Newly turned vegan seeking advice

Question

Hi Guys, 

I've recently turned vegan after living as a vegetarian for many years. It's going really well for me so far; i'm finding it super easy as i just think about the greater good! The hardest part is dealing with constantly repeating myself to the same old questions people like to give you when they find out you're vegan. 

I am just seeking some advice though- i am finding that some days i just can't satisfy myself. I can not surpass the feeling of hunger no matter how much i eat! has anyone else experienced this/ where am i going wrong? So annoying

Also! If anyone would like to share some recipes with me i'd be super thankful for that :D Always trying new things! The internet likes to tell you a recipe they are sharing is vegan but they lie.

Erika · Answer

I guess it depends on what your diet looks like now, but for me I experienced the same problem at first. I realized it was because I was eating very high carb and little fat. I started adding higher fat options into my diet like avocado, nuts/nut butters, etc. and I felt a lot more satisfied :)

ForestNymph · Answer

I just wonder what you are eating? Are you trying to do an extreme raw diet or low or no fat?

If you're eating a balanced diet this shouldn't be happening. However, it's a common problem for new vegans. One of the main reasons why new vegans struggle is not eating enough calories.

For breakfast have steel cut or at least old-fashioned oatmeal with peanut or almond butter stirred in, maple syrup and a plant-based milk like soy or hemp. Or use whole walnuts and dried raisins or cranberries in your oatmeal instead with a plant-based milk.  If you don't like sweet breakfasts, try spreading hummus on two pieces of whole grain toast or have avocado toast with nooch sprinkled on top. You can also spread warm beans on toast with hot sauce or ketchup. 

For snacks, munch on sunflower or pumpkin seeds, trail mix, or whole fruit. When I lived in the city I used to carry V-8 juice with me, a banana, and some seeds or a nutrition bar (like Clif or Luna) just in case I got hungry on a long public transportation trip or couldn't get somewhere to have a vegan meal.  You could also carry hummus cups and eat them with crackers or cut raw veggies.

For your lunch, find a way to incorporate either beans or tofu. It's not as boring as it sounds - Tofurky makes a great peppered deli slice product that is great on a sandwich with lettuce, tomato and Vegenaise...or just throw on the Vegenaise, some raw kale or spinach, and a drizzle of Sriracha for a different flavor. You can also throw braised tofu into salads, get a tofu veggie stir fry out and about, or look up recipes for "mashed chickpea salad" ....rinsed drained canned chickpeas are a life saver, as they are one of the best bases for numerous sandwich spreads. I like to mash chickpeas with avocado, lime juice, cilantro or dill, and salt and pepper - but there are also recipes for "mock chicken salad" you can look up on Pinterest, or you could simply toss the chickpeas with Vegenaise (or Just Mayo) and throw in sliced celery, garlic or onion powder, dried raisins or cranberries, and salt and pepper and put that on bread. Many veggie soups are also available to pair with a sandwich or salad, ranging from curried carrot to lentil spinach.

It's fine to just eat noodles or pasta for dinner if you feel like it, but if it's Italian style eat some bread and a salad with it, or if it's Asian noodles have some warmed-up frozen veggie spring rolls too. You don't have to force yourself to have nuts, beans or tofu with every single meal, but make sure you're eating full meals rather than snacks. 

Whole grains are your friends, vegan proteins will make you feel fuller longer when combined with carbs (this is usually called a "complete protein") and fat isn't your enemy - you need *some* fat, whether from nuts and seeds, avocado or coconut, or a little olive or sesame oil. 

Hope this helps. Don't worry - for the first month I was vegan I kept craving potato chips because I wasn't feeding myself enough fat and calories, it's not unusual, but it's something that should be corrected as soon as you can - usually when people claim their health suffered from a "vegan" diet it's because they tried some extreme plan, or simply didn't know how to eat properly and didn't bother to learn how.

Good luck!

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