VEGANS!! How do you stay satisfied

jessicaalfaro2427
jessicaalfaro2427 Posts: 24 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
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 !!

Replies

  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,027 Member
    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
    Jennikitten Posts: 142 Member
    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
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    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.
  • mutantspicy
    mutantspicy Posts: 624 Member
    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
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    When you binge, what is it that you reach for?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    @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
    jessicaalfaro2427 Posts: 24 Member
    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
    jessicaalfaro2427 Posts: 24 Member
    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
    Katzedernacht Posts: 266 Member
    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
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    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
    dreamer12151 Posts: 1,031 Member
    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
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    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
    sarahland55 Posts: 4 Member
    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
    vegmebuff Posts: 31,389 Member
    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
    feliciaamanda Posts: 7 Member
    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__
    __leis__ Posts: 100 Member
    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.
  • Ila1227
    Ila1227 Posts: 71 Member
    Quest protein bars fill me and help me meet my protein goal
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Ila1227 wrote: »
    Quest protein bars fill me and help me meet my protein goal

    All the Quest bars I'm aware of contain dairy, which makes them unsuitable for vegans.
  • Hreut001
    Hreut001 Posts: 28 Member
    Hi! I agree with the making sure your fat is up, and get some vegan cook books or recipes - some good ones are online e-books :) I have Tess Beggs "Vegan made simple" and Emily Hunts "Plant Perfect" (she's actually having a sale atm!)

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