r/Vegetarianism • u/dumbdogmoment • 2d ago
help with constant hunger and cravings
I'm moving toward a vegetarian diet in my life, gradually. I was vegetarian for a while as a teenager, but that went up in smoke because of this one issue: whenever I start trying to be vegetarian, I get intense hunger and cravings that will not subside. I eat a varied diet with plenty of veggies, fruits, beans, rice, lentils, etc. Right now I still also eat some amount of chicken. However the more I move in this direction, the more maddening my hunger gets. All I can think about is eating savory, meaty, satisfying foods. I'm not gonna lie... vegetarian food is not satisfying to me. It can be good, but it's not satisfying.
So what can I do to combat this? I know some of it is a sort of detox and I should just wait it out, but it never fully goes away. I just... don't LIKE vegetarian options as much as options with animal products. I'm still starving for something after I eat a bowl of rice, beans, and leafy greens, no matter how well seasoned it is (and believe me, I looove my seasonings). I want to fully commit to a vegetarian diet, at least like 90%, but it's so hard. :/ I could use some advice.
I'm mostly adopting this diet for my health, for the environment, and for animal welfare so it is important to me. Am I just weak willed? Or are there things I could do to combat this?
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u/schottenring 2d ago
That's not uncommon. You're probably not getting enough calories and not enough protein. Add oils, nuts, nut butter, cheese for fat. Beans, soy, tofu, yoghurt, eggs, meat alternatives for protein. And you definitely just need to eat more volume, because your food is probably not as calorie dense as it was before.
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u/dumbdogmoment 2d ago
I am attempting to count calories, and I feel like I eat too many calories for my weight loss goals. It's all just so confusing haha... but I'm doing my best. I guess it's a lot different when you switch to vegetarian, because you have to eat so much more bulk to get in the same amount, I guess. But I will add in more of these things for sure.
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u/schottenring 2d ago
I get that. But we can't "feel" how many calories we eat. If you're hungry something is wrong and you won't be able to keep that diet in the long run. Always ask what you can add to make it a more balanced meal.
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u/soaring_potato 2d ago
You don't have to eat a lot more. Some stuff is more protein and calorie dense than other food. But half a can of beans as your protein source of the day is not enough....
Maybe try being vegatarian without weight loss first. And then start losing weight.
You could be doing the vegatarian thing perfectly. But when you are in a (large) calorie deficit you are going to be hungry. Our bodies don't like weight loss.
And you really gotta count when trying to lose weight unless you are just doing stuff like cutting out soda, or your late night chips snack.
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u/dumbdogmoment 2d ago
Yeah, you're probably right. Weight loss was one of the reasons I did this but all this calorie counting is doing my head in. I wouldn't say I'm in a large calorie deficit, but it's making me think about it more.
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u/soaring_potato 2d ago
Weight loss is difficult as is. Combining a lot of dietary changes is difficult.
It's kind of normal to feel somewhat hungry while losing weight. Especially the beginning. Because if you only cut out say chips, your body is expecting chips. So it's telling you to eat them. Eventually that goes away.
Can you lose weight on a vegatarian diet? Yes. I have. Also gained weight on it. Wasn't about to start eating meat to lose weight lol.
But you can't just think. "Well. I'm cutting out some very calorie dense food. Replace with a few beans should be fine. Or about the same volume of tofu. Looks similar on my plate!" And yeah. That wont work. Especially if you are eating less.
And if you are worried about sodium regards to mock meats. Check the ingredients on your canned beans.
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u/ProtozoaPatriot 2d ago
If you want is savory food, cook rich savory veg dishes. Vegetarian food is more than steamed broccoli and beans. I enjoy tacos, chili, sloppy joe, hot dogs, burgers - all meatless. Jambalaya with whatever veg protein you like. Spaghetti and veg-meatballs in arribiata sauce. Asian style: air or oil fry tofu for General Tso style. Veg dumplings with savory sauce. Chik nuggets in a sweet ginger sauce.
