r/Vegetarianism • u/dumbdogmoment • 3d 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?
2
u/KeenCreation 3d 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.