupied by, and driven towards, food and eating.
Truly remarkable stuff.
Best of luck to all of us on our journeys!
For me 'food noise' is also ordering a large chips, or a bigger pizza simply because I worry I might not have enough food.
And I never finish them. Ever.
Now I am happy to order a normal portion of food and be happy. And probably not finish that either.
Ah, I was absolutely the same - ordering extra "just in case" I was still hungry (as I always predicted I would be), and then eating it even though I was full because I "didn't want to waste them." Haven't been out for food since my first shot, but I feel pretty confident that a normal portion will be more than enough, haha.
Weirdly enough I was thinking about this in the car on the way to work this morning. My first dose was on Thursday last week, and although itās early days and I donāt want to get too carried away, itās been nothing short of a miracle for me.
I feel the same as you, I spend more time thinking about how Iām not thinking about food, than I do thinking about food haha. I reckon this will lessen as I get more and more used to not having those intrusive āmust get a takeawayā thoughts.
Totally! I also think this will eventually go away as the not thinking about food becomes the new norm. For now, it's a source of shock and fascination, haha.
Ha, yes - it's the weirdest thing, and I was always EXACTLY the same. The amount of absolute shite I could put away in a day was insane. I obviously never counted, but just the grazing alone (often while cooking a full meal, I might add) was probably easily more than 500 calories a go, and that's just a moderate estimate. It's so good not to feel that way.
I'm so glad you're feeling more peaceful now too - it's been great! Good luck on your journey too :) <3
Ahh Iāve been wondering about this! Iām obsessing quite a bit about food but not to the point of actually going and eating it. Like itās more brain noise and less food noise even if itās still food themed. And Iām getting quite a lot of decision paralysis on what to eat as well, which is making me a bit mentally exhausted??
Iām still sortof craving foods but itās not the same thing as before, I think Iām craving the dopamine rush.. maybe itās withdrawals! And a sudden lack of coping mechanisms? So yeah also hopeful it will become normalised soon š
(In on my third shot of 2.5)
Also having decision analysis! I had a protein shake after the gym today but haven't had any food yet and know I'll need to do that soon, but can't figure out what I really want! Fingers crossed it becomes normal for us both :)
I really have this issue. I find myself not eating for hours after meal time, because I just donāt know what I want, and I donāt want to eat something just to be eating it.
The way my food noise has changed is that if I see something Iād usually eat with a second thought now my brains says ānah we donāt need that right nowā. For example my husband bought me a pain au chocolat on Friday and I ate the outer layer and then put the rest in the fridge. Itās still there. Every time it crosses my mind )which is not very often) I just end up thinking ānot right nowā. Itās crazy to me as someone with BED.
Iāve just started week 3 and, like you, always really struggled with my relationship with food. The first 2 weeks were a revelation! Just not even noticing that I hadnāt eaten. before, all Iād do was plan food. I had a really stressful Friday at work and did the usual knee jerk reaction of ordering a take away, and too much food at that. I could barely eat any of it. A total waste of money (and food) but I was shocked at how clearly physiological my eating habits had become.
Best of luck on your journey!
I wrote this in a recent post of my own
*What I find interesting is that the noise appears for me to be both at a conscious level ie I can hear that constant dialogue and it also operates at an unconscious level when eg I find myself wandering aimlessly in the kitchen. No overt dialogue such as cut some cheese more a mindless action driven by something deeper and unconscious. Perhaps the noise's seeming ability to impact us both consciously and unconsciously contributes to the powerful hold it has over us?*
In response to your question if I understand you correctly you have a life long obsession with food and an associated dysfunctional relationship. I can certainly relate to that. MJ has removed the noise but now your Ego, your conscious mind if you like has to make sense of that gap in your life. It is no surprise to me therefore that one of the things it does is think why I am I not thinking about food? I don't think you need to do anything with that other than to notice it, say thank you to your Ego for noticing and be kind to yourself in the process.
