I just recently went back to being a vegetarian again, and I swear my appetite has changed around entirely. I went from barely eating anything, to eating like a horse. It's not much that I'm craving food... I just feel that rumbly in my tumbly and it's like my body is saying "WE NEED FOOD NOW!!!!"

Is this normal?

Are you getting enough protein and fat? That is what will keep you feeling full the longest.

When you cut out meat you cut out a lot of fat! Eat some Peanut Butter on toast or 1/2 a bagel and call me in the morning. :D

Also, don't eat too many "white" foods like white bread, rice, pasta, potatoes. They cause blood sugar spikes and you're starving again when your blood sugar drops.

I think I eat enough fats and protein and hardly anything processed (no "enriched" products).. but it seems as though my body has been asking for "roughage." Like spinach and romaine. I swear I nearly ate a trough of salad the other day.. I haven't gained any weight just yet. I think I might be losing some actually, but I haven't checked..

Vegetables don't always provide the same sense of setaity that meats/fats do, unless the veggies are cooked in fats (oils, butter, w/cheese, etc)...

So you may just have to somehow incorporate oils (in small amounts) into your recipes if they're not there already...

Along with this, you'll probably just have to eat more frequently...snack on veggies and fruit...crackers with hummus, etc...

Good job on the switch!

:nigel: Cheers!

I've noticed that I had more energy too.. I know some people swear up and down that not eating meat will decrease your level of energy, but I think they are wrong. All these veggies, fruits and grains plus the gallon of water I drink everyday is helping out alot!

No energy loss here! In fact I am currently very active in fitness and bodybuilding.

I wish I could go exercise right now.. I have all this pent up energy, and I'm stuck at this desk for another 4 hours. I've gotten up to walk around quite a few times, but my coworkers are starting to think I'm insane :) That, and it seems like the more I move, the more I eat.

make soemthing in the oven, with oil and stuff. .. that'll fill you up. salads, for instance, isnt food. it's like expecting to be full from flavored water.

Good job on the veg diet !
Im a 40 yo vegan single mother with 3 VERY active children (2 with special needs ),,, a house to clean,, 2 cats, one dog fish .. Im a massage therapist and a personal assistant ,, help run a non profit and .. and Im FULL of energy ! :)
I remember when I gave up meat my digestive system started to work more efficently... I was "eliminating" 2 times a day instead of once. My appetite also increased.
Also,, I was looking at your nick and wondering if you are 17 years old,,
maybe your hormonal fluctuations have something to do with it? dunno.. just a thought.

One thing for sure.. they are right about the fats and proteins,, also remember that a healthy veg diet is usually lower in calories than a meat eaters average diet so your metabolism could be shifting around. :vebo:

I wish I was 17 still! I could eat as much as I wanted then, and not gain an ounce. I'm 23 years old now, and I can already tell that my metabolism is slowing down. Sad.

I wish I was 17 still! I could eat as much as I wanted then, and not gain an ounce. I'm 23 years old now, and I can already tell that my metabolism is slowing down. Sad.
Just wait until your 29 and holding!

If you're still starving, try the peanut butter thing - it really works. ;-) But yeah for eating a ton of veggies and not gaining weight if you don't need it! :-)

Fruits and veggies are 70% water so they digest really quickly! And a trough of salad isn't really anything calorie wise. Like 3 cups of mixed lettuce is 10 calories. Other people made good suggestions

What exactly are you eating in a day?

Let's see... yesterday, I ate a huge bowl of fresh spinach, pita bread with artichoke lemon pesto, masala paneer w/ brown rice, lentil soup, banana chips, potato soup, dried cranberries, and a couple of vegan trail mix cookies.. I think I've been eating almost every 2-3 hours. That, and a little bit of coffee and about a gallon of water.

I noticed the energy increase too. I feel wonderful.

Have you heard of Fit Day? (www.fitday.com)

You could track what you are eating for a day or two, and see how well you are doing. It's very free.

This way you will know exactly if a typical day meets the amount of protein, carbs, fat, etc.

Every 2-3 hours is about how often a person *should* be eating. it helps to keep the blood sugar nice and steady. :yes:

but yea, higher fat foods like nuts (or nut butters) and avocados will also help keep that fuller feeling longer. For salads, either a nice olive-oil based dressing or a tofu-based dressing will also help it from being so "quick burn".

I would also go with "heavier" foods like whole grains and beans/legumes (gotta love that non-refined fiber). You don't have to combine them at each meal, but do try to get a decent amount of both in.

Let's see... yesterday, I ate a huge bowl of fresh spinach, pita bread with artichoke lemon pesto, masala paneer w/ brown rice, lentil soup, banana chips, potato soup, dried cranberries, and a couple of vegan trail mix cookies.. I think I've been eating almost every 2-3 hours. That, and a little bit of coffee and about a gallon of water.

That is not a lot of food actually, unless the servings were very large or very greasy.

I second the usage of fitday.

BTW, your diet (if this is standard) is falling short on calcium, B12, omega-3, and possibly zinc and iron.

actually, yesterday was a "light" day... I usually eat more than that... and usually the portions I eat (like salads and such are pretty big) I know I'm supposed to eat every few hours, but this is just a big change for me. It's weird going from eating barely anything to eat all day long. I usually eat avocadoes, but I'm out right now, and I can't afford anymore groceries this week...

I don't count salads as food calories :) They are like green water (unless you're adding nuts, sauce, etc).

If you ever feel bad about how much food you ate, just ask me to post my food log in the "I ate today" thread. :up:

I checked out FitDay and plugged some of the stuff I eat into it. I'm totally lacking in EVERYTHING. I know I'm doing better than before... but jeez. If I eat anymore, I'll barf then go broke! Someone told me to add protein shakes (vegetarian ones of course) to my diet.. I think I might start doing that since I only got like 7% of what I need yesterday for protein.. sad.

Don't fret!!

What were the lowest scores you had with fitday? I can help you out :)

Well, the protein was low.. 7%. Here are the nutrient levels for yesterday:

Vitamin D - 0%
Vitamin E - 92.31%
Vitamin K - 9.06%
Vitamin C - 138.03%
Thiamin - 53.09%
Riboflavin - 33.22%
Vitamin B6 - 41.64%
Vitamin B12 - 2.25%
Niacin - 39.52%
Folate - 30.97%
Iron - 34.2%
Zinc - 18.07%
Selenium 46.92%
Calcium - 19.21%
Phosphorus - 37.82%
Magnesium - 34.7%

Maybe I should start taking a multi-vitamin :/