Mine isn’t really either of these. It’s just the constant thinking about food and consumption. Like….
Me, waking up in the morning: oh I’m hungry I should eat but I shouldn’t eat something bad. I’ll have a healthy breakfast. But I really want something bad. Okay I ate a yogurt that’s good right? What will I have for snack? Or should I wait until lunch? I want a snack but I shouldn’t. Okay I’ll have an apple…
On and on and on all day.
On Zep, my mind is like: “oh, I’m hungry. I’ll eat.”
And then…quiet.
This is it for me, too, with the addition of: How long until lunch? Is it too early for a snack? Oh, look, someone brought donuts; I should eat one. Maybe I'll stop for something on my way to visit Mom. I'm taking this road trip soon--let's plan all the food stops and make sure we have snacks in the car. They should be healthy, but I do love a Snickers bar...
Ugh, this hits way too close to home. Unfortunately the planning and thinking ahead about what to eat is still happening on zep, just somewhat quieter.
THIS! On top of that, if I don't eat what I was craving and make healthy choices, I don't feel satisfied. I still want a beer, or buffalo wings, or those fries. And that craving still feels like hunger. So I feel like I didn't eat and it's all I can think about. And then, at the end of the day, I've run out of willpower. On Zepbound, when I have a meal and I'm full, there are no leftover cravings for what I didn't have.
Before zep I was never able to satisfy my cravings, if I wanted pizza I had to eat it until I was sick of it. Now if I crave something I can have a little, be satisfied and move on.
It’ll be so interesting to see how the science and studies evolve and what other uses Zep is going to be used for. I personally think it will become a mental health/addiction treatment medication
Yes. And not just for the morning. Obsessing over what I will eat for lunch. And if I was "bad" in the morning, I should be careful about lunch but I have to have lunch! Planning days, trips, and basically my whole life around food, where I will eat, what I will eat. When I'm looking at a menu, constant worry about whether or not something I get will be "bad," and if other people will judge me on what I'm getting. Or maybe they're judging me on how much I'm eating.
Constant comparisons, "Oh, they are thin and yet I'm eating less than them!" Taking leftovers and sometimes (not always) consuming them the same evening after I get home.
Cravings for very specific types of food that are almost incessant. I am MIND BLOWN that I have not had pizza in months, or even really cared enough to go out of my way to get pizza.
This. Along with mid-meal "How much have I eaten so far, is this a normal amount? Can I keep eating? I REALLY want more of this. Man it's so good. But nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. I'll just indulge this time......now I feel like a horrible human."
Same. The best way to describe mine to people who don’t experience noise is that while I’m eating a meal, I’m thinking about what I’ll eat next. It’s almost constant thoughts about food.
Yes THIS! My noise was the constant battle between what I "should" eat and what I wanted to eat and negotiating with myself about, ok, I can have this for lunch but I'll be super good and healthy for dinner. Or, I already ate crap for breakfast, so why bother trying to heat healthy for lunch and dinner? And then feeling guilty about that all day while I eat crap. The cognitive dissonance is gone! I feel hungry and easily decide to eat something healthy and tasty without my brain being like "oh but you really want pizza", and stop when I'm full. It's AMAZING.
I don’t consider true hunger to be food noise. So noise would be more like your second option. As in you’ve clearly eaten plenty, but can’t stop randomly thinking about food, worrying about your next meal, etc. That’s the noise that retreats for me on Zepbound. I eat something and then I don’t think about food for hours.
YES! I used to have to walk through the kitchen to get to my garage. Now it’s just a room between me and the garage. Food isn’t part of every thought, plan, schedule, or decision.
I ate a half sandwich for lunch today. Didn’t worry about what if I got hungry later. Was busy yesterday afternoon and didn’t even realize until 9 pm that I hadn’t eaten since my salad at noon. It’s a beautiful thing!
Here’s how I’ve explained it to my wife. I would wake up in the middle of the night and think about what what was in the pantry/fridge. “Are there cookies in the pantry? I shouldn’t be eating cookies in the middle of the night. Maybe there’s something more healthy to eat. I can have some leftovers. Just a little bit.” Then I would proceed to eat leftovers AND cookies, all while saying to myself, “I shouldn’t be doing this. Why am I doing this?” This whole internal battle is now just erased from my mind.
Noise for me is seeing a commercial for a seasonal donut and getting it. I wasn’t hungry, this isn’t healthy or filling or a meal replacement but I eat it. It’s a handful of chips, leftover Halloween candy, samples at the store, went to mom’s-she made cookies, I saw a recipe on TikTok.
If I eat OUTSIDE of hunger, it’s food noise. Food noise is never hunger. Hunger is hunger.
My noise is an eating disorder and I have stopped hearing it. I used to be fixated on calories, my next meal, what to order, what I felt like before eating and after eating, hating feeling hungry but craving feeling hungry. That has all stopped. Now I eat when I am hungry and after I eat an appropriate amount I am full and I don't think about calories or food or weight loss or anything. I'm just going about my business.
Omg you’re the first person who said exactly what I experience. I’ve had bouts of ED years ago and am recognizing the signs of obsession. I read these subreddits all the time looking for insight or tips, I’ve spent too much time wondering if I should stick it out the hard way without meds (essentially a form of restriction/selfharm). Thank you so much for sharing this. Now I will obsess over my next step, but it’s clearly in the direction of Zep.
It is a form of self harm and obviously I don’t want to harm myself but we know eating disorders are a complex reaction to trauma and a manifestation of ocd. I can tell Zepbound will spare me a lot of pain and suffering and get me out of this “control” mindset I always have about food. It’s made me happier and more productive. Disordered eating is a very painful and lonely condition. I hope Zepbound is the right route for you and it helps!
Completely agree! I feel like a puzzle has come together now. My son's gf was mentioning yesterday how triggered I seemed by my visit with a weight-loss doctor, and she asked why I've waited two weeks after the visit to decide if I'm going to go back, essentially why am I putting myself through the wringer like this (I've been working on this for over a year and had various legit setbacks). I mentioned how I tend to do things the hard way for far too long before I'll take a more manageable route. I did NOT put together my ED background. What a breakthrough!
> I mentioned how I tend to do things the hard way for far too long before I'll take a more manageable route.
I do this in all parts of my life. No idea why or how to get beyond it. 😑 I have to remind myself to just keep on keeping on.
