New Vegetarian, help!

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LO62212
LO62212 Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone,

First off I am sorry if this post is under the wrong topic. I wasn't exactly sure where to put it.⌒.⌒

Well I've finally made the switch and cut meat out of my diet. It's something I've wanted to do for a very long time and I'm extremely happy about it. However, I noticed that during the first few days without meat I was constantly hungry no matter how much I ate. I wasn't feeling weak or sick. Just a constant, steady rumbling in my tummy. Now that its been about a week and a half it is not so bad as that, but hunger is never far away. I will eat and feel hungry again within a half an hour to an hour. It's really quite frustrating. I joined my fitness pal to make sure that I am getting enough to eat. I'm actually surpassing my calorie intake goal (probably because I'm so hungry). This concerns me because I am not looking to lose or gain weight.

I guess here are my questions:

Is this normal?
Has anyone else experienced this?
If so, what is causing it?
and finally what can I do to fix it?

Be nice!
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Replies

  • Kanuenue
    Kanuenue Posts: 253 Member
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    When switching to a vegetarian diet, it's very common to go heavy on the carbs at first, leading to a swing and crash in blood sugar causing anything from fatigue to just more hunger (and over eating).

    Since you are recording your calories, take a look at the macronutrients (Fat, Protein, Carb) and also fiber. A serving of Protein with a complex carb (one containing it's Fiber still) and a little Fat will keep you full while giving you a nice rounded meal, vegetarian or not.

    Good luck! I eat vegetarian 75% of the time still after years of maintaining the strict lifestyle with no health issues. Feel free to message me.
  • kklemarow
    kklemarow Posts: 167 Member
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    It's been about 15 years since I've had meat (2 since having dairy/eggs) so I don't recall what it was like at the beginning however, I'm still often hungry. I do find that increasing my protein (beans, tofu, etc) has drastically reduced my hunger issues. Try not to fill up on pasta/bread and try to include more beans & legumes. Also, get a multi-vitamin & B12 supplements and remember to take them daily.

    Good luck!
  • willnorton
    willnorton Posts: 995 Member
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    I just went vegan 2 weeks ago.....i love this new way of eating.... im not hungry at all....i have the trick..... maybe everybody else knows it but it works for me..

    I eat bf at 9:30am.....morn snack at 11am.... lunch at 1pm.....snack at 3 pm....supper at 5:30pm....snack at 8:30pm....

    never hungry...

    i lost 29 pounds in 2 weeks when i started on March 17th.....

    lets talk
  • samgolod
    samgolod Posts: 93 Member
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    I'm veggie too and coming on MFP made me realise that I wasn't eating nearly enough protein (I think that's part of why I put on so much weight beforehand)...tofu is good, so is fage 0% fat yoghurt and skimmed milk, if you eat them eggs and prawns help and so do nuts but they have loads of fat as well. I use a hemp protein powder sometimes too... feel free to add me and look at my diary if you want some support :)
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
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    Good luck...I am very sleep deprivated at the moment I kinda look like this...O.o so I will just recomend you join the group called Happy Herbivores They are very supportive and knowledgeable. Feel free to friend request me, as I am Vegan and have been for quite some time successfully just be sure to read my profile and send me a breif description of yourself in your request as I like to keep my friends to a manageable amount and prefer to have some comon threads beyond MFP.
  • samgolod
    samgolod Posts: 93 Member
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    oh and cottage cheese and beans
  • sineadlpb
    sineadlpb Posts: 59 Member
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    I've been vegetarian for all 18 years of my life so can't comment on the change from eating meat to not, however I find that I am constantly hungry if I'm eating too little protein and too much carbs. Try including more protein in your meals and you should start to feel fuller for longer :)
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
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    Vegan here. Can you open your diary so we can better tailor our advice?
  • babecon
    babecon Posts: 136 Member
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    It's hard to say what's causing it without knowing what you ARE eating now..
    Maybe since going veggie you've been eating less purely because you're still getting used to what you are able to eat?
    Add a few vegetarians and have a snoop through their diaries for inspiration maybe, I've been veggie for 10ish years if you wanna add me :)
  • kristinhardesty
    kristinhardesty Posts: 17
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    It's been about 15 years since I've had meat (2 since having dairy/eggs) so I don't recall what it was like at the beginning however, I'm still often hungry. I do find that increasing my protein (beans, tofu, etc) has drastically reduced my hunger issues. Try not to fill up on pasta/bread and try to include more beans & legumes. Also, get a multi-vitamin & B12 supplements and remember to take them daily.

