Hungry all the time?

[wp135]

DH and I have been limiting our meat intake lately and I've decided that I can do without it.  My son had a milk/soy intolerance until recently and when I added it back into my diet symptoms that I've had my whole life suddenly showed up again (constant runny nose and bloating).  I've come to the conclusion that I'm intolerant to dairy.  I also felt 100x better when I wasn't eating processed foods full of soy so I don't eat that either.  I guess this makes me a soy-free almost vegan?

I'm having a really hard time feeling full though despite all the food I consume in a day, DH feels the same way.  Today I ate toast with jam for breakfast, two applesauce muffins, two slices of veggie pizza with no cheese, one banana, a handful of almonds, popcorn, two bowls of veggie bean soup, bread with margarine toast with peanut butter, pretzels, bread with tomatoes and olive oil and four mini oatmeal cookies.  Everything was homemade except the bread, pretzels and cookies.

Is this constant hunger just my body going through changes and it will get better?  Or am I doing something wrong?

[elizabeth67]

Hey WP, I'm glad i came across your thread! I think the problem is that you're eating almost exclusively grains- and are they whole grains? Whole grains (the ingredients will start with "whole grain" and not contain "enriched") will keep you fuller, longer. Bananas are a great source of energy, so good job there!

The other problem is that I don't see any dark leafy greens in your diet, and few vegetables. Was the soup homemade or canned? Canned soup never does the trick for me.

I've been vegetarian and sometimes vegan for almost 10 years now, and I started out eating very unhealthily. Now, I am very nutrition-conscious. Here are daily menu options I might have:

Breakfast:

1-2 hardboiled eggs   or    1/2 cup oatmeal with raisins and fresh apple

Lunch:

1 bowl of salad containing organic dark leafy greens, carrots, onions  

Or

Salad-on-a-sandwich:  whole grain bread, vegan or non-vegan mayonaise or dressing and optional ingredients like avocado (will def fill you up), onion, shredded carrot

Or

Leftovers from last night's dinner

Or

Kale/collards/beet greens steamed or stir-fried with olive oil, onions, and garlic

Dinner:

Vegetable lasagna or moussaka

Or

Casserole

Or

Lentils & rice stir fry with vegetables

Or

Quinoa stir fry

Or

Bean burgers!

Or

lentil or potato or mushroom or spinach soup

I'm super happy to provide recipes or ideas! I love talking about food and nutrition. I take a lot of pride in the meal plans I set up for my husband and I. I do snack throughout the day. I try to make healthy, low-sugar whole grain muffins or cookies every so often. They're great on-the-go. You can make them in large quantities, freeze them and store them. I usually put some dried fruit, oat bran, cinnamon, and chunky or non-chunky applesauce in cookies and muffins! Fruit makes for a nice natural sugar! You can dry your own fruit once you get used to the process.

Oh! Pick up a copy of the Veganomicon or another really popular vegan cookbook. The "Chickpea patties" are sure to be a hit! Although the vital wheat gluten is quite the questionable ingredient!

[wp135]

Thanks for the help!

The soup was homemade with tons of beans, cabbage, corn and tomatoes (and whatever else I found in the fridge).  I guess my biggest problem is snacking.  I'm so used to grabbing a chunk of cheese or some yogurt to fill me up and I find I have to eat way more veggies/nuts/dip to make myself feel full.  I end up grabbing carbs to top me off hence all the bread.

I make the vast majority of our food from scratch.  Sunday night I make  muffins for breakfast and snacks all week, some sort of bean dip or hummous for snacks and either a stock (previously chicken or beef) or a pot of tomato sauce to use during the week for various meals.

I've been wantingt to make bean burgers so maybe I'll try that this weekend.

[Hopefulmama]

I find that if I start off my morning with fresh vegetable juice or a smootie with dark greans (kale, romaine, chard, spinach, etc.) as well as a carrot, apple, orange, beets, etc. for some sweetness that I don't get nearly as hungry as if I skip the green drink. I think personally that it is because my body is getting the nutrition it needs and doesn't constantly crave foods to fill the gaps. I also find that if I have half an avocado during the day-either in a salad, smashed with a fork with salt and pepper on whole grain toast, or as guacamole, I feel very satisfied. My body needs those healthy fats to have that satiated feeling. Hope that helps.

[MandyDugas]

You should be starting your morning with a glass of warm lemon water- freshly squeezed from half a lemon

Half an hour later you can drink a fruit smoothie: Banana, frozen berries, chlorella, maca, protein powders and coconut water. Let that digest for 2 hours before eating anything else.

*If you mix your fruit with other food your fruit will digest last, it will ferment in your stomach and you wont absorb as much nutrients as you would have if you just drank it alone.

For a snack later on around 10, why not eat a banana or an apple.

*Only eating fruit until noon is the best for your body. It gives it more time to cleanse. from bed time til noon.

Lunch time have a green garden salad with a vinaigrette

Snack on some soaked almonds (soak over night for better digestion)

Hemp granola is a great snack for kids. I love it too!

Eating small snacks more times a day rather then huge meals is better for your body. It speeds up your metabolism and helps you loose weight with out even trying.

[kismetbaby]

looks to me like you might not be getting enough protein and fat. you'll have to play around with what works for you. But I've found I need a protein heavy breakfast or I wind up hungry all day.  I usually eat two pasture eggs in the morning (I do start the day with lemon water always!) with sprouted grain bread. Once a week we make soaked oatmeal with almond milk (and nuts, berries, flax, etc). 

make sure you are getting enough good fats too--avocado, nuts, olive oil, coconut oil.