always hungry...

Looks that way dude what are you eating? Are you eating breakfast? we really need a bit more info on your diet to really tell, what were your eating habits before going veggie?

I agree with Lorenzo, if you could give us an idea of what you normally eat throughout the day it will give us a better idea of any deficiencies you might have.

I found for myself in the beginning that feeling hungry was lack of the right types of fat...nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, etc.
Once I started including those daily fats, that never feeling satisfied feeling went away.

Get some organic or raw peanut butter and eat a tablespoon every time your get hungry

I have the same problem and am now eating more protein.

I remember that, a lot of new veggies complain about it. It goes away pretty quickly.

I am actually surprised this is an issue. If you follow the food pyramid for vegetarians, you pretty much need to be eating so much food just to get enough calories. It's kind of overwhelming actually, the amount of bulk.

I personally modify it to add more fats because I need a high fat diet, but it happens to come in handy b/c I don't have to eat so much bulk.

For example. 2.5 cups of raw veg or 5 cups of salad greens, 4 fruits, 3-5 cups of grains or bread slices, etc. It's a lot of food!

If you're eating high quality, high fiber, whole foods I'm surprised you feel hungry. Could it just be that you're confusing being full with that "heavy" full feeling that you get with meat? That's not a bad thing though..hehe

I have the same problem as fournotsix because I have a very big appetite but every time I am hungry I ate veggie snacks.... home made....

Any meal with rice, pasta, or potatoes always fills me up.

right a meal with rice will fill you up. then eat potatoes if you still hungry...

True, however some people are more sensitive to carbs and they gain weight when they eat too many.

Can you post a typical day for you in terms of eating?

dehydrated fruit snacks seem to help me with that..

I had that problem every time I have tried to be vegetarian in the past. But this time, I was determined to make it work. I figured I live in a country with an abundance of food, I won't starve to death. I don't know if it was the mindset or if I have been truly eating better, but this time, that's not happening. I eat beans with most lunch/dinners, and I think that helps a lot. Green smoothies seem to help too.

Ingredients

1 Spaghetti Squash (a.k.a. Winter Squash, Spaghetti)
3-4 cloves of garlic (minced)
2 table spoons olive oil
1/4 cup water
salt & pepper to taste


Directions

Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop out seeds, being careful to preserve as much of the inside as possible. In a casserole dish (Spray with Pam), like squash face down, add 1/4 cup of water.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, then turn squash over and cook for another 30 minutes or until soft.
As squash is cooling, sautee garlic and olive oil in pan.
Using a serving fork, scrape squash out and into the pan with the garlic and olive oil. (Using long strokes, the fork should make the squash come out in long, thin, spaghetti like strands.
Cook for another 3-5 minutes. (Until Garlic is the color you like best!) Add salt and pepper.
This serves 2 people as a main course, 4 as a side dish. (Kids love to be the "squash scraper")

Look What I found!! I will try one too! the calories is 181.4

If you're not eating very much of the above there's
a good chance your body is feeling this way because
you're not eating very many carbs. Most vegetables
are low in carbs and even the vegetables that do offer
carbs (corn, carrots, peas) still have a pretty small
amount.

Have you noticed a metallic-y taste in your mouth?


Try eating more root vegetables and fruits and beans and
what Rosa mentioned and you may start to feel more full.

I'd second/third the rice suggestion. Cheap, and very convenient if you invest in a cooker.

You may have a nutritional imbalance.

Key nutrients:

• iron. This is found in legumes (beans), tofu, dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, seeds, whole grain products and iron-fortified cereals and breads.

• vitamin B12. This is found in fortified foods including soymilk, vegetarian burger patties and cereals.

• vitamin D. The body makes this vitamin in the presence of sunlight. It is also found in fortified foods such as cereals, margarine and soy beverages.

•calcium. This is found in tofu, broccoli, seeds, nuts, kale, legumes, greens, okra, rutabaga, calcium-fortified soymilk, calcium-enriched juices and grain products. It is also found in tortillas made from lime-processed corn and in fortified cereals.

•zinc. This is found in whole grains such wheat germ and bran, whole-wheat breads and cereals, legumes, seeds, nuts and tofu.


All plant foods contain some protein. By eating a variety of vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes (beans) every day even vegans can get enough of this nutrient. Plant foods do not contain all of the 9 essential amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. Therefore, it is crucial that vegetarians and vegans, in particular, eat a wide variety of plant proteins every day. To maximize the intake of essential amino acids a person should eat legumes at the same meal or within several hours of eating grains. Legumes include peas, chickpeas, peanuts, lentils, and any of the wide variety of beans. Grains include rice, wheat, corn, rye, bulgur, oats, millet, and barley.

The key to healthy vegetarian diets is planning. Well-planned vegetarian diets can be safe for children, adults, as well as, pregnant and lactating women. Vegetarians should pay special attention to the nutrients mentioned above to plan a healthy diet.

http://www.medicineonline.com/articl...tarianism.html

Cravings for food (hunger) generally means you're craving nutrition that you need.

For me, the most satisfying thing is a big (BIG) salad with lots of spinach, lettuce, chard, fresh herbs (such as basil and cilantro), organic heirloom tomatoes, an avocado, some minced red onion, some sliced bell peppers, organic spices (such as parsley, thyme, sea salt, black pepper and mustard powder), sea weed (such as crumbled nori sheets) and raw sauerkrout (such as Bubbie's brand found in the refrigerated section).

The aforementioned salad is rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, b-vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin K, probiotics, iodine, chlorophyll, protein (yes, vegetables are LOADED with easily digested protein), and a good healthy amount of glucose. To make it more filling you could add a few chopped dates. For more flavor you could add a tablespoon of raw coconut vinegar or use kim chi instead of sauerkraut.

As a health