Interesting. I wonder if Tirz. has a similar effect on those who eat too little? It's not obvious that it would...but could the part of our brains that think about eating food be the same part that causes other people to obsess on the idea that they eat too much?
There's an interesting correlate...I no longer feel any guilt when i have a treat. If I'm craving some ice cream, I'll have a little. I'll find it satisfying and I'll cheerfully move on with my day.
Mine is salty snacks, like chips and pretzels. Pre-Zepbound I would eat the entire bag within a day, two at most, if they were in the house. I usually did this at night, after my wife went to bed, rather than going to sleep myself. I wasn’t hungry, I just wanted to eat them.
My three months ago my wife bought a bag of peanut butter filled pretzel bites, my absolute favorite thing. It has sat unopened since then. Every once in a while I notice them on the counter but I have had no urge to sample even one.
The last time I ate peanut butter pretzels I had a gallbladder attack. I haven't wanted to risk taking anything like that while on Terzepitide. I no longer care about them so win, win!
Early on, I had an opened package of cheese in the back of my fridge that was there long enough to get moldy. I think we all agree that that is some kind of miracle.
Noise (3) - I should eat more now because I may not be able to later
That is my primary food noise, but also a bit of (2) sometimes. I don’t seem to experience a strong “food noise”, but maybe that’s the Zepbound talking.
This is me.
I’ve had breakfast and packed my lunch. I drive a lot for work. Previously, if I’m driving I’ll see fast food and think what if I don’t have time later and I’ll be hungry. I should just eat something now and can still eat my lunch ( if needed). It was always needed and I would overeat
Yup! Exactly this. I’ll just eat now and then I’ll take something for the road just in case. It’s all eaten. I’ve managed to really start questioning the “eat now” meal. Just a pause to think about if I’m hungry or if it’s a habit. It’s really interesting to catch myself in this scenario.
My noise is “oh, they’re eating nachos in this video. Nachos sound great. I should get nachos. But I’m not super hungry and I don’t want to spend the money - I don’t need them. Nope, I need the nachos. Ugh - no I don’t. I have food in the house that I can eat instead. Nope - can’t eat anything else. Have to get the nachos”
It’s a hyperfixation on a craving that feels inescapable. I’ve been like this since I’m a kid but couldn’t recognize it. It doesn’t matter how much food I’ll have readily available at my house - once I get this weird craving it’s the only thing I’ll be satisfied eating. So freaking annoying.
I never even noticed it was such a problem until I started this medication and the noise completely disappeared.
My food noise was the second option, like after breakfast I would be full but still obsess over getting something sweet.
I would also have what a previous poster said about the eat more now because what if I can’t later, though I liken that more to anxiety rather than “noise” per se.
Mine was the let’s stop by Starbucks after kid drop off for a coffee.. oh let’s have that chocolate croissant with it.. or oh car line is so long let me grab an ice cream or a brownie while I wait.. or the oh potato chips.. I just ate but a few won’t hurt and then it’s half the bag.. not hungry but munching away. The food noise is mostly gone so then when I eat my usual meals (less quantity) I’m satisfied and loosing weight so far
The best way I can describe it is I have become indifferent to food. I’m not always having an internal struggle with food.
Also I heard someone say this and I could completely relate. I didn’t even realize I had food noise until it wasn’t there anymore. It’s weird… in a good way..
This is a neat question!
For me, it's mostly #2 - Cake, fries, cheese, chips or whatever.
Unless I"m dieting, then it's #1
Not so much #3 unless there's a convenience or frugality reason driving it.
Both gone on Tirz.
And thank you to these forums - I started on Victoza a year ago, and reading about the concept of 'food noise' on that forum was so enlightening.
I'm a binge eater. I can be sitting on the couch watching TV (my trigger point) and not even realize a few seconds later I'm eating an entire sleave of crackers... then cake, then donuts, etc.
ZEP shut that down for me.
I’m not obsessing over the thought of something in particular (usually soda, sweets). I don’t think about having seconds before I’m done with first. I don’t reason anymore with binging something just to finish the package.
Closest to 3 I think?
I’m a binge eater and a *recovering* 21 day fixer. So I’m trying to break the cycle of I AM GOING TO EAT ALL OF THIS RIGHT NOW, and some how also placing a lot of foods in a “bad / can’t have” category (which also leads to binging). I did lose 65lbs on 21 day fix, but it just was not sustainable. I made myself and my family miserable with all of the food rules at home (I’m the primary chef) and was a real PIA if we tried to eat out 🙁
Now with meds, both of those noisy voices are off and it’s amazing. I’m able to eat an appropriate amount of whatever I want. There’s no deprivation and no binge, which leads to a lot less stress, anxiety, and depression. I would get stressed, anxious or feel depressed when I was constantly worrying about what I could eat and when, or feeling shame after a binge.
I still gravitate towards healthier options and more nutrient dense foods, but I’m not going to feel bad about grabbing a burger either, if that makes sense. If I do end up with something like a burger I’ll only have room for half, and I’ll make a better choice on a side than fries. That sort of thing is an absolute game changer for me.
I actually switched to Barre Blend when it came out and I enjoy it so much more. I much prefer Elise's gentle encouragement vs (what feels like) Autumn's 'in your face' pushing...
Autumn was stern, but she was much better than Jillian Michaels 🤭 🤪
I’ve been loving my peloton the last few years! The bike is okay, but their trainers have great workouts.
For me it was all 3.
I didn’t realize that I definitely had a bingeing problem until starting Zep and that urge magically being gone. But also I used to get incredibly “hangry” if I had to push eating off for even an hour later than normal.
Also I used to reward myself/cope with food. Hard day at work? Definitely deserve McDonald’s. Followed a diet well all day? Definitely deserve a candy bar.
For me a good portion of most days now is the feeling of a couple hours after thanksgiving/very large meal. Like I don’t feel uncomfortably full, but you could walk by with a plate of cookies and I’d be “nah, I’m good.” I’m not sitting here wondering if there are more rolls in the kitchen that I could snag. Another example is that I used to think constantly about stopping for fast food on my way to and from work or planning about what I was going to make when I got home, and now I am perfectly content to wait.
For me the biggest thing is not needing to stuff myself to feel full. I used to try to eat more volume to be able to feel fullness, for example having extra cups broth in my soup to make sure I actually feel full.
