4th Day Vegan..Always hungry?

[imawonderer]

Previously for 6 Months i was vegetarian and 4 days ago i became a vegan ..
Before i was able have 2 meals and some snacks and it was enough..but when im vegan i eat up to 4 meals a day ..I feel so hungry all the time..I dont know what to do..

[Tobi]

My first thought was -if you're hungry, eat! But of course it could mean you aren't eating a balanced diet....not enough protein, not enough of something else perhaps. I guess you're getting enough carbs with your meals, but are you eating complete proteins?
One example of a vegan 'complete protein' is combining nuts/seeds with grains...beans/lentils with brown rice or other grains. There are many other examples.

Just as a meat-eater, you will need a balance at each meal with complete protein/carbs/and veg.
Something like...Chickpea falafel (about 5), brown rice, and broccoli with onion gravy should make a great filling meal. That should be as filling as Christmas dinner. Bean stew with root veg, and greens, with a wholemeal roll or two should also fill you up!

If you have suddenly become a raw vegan, then it figures because you may miss the bulk of cooked foods such as rice, quinoa, potatoes, etc.

You may be still hungry because you are eating unbalanced foods....possibly. Spend some time doing some nutritional research and there are great sites out there which can help, such as the vegan society.

[Rah nam]

From a wanderer to a wonderer,


I would not call myself a vegan, since vegans in most cases eat many things I would not touch or eat.

First, the body does not take easy to dietary changes. It takes time to adjust.
Second, a vegan or animal free diet is not for everyone. Your could try to drop items out of your diet bit by bit.
Third, increase your protein intake, most likely this is what your body wants. (what you body wants is not always what it needs)
If you don't want to go back to animal products, you can use nuts and seeds. My preferred seeds are hemp seed.

[knightofalbion]

You probably need more fat in your diet. Carbohydrate is digested fairly quickly. Fats take longer.
Nuts, seeds, avocado, even dare I say it, crisps (potato and sunflower oil) - healthier options are available ...

[Tobi]

Oh yes...great idea, dear knight!
How about home-cooked chips! Par-boiled potato slices, fried in a healthy oil until crisp and brown.....they go with just about anything (yum)

And snacking on nuts is quite filling and very good for you too.

[mogenblue]

Originally Posted by imawonderer

Previously for 6 Months i was vegetarian and 4 days ago i became a vegan ..
Before i was able have 2 meals and some snacks and it was enough..but when im vegan i eat up to 4 meals a day ..I feel so hungry all the time..I dont know what to do..

I had the same problem too, although I am vegan for a few years now. I used to have about 3 main meals a day and 2 small in between. Like oats before going to sleep, otherwise I would have to get up at night for a snack.

Home made seitan changed that. A few months ago I learned to make seitan at home. That is a real protein bomb. I eat it at lunch and have a regular dinner, but I can now skip the oats before going to bed.

Proteins seem to be saturating over a longer period for me on a deeper level.

So I decided to take more beans too; to complement for so much grain proteins. I had beans mainly in home made hummus at lunch. That is probably not enough for me.
I am now learning to make bean burgers. I had one yesterday at lunch and it was very good.
Or an Indian omelet with chickpea flower, pudla, that is great too. I got into that too. Very good protein and they complement the grain proteins. I think my body really needs it.

As mentioned before: your body needs time to adjust. Don't demand too much from your body, listen to it and take the time to nourish it into a different direction.
Be good for yourself.

[skygazer]

imo, if you're hungry you aren't eating enough protein. Research plant based proteins, beans and legumes you would enjoy and find ways to cook them in different ways.

I think you can fill yourself up on carbs. They are low density calorie foods, and you can eat a lot of them. Potatoes, rice etc.

[Silver]

You will end up sick if you don't get enough B12 - I found that out the hard way very recently. This is serious. Have your B12 (and other vitamins) checked out by a naturopath or a special doctor holistic type or whatev. Bee careful! Good luck.

[Emmalevine]

You need to eat more as a vegan. I've found it better to eat four meals a day rather than 3, although it's not always practical. Alternatively, eat 3 meals plus 3 large snacks.

You also need to be careful to eat enough protein and healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados.