VEGANS!! How do you stay satisfied

jessicaalfaro2427 · April 2018

I loooove the vegan lifestyle and i desperately want to be successful at it... But vegan food doesnt fill me like chicken breast eggs and cottage cheese do. I eat tons of beans lentils and avocado to try and stay satiated in a minor deficit but i cant. My body rages for more food and i end up binging. I weigh and count out everything with a proper food scale. What can i do ? Protien shakes? Help !!

MichelleSilverleaf · April 2018

What about things like tofu, tempeh and seitan? Maybe you need more protein sources? It's important to know what keeps you full (for me it's protein but others differ).

Jennikitten · April 2018

I had the opposite problem when I first went vegan. I found the sheer amount of food I had to eat to reach my calorie goal unmanageable. I lost about 15lbs in a couple of weeks. Had to add in things like nuts to bring my calories up in the end.
I would suggest getting some good vegan cookbooks to get some meal ideas for filling balanced meals. Oh she glows and thug kitchen are good examples

ladyreva78 · April 2018

MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »

What about things like tofu, tempeh and seitan? Maybe you need more protein sources? It's important to know what keeps you full (for me it's protein but others differ).

To add to this: are you getting enough fat? It's highly satiating to some people.

OliverRaningerVegan · April 2018

I lived since 9 years vegan and i happy....

fb47 · April 2018

OliverRaningerVegan wrote: »

I lived since 9 years vegan and i happy....

That really doesn't help the OP.

mutantspicy · April 2018

Almonds, Almond butter, pine nuts, hummus chick peas are all really filling just for some ideas. Cruciferous veggies can fill your belly but make you feel hungrier. Snap peas are a satisfying snack. I'm not a fan of tofu, so I can't speak to that but Imagine all that soy protein is filling. Olives and dill pickles are satisfying snacks as well.

MelanieCN77 · April 2018

When you binge, what is it that you reach for?

janejellyroll · April 2018

@MelanieCN77 asks a key question -- what are you craving and what are you reaching for when you have binges?

Are you getting enough fat? Are you getting enough protein? I've been vegan for over ten years and I never feel completely full and satisfied when my diet is low fat. Not everyone is like me, but if you are eating low fat it may be worth adjusting your diet to see if it works.

Are you currently in a calorie deficit? If so, how large is your deficit?

jessicaalfaro2427 · April 2018

MelanieCN77 wrote: »

When you binge, what is it that you reach for?

More carbs!! Its always more carbs like breads and stuff that are hearty. I have never tried tofu seitan ect so maybe i should add those in. I eat some avocado and barely any oil. I have almond butter but never use it. I should!

jessicaalfaro2427 · April 2018

janejellyroll wrote: »

@MelanieCN77 asks a key question -- what are you craving and what are you reaching for when you have binges?

Are you getting enough fat? Are you getting enough protein? I've been vegan for over ten years and I never feel completely full and satisfied when my diet is low fat. Not everyone is like me, but if you are eating low fat it may be worth adjusting your diet to see if it works.

Are you currently in a calorie deficit? If so, how large is your deficit?

My deficit is around 250 calories. My doctor said no more than that for now. I can admit i dont eat alot of fat mostly carbs and veggies

Katzedernacht · April 2018

Well I personally like to eat a lot of stuff like alfalfa sprouts, dark green leaves, legumes and of course whole grain , I also make sure to eat my healthy fats, keep me satisfied and fueled to go to the gym. It may sound silly but also drink enough water!
Of course my deficit is quite moderated, about -300 calories. I make sure to get enough protein too.

janejellyroll · April 2018

jessicaalfaro2427 wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

@MelanieCN77 asks a key question -- what are you craving and what are you reaching for when you have binges?

Are you getting enough fat? Are you getting enough protein? I've been vegan for over ten years and I never feel completely full and satisfied when my diet is low fat. Not everyone is like me, but if you are eating low fat it may be worth adjusting your diet to see if it works.

Are you currently in a calorie deficit? If so, how large is your deficit?

My deficit is around 250 calories. My doctor said no more than that for now. I can admit i dont eat alot of fat mostly carbs and veggies

Try experimenting with getting more protein and fat in your diet (tofu and seitan are great sources of protein, along with tempeh and beans, protein powder is another option). Many people find that getting enough protein and/or fat dramatically helps their ability to control their appetite.

dreamer12151 · April 2018

I was vegetarian for years & attempted to "convert" to vegan several times, my nutritionist kept me on a low carb, high protein plan. I kept "cheating" and sneaking in the cheese, never feeling satisfied, then I'd go for the pizza, and other snack foods. Then, one night, I was surfing YouTube, and clicked onto a series of videos that made sense to me, and I started looking into & researching the High Carb, Low Fat, 80/10/10 way. Bingo! I transitioned myself over, and feel full, better, AND I have been able to lose weight again! The only times I feel hungry is when I fail to plan.

For me, upping my carbs works. Since you said above that you reach for carbs when you get "bingey", maybe try upping the carbs a bit (good, wholesome WFPB ones!) and see if that helps?

nowine4me · April 2018

I’m WFPB and have found a combo of foods that fill me up and provide great energy. Tonight’s dinner for example: black beans, diced pepper, corn and diced red onion with a baked sweet potato. Then a big bowl of fruit with flax seeds for dessert. Right at my calorie goal for dinner — 700.

sarahland55 · April 2018

A double portion of oatmeal in the morning will sit heavy and help make a light healthy choice for lunch. Dinner idea is a big baked potato with broccoli and black beans seasoned your choice.

vegmebuff · April 2018

When I was a vegan, I was completely satisfied if I had balance of carbs, fats and protein at every meal (even snacks).

I would find if I selected them separately...I would be hungry fairly shortly there after.

The reason why I am no longer a vegan, I missed 'my' fish too much and yogurt.

feliciaamanda · April 2018

I am vegan and on a small deficit (losing 0.25 kg per week), my macro goals are 55% carbs, 30% fat and 15% protein. To reach this I usually eat oatmeal with banana and peanut butter for breakfast, protein smoothie for lunch and lentil/bean stew with rice for dinner. 2-3 snacks in between meals that are usually some kind of fruit, veggies with hommus or tea depending on if I'm hungry or just craving something. This works very well for me.

I'm guessing maybe you eat too much carbs and too little fat and/or protein? Carbs are usually high calorie but doesn't keep you full for very long. Try and increase your proteins and fats. You can add peanut butter, nuts and seeds, tofu, maybe swap rice etc for quinoa or buckwheat.

__leis__ · April 2018

Are you WFBP or just vegan? If you are ok w/ eating some processed foods the Gardein chickn sandwiches are ah-maze-ing. I also drink a Vega protein drink with cashew milk and a few handfuls of spinach in the blender and it fills me up for a while.