Hunger!

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fteale
fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know I posted similar last week, but I need to do something. I am so hungry all the time! I am vegetarian, and have been trying to up my protein as was suggested last week, but I still can't ever get it up to target without going over on fat. I do try to keep under quota for calories, which I know is frowned on, but my BMR is only 1300, so I don't have a lot of room for manoeuvre. I usually exercise a lot, but with my children home for the holidays I can't do enough to up my calorie intake significantly.

Does anyone have any ideas for very low fat, high protein vegetarian recipes? Fat free greek yoghurt doesn't exist here (in the UK), so that's out.

Also is hunger just part of life, really, and we in the West have lost track of that?

Replies

  • skypie23
    skypie23 Posts: 38
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    You can get fat free greek yoghurt http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/search/default.aspx?searchBox=0% greek yoghurt and fat free soft cheese (quark). Then there's your beans and chickpeas if you like them? edamame beans? lentils? red lentils are nice in mash or as soup, or in a quorn and bean casserole? how about chickpea and apricot tangine?
  • JanerZzz
    JanerZzz Posts: 276
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    Do you eat beans? They are high in protein, low in fat and zero sodium if you buy dried out ones and soak them.
  • etarre
    etarre Posts: 147 Member
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    I've heard quinoa is a good source of protein, and it's a good rice substitute or base for salads.

    Also, I love this lentil recipe, and it's really easy:

    Baked honey lentils


    This is a delicious, different way to enjoy lentils, and tastes great on its own or served over rice, quinoa or couscous. The aromatic mix of flavours makes it a satisfying meal that the whole family will love- and with only 194 calories per serve, it fits in perfectly with your diet plan.

    What you’ll need…

    1 cup lentils
    2 cups water
    1 small onion, chopped
    1 clove garlic, minced
    2 tbsp honey (can be replaced with maple syrup or agave nectar)
    2 tbsp soy sauce
    2 tbsp olive oil
    1/2 tsp ginger root, grated
    Salt and pepper to taste
    (This recipe makes 4 serves)

    Directions:

    Combine all ingredients in a baking dish.
    Cover and cook in the oven at 170 degrees C/325 F for about an hour and a half, or until tender.
    Serve and enjoy!
    (Alternatively, you can cook it in a saucepan on the stovetop, on medium-low heat for 40-60 minutes until tender)
  • craftylatvian
    craftylatvian Posts: 599 Member
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    I think we need to re-learn how to be hungry. If you ate like you did before, were you ever hungry? My personal answer is "no". I find myself mindlessly eating especially at work. I sit at a desk and munch all day long. Today I ate almost a half a tub of hummus before I realized what I was doing.
    I think being hungry is fine, but starving to the point of body shutdown is not. If you are feeling light-headed or very weak, eat something. I keep asking myself "am I hungry or bored?" and usually the answer is bored, so I don't eat just for the sake of doing an activity. And I realized I am never really hungry, only sometimes am I hungry if I have really restricted myself for the day to make up for being "bad" the day before.
    How about roasted chickpeas as a snack?
  • Nelski
    Nelski Posts: 1,607 Member
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    Cottage cheese
    Beans
    Legumes
    Quinoa
    Protein powders for smoothies
    Milk/soy milk
    Veggie burgers(just try to find ones lower in sodium)
    Eggs or just egg whites
  • emiliabeth
    emiliabeth Posts: 40
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    I'm in a similar situation (vegetarian, living in the UK) and I'm also battling with hunger a lot of the time (my calorie intake is supposed to be around 1200/1300 daily - so if I don't work out, I feel like I can hardly eat)

    I've come to the conclusion that being a little hungry is normal. Only if my stomach is actually making loud noises, will I cave and eat something - usually a cracker with a little bit of hummus or something.

    Beans and lentils are my absolute fall back - doesn't take much to fill the gap. Good luck!
  • Daveydesigns
    Daveydesigns Posts: 5
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    Can you chew gum? Gum, especially mint flavors can subdue your appetite. It what gets me through that rough time in between meals.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    I do have a whole cupboard full of pulses, but I hardly ever remember to soak them the night before, so hardly ever eat them.
  • ChinaLisa
    ChinaLisa Posts: 1 Member
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    Canned pulses is what you need! Red lentils dont need soaking, or add a tin of no salt organic chickpeas, butter beans, etc, etc. Canned is more expensive but useful for emergencies.

    I dont think you need to be hungry on a veggie diet, low GI choices should help you feel full for longer. Also try and add a lot more veg at each meal to bulk it out for a very low calorie count.

    I am soup addicted this week - http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-losing-weight/ This program showed that soup keeps you feeling fuller for longer, as the stomach digests it differently than if it was a meal and a drink taken together. Making a low cal veg soup is easy enough, or a can of Baxters healthy eating minestrone for example is 142 cals.
  • emiliabeth
    emiliabeth Posts: 40
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    ... or add a tin of no salt organic chickpeas, butter beans, etc, etc. Canned is more expensive but useful for emergencies.

    Without the glorious tinned chickpea... I may not be here today.
  • sam23030
    sam23030 Posts: 76
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    This may not be the case if you are drinking a sufficient amount of water but you can often get the feeling of being hungry when you are in fact thirsty. If the body is dehydrated it can sometimes give off hunger signals. Maybe try drinking more water and see if that helps to calm down the hunger pangs?

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