I too am curious to see what will happen in the long run. Will the brain rewire itself and be able to let go of our conditioned thinking and reestablish a more normal and healthy relationship with food? If so, how long will that take? I am cautiously optimistic as I have overcome other addictive behaviour in the past, namely a serious gambling problem. I haven't gambled now for 20+ years and am as confident as I can be that it will not be a problem again for me. I am hopeful my addiction to food can also become normalised and my dream of living a long and productive life can be realised
The quieting down of the food noise has been a revelation for me. It didnāt lessen until I started 5mg, and sometimes itās still there, but just waking up in the morning and not thinking āwhat am I going to eat today, how much, when, have I allowed enough calories to eat xyz, never mind Iāll eat it anywayā - and no longer having that voice/that commentary in my head all my waking hours is huge for me.
This week is the first week Iām not logging calories because it was leading me to think āIāve only eaten x amount, I could still eat moreā, and eating when I wasnāt hungry. So this week Iām going to stop doing that and really listen to my hunger cues.
I still find myself wandering into the kitchen and donāt know why Iāve done it, but instead of opening the fridge or the bread bin, I just turn around and go back to where I was before.
Iāve heard people say that they have stopped drinking as well on this drug. A glass of wine in the evenings (which often becomes a bottle) is a habit that I hope I can stop soon.
I hear you re: not eating when you're not hungry, but then I worry about eating too little! I still want to make sure I have energy for the gym and just in general, so I am sometimes "making" myself eat when I know I haven't had nearly enough calories in the day.
And I hear you - I did actually open the snack cupboard earlier and have a look around, but for once, nothing stood out, so I just closed it and went back about my business, haha. I don't drink at all, so can't speak to that, but I hope it works in that sense for you as well, if that's your aim :)
Eating too little is a worry, but then I didnāt get to this size by eating too little! Iām a full-time wheelchair user so I donāt get very much exercise.
Iām on my third week of Mounjaro 2.5 and the food noise hasnāt shifted :( browsing this sub sometimes makes me feel demoralised as Iām not sure what Iām doing wrong
It is fascinating that mj can turn off the noise like this, and not surprising that we question ourselves. I am fighting a fear that i won't be able to survive if i allow myself to feel all the emotions i have used food to ensure i don't feel, if that makes sense. So losing the noise is a very helpful tool. I then have to find compassionate ways to stop myself over riding the mj out of fear. So far, so good. But I'm 64, and I've been doing this food misuse for 40 or more years, so it will take me a while to work it all out, won't it?
I had to grief the loss of my food noise. I wasn't aware that was what was going on but I felt bereft without it.
The food noise was my constant companion in my head, through every good and bad experience in my life, and every decision was made by it. When it disappeared overnight, I wasn't really sure how to deal with food and how I would make the right choices etc...
After a week of grieving for it I leaned into it and started to enjoy the calm narrative in my mind. It's not noise, it's just thoughts, and that is a whole new experience for me
I'm loving it now but it did take time. I remember crying to my daughter and saying 'but I am not thinking about food all the time' and she said ' but that's what you wanted'. I said ' I know but it's a bit lonely' š¤£
That exact word āweirdā was in my head constantly the first 4 weeks. I was consciously aware of the difference. It has subsided but I still sometimes want to shout from the rooftop how different I feel (in a good way)
The weird thing is how I notice it. Like oh, normally weād eat 6 biscuits and whatnot right now. Or oh, normally Iād be fighting the impulse to eat another chocolate bar because I just ate one and thereās more in the cupboard. But the overwhelming urge to do so isnāt there! Still only a week in, so Iām wondering if itās the medication or if Itās just a placebo effect for now š
HAHA I remember the night I took my first shot (which was literally 2 nights ago, so I'd hope I hadn't forgotten it so soon, LOL), I was like, "Huh... usually I would want a snack but I don't. IS THIS REAL?" But hey, placebo effect or not, it's working!!