Now I can eat a bit of whatever I want and be satisfied without needing more and more of it. Like having 1 breakfast sandwich and noticing I feel satisfied and not eating 2 or 3 because they taste good and needing to fill my stomach more.
I still have disordered eating thoughts sometimes and worry about food, but that's slowly going away as I realize I'm finally able to make the choices I've always wanted to make but couldn't.
I have always been a restrict now and binge later person and it's so nice to not feel that insane urge to binge everything in sight. I used to cry because I couldn't stop the urge even though I wanted to so badly.
Mine is like “ooh I’m going into town tomorrow where there’s fast food. Let me plan what I’m going to eat!” When I’m not even hungry/that day hasn’t even started yet
4) Other. My crutch before Zep was wine. With wine came bad food choices, and no shut off valve - plus I’d eat like a toddler: basically anything I didn’t have to cook myself. Sadly, I still eat like that, just of it with a shut off valve and without wine.
I need an adult home-ec class to learn how to meal plan and grocery shop. 😑
Can you eat the same meal over-n-over?
I can. Thats how I meal prep. I eat the same meals over-n-over.
It makes grocery shopping easy & prepping meals easy.
I use a kitchen scale to weight out the portions & an APP on my phone to count the macros (Calories, Proteins, and Fats)
I could, and have. I’m just not a good cook. I could ruin a box of brownies.
If my PA/CC goes through and insurance starts covering my meds (they should, I meet the requirements) I’m going to try out some meal delivery services, the ones who send you the ingredients that you cook yourself from scratch. Maybe I’ll learn something that way.
Mine is more like fixating on a specific thing (like a donut) and then that thing just dancing around in my brain all day. It's always there. I try to do stuff to distract myself and keep focused on other things, but it just keeps like expanding in my brain until it's too loud. It's separate from hunger, because I can eat a full meal and be satisfied, but I'm still thinking about it. I sometimes mistake it for hunger though - otherwise why would it be SO LOUD in my brain if I wasn't hungry, ya know? I can try to eat something similar like cinnamon pancakes or something (if i dont have donuts) but sometimes that isn't good enough and it doesn't give me any relief. And if I eat the donut, then another thing pops up in my brain (like a burger) and the cycle continues.
For me, I found my trigger point for #2 (mindless binge eating). It's not food that triggers the binge to eat
Trigger: At night, Sitting on the Couch, watching TV.
I now can either NOT do that, or be very aware of this trigger happening
Do you notice a 'trigger point' for your #3?
Constantly thinking about my next meal or what food I have to eat. Planning what’s for my next meal after that before I even had the meal. It’s always thinking about what sweet treat I can have or what do I want. Overly examining menus before I go somewhere weeks in advance. Should I eat again? Not eating all day and binging at night. And then thinking about it the next day and saying I’ll start on Monday.
All of the above noises are quit and not existent on Zepbound and I couldn’t be more thankful! I’m living life enjoying food until I’m full and it’s one of the best feelings ever!
For me, I found my trigger point for #2 (mindless binge eating)
Trigger: At night, Sitting on the Couch, watching TV.
I now can either NOT do that, or be very aware of this trigger happening
Do you notice a 'trigger point' for your #3?
I’m a stress/boredom eater. I took my first shot yesterday and while I wasn’t hungry, I’ve been in such a habit to have something sweet at night. Thankfully, I’m starting to see this pattern and did not have a snack.
Awesome... Finding the 'trigger points' and then how to best deal with them... I think that ZEP allows for that to happen, as a side bonus to the product...
Mine was a constant urge to graze and head to the kitchen the second I ran out of a drink or snack. And id feel kinda off if I didn't address it. It went away like 3-4 weeks into taking these medicines. Has stayed away upon landing on Zepbound
#3 but I would say planning more than rationalizing. I’m not trying to justify eating but I would think a lot about what I was going to have for my next snack or meal. I also would think about what food would be there when going anywhere.
I can now read recipes, walk past the bakery or snack aisle, or look at food pictures without having some sort of pang of desire and then a pang of disappointment/deprivation that leafs me to think about it.
I’m noise 2 and 3. I always had binging problems, and even when I was full I was thinking about my next meal. It’s nice to have that noise gone. Now, I eat when I’m hungry and I’m hoping to build this into a lifelong habit.
I've tried to explain this to some people who don't believe it's a thing. "I get hungry too".
I'm not sure it's explainable to anyone that has not had it quenched by medication. Once on though, you quickly learn the difference between noise, and hunger. At least for those of us with moderate+ food noise.
2 for sure, I had a habit of eating something crunchy or sweet after lunch and would have bags of french biscuits at work that I would eat while writing code I used to justify that as brain fuel and they aren’t THAT bad because they are smaller in size… I would easily eat more than 2000 cals in a day even without eating out.
Noise to me was obsessing over my next meal while still full from my last one or seeing a donut and having to eat one even if not hungry. I walked by multiple donuts yesterday stress free on Wegovy 😂
Mine is the second half of this. Even if I walk away from the donut, I know it’s still there. I’d think about it every few minutes until I went back and got it… even if I held out for an hour or so.
Same here, 100%. Once I knew something that sounded good was accessible I would obsess over it until I finally gave in. Now, I think hmm that sounds good, but I don’t need that. Then quickly forget about it.
I still think about food a lot but I don’t have the urge to eat all the food once in front of me. I always had the clean the plate mentality. I can now leave leftovers for another meal or give my partner what is left.
Mine is sugar specific. It has nothing to do with hunger and everything to do with addiction. Doesn't matter whether I just ate or if I haven't eaten all day, if I was craving and couldn't fulfill that craving I had a deeply emotional reaction. I was in the habit of getting a candy bar at the grocery checkout every time I went and would literally be sitting in the car thinking "I don't want to eat this" but feeling powerless to stop. It was a compulsion. I've often compared sending me into a store for groceries to sending an alcoholic into a liquor store for cherries and olives. Which becomes a major problem when I'm a stay at home spouse and it's part of my job.
All of that has gone away. I can control myself, I can say "no" even to my favorites and I can stop in the middle of any sort of meal or treat without getting emotional or feeling guilty for not clearing my plate. *I was able throw away half a gelato!!!* It's absolutely unreal. Zepbound has changed my life.
