Stop Obsessing About Food

How to Stop Obsessing Over Food: A Guide for Busy Physicians

Do you ever feel like food takes up way too much space in your mind?

You’re standing in the hospital break room, staring at a plate of cookies someone brought in. Your brain is already buzzing with noise:

• “I shouldn’t eat that.”
• “I just had a salad—this will ruin it.”
• “Why can’t I just stop?”

You grab one—maybe two—and head back to your desk. But instead of satisfaction, a flood of guilt washes over you:

• “I shouldn’t have eaten those.”
• “I’ll skip dinner to make up for it.”
• “Tomorrow, I’ll do better.”

And yet, tomorrow comes, and the cycle starts all over again.

This pattern isn’t just exhausting—it steals your mental energy, focus, and joy. And if you’ve ever felt stuck in this cycle, let me tell you something important:

It’s not your fault.

Why Do Physicians Obsess Over Food?

As physicians, we’re used to solving problems with focus, effort, and hard work. Need better exam scores? Study harder. Need to complete more clinic notes? Stay later.

But food doesn’t respond to hard work the same way.

The harder you try to control your eating with restriction, willpower, and guilt, the more food seems to dominate your thoughts.

This is because food obsession isn’t about food—it’s about what’s happening underneath:

• Chronic stress from demanding shifts.
• Emotional exhaustion from juggling multiple roles.
• Patterns of restriction followed by overeating.

The noise in your mind isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign that your current approach isn’t serving you.

The Truth About Food Obsession

You might think, “I just need more willpower. I need to try harder.” But willpower is like a battery—it runs out, especially after a long shift filled with decision fatigue.

The truth is:

• Guilt doesn’t help you eat better—it just makes you eat more.
• Restriction doesn’t give you control—it amplifies obsession.
• You don’t need more willpower—you need better tools.

If food feels like it’s taking up too much space in your mind, it’s not because you’re failing. It’s because the tools you’ve been given don’t actually work in the reality of your busy life as a physician.

3 Steps to Stop Obsessing Over Food

Here are three powerful steps you can start using today to break the cycle and find peace with food:

1️⃣ Reframe Your Thoughts About Food
Food isn’t good or bad. It’s not a moral failure if you eat a cookie, and it doesn’t make you a hero if you skip one. Food is neutral.

Instead of saying, “I can’t have that,” try saying, “I can eat this if I want, but how will it make me feel afterward?”

This tiny mindset shift takes away the pressure and power food often holds.

2️⃣ Get Curious, Not Judgmental
When you find yourself reaching for food without hunger, pause and ask:

• “What am I really feeling right now?”
• “Am I tired, stressed, or avoiding something uncomfortable?”

Curiosity helps you understand your patterns without guilt or shame, and that’s where real change starts.

3️⃣ Focus on Small, Sustainable Changes
Change doesn’t happen in grand overhauls—it happens in tiny, consistent steps.

• Plan one satisfying snack for long shifts.
• Practice pausing for 30 seconds before making a food choice.
• Allow yourself to enjoy your food without guilt.

Small changes done consistently will always outperform massive efforts you can’t maintain.

You Deserve Peace Around Food

Imagine walking into the break room, seeing those cookies, and feeling calm. You might choose to have one, or you might not. Either way, you move on with your day—no guilt, no spiral, no endless thoughts.

Imagine waking up the next day excited for breakfast, not plotting how to “make up” for yesterday.

This isn’t just possible—it’s absolutely achievable.

Take the Next Step

If this resonates with you, I invite you to listen to my latest podcast episode on Thriving As A Physician.

In this episode, I’ll guide you through:

• Why obsessing over food actually creates more cravings—not control.
• The #1 mistake physicians make that keeps food on their mind all day.
• Three simple tools you can use right now to quiet the noise and feel in control.

🎧 Listen to the episode now on your favorite podcast app or at the bottom of this page.

Food doesn’t have to take up so much mental space. And you don’t have to figure this out alone.

Take a deep breath—you’ve got this.

Dr. Siobhan Key