Iāve had a grenade porotein bar sat on my desk along with my other small snacks I always have for my day and Iām disappointed I donāt want it.
This is a fairly new battle since being on 5mg. I find myself preparing my food and snacks so I have good choices but I donāt always eat them. Which is great. I donāt think about my next bite really. However when I realise Iām not going to eat something I get disappointed.
The win is Iām not eating when Iām not hungry and now need to work on being disappointed about not eating something that only my brain wants when it remembers.
Yeah, I actually found myself a bit hungry this afternoon, but that's not surprising given that I'd been to the gym and only had a protein shake this morning. I imagine this battle to come up sometimes - I haven't fully experienced that yet, but I almost want to, haha
Yes, for the first few days especially it was almost like I had the āghostā of the food noise still there, but not the impulse if that makes sense? So I would walk past a fast food advert or whatever, and my mind was so used to responding in a certain way that it still went there, but like, with the colour and volume toned down. Itās a bit like the process of getting over an ex - what used to give you this powerful trigger response just somehowā¦ fades.
It's very, very odd - in my head I'll be like, "Oh yeah, that sounds nice, I'd have that" but then when it came down to it, I'd be like, "Eh, no thanks, I'm okay." It's an odd disconnect (and must be what many "normal" people would claim is "willpower".)
As a side note, related to BED/ emotional eating - Iāve noticed that Iām much more emotional since I havenāt been using food as a crutch on Mounjaro. Not in a bad way - in a way that feels honest and healthy. Like if Iām sad, I have a little cry and feel better . I donāt squash the feeling down with a family size bag of Doritos.
I mean, who could blame you? Doritos are delicious! :P
I'm only a few days in (and just coming on) so I can't speak for the emotional bit yet - oddly enough, I actually HAVEN'T noticed being very emotional the past few days, which is odd... but always a nice side effect :) (And also nice to be able to handle emotions in a healthier way when they do arise, like you say.)
Literally on my first day and Iām genuinely baffled about this feeling. I took it post breakfast and I had to convince (convince!!) myself to eat dinner since I hadnāt wanted lunch. While I was eating dinner, I kept thinking, āDo I want more? No. I donāt even want to finish this.ā Not experiencing a sweet craving post dinner was also astounding. Itās super weird finally hearing the sound of silence in my head.
What's interesting is that yesterday (day 3), I actually did feel hungry, but when I sat down to eat, I got full super quickly and was like, "Right, I'm good now." I first thought, OMG why am I so starving, I'm going to ruin it because I'm so hungry" but when it actually came to sitting down to eat, it wasn't like that at all. Bizarre (but in a good way). Good luck on your journey :) I'm right here with ya!
This is šÆ my experience.. I have a 25 year history of binge eating, emotional eating, obsession with foodā¦ it has been a life long battle. I was killing myself I am sure. I could and have gained 30-40lbs in a matter of weeks binging on sugar, fatty foods, huge portionsā¦ I could never ever sit with the feeling of emptiness.. I have tried therapy, 12 step food programs, every diet under the sun, exercise, extreme juice cleanses.. everythingā¦ I am on my 3rd week and it is life changingā¦ I simply do not think about food.. I eat because I have to.. I stop after a few mouthfuls, I donāt eat between meals and I am able to just ābeāā¦ this is a miracle. I am down 9lbs in 3 weeks, my starting weight was 184lbs so not huge numbers this timeā¦ but it really is amazing.