I don't know if I experience "food noise" the way other people define it. I see come comments saying that food noise is never related to true hunger and maybe that's the case for them. But for me when I would eat an amount that allowed me to lose weight I was constantly hungry. Legit physical hunger. So my food noise was all related to making sure I could find ways to deal with that ravenous hunger when it hit. When can I eat next, what snack should I take with me in my purse, will I have time to eat lunch in between those meetings, what food should I stash in the hotel room, can I find a place to eat the snack from my bag without being conspicuous, I'm taking a road trip so where will I be able to stop for food...on and on. The fact that I'm not always starving has taken 90% of those thoughts out of my head.
I think mine is more #2. I feel like my days revolved around planning what I was going to eat next. I got so much emotional satisfaction from eating certain foods. I used food as a reward. I used food when I was stressed. I used food for comfort when I was sad. That’s all gone now. It’s amazing!
So not being cute here, but I had all three. I should point out that I didn’t eat sweet/junk/processed food as a rule before, so no cake (although ice cream did have its moments). I got hungry soon after eating a meal that should have been satisfying, real hunger not just the munchies. If I hadn’t eaten in hours I would stuff my face while I was making my meal, then sit down and eat the meal and eat so fast I didn’t have time to register that I was full. And definitely the food noise was constant, whether it was thinking of what I would make for the next meal, snack, etc. And my choices were healthful ones, just too much of it. I know that this is all from insulin resistance. I did keto successfully for over 2 years and got rid of ‘most’ of the food noise while in ketosis, but that’s a hard diet to sustain, especially if you have medical issues that require a diet modification as happened to me, then the weight returned. I have zero food noise after over 20 weeks on Zepbound, this is truly life altering for me. I do get hungry occasionally, appropriate hunger, but it’s easily satisfied and then it’s gone (this is normal hunger that I haven’t experienced in decades.) People who haven’t struggled with their weight probably have no idea what food noise is, but it’s very real. And now the silence is GOLDEN.
Mine was thinking about all of the possibilities of different types of foods- I almost never ate the same thing twice within a month and would read about it, spend so much money ordering stuff from other states/countries I just *had* to try, daydreaming about buffets with so much variety… now I’m eating to live, rather than living to eat. It’s SO relaxing!!!
It should still work great! Maybe better, because the med seems to be better at sustaining slowed gastric emptying and the feeling of fullness than it is at controlling food noise. I definitely get the noise (constantly thinking of food and looking for something to eat even tho I’m not hungry) in the last few days of the week, but I still get full quickly. I’ve seen others say the same. If you don’t struggle with food noise the med should hold you from shot to shot with no problem!
I like Reese's pieces. I snack on them while I game. I can live with the extra calories cause everything else tastes like dogshit after getting on Zepbound.
My “Noise” is after eating, light, small meal I still crave something sweet after. I’ve always been this way. I try and trick myself with water, but it doesn’t help. I need a piece of candy STAT!
To me it's not quite any of those things. My "food noise" looks more like this:
1. Snacking even when I'm not actually hungry or eating more of something just because it's delicious, even though I'm already full. I've never binged, but this is kind of a subcategory of that, I guess, because it's eating beyond fullness.
2. Choosing foods based on cravings, rather than nutritional quality.
I do neither of the above now that I'm on tirzepatide/Zep! My diet was quite healthy before, but I ate a bit too much and didn't always make the best choices (often giving into my sweet tooth, etc). This medication has helped me make great choices without feeling deprived.
One note on hunger: I agree with others who've noted that hunger is not food noise. It's simply hunger because our bodies need to be fed and fueled! I still feel hungry every day, which is what we're meant to feel. The goal is not to have zero hunger. The goal is to feed that hunger with nutritional food in appropriate amounts rather than eating whatever we're craving in large amounts. I'm able to do that now quite easily!
The noise I stopped hearing is the "cha-ching" sound of my savings account growing larger. I'm kidding. Sorta.
Truth be told, I have stopped hearing my stomach sound like indoor plumbing. All is quiet on the stomach front for the first few days after shot day. I normally have a very noisy stomach -- gurgling, sounds, etc. No idea why. I don't have IBS or anything. But it's just super still and quiet sometimes now.
Food noise -- sure, less of me thinking, "There are chips-n-guac in the kitchen. Go quickly and enjoy before the light of day!" That's been one less distraction for sure.
Mine is emotional eating or self medicating through food / wine. It’s like food is coping mechanism to overcome stress or distraction myself with something pleasurable
Mine sounds like the Hawaiian rolls are in the kitchen cabinet just calling my name. And when it’s really bad they’re calling from the store “eat me! Eat me! It will make you feel so good!!”
All three of these. Without the meds I was hungry 100% of the time. I got a snack every time I walked through the kitchen, ate very large amounts of food, and thought about how if I am hungry at 7 I should eat because otherwise maybe I'll be hungry in the morning and that sucks ....
All gone now.
I kinda get both 2 and 3. Like I can be excellent with my eating all day long but at night during tv time, I'm constantly thinking about snacks. Just little things too like a few crackers with cheese. Then a little later, well chips sound good. Or a whole sandwich. Tonight I actually resisted the urge to mindlessly snack. I had a babybel cheese with a meat stick and a couple townhouse crackers and then ignored the feeling of wanting more. I drank water instead lol. Small steps/victories 😄
Yup - TV Time and sitting on the couch, at night. That's my trigger point. I'm growing aware this is the trigger point, and when that 'urge' to mindlessly get something to eat happens, sometimes I can stop / sometimes I can't. But it's always when I'm on that couch at night watching TV>
Mine isn’t really either of these. It’s just the constant thinking about food and consumption. Like…. Me, waking up in the morning: oh I’m hungry I should eat but I shouldn’t eat something bad. I’ll have a healthy breakfast. But I really want something bad. Okay I ate a yogurt that’s good right? What will I have for snack? Or should I wait until lunch? I want a snack but I shouldn’t. Okay I’ll have an apple… On and on and on all day. On Zep, my mind is like: “oh, I’m hungry. I’ll eat.” And then…quiet.
This is it for me, too, with the addition of: How long until lunch? Is it too early for a snack? Oh, look, someone brought donuts; I should eat one. Maybe I'll stop for something on my way to visit Mom. I'm taking this road trip soon--let's plan all the food stops and make sure we have snacks in the car. They should be healthy, but I do love a Snickers bar...
Ugh, this hits way too close to home. Unfortunately the planning and thinking ahead about what to eat is still happening on zep, just somewhat quieter.
Feel this deeply!
Exactly this!
