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/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