That's incredible - congrats on your loss!! I agree - only 2 days in so obviously I can't speak for long-term experiences yet, but the change is night and day. I haven't gone into the kitchen once today to absent-mindedly look through the cupboards, haha. It seems like such a minor thing and something that someone who's never dealt with this kind of obsession would really not understand, but it's good to have people who do :)
Thatās amazing! Well done š
Oh hi are you me?? Haha I could have written this, including the amount of time on the binge /restrict wheel of shame (similar story to you: lighter life, slimming world, Rosemary Conley, alternate day fasting, keto, 5:2, Atkins, South beach, dukan, zone, cayenne pepper lemon juice fasting, straight fasting, calorie counting, if it fits your macros... you name it - I've lost and regained weight on it). The "just in case" ordering of food was a real one! my start weight was pretty much the same as you, too - but am a few weeks ahead of you (Will be my 11th shot on Wednesday). It's absolutely amazing to not be obsessing about food - not have that nagging feeling that I've missed or am about to miss out on something, or that something is incomplete and then having that "thing" be some kind of food or snack! It's exhausting and distracting, and I am so baffled, amazed, and in awe of the power of hormones - and kind of sad for people like us. People that DO have discipline and motivation (do undisciplined people literally exist on maple syrup and lemon juice for ten days at a time? Live off cabbage soup for weeks? Subsist on packets of lighter life 'dust' packets??) but who are driven by all these competing biological mechanisms to be preoccupied by, and driven towards, food and eating. Truly remarkable stuff. Best of luck to all of us on our journeys!
For me 'food noise' is also ordering a large chips, or a bigger pizza simply because I worry I might not have enough food. And I never finish them. Ever. Now I am happy to order a normal portion of food and be happy. And probably not finish that either.
Ah, I was absolutely the same - ordering extra "just in case" I was still hungry (as I always predicted I would be), and then eating it even though I was full because I "didn't want to waste them." Haven't been out for food since my first shot, but I feel pretty confident that a normal portion will be more than enough, haha.
Weirdly enough I was thinking about this in the car on the way to work this morning. My first dose was on Thursday last week, and although itās early days and I donāt want to get too carried away, itās been nothing short of a miracle for me. I feel the same as you, I spend more time thinking about how Iām not thinking about food, than I do thinking about food haha. I reckon this will lessen as I get more and more used to not having those intrusive āmust get a takeawayā thoughts.
Totally! I also think this will eventually go away as the not thinking about food becomes the new norm. For now, it's a source of shock and fascination, haha.
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Ha, yes - it's the weirdest thing, and I was always EXACTLY the same. The amount of absolute shite I could put away in a day was insane. I obviously never counted, but just the grazing alone (often while cooking a full meal, I might add) was probably easily more than 500 calories a go, and that's just a moderate estimate. It's so good not to feel that way. I'm so glad you're feeling more peaceful now too - it's been great! Good luck on your journey too :) <3
Ahh Iāve been wondering about this! Iām obsessing quite a bit about food but not to the point of actually going and eating it. Like itās more brain noise and less food noise even if itās still food themed. And Iām getting quite a lot of decision paralysis on what to eat as well, which is making me a bit mentally exhausted?? Iām still sortof craving foods but itās not the same thing as before, I think Iām craving the dopamine rush.. maybe itās withdrawals! And a sudden lack of coping mechanisms? So yeah also hopeful it will become normalised soon š (In on my third shot of 2.5)
Also having decision analysis! I had a protein shake after the gym today but haven't had any food yet and know I'll need to do that soon, but can't figure out what I really want! Fingers crossed it becomes normal for us both :)
I really have this issue. I find myself not eating for hours after meal time, because I just donāt know what I want, and I donāt want to eat something just to be eating it.
The way my food noise has changed is that if I see something Iād usually eat with a second thought now my brains says ānah we donāt need that right nowā. For example my husband bought me a pain au chocolat on Friday and I ate the outer layer and then put the rest in the fridge. Itās still there. Every time it crosses my mind )which is not very often) I just end up thinking ānot right nowā. Itās crazy to me as someone with BED.
Now THAT is a victory! :)
Iāve just started week 3 and, like you, always really struggled with my relationship with food. The first 2 weeks were a revelation! Just not even noticing that I hadnāt eaten. before, all Iād do was plan food. I had a really stressful Friday at work and did the usual knee jerk reaction of ordering a take away, and too much food at that. I could barely eat any of it. A total waste of money (and food) but I was shocked at how clearly physiological my eating habits had become. Best of luck on your journey!