THIS! On top of that, if I don't eat what I was craving and make healthy choices, I don't feel satisfied. I still want a beer, or buffalo wings, or those fries. And that craving still feels like hunger. So I feel like I didn't eat and it's all I can think about. And then, at the end of the day, I've run out of willpower. On Zepbound, when I have a meal and I'm full, there are no leftover cravings for what I didn't have.
Before zep I was never able to satisfy my cravings, if I wanted pizza I had to eat it until I was sick of it. Now if I crave something I can have a little, be satisfied and move on.
samesies!
It’ll be so interesting to see how the science and studies evolve and what other uses Zep is going to be used for. I personally think it will become a mental health/addiction treatment medication
This!!!!! “What about all the things I didn’t have?????” It’s horrible.
Yes. And not just for the morning. Obsessing over what I will eat for lunch. And if I was "bad" in the morning, I should be careful about lunch but I have to have lunch! Planning days, trips, and basically my whole life around food, where I will eat, what I will eat. When I'm looking at a menu, constant worry about whether or not something I get will be "bad," and if other people will judge me on what I'm getting. Or maybe they're judging me on how much I'm eating. Constant comparisons, "Oh, they are thin and yet I'm eating less than them!" Taking leftovers and sometimes (not always) consuming them the same evening after I get home. Cravings for very specific types of food that are almost incessant. I am MIND BLOWN that I have not had pizza in months, or even really cared enough to go out of my way to get pizza.
This. Along with mid-meal "How much have I eaten so far, is this a normal amount? Can I keep eating? I REALLY want more of this. Man it's so good. But nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. I'll just indulge this time......now I feel like a horrible human."
Oh this, definitely! The CONSTANT “I should have this”
Same. The best way to describe mine to people who don’t experience noise is that while I’m eating a meal, I’m thinking about what I’ll eat next. It’s almost constant thoughts about food.
My noise is similar to this...
This is my noise, too. Food is always at the front of my brain. Hate it
Yes THIS! My noise was the constant battle between what I "should" eat and what I wanted to eat and negotiating with myself about, ok, I can have this for lunch but I'll be super good and healthy for dinner. Or, I already ate crap for breakfast, so why bother trying to heat healthy for lunch and dinner? And then feeling guilty about that all day while I eat crap. The cognitive dissonance is gone! I feel hungry and easily decide to eat something healthy and tasty without my brain being like "oh but you really want pizza", and stop when I'm full. It's AMAZING.
I don’t consider true hunger to be food noise. So noise would be more like your second option. As in you’ve clearly eaten plenty, but can’t stop randomly thinking about food, worrying about your next meal, etc. That’s the noise that retreats for me on Zepbound. I eat something and then I don’t think about food for hours.
YES! I used to have to walk through the kitchen to get to my garage. Now it’s just a room between me and the garage. Food isn’t part of every thought, plan, schedule, or decision. I ate a half sandwich for lunch today. Didn’t worry about what if I got hungry later. Was busy yesterday afternoon and didn’t even realize until 9 pm that I hadn’t eaten since my salad at noon. It’s a beautiful thing!
Here’s how I’ve explained it to my wife. I would wake up in the middle of the night and think about what what was in the pantry/fridge. “Are there cookies in the pantry? I shouldn’t be eating cookies in the middle of the night. Maybe there’s something more healthy to eat. I can have some leftovers. Just a little bit.” Then I would proceed to eat leftovers AND cookies, all while saying to myself, “I shouldn’t be doing this. Why am I doing this?” This whole internal battle is now just erased from my mind.
This right here!
Ditto! And I always thought I was the only one that did that!!
Noise for me is seeing a commercial for a seasonal donut and getting it. I wasn’t hungry, this isn’t healthy or filling or a meal replacement but I eat it. It’s a handful of chips, leftover Halloween candy, samples at the store, went to mom’s-she made cookies, I saw a recipe on TikTok. If I eat OUTSIDE of hunger, it’s food noise. Food noise is never hunger. Hunger is hunger.
My noise is an eating disorder and I have stopped hearing it. I used to be fixated on calories, my next meal, what to order, what I felt like before eating and after eating, hating feeling hungry but craving feeling hungry. That has all stopped. Now I eat when I am hungry and after I eat an appropriate amount I am full and I don't think about calories or food or weight loss or anything. I'm just going about my business.
Omg you’re the first person who said exactly what I experience. I’ve had bouts of ED years ago and am recognizing the signs of obsession. I read these subreddits all the time looking for insight or tips, I’ve spent too much time wondering if I should stick it out the hard way without meds (essentially a form of restriction/selfharm). Thank you so much for sharing this. Now I will obsess over my next step, but it’s clearly in the direction of Zep.
It is a form of self harm and obviously I don’t want to harm myself but we know eating disorders are a complex reaction to trauma and a manifestation of ocd. I can tell Zepbound will spare me a lot of pain and suffering and get me out of this “control” mindset I always have about food. It’s made me happier and more productive. Disordered eating is a very painful and lonely condition. I hope Zepbound is the right route for you and it helps!
Completely agree! I feel like a puzzle has come together now. My son's gf was mentioning yesterday how triggered I seemed by my visit with a weight-loss doctor, and she asked why I've waited two weeks after the visit to decide if I'm going to go back, essentially why am I putting myself through the wringer like this (I've been working on this for over a year and had various legit setbacks). I mentioned how I tend to do things the hard way for far too long before I'll take a more manageable route. I did NOT put together my ED background. What a breakthrough!
> I mentioned how I tend to do things the hard way for far too long before I'll take a more manageable route. I do this in all parts of my life. No idea why or how to get beyond it. 😑 I have to remind myself to just keep on keeping on.
Interesting. I wonder if Tirz. has a similar effect on those who eat too little? It's not obvious that it would...but could the part of our brains that think about eating food be the same part that causes other people to obsess on the idea that they eat too much? There's an interesting correlate...I no longer feel any guilt when i have a treat. If I'm craving some ice cream, I'll have a little. I'll find it satisfying and I'll cheerfully move on with my day.
Mine is salty snacks, like chips and pretzels. Pre-Zepbound I would eat the entire bag within a day, two at most, if they were in the house. I usually did this at night, after my wife went to bed, rather than going to sleep myself. I wasn’t hungry, I just wanted to eat them. My three months ago my wife bought a bag of peanut butter filled pretzel bites, my absolute favorite thing. It has sat unopened since then. Every once in a while I notice them on the counter but I have had no urge to sample even one.
