How to Use Obsessive Food Thoughts to Your Advantage: 5 Steps

Did you know that obsessive food thoughts around food and body can actually be used to your advantage? One of my clients put it so well when she said it’s like taking “power moves” against that disordered voice. It’s something I learned to do during my own healing process and something I talk about often with my clients.

First and foremost, keep in mind that if you're under eating, you are likely to have obsessive food thoughts and food preoccupation, because your body and brain are wired to help you survive. So, the initial step when dealing with obsessive food thoughts is always to make sure you're eating enough food. If you're not sure if you're meeting your needs, it's best to consult with a dietitian who can help you understand your nutrient and energy requirements.

However, this blog is specifically about the more emotional drivers of obsessive food thoughts and is for anyone struggling with disordered eating, chronic dieting, an eating disorder, or negative body image thoughts – or perhaps you know a loved one who is and may benefit from reading. Really, it’s for anyone whose mental space is taken up too much by thoughts of food, body and/or exercise. This can happen with binge eating disorder and other eating disorders, but it can also happen with eating behaviors and food rules that may not meet the criteria for a specific disorder. And while eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa can involve very serious health consequences, disordered eating exists on a spectrum. You do not have to have a formal disorder to deserve support, care, and treatment.

“The Red Herring”

Disordered eating thoughts, whether coming from a diet mindset or an eating disorder, are sometimes there to distract or numb you from an uncomfortable emotion (sadness, guilt, anxiety, etc.) or situation (any life transition, uncertainty, crisis, unhealthy relationships, etc.). It SEEMS like the issue is about the food or your body. As therapist Anita Johnston says, it’s the red herring (it seems so much like it’s about this thing over here but it’s actually about that thing over there).

For some people, this can show up as binge eating or frequent food thoughts. In fact, research suggests that difficult emotions and challenges with emotion regulation can play a role in binge-eating behaviors. For others, it may look like restrictive eating, compulsive exercise, or an intense focus on weight and body image. Eating behavior can become a way of managing difficult thoughts and emotions, even when the behavior ultimately creates more distress.

Sometimes these patterns can feel like obsessive food thoughts that take over your mental space. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, food and body preoccupation can be warning signs of eating disorders. You might find yourself thinking about what you ate, what you are going to eat, whether you “should” eat something, or how eating might affect your weight. These obsessive food thoughts can make it difficult to focus on work, relationships, hobbies, or simply being present in your life.

Enter Mindfulness

But if you can remember that thoughts are just thoughts, and that you do not have to believe in and/or act on every thought you have, you can see disordered eating thoughts as that – just thoughts – untruthful and unhelpful ones.

Sometimes people describe this experience as “food noise”: a constant stream of thoughts about food, eating, weight, or what they “should” or “shouldn’t” eat. For some people, food noise may feel like obsessive food thoughts that are constantly running in the background. You may feel as though your brain is always analyzing your eating habits or planning your next meal.

And I think it can be empowering to look at these thoughts as an emotional flagging system – an inner signal that something is off and you need to pay attention to yourself, your needs or your feelings, and address THAT. You can choose to actually work on the real-life issue, instead of going on another diet (that doesn’t “work”) or using an eating disorder behavior, and believing those disordered food/body thoughts and letting them guide (and potentially destroy) your life.

This does not mean ignoring health. Mental health and physical health are connected, and people can experience eating disorders alongside other mental health conditions or health conditions. The goal is not to stop caring about health, weight, or food altogether. The goal is to stop letting fear, rigid food rules, and disordered behaviors control your life.

The “Power Move”

Follow these steps (with an example) the next time you are having a disordered thought:

1. Identify the thought and put space between you and it.

“I am having the thought that [e.g. ‘I should not eat carbs today’].”

Putting the thought into words can help you recognize that you are the person noticing the thought – you are not the thought itself. This can be especially helpful when obsessive food thoughts feel automatic or overwhelming.

2. Remind yourself this is just a thought, and a disordered one at that.

Disordered thoughts are never rational or based on good evidence. For this specific example, I would suggest reminding yourself of all the reasons why we need carbs (energy, satisfaction, etc.), and that carbs are our bodies’ and brains’ preferred energy source. Check out our blog post about why we need carbs—specifically bread and other grains.

