Newly Vegan and starving, what am I doing wrong?

[Dia]

Hi Friends,

I've been a (LO) vegetarian my entire life. but I recently have gone vegan - it's been about a month. I feel AWESOME in so many ways, and I honestly cannot imagine eating any other way again. However the one thing that has been challenging is that I feel terribly hungry, all the time. Is this part of the transition, as my body adjusts? 

I eat mostly raw, I am guessing around 1500 - 1700 calories, but I am still always hungry. Any wise vegans mamas BTDT?

Thanks, Dia

[HildaJ]

It's hard to say since I'm not sure what you are eating, I find I am hungry soon after a meal if it has heaps of refined grains or not much protein.  Making sure you're getting plenty of protein in every meal from pulses or nuts could help, if this is the case with you.  Having some healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds or avocado in your meals might also help.

[CatsCradle]

I agree with Hilda above that healthy fats are key.  I am mostly raw also, and I try to add nuts and olives to my salads.  You may be right too, OP, in the idea that your body is transitioning.  I would make sure your getting good balance now and give it a little more time.  If you're still feeling famished in a few weeks, you may have to readjust your intake of certain foods.  What are you presently eating on a daily basis?

[catnip]

I guess my question is what did you eat before: how many calories, how much fat, protein, fiber, etc, and what are you eating now? Are you eating tons - I mean TONS of fruit and veggies? Because when they aren't cooked, that's a lot of volume and you might be eating less than you think.

[Dia]

Thank you for taking the time to comment!

I usually eat, green tea and a couple apples for breakfast, a huuuuuuge salad for lunch (with greens, onions, peppers, olives, olive oil, tons of beans), and then usually another huge salad for dinner.

I can't really do grains..I seem to be sensitive to them. Maybe I am not getting enough fat and that is the issue, as a PP suggested. I just don't like fatty stuff, even nuts.

I feel like I eat massive quantities - maybe it's the raw thing.

Prior to going vegan I ate a lot of greens, vegetables, but also cheese, yogurt, and eggs. I felt good eating this way but I can no longer ignore the ethical issues I have with consuming dairy and eggs.

[catnip]

Yeah, I think that you're getting a lot less calories than you think, without much fat, so that's probably the biggest part. Also, without grains at all most days, you're probably not getting enough methionine, which is the amino acid that legumes and seeds tend to be lower in. Are there any grains you can eat? Rice? Millet? Quinoa? That's going to help right there. Nuts and seeds, too.

Hemp seeds, oats, soy, and quinoa all have a well-balanced amino acid profile - they're 'complete' proteins.

To give you an idea, this is what a typical day's meals looks like for me:

Muesli (1/4 cup oats soaked in almond milk, with about 2 cups of mixed seasonal fruit on top with a tablespoon each hemp seed and pumpkin seeds) and iced coffee

Big salad - right now I'm topping that with a couple of baked falafel chopped up and toasted in the toaster oven, 1/2 cup of quinoa tabbouleh, 1/2 cup of garbanzo beans and a dollop of hummus.

Mushu veggies - BIG stack of shredded cabbage, broccoli stems and carrots stirfried with tofu, cashews and hoisin sauce eaten in ww tortillas.

[Dia]

Thanks for weighing in catnip. And wow...your daily meals sound amazing!

[MrsKatie]

I was 100% raw for 4 months before I got pregnant.  I still eat lots of raw, and want to go back after the baby's here (my appetite JUST isn't permitting right now!).

Here are some of my favorite recipes for staying full:

My current favorite smoothie:

1-2 VERY ripe bananas

5-6 ice cubes

about a cup almond milk (easy to make at home! but I use store-bought too sometimes)

3-4 heaping spoonfuls hemp protein powder

green powder, like spirulina, vitamineral green, greener grasses (optional -- I feel I can "taste" this too much now that I'm pregnant)

2 tbsp peanut butter (or, if you want to stay raw, try almond butter -- or just omit)

1-2 tbsp raw cacao powder

This is SO luscious and keeps me full for 3-4 hours at least!

And this soup is the best in the world:

http://veganyumyum.com/2007/02/kale-soup/

it has tons of healthy protein and just enough fat from the quinoa, lentils, and tahini.

Oh, and most of all, CONGRATULATIONS on your switch to veganism!!!  It's one of the best moves you can make, on a personal and worldwide level.  You'll never go back!

[mamayogibear]

one thing you can do to feel full but won't add calories is to have a psyllum husk shake or apple pectin shake. i prefer the apple pectin because it's less 'cleansing'

[SilverFish]

you definitely need more "bulk" in your diet. apples and green tea have no fat, and very little protein.... so you're starting out the day with a deficit. a smoothie with banana, coconut milk, a dollop of almond butter and some fresh fruit will keep you going for hours. at least one of your later meals needs to be bulked up a little. some tofu, more beans, a bulked up salad dressing (love a mostly tahini-based dressing!) might be things to try. i think also with high raw, you need to be snacking a bit more throughout the day. have you tried sprouted or non-sprouted seeds and grains? sunflower, sesame, pumpkin, etc

[Dia]

Hey People! This is the OP here. I want to thank you all for your input. And also update, since I love it when people update the threads they start, and hopefully this could be helpful to other new vegans.

It's not been about..3-4? months since making the switch to full vegan, and I am no longer feeling the constant hunger. I started eating a lot more beans, specifically, than I ever had, and I also added calorie dense raw foods like avocados into a couple meals a day. Also probably a bit more olive oil. It sounds obvious in retrospect, but this is an adjustment for everyone I am sure. The fat and the beans made all the difference, now I feel great. 

So, thanks again :)