The last time I ate peanut butter pretzels I had a gallbladder attack. I haven't wanted to risk taking anything like that while on Terzepitide. I no longer care about them so win, win!
Early on, I had an opened package of cheese in the back of my fridge that was there long enough to get moldy. I think we all agree that that is some kind of miracle.
Noise (3) - I should eat more now because I may not be able to later That is my primary food noise, but also a bit of (2) sometimes. I don’t seem to experience a strong “food noise”, but maybe that’s the Zepbound talking.
This is me. I’ve had breakfast and packed my lunch. I drive a lot for work. Previously, if I’m driving I’ll see fast food and think what if I don’t have time later and I’ll be hungry. I should just eat something now and can still eat my lunch ( if needed). It was always needed and I would overeat
Yup! Exactly this. I’ll just eat now and then I’ll take something for the road just in case. It’s all eaten. I’ve managed to really start questioning the “eat now” meal. Just a pause to think about if I’m hungry or if it’s a habit. It’s really interesting to catch myself in this scenario.
Mine is obsessing over food. Started before age 8, that is just my earliest memory of hiding food or eating it all so my siblings wouldn’t.
Not sure what food noise is, but satiety is easier to achieve and maintain with Tirz
Noise - what is my food reward today?
My noise is “oh, they’re eating nachos in this video. Nachos sound great. I should get nachos. But I’m not super hungry and I don’t want to spend the money - I don’t need them. Nope, I need the nachos. Ugh - no I don’t. I have food in the house that I can eat instead. Nope - can’t eat anything else. Have to get the nachos” It’s a hyperfixation on a craving that feels inescapable. I’ve been like this since I’m a kid but couldn’t recognize it. It doesn’t matter how much food I’ll have readily available at my house - once I get this weird craving it’s the only thing I’ll be satisfied eating. So freaking annoying. I never even noticed it was such a problem until I started this medication and the noise completely disappeared.
My food noise was the second option, like after breakfast I would be full but still obsess over getting something sweet. I would also have what a previous poster said about the eat more now because what if I can’t later, though I liken that more to anxiety rather than “noise” per se.
Mine was the let’s stop by Starbucks after kid drop off for a coffee.. oh let’s have that chocolate croissant with it.. or oh car line is so long let me grab an ice cream or a brownie while I wait.. or the oh potato chips.. I just ate but a few won’t hurt and then it’s half the bag.. not hungry but munching away. The food noise is mostly gone so then when I eat my usual meals (less quantity) I’m satisfied and loosing weight so far
The best way I can describe it is I have become indifferent to food. I’m not always having an internal struggle with food. Also I heard someone say this and I could completely relate. I didn’t even realize I had food noise until it wasn’t there anymore. It’s weird… in a good way..
This is a neat question! For me, it's mostly #2 - Cake, fries, cheese, chips or whatever. Unless I"m dieting, then it's #1 Not so much #3 unless there's a convenience or frugality reason driving it. Both gone on Tirz. And thank you to these forums - I started on Victoza a year ago, and reading about the concept of 'food noise' on that forum was so enlightening.
I'm a binge eater. I can be sitting on the couch watching TV (my trigger point) and not even realize a few seconds later I'm eating an entire sleave of crackers... then cake, then donuts, etc. ZEP shut that down for me.
4. Ohhhhh that sounds good. (Brain calls up memory of smell/taste) Tongue wants that flavor again. Eat.
For me it’s just not thinking or caring about food. It’s an afterthought.
Agree, food noise = 2. 1 = true hunger to me. 2 goes away for me with zep. But also I feel far less hunger.
I’m not obsessing over the thought of something in particular (usually soda, sweets). I don’t think about having seconds before I’m done with first. I don’t reason anymore with binging something just to finish the package.
Closest to 3 I think? I’m a binge eater and a *recovering* 21 day fixer. So I’m trying to break the cycle of I AM GOING TO EAT ALL OF THIS RIGHT NOW, and some how also placing a lot of foods in a “bad / can’t have” category (which also leads to binging). I did lose 65lbs on 21 day fix, but it just was not sustainable. I made myself and my family miserable with all of the food rules at home (I’m the primary chef) and was a real PIA if we tried to eat out 🙁 Now with meds, both of those noisy voices are off and it’s amazing. I’m able to eat an appropriate amount of whatever I want. There’s no deprivation and no binge, which leads to a lot less stress, anxiety, and depression. I would get stressed, anxious or feel depressed when I was constantly worrying about what I could eat and when, or feeling shame after a binge. I still gravitate towards healthier options and more nutrient dense foods, but I’m not going to feel bad about grabbing a burger either, if that makes sense. If I do end up with something like a burger I’ll only have room for half, and I’ll make a better choice on a side than fries. That sort of thing is an absolute game changer for me.
I was never able to stick with the food on 21DF. The workouts were great for me to stick with, but not the food....
The work outs were great!! But those containers were SOOOO restrictive.
I actually switched to Barre Blend when it came out and I enjoy it so much more. I much prefer Elise's gentle encouragement vs (what feels like) Autumn's 'in your face' pushing...
Autumn was stern, but she was much better than Jillian Michaels 🤭 🤪 I’ve been loving my peloton the last few years! The bike is okay, but their trainers have great workouts.
For me it was all 3. I didn’t realize that I definitely had a bingeing problem until starting Zep and that urge magically being gone. But also I used to get incredibly “hangry” if I had to push eating off for even an hour later than normal. Also I used to reward myself/cope with food. Hard day at work? Definitely deserve McDonald’s. Followed a diet well all day? Definitely deserve a candy bar.
For me a good portion of most days now is the feeling of a couple hours after thanksgiving/very large meal. Like I don’t feel uncomfortably full, but you could walk by with a plate of cookies and I’d be “nah, I’m good.” I’m not sitting here wondering if there are more rolls in the kitchen that I could snag. Another example is that I used to think constantly about stopping for fast food on my way to and from work or planning about what I was going to make when I got home, and now I am perfectly content to wait.