If you are experiencing binge eating, restrictive eating, or other eating behaviors, you may notice similar thoughts around what, when, or how much you are “allowed” to eat. The thought may tell you to restrict now because you ate “too much” earlier, or that you need to compensate because of weight gain. Recognizing these thoughts as part of the disorder can create space to choose a different response.

3. Tell yourself this thought is here to distract you from feeling an unpleasant emotion or to distract you from something uncomfortable.

Ask yourself, “What’s going on with me? How am I feeling?” Imagine you’re asking your best friend this question – do so kindly and non-judgmentally. For example, if you suddenly feel like you need to binge eat, obsess over calories, or binge eat certain foods before you “start over,” pause and ask what is happening emotionally. Sometimes the urge is connected to stress, loneliness, anger, sadness, uncertainty, or another feeling that needs attention.

If obsessive food thoughts are particularly loud during stressful or emotionally difficult moments, this can be useful information. Rather than immediately trying to silence the thoughts through restriction or another eating disorder behavior, you can pause and ask yourself what you actually need.

4. Identify the emotion and actual issue.

For example, “I am feeling anxious because I got in a fight with my partner yesterday.”

This step can help you move beyond the food thoughts and toward what actually needs your attention.

5. Deal with the actual emotion and issue.

This includes feeling the emotion/s, safely expressing it/them and using healthy coping skills. It also includes dealing with the issue related to the emotion, instead of “dealing” with it by listening to what the disordered mind wants you to do (which is not dealing with it at all).

So in the above example, you’d feel your anxiety, express it in some way (such as journaling about it), use an anxiety coping skill (such as taking a slow walk outside) and then communicate with your partner about the fight – AND make sure you eat carbs throughout the day with the rest of your food groups. Download our free guide, 60+ Quotes About Eating Disorder Recovery, for gentle reminders to return to on the days it feels harder than it should.

The same principle applies if your brain is making a lot of noise around food. You can notice the food thoughts without automatically following them. You can challenge rigid food rules, make room for flexibility, and practice eating in a way that supports both your physical health and mental health.

How to Get Started

To begin, I suggest looking back on the last time you had a disordered thought and see if you can go through the five steps in past tense. Then, you can begin to practice in the moment. Sometimes, it's best to practice with the guidance of a registered dietitian who specializes in eating disorders. These five steps are one “power move” you can take against your eating disorder or disordered thoughts (it works the same for negative body image thoughts). They are one key to taking your power back, healing your relationship to food and your body, and showing up for yourself, your loved ones and your life.

If you are struggling with obsessive food thoughts, your relationship to food, your body or exercise, you do not have to navigate it alone. Treatment and support can be incredibly helpful. Depending on your needs, support might include working with a therapist or dietitian, connecting with support groups, or reaching out to trusted loved ones. There's no shame in asking for help. Whether you are dealing with binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, another eating disorder, or disordered eating that does not fit neatly into a diagnosis, your experience matters. Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions, but recovery is possible. You deserve support that helps you move away from fear and rigid rules and toward a healthier relationship with food, your body, and yourself.

Obsessive Food Thoughts: FAQs Section

Here are some of the most common questions we receive about dealing with obsessive food thoughts:

How do I stop my obsessive thoughts about eating?

First, make sure you're eating enough food and get professional help if you need help with that. Obsessive food thoughts will persist if you're under eating. Second, ask yourself if there's something deeper bothering you in your life that may be the actual issue. Eventually, you will find that you have a choice—to deal with the actual issue and feel the uncomfortable feeling, or to continue to focus on food.

How do I know if my obsession with food is a sign of depression or am I just foody?

Being obsessed with food is not the same as being interested in food and finding it to be a pleasurable and significant part of your life. If your obsession is causing stress and complications in your life, it's likely an emotional issue or a sign of under eating. If it's more of a joyful experience, then it's likely you are a "foody," which is completely fine.

What is the cause of compulsive overeating and how can it be treated?

Compulsive overeating is often driven by restriction. For example, you may not eat enough in the first half of the day and find yourself overeating later and feeling out of control around food. It can also be in response to emotional distress. Compulsive overeating is best treated with a team of a therapist, dietitian, and doctor.

Reach out if you need support

If you are struggling with obsessive food thoughts, we would love to work with you via eating disorder counseling, body image counseling, and/or nutrition counseling. Please contact us via our contact page and we can set up a free discovery call to see if we are a good fit!

In true health,

Caroline