hungry and no energy

littlebabekitty

hey vegan buddies I was wondering if you can help me since you seem like you have been a vegan for long and know your stuff. I have Ben for 2 months and I'm feeling real tired and hungry alot. I am breastfeeding exclusively and with my fitness pal I can see that I'm not getting daily enough iron and calcium. I'm also only getting about 45g of protein a day. what do u recommend I do? I am allergic to soy and I prefer to eat Wholefoods instead of processed.

daveline

Breastfeeding? Maybe you should talk with your doctor. Are you taking a b-12 supplement? How many calories are you eating? What does your diet actually look like?

newvegdi

100% for sure take a B12 supplement. You should talk to your doctor, they can set you on the right path. For protein I recommend black beans, seitan, chickpeas/ hummus, nuts and nut butters. Make sure you're eating enough calories while breastfeeding.

O2CAslan

This is a bit late... but might be useful.

The VRG website has a lot of good information on it about iron, here's the link, http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.php. I agree with the other posters about the calories and protein; the nuts and nut butters will really help with the protein and calories. And don't forget whole starches like potatoes and brown rice, they are the fillers and satisfying part of meals - and NOT the villains others make them out to be.

If you need quick, healthy and filling meals, check out Jeff Novick's website (he's a Plant Based Whole Foods dietitian) http://jeffnovick.com/RD/Home.html. His Facebook page has loads of recipes on it - all so fast, easy and delicious - and many with only 5-6 ingredients.

Do talk with your doctor about this, even if they aren't plant friendly. Honestly, most doctors aren't very well informed about nutrition, but they have connections with people who are, use them.