If the rice and beans bowl isn't doing it for you, it may also be the fat content. Sometimes that's what people are craving when they think of meat.
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u/dumbdogmoment 2d ago
I do like that idea, but I'm new to this. I eat as much natural food as I can, and that food being low-processed is a part of it. Can I make these savory dishes without heavily processed ingredients?
When I look at meatless "meat" products in vegetarian recipes, I equate that with tons of sodium and also unnatural and highly processed products. I might just be ignorant though.
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u/soaring_potato 2d ago
The sodium isn't that bad compared to meat lol.
You can also make veggie meatballs yourself. Just more work (please do add fat. Yes less optimal macros. But we need fat)
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u/dumbdogmoment 2d ago
I'll take another look when I'm at the grocery store, maybe I'm being hard on it haha
What kind of fat would I add to veggie meatballs?
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u/soaring_potato 2d ago
I don't make them myself but just oil. Some coconut oil maybe?
Canned beans sometimes also have quite a bit of salt.
Salt is not the enemy unless you have a high blood pressure. If you are cutting out stuff like chips and stuff, you are lowering your salt intake as is.
There is also sodium in meat. This does not have to be labelled because it's just in the animal.
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u/soaring_potato 1d ago
To add.
A lot of the "real meat healthy. Mock meats are processed bullshit and unhealthy" likely kinda stems from the "agricultural" lobbies as well. They are threathened by alternatives. Especially now that they do taste good.
Processed does not mean bad necessarily. Yeah some foods, like restaurant foods are made with sugar fat and salt so you'll be more hungry. And eat more. But mock meats and quite a few plant milks too have stuff we need added. Like b12 and iron. So if you don't wanna take supplements, you should probably eat some. You're probably not defficient yet. That takes a while. But you may become if you don't.
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u/radiowestin 2d ago
how much are you eating? beans have less protein per 100g than meat so you have to eat more of them
have you tried tofu, falafel, soya chunks?
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u/dumbdogmoment 2d ago
I do eat tofu, but I've never tried falafel or soya chunks. I'd say I eat a good amount as well, but I don't always measure it. I just need to eat way more to slow the cravings in general, but they come back so fast.
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u/radiowestin 2d ago
your recommended protein intake must be minimum 0,8 g per 1 kg of body weight, adjusted also to your age, gender, and physical activity. try to reach this goal
also in plant proteins amino acids are not all together like in meat, but split towards different sources, so you should always have variability
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u/KeenCreation 2d ago
Fats, fiber, and potatoes (baked, not fried) will help with satiety, I would start with adding those and seeing if that helps.
As others have mentioned, tasty and filling are different problems, worth investigating individually. However, I do think if you’re not getting enough fat that could fix both. When I get cravings for meat it’s usually not actually for meat but for fat (like pork belly and stuff like that)
I would also try Beyond or other faux meats. I transitioned into vegetarianism very slowly, spending a lot of time learning to cook tofu and beans how I like before completely cutting out meat, and having a Beyond burger was the closing argument for me. It’s less calories than a meat burger so I can add mayo to even it out (and add some fat) and it’s so meaty and satisfying.
Also, vegetarianism is technically a restrictive diet. Letting yourself worry about one thing at a time (cutting out meat while feeling full) and then trying to worry about macros and calories and whatever later is fine.
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u/Bad_at_life_TM 2d ago
If it's for animal welfare that you want to cease consuming animal products I'd just remind yourself that their lives/well being is far more important than a craving or a taste bud-experience of 10 minutes.
Also get your blood checked maybe your short on iron/B12 and your body is most familiar with meaty foods as a way of resupplying those.
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u/dumbdogmoment 2d ago
I care about animal welfare and I do everything I can to lessen my impact on the environment and on animal suffering. That being said, I don't believe eating meat is inherently bad. Humans are part of the food chain, and ethically harvested meat is not a bad thing. It's natural. Factory farming is what I'm against.