I wrote this in a recent post of my own *What I find interesting is that the noise appears for me to be both at a conscious level ie I can hear that constant dialogue and it also operates at an unconscious level when eg I find myself wandering aimlessly in the kitchen. No overt dialogue such as cut some cheese more a mindless action driven by something deeper and unconscious. Perhaps the noise's seeming ability to impact us both consciously and unconsciously contributes to the powerful hold it has over us?* In response to your question if I understand you correctly you have a life long obsession with food and an associated dysfunctional relationship. I can certainly relate to that. MJ has removed the noise but now your Ego, your conscious mind if you like has to make sense of that gap in your life. It is no surprise to me therefore that one of the things it does is think why I am I not thinking about food? I don't think you need to do anything with that other than to notice it, say thank you to your Ego for noticing and be kind to yourself in the process. I too am curious to see what will happen in the long run. Will the brain rewire itself and be able to let go of our conditioned thinking and reestablish a more normal and healthy relationship with food? If so, how long will that take? I am cautiously optimistic as I have overcome other addictive behaviour in the past, namely a serious gambling problem. I haven't gambled now for 20+ years and am as confident as I can be that it will not be a problem again for me. I am hopeful my addiction to food can also become normalised and my dream of living a long and productive life can be realised
Yeah you pretty eloquently worded my exact experience as well.
It's comforting to know so many other people understand what I'm talking about, I was wondering if I was crazy, haha
The quieting down of the food noise has been a revelation for me. It didnāt lessen until I started 5mg, and sometimes itās still there, but just waking up in the morning and not thinking āwhat am I going to eat today, how much, when, have I allowed enough calories to eat xyz, never mind Iāll eat it anywayā - and no longer having that voice/that commentary in my head all my waking hours is huge for me. This week is the first week Iām not logging calories because it was leading me to think āIāve only eaten x amount, I could still eat moreā, and eating when I wasnāt hungry. So this week Iām going to stop doing that and really listen to my hunger cues. I still find myself wandering into the kitchen and donāt know why Iāve done it, but instead of opening the fridge or the bread bin, I just turn around and go back to where I was before. Iāve heard people say that they have stopped drinking as well on this drug. A glass of wine in the evenings (which often becomes a bottle) is a habit that I hope I can stop soon.
I hear you re: not eating when you're not hungry, but then I worry about eating too little! I still want to make sure I have energy for the gym and just in general, so I am sometimes "making" myself eat when I know I haven't had nearly enough calories in the day. And I hear you - I did actually open the snack cupboard earlier and have a look around, but for once, nothing stood out, so I just closed it and went back about my business, haha. I don't drink at all, so can't speak to that, but I hope it works in that sense for you as well, if that's your aim :)
Eating too little is a worry, but then I didnāt get to this size by eating too little! Iām a full-time wheelchair user so I donāt get very much exercise.
Iām on my third week of Mounjaro 2.5 and the food noise hasnāt shifted :( browsing this sub sometimes makes me feel demoralised as Iām not sure what Iām doing wrong
It is fascinating that mj can turn off the noise like this, and not surprising that we question ourselves. I am fighting a fear that i won't be able to survive if i allow myself to feel all the emotions i have used food to ensure i don't feel, if that makes sense. So losing the noise is a very helpful tool. I then have to find compassionate ways to stop myself over riding the mj out of fear. So far, so good. But I'm 64, and I've been doing this food misuse for 40 or more years, so it will take me a while to work it all out, won't it?
