newly vegan and wondering about feeling full...

[ashleybrook]

i'm just wondering if you feel full when you've eaten a meal.

for example today for lunch i ate brown rice with olive oil,

salad with romaine, walnuts, kidney beans and avocado,

hummus and pita (half),

small amount of sliced cucumbers in oil/vinegar (leftover). 

and one of those tofuti ice cream sandwiches. 

and yet, i didn't feel full. would you say you ever feel full? i'm just wondering if i'm not eating enough or if i won't experience the same full feeling...

by the way, i'm breastfeeding a 3 mo. old, so i definitely am not trying to go lightly. :)

 --tia

[maciascl]

 Hello from Riverside!!

I think you have a good amount of fats and protiens in there so my guess is that it is the nursing that is causing a large appetite. Is baby nursing more lately? 3 months is a typical growth spurt time. Did you go from meat eater to vegan or have you been vegetarian for a while? If you were a meat eater then it could be that you are used to the meat sitting in your system, since it is harder to digest, and you are lacking that heavy, full feeling.

[mamayogibear]

Sounds like an awesome and filling lunch to me! It may just take you a while to adjust to the diet change. Also you could add some braggs amino acids to your food to increase protein.

[nald1]

Id be stuffed!  I feel really full eating lots of fresh produce, good fats, and quality protein.  Granted, I havent eaten meat in a such a long while so maybe i have adjusted and dont remember the other feeling?

[dovey]

When I first went vegan I felt this way too, but I got used to it in a few months. 

I'm nursing a baby right now too, and I get really hungry sometimes.  It helps me to eat two full sized meals before lunch rather than just breakfast and a snack.  Then I don't get extremely hungry during the day, and I'll feel full after a meal.

[mamayogibear]

One thing you could try is eating an apple and a bananna before each meal. I will eat fruit while I prepare a meal. Then when I eat the meal I end up full no matter what.

[ashleybrook]

thanks for the feedback ladies... Phoenix just finished a growth spurt 1-2 weeks ago. but definitely i feel like i'm even hungrier nursing, but it's kind of hard to judge because i was always famished pregnant, so it's been a while since my normal...but i'm definitely eating more than my husband at the moment. :)

i've only been vegetarian 1 month about, and then just recently vegan. i think some of it is the full from meat/cheese feeling that i'm guessing i'll adjust to. but i really like the idea of eating a bit of fruit while cooking. i've actually done this a couple of times this week, just because i was so hungry i felt i couldn't wait, but a banana would be even better i think! thanks. 

also, i like the idea of having a full meal instead of snack...i might try this between lunch and dinner since that's a pretty big gap. i tend to make lunch pretty early since i'm so ready to eat again...i think it'd be great to get in a 4th meal until i regulate. i'm pretty much lost my fat stores already that i took on in pregnancy, which would normally be great, but i don't feel like i have much extra and have felt drained, thus the renewed vigor of great eating! :)

thanks again for the ideas! i'm so enjoying this transition.

[ashleybrook]

by the way, it's great to know there's a vegan in riverside!!!

[nald1]

The pregnancy/nursing appetite could explain a lot :)  - I dont know if i was ever full while nursing ;)   Eat mama, eat!

[catnip]

I know that when I dropped cheese I was less satisfied with my meals for a while. I ate a lot of raw cashews at first.

[nald1]

Not sure if anyone mentioned it yet but Ezekial  Food for Life brad is VERY filling- and nutricious