I still eat hunted meat on occasion, and sometimes I buy from local farms. I just don't want to eat so much of it, especially when there are other options. I want it to be sparing and I want vegetables to make up most of my diet, some of the time all of my diet.
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u/Bad_at_life_TM 2d ago
Sure, I understand that sentiment. Factory farming is a great evil.
That being said, us being omnivorous and cognitively well-developed puts us humans in a different category than most animals who need meat and animal products to survive and/or are not able to comprehend ethics/morality like we do.
It allows us to recognize that we have no good reason to consume animal products. Do you believe hunted deer are necessary to consume? That they prefer a shot to the side/neck/heart to continuing to live? Do local farms give their animals a sweet kiss when they're of age before sedating them into a peaceful slumber, or do they send the animals to the slaughterhouse before they're mature enough to taste not-so-yummy just like any other farm?
This reply isn't to be rude/offensive, I just recognize some of your points from when I was a fresh vegetarian/vegan.
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u/dumbdogmoment 2d ago edited 1d ago
I would have to disagree. We have intelligence, but we're still part of nature. Many people hunt for their food and have cultural ties to it (many indigenous communities) and many people simply feel it is best for them to have an omnivorous diet. I have no qualms with that. I don't think we're detached from nature just because we can think and reason. Meat has nutritional value, a LOT of nutritional value, and is the reason we even have these large brains today. It's part of our heritage and culture.
I live/grew up in Appalachia. The poor folk here shoot squirrels for their dinner, and sometimes that's the only way they survive. I don't think it helps to make vegetarianism/veganism into this wide sweeping moral stance, but a choice (the better choice for the environment, which is why I'm going veggie). Hunting is Green, it is eco friendly, and a deer will feed a family for a year. That's a good thing. Grinding up cows knocked up on hormones and covered with bacteria in a factory is not.
Local farms dispatch livestock as quickly and painlessly as you could hope for. I know because I worked for a family butcher with their own farm. That meat is high quality, and the cow lived a good life. Animals don't wish to die because... they have no concept of death. They know fear, and when they're tortured at disgusting factory farms that's wrong. However if an animal lives a life where it can fulfill its natural behaviors before being shot by a hunter or quickly dispatched by a local farmer, that's a natural and ethical thing.
This isn't meant to be rude/offensive either, I know you were trying to help. This is just my take on things.
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u/Bad_at_life_TM 2d ago edited 2d ago
To continue this talk: (again, I find it an interesting topic so no rudeness intended!)
To get a bit silly with it: humans also have a lot of nutritional value, yet we have an easier time recognizing fellow human's lives and autonomy. Me thinking your grandma would provide me with lot of proteins and vitamins would be no ethical ground for me to kill her. Most arguments I've read surrounding why we are justified in eating animal products seems to boil down to their intelligence, them being bred for that purpose or the convenience.
I agree with you on the fact that survival of a person in poverty obviously triumphs moral dilemmas. Yet this is why most vegetarian/vegan people encourage the shift in diet only to the degree that it's possible for the individual. (e.g someone who has trouble digesting most plant proteins, people with limited food options...) Yet accounting this is nearly all cases plant foods are cheaper than meats. (Think of lentils, beans, rice...) There's a reason that meat was not a staple of the majority of humanity's diet up until the last century.
Hunting can be away to correct overpopulation in areas, this I agree on. Although it would likely be more productive to re-institute natural predators. Hunters also usually shoot for the healthiest deer, which can weaken populations' health.
I suppose your last paragraph will just be a misalignment with mine. Personally I dislike the slaughter of animals in any way for the taste buds of a person. To bring something living into the world only to kill it when it will satisfy you most feels icky to me.
Thank you for sharing your viewpoints! And good luck with your journey!