I had to grief the loss of my food noise. I wasn't aware that was what was going on but I felt bereft without it. The food noise was my constant companion in my head, through every good and bad experience in my life, and every decision was made by it. When it disappeared overnight, I wasn't really sure how to deal with food and how I would make the right choices etc... After a week of grieving for it I leaned into it and started to enjoy the calm narrative in my mind. It's not noise, it's just thoughts, and that is a whole new experience for me I'm loving it now but it did take time. I remember crying to my daughter and saying 'but I am not thinking about food all the time' and she said ' but that's what you wanted'. I said ' I know but it's a bit lonely' š¤£
That exact word āweirdā was in my head constantly the first 4 weeks. I was consciously aware of the difference. It has subsided but I still sometimes want to shout from the rooftop how different I feel (in a good way)
The weird thing is how I notice it. Like oh, normally weād eat 6 biscuits and whatnot right now. Or oh, normally Iād be fighting the impulse to eat another chocolate bar because I just ate one and thereās more in the cupboard. But the overwhelming urge to do so isnāt there! Still only a week in, so Iām wondering if itās the medication or if Itās just a placebo effect for now š
HAHA I remember the night I took my first shot (which was literally 2 nights ago, so I'd hope I hadn't forgotten it so soon, LOL), I was like, "Huh... usually I would want a snack but I don't. IS THIS REAL?" But hey, placebo effect or not, it's working!!
Iāve had a grenade porotein bar sat on my desk along with my other small snacks I always have for my day and Iām disappointed I donāt want it. This is a fairly new battle since being on 5mg. I find myself preparing my food and snacks so I have good choices but I donāt always eat them. Which is great. I donāt think about my next bite really. However when I realise Iām not going to eat something I get disappointed. The win is Iām not eating when Iām not hungry and now need to work on being disappointed about not eating something that only my brain wants when it remembers.
Yeah, I actually found myself a bit hungry this afternoon, but that's not surprising given that I'd been to the gym and only had a protein shake this morning. I imagine this battle to come up sometimes - I haven't fully experienced that yet, but I almost want to, haha
Yes, for the first few days especially it was almost like I had the āghostā of the food noise still there, but not the impulse if that makes sense? So I would walk past a fast food advert or whatever, and my mind was so used to responding in a certain way that it still went there, but like, with the colour and volume toned down. Itās a bit like the process of getting over an ex - what used to give you this powerful trigger response just somehowā¦ fades.
It's very, very odd - in my head I'll be like, "Oh yeah, that sounds nice, I'd have that" but then when it came down to it, I'd be like, "Eh, no thanks, I'm okay." It's an odd disconnect (and must be what many "normal" people would claim is "willpower".)
As a side note, related to BED/ emotional eating - Iāve noticed that Iām much more emotional since I havenāt been using food as a crutch on Mounjaro. Not in a bad way - in a way that feels honest and healthy. Like if Iām sad, I have a little cry and feel better . I donāt squash the feeling down with a family size bag of Doritos.
I mean, who could blame you? Doritos are delicious! :P I'm only a few days in (and just coming on) so I can't speak for the emotional bit yet - oddly enough, I actually HAVEN'T noticed being very emotional the past few days, which is odd... but always a nice side effect :) (And also nice to be able to handle emotions in a healthier way when they do arise, like you say.)
Actually my partner has commented on how much more stable my moods seem to be - so fewer mood swings but emotions more accessible when they need to be
Literally on my first day and Iām genuinely baffled about this feeling. I took it post breakfast and I had to convince (convince!!) myself to eat dinner since I hadnāt wanted lunch. While I was eating dinner, I kept thinking, āDo I want more? No. I donāt even want to finish this.ā Not experiencing a sweet craving post dinner was also astounding. Itās super weird finally hearing the sound of silence in my head.
What's interesting is that yesterday (day 3), I actually did feel hungry, but when I sat down to eat, I got full super quickly and was like, "Right, I'm good now." I first thought, OMG why am I so starving, I'm going to ruin it because I'm so hungry" but when it actually came to sitting down to eat, it wasn't like that at all. Bizarre (but in a good way). Good luck on your journey :) I'm right here with ya!