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Extreme Hunger. Please Help!
Started
by Rebecca Cook
on August 28, 2010
I'm about four weeks into a fully vegan diet and the last few days I've been just starving, though I know I'm getting enough calories overall. Sometimes I will eat a meal, and be terribly hunger directly after. Yesterday, I had a sprouted whole wheat bagel w/ Earth smart and pineapple for breakfast., then for lunch a sandwich with soy cheese, soy bologna, veggie mayo; a bunch of baby carrots and an apple. Then I was just ravenous. I went then to a bar for a meeting and had a handful of sunflower seeds, then some pita and hummus and a glass of wine. Then I went to a club and had a beer. Then I went home, almost sick with hunger. I could barely think straight and was so hungry I didn't even really want to eat. I just wanted to lie down and cry. Then my husband took me to a Chinese place and I had an egg roll (oops, prob. not vegan!), seaweed salad, a handful of fried noodles, lo mein with extra veggies and fried tofu and fried rice--a BIG meal which I certainly couldn't eat all of. But when I got home, I was starving again, though I thought I had overeaten and was too full!
I'm being thorough here so you can compare this with your own diet and experiences. Have any of you had this same experience? If I were losing weight (and I desperately wish I were) then I'd think it was my body burning fat. But that doesn't seem to be the case. My clothes fit the same. I have increased my activity some and it was a tough week, but geeze. I'm STARVING.
-rebecca
I found that vegan foods are digested more easily than meats or dairy, and so they move through your system more quickly, so you don't have a steady flow of blood sugar that your body may have been used to if you formerly ate the animal proteins. This should eventually be easier to handle, but in the meantime, pay attention to what types of vegan foods you are eating. Protein in the morning (nut butters, beans, miso) will stick to your ribs for longer than simple carbs like the breads you mentioned. Try some whole grains like barley and brown rice too. And you wouldn't believe how hunger quelling one little handful of nuts can be between meals. I carried a little baggie of dried fruits and nuts with me throughout the day for a while. Drink lots of water too. You shouldn't have to go hungry. Good luck!
Hi Rebecca - it seems to me that you are missing whole grains. Cook up a big pot of brown rice (so there are leftovers) and have a bowl of it (big bowl) with some soy sauce for lunch - make sure you have some veggies too. Even have brown rice for breakfast with almond milk, raisins, almonds and cinnamom.
Also, the soy cheese, soy bologna etc are okay really ocassionally but be careful that you are eating real whole foods not processed. The rule of thumb for me is if something has more than three ingredients, it is not real food. Actually if it has more than one ingredient it is not real food but sometimes that is too hard.
It seems as though your "calories" are kind of "empty". If it is real, whole and natural food - eat lots of it. I sound like I am lecturing! Sorry! I don't mean to be. I am just so passionate about "real food"! I lost 30lbs really quickly and I'm just sharing what I have done! Really, I wish you the best of luck and since you asked, I shared! I hope there is a tidbit of info in my ramblings that inspires you today.
I absolutely agree with Vicky - it sounds like you need more true, whole foods. When you first go vegasn, like cheryl mentioned, your body might take some time to adjust. It took a few weeks for both me and my boyfriend - we were absolutely ravenous all the time. Then gradually, it decreased. Focus on more whole grains and veggies, and fewer processed foods, and that should help.
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