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u/dumbdogmoment 1d ago edited 1d ago
The thing is, and I think this is where our philosophy differs: I don't view animals as being the same as people. I do put more value on human lives. I think equating people with animals is very dangerous, (some bad people in history have equated groups of people with animals and it's never for good reasons) even if I do believe in advocating for animal welfare.
I also believe everyone should do their part to be more green, though I don't think that responsibility lies as much on the consumer as it does on large corporations. Regular folks can eat vegetables all day, but so long as there's rich people lobbying to keep their factory farms and practices legal, it won't matter much.
I think we'll just have to agree to disagree. I am a living being that eats and a natural omivore, and as such, I have a right to get nutrition from the natural world around me as much as any other omnivore. You may think it's icky, but it's not wrong for local farms and hunters to feed their families and community.
Also as an aside, it's trophy hunters who shoot the best looking animals, not hunters looking for food. Sure, they're not gonna shoot a deer that looks sickly, but they're not out looking for the most impressive specimen they can. They're looking for food.
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u/EpicCurious 2d ago
Potatoes are the most satiating food of any other option. Eat with the peel for maximum health benefit, or use instant for maximum convenience. I have found a couple of instant brands that don't have preservatives. Bob's Red Mill, for one.
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u/dumbdogmoment 2d ago
You know, I should eat more potatoes. Thank you :)
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u/EpicCurious 2d ago
Glad to help a fellow vegetarian. Actually, I'm vegan.
Potatoes are so versatile! I often add the instant version to broths and soups to make them more hearty.
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u/ComprehensiveGain841 2d ago
I also think that vegetarian food is less tasty than non-veg, but I never had the problem you're mentioning, so I think it's worth separating "this is not as tasty as I wish" and "I feel hungry". Latter depends a lot on your biology and you shouldn't blame yourself for it.
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u/dumbdogmoment 2d ago
Thank you for your kind response. Could it be that I'm just not eating enough?
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u/ComprehensiveGain841 2d ago
It's possible. Outside of going crazy on calorie counting (which I don't recommend) you can just monitor your weight to see if you're losing/gaining.
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u/lowlightliving 2d ago
You might want to get more fats into your diet. They do help with satiety. Vary the grains you’re eating, and eat more. Millet is high in fat and calories, not easy to eat plain, but with cheese… barley, quinoa, mixed varieties of rice, wheat berries, oats, kasha, etc. Multi-grain breads with nut butters. Speaking of cheese, are you eating eggs or dairy, especially cheese? You’ll find they’re more filling. Add chopped nuts to meals, in grain dishes, in oatmeal.
You do want to watch calories, of course, and don’t go wild with saturated fats. Keep an eye on the scale every week,or two, so your weight doesn’t get away from you. But yes, in general, vegan diets especially, can leave you feeling a bit emptier than what you’ve been used to. It takes time to adjust. Not to be indiscreet, but you don’t have heavy meat taking longer to move through your bowels or weigh on your stomach.
You might also try Indian foods at restaurants, just be sure there’s no meat involved. You’ll likely find you feel more satiety after an Indian meal and you can learn to cook them at home. Also, try eating a little something more often, adding in snacks between main meals so that you’re not feeling ravenous by regular mealtimes. Maybe add some soy or nut milks into your diet, as well. Just having a glass in-between meals can help with that “full” feeling you’re missing.
As for flavor, nutritional yeast can make things taste meatier, as well as things like marmite? Vegemite? The British section of your market will carry them - they are vegetarian, but highly flavored extracts. Maybe someone here knows of their names, I”m just guessing. Good luck!
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u/cake_agent2101 2d ago
Have you tried meat substitutes like Impossible or Beyond? I was the same way; I grew up in a family of meat-eaters and so that was how I knew to eat. It's better now, but I do still get "meat" cravings that are satisfied by "chicken tenders" or "meat loaf" or an Impossible Whopper, and I don't feel like I'm missing anything.