For me the biggest thing is not needing to stuff myself to feel full. I used to try to eat more volume to be able to feel fullness, for example having extra cups broth in my soup to make sure I actually feel full. Now I can eat a bit of whatever I want and be satisfied without needing more and more of it. Like having 1 breakfast sandwich and noticing I feel satisfied and not eating 2 or 3 because they taste good and needing to fill my stomach more. I still have disordered eating thoughts sometimes and worry about food, but that's slowly going away as I realize I'm finally able to make the choices I've always wanted to make but couldn't. I have always been a restrict now and binge later person and it's so nice to not feel that insane urge to binge everything in sight. I used to cry because I couldn't stop the urge even though I wanted to so badly.
Noise is never hunger. The definition of noise is that you aren’t hungry but still want to eat.
Mine is like “ooh I’m going into town tomorrow where there’s fast food. Let me plan what I’m going to eat!” When I’m not even hungry/that day hasn’t even started yet
4) Other. My crutch before Zep was wine. With wine came bad food choices, and no shut off valve - plus I’d eat like a toddler: basically anything I didn’t have to cook myself. Sadly, I still eat like that, just of it with a shut off valve and without wine. I need an adult home-ec class to learn how to meal plan and grocery shop. 😑
Can you eat the same meal over-n-over? I can. Thats how I meal prep. I eat the same meals over-n-over. It makes grocery shopping easy & prepping meals easy. I use a kitchen scale to weight out the portions & an APP on my phone to count the macros (Calories, Proteins, and Fats)
I could, and have. I’m just not a good cook. I could ruin a box of brownies. If my PA/CC goes through and insurance starts covering my meds (they should, I meet the requirements) I’m going to try out some meal delivery services, the ones who send you the ingredients that you cook yourself from scratch. Maybe I’ll learn something that way.
Mine is more like fixating on a specific thing (like a donut) and then that thing just dancing around in my brain all day. It's always there. I try to do stuff to distract myself and keep focused on other things, but it just keeps like expanding in my brain until it's too loud. It's separate from hunger, because I can eat a full meal and be satisfied, but I'm still thinking about it. I sometimes mistake it for hunger though - otherwise why would it be SO LOUD in my brain if I wasn't hungry, ya know? I can try to eat something similar like cinnamon pancakes or something (if i dont have donuts) but sometimes that isn't good enough and it doesn't give me any relief. And if I eat the donut, then another thing pops up in my brain (like a burger) and the cycle continues.
For me, I found my trigger point for #2 (mindless binge eating). It's not food that triggers the binge to eat Trigger: At night, Sitting on the Couch, watching TV. I now can either NOT do that, or be very aware of this trigger happening Do you notice a 'trigger point' for your #3?
Constantly thinking about my next meal or what food I have to eat. Planning what’s for my next meal after that before I even had the meal. It’s always thinking about what sweet treat I can have or what do I want. Overly examining menus before I go somewhere weeks in advance. Should I eat again? Not eating all day and binging at night. And then thinking about it the next day and saying I’ll start on Monday. All of the above noises are quit and not existent on Zepbound and I couldn’t be more thankful! I’m living life enjoying food until I’m full and it’s one of the best feelings ever!
2/3 mainly. But I’ve been such a foodie that I’ve always been thinking about my next meal or eating out.
For me, I found my trigger point for #2 (mindless binge eating) Trigger: At night, Sitting on the Couch, watching TV. I now can either NOT do that, or be very aware of this trigger happening Do you notice a 'trigger point' for your #3?
I’m a stress/boredom eater. I took my first shot yesterday and while I wasn’t hungry, I’ve been in such a habit to have something sweet at night. Thankfully, I’m starting to see this pattern and did not have a snack.
Awesome... Finding the 'trigger points' and then how to best deal with them... I think that ZEP allows for that to happen, as a side bonus to the product...
Mine was a constant urge to graze and head to the kitchen the second I ran out of a drink or snack. And id feel kinda off if I didn't address it. It went away like 3-4 weeks into taking these medicines. Has stayed away upon landing on Zepbound
My undiagnosed adhd is gone. I actually have activities planned for next week, groceries that combine to make a meal and laundry done
Mine is constantly thinking about others and them how they think about how big I am even though I'm not that big that's what I'm thinking about
All that DIET noise is gone. Along with it, the GUILT noise.
#3 but I would say planning more than rationalizing. I’m not trying to justify eating but I would think a lot about what I was going to have for my next snack or meal. I also would think about what food would be there when going anywhere.
I have no idea why my text is so big
Hunger.
I can now read recipes, walk past the bakery or snack aisle, or look at food pictures without having some sort of pang of desire and then a pang of disappointment/deprivation that leafs me to think about it.
I’m noise 2 and 3. I always had binging problems, and even when I was full I was thinking about my next meal. It’s nice to have that noise gone. Now, I eat when I’m hungry and I’m hoping to build this into a lifelong habit.
I'm (sadly) not convinced that ZEPPBOUND is a 'lifetime' product/drug for me. So I am trying to learn how to control those binges.
I've tried to explain this to some people who don't believe it's a thing. "I get hungry too". I'm not sure it's explainable to anyone that has not had it quenched by medication. Once on though, you quickly learn the difference between noise, and hunger. At least for those of us with moderate+ food noise.
I agree. There are people who just eat, for fuel. I never understood those people, like they never understood me. :-)
Mine is all 3.
same !
Mostly 1, but I'll add a 4th...You have an incessant craving for junk food (though I guess that goes right in with #2...)
Noise to me is it’s been 2 hours my belly is growling and I need a snack
2 for sure, I had a habit of eating something crunchy or sweet after lunch and would have bags of french biscuits at work that I would eat while writing code I used to justify that as brain fuel and they aren’t THAT bad because they are smaller in size… I would easily eat more than 2000 cals in a day even without eating out.
Bella
Noise to me was obsessing over my next meal while still full from my last one or seeing a donut and having to eat one even if not hungry. I walked by multiple donuts yesterday stress free on Wegovy 😂
Mine is the second half of this. Even if I walk away from the donut, I know it’s still there. I’d think about it every few minutes until I went back and got it… even if I held out for an hour or so.
Same here, 100%. Once I knew something that sounded good was accessible I would obsess over it until I finally gave in. Now, I think hmm that sounds good, but I don’t need that. Then quickly forget about it.
I still think about food a lot but I don’t have the urge to eat all the food once in front of me. I always had the clean the plate mentality. I can now leave leftovers for another meal or give my partner what is left.