    Good luck!

    This is good advice. I have recently become quite fond of lightlife products! They're all non - GMO and vegan. Give those a try to help balance your protein intake.
  • LO62212
    LO62212 Posts: 6 Member
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    Thank you all so much for the positive feedback! I will make my diary public but will warn in advance that some days I was very sloppy with it. I didn't add all of the foods I ate or missed days completely. I am trying to really work on writing down all that I eat, so have patience. :)

    also if anyone would like to friend me feel free! Any added encouragement would be helpful.
  • meggylyn
    meggylyn Posts: 2
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    I haven't lost any weight despite being a vegetarian for a year because I have such a sweet tooth. Could any vegetarians/vegans give any advice for quick/on the go meals that are healthy and how to curb sweet cravings?
  • LO62212
    LO62212 Posts: 6 Member
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    I haven't lost any weight despite being a vegetarian for a year because I have such a sweet tooth. Could any vegetarians/vegans give any advice for quick/on the go meals that are healthy and how to curb sweet cravings?

    I'm not sure if I'm the one to give advice because I'm still really new at this. What I've been doing though is snacking on dried fruit, fresh fruit, and peanuts.
  • Zaria_Athena
    Zaria_Athena Posts: 56 Member
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    Add some protein to your breakfast.

    I alternate between the following breakfasts:

    - Kashi Go Lean cereal (has 13g of protein) with fruit
    - Scrambled eggs done up in a Flat Out wrap (has 7g of protein)
    - Smoothie made with protein powder
    - Greek yogurt, hemp hearts and fruit

    Ideas for snacks:
    - almond butter on an apple
    - Greek yogurt with fruit
    - cheese string or mini baby bel
    - handful of almonds
    - protein bar - I like Simply Bar (15g of protein)
    - hard boiled eggs
    - glass of milk or a latte

    Good luck.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    Looking at your diary I see you eat a lot of white bread. Is there a reason for that? Give whole grain a shot if you can, it is more filling.

    Also cereal, for me personally, doesn't cut it for breakfast. I get hungry an hour later.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    I haven't lost any weight despite being a vegetarian for a year because I have such a sweet tooth. Could any vegetarians/vegans give any advice for quick/on the go meals that are healthy and how to curb sweet cravings?

    I get some meal ideas from hungrygirl.com, many of her recipes are accidently vegetarian and are foods you probably already like, just better portioned and lower in calories.

    I was never big on sweets but I will have something sweet if I want it but I don't go overboard, limit it. Work it into your daily calories. Make a trade off, eat it if you are going to burn it off that day. Eating a 500 calorie piece of cake and telling yourself to spend an hour on an elliptical is sometimes enough of a deterrant.
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
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    Iv'e never ever tasted meat or fish, so to me vegetarianism is perfectly normal.

    You can have a diet even more varied than a carnivorous one and one that is going to benefit your health and well-being, too.

    Welcome to the NFL.
  • nicoleashley_24
    nicoleashley_24 Posts: 144 Member
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    I recommend adding more protein, too. It's so cliche for people to say, "But where will you get protein!?' when you make the switch to vegetarian, so I'm not even trying to sound like that. However, protein does satiate appetite for longer, especially when you're choosing natural sources, like beans, nuts, eggs, etc.
  • Miss_Meliss86
    Miss_Meliss86 Posts: 372 Member
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    I switched to a Vegetarian diet about a year ago now and the adjustment at first was difficult, especially while living with an ex who loved meat. Like most people in this forum have already said, protein is key. I also cannot emphasize enough the importance of getting a multivitamin and B12 complex into your routine asap. Good luck and if you have any questions at all, feel free to ask!

    Oh, and a blog that I get a lot of my recipes/ideas from is ohsheglows.com - its vegan, but there are some delicious meal ideas in there!
  • mztamaraann
    mztamaraann Posts: 35 Member
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    Try veggie burgers, beefless tips (can be found in the frozen food section at Winn-Dixie or Publix), greek yogurt, hummus, quioa and beans. If you start adding these items to your diet the hunger will be on the run. Good luck!

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