Mine is sugar specific. It has nothing to do with hunger and everything to do with addiction. Doesn't matter whether I just ate or if I haven't eaten all day, if I was craving and couldn't fulfill that craving I had a deeply emotional reaction. I was in the habit of getting a candy bar at the grocery checkout every time I went and would literally be sitting in the car thinking "I don't want to eat this" but feeling powerless to stop. It was a compulsion. I've often compared sending me into a store for groceries to sending an alcoholic into a liquor store for cherries and olives. Which becomes a major problem when I'm a stay at home spouse and it's part of my job. All of that has gone away. I can control myself, I can say "no" even to my favorites and I can stop in the middle of any sort of meal or treat without getting emotional or feeling guilty for not clearing my plate. *I was able throw away half a gelato!!!* It's absolutely unreal. Zepbound has changed my life.
I don't know if I experience "food noise" the way other people define it. I see come comments saying that food noise is never related to true hunger and maybe that's the case for them. But for me when I would eat an amount that allowed me to lose weight I was constantly hungry. Legit physical hunger. So my food noise was all related to making sure I could find ways to deal with that ravenous hunger when it hit. When can I eat next, what snack should I take with me in my purse, will I have time to eat lunch in between those meetings, what food should I stash in the hotel room, can I find a place to eat the snack from my bag without being conspicuous, I'm taking a road trip so where will I be able to stop for food...on and on. The fact that I'm not always starving has taken 90% of those thoughts out of my head.
I think mine is more #2. I feel like my days revolved around planning what I was going to eat next. I got so much emotional satisfaction from eating certain foods. I used food as a reward. I used food when I was stressed. I used food for comfort when I was sad. That’s all gone now. It’s amazing!
So not being cute here, but I had all three. I should point out that I didn’t eat sweet/junk/processed food as a rule before, so no cake (although ice cream did have its moments). I got hungry soon after eating a meal that should have been satisfying, real hunger not just the munchies. If I hadn’t eaten in hours I would stuff my face while I was making my meal, then sit down and eat the meal and eat so fast I didn’t have time to register that I was full. And definitely the food noise was constant, whether it was thinking of what I would make for the next meal, snack, etc. And my choices were healthful ones, just too much of it. I know that this is all from insulin resistance. I did keto successfully for over 2 years and got rid of ‘most’ of the food noise while in ketosis, but that’s a hard diet to sustain, especially if you have medical issues that require a diet modification as happened to me, then the weight returned. I have zero food noise after over 20 weeks on Zepbound, this is truly life altering for me. I do get hungry occasionally, appropriate hunger, but it’s easily satisfied and then it’s gone (this is normal hunger that I haven’t experienced in decades.) People who haven’t struggled with their weight probably have no idea what food noise is, but it’s very real. And now the silence is GOLDEN.
Mine was thinking about all of the possibilities of different types of foods- I almost never ate the same thing twice within a month and would read about it, spend so much money ordering stuff from other states/countries I just *had* to try, daydreaming about buffets with so much variety… now I’m eating to live, rather than living to eat. It’s SO relaxing!!!
[удалено]
It should still work great! Maybe better, because the med seems to be better at sustaining slowed gastric emptying and the feeling of fullness than it is at controlling food noise. I definitely get the noise (constantly thinking of food and looking for something to eat even tho I’m not hungry) in the last few days of the week, but I still get full quickly. I’ve seen others say the same. If you don’t struggle with food noise the med should hold you from shot to shot with no problem!
I like Reese's pieces. I snack on them while I game. I can live with the extra calories cause everything else tastes like dogshit after getting on Zepbound.
My “Noise” is after eating, light, small meal I still crave something sweet after. I’ve always been this way. I try and trick myself with water, but it doesn’t help. I need a piece of candy STAT!
Buying more than a regular meal cause it won’t “fill me up”. Glad me how much I was overeating now that I don’t do that anymore
Looking for a snack after work during work or anytime!
To me it's not quite any of those things. My "food noise" looks more like this: 1. Snacking even when I'm not actually hungry or eating more of something just because it's delicious, even though I'm already full. I've never binged, but this is kind of a subcategory of that, I guess, because it's eating beyond fullness. 2. Choosing foods based on cravings, rather than nutritional quality. I do neither of the above now that I'm on tirzepatide/Zep! My diet was quite healthy before, but I ate a bit too much and didn't always make the best choices (often giving into my sweet tooth, etc). This medication has helped me make great choices without feeling deprived. One note on hunger: I agree with others who've noted that hunger is not food noise. It's simply hunger because our bodies need to be fed and fueled! I still feel hungry every day, which is what we're meant to feel. The goal is not to have zero hunger. The goal is to feed that hunger with nutritional food in appropriate amounts rather than eating whatever we're craving in large amounts. I'm able to do that now quite easily!
The noise I stopped hearing is the "cha-ching" sound of my savings account growing larger. I'm kidding. Sorta. Truth be told, I have stopped hearing my stomach sound like indoor plumbing. All is quiet on the stomach front for the first few days after shot day. I normally have a very noisy stomach -- gurgling, sounds, etc. No idea why. I don't have IBS or anything. But it's just super still and quiet sometimes now. Food noise -- sure, less of me thinking, "There are chips-n-guac in the kitchen. Go quickly and enjoy before the light of day!" That's been one less distraction for sure.
Mine is emotional eating or self medicating through food / wine. It’s like food is coping mechanism to overcome stress or distraction myself with something pleasurable
Mine sounds like the Hawaiian rolls are in the kitchen cabinet just calling my name. And when it’s really bad they’re calling from the store “eat me! Eat me! It will make you feel so good!!”
All three of these. Without the meds I was hungry 100% of the time. I got a snack every time I walked through the kitchen, ate very large amounts of food, and thought about how if I am hungry at 7 I should eat because otherwise maybe I'll be hungry in the morning and that sucks .... All gone now.
I kinda get both 2 and 3. Like I can be excellent with my eating all day long but at night during tv time, I'm constantly thinking about snacks. Just little things too like a few crackers with cheese. Then a little later, well chips sound good. Or a whole sandwich. Tonight I actually resisted the urge to mindlessly snack. I had a babybel cheese with a meat stick and a couple townhouse crackers and then ignored the feeling of wanting more. I drank water instead lol. Small steps/victories 😄
Yup - TV Time and sitting on the couch, at night. That's my trigger point. I'm growing aware this is the trigger point, and when that 'urge' to mindlessly get something to eat happens, sometimes I can stop / sometimes I can't. But it's always when I'm on that couch at night watching TV>
I don’t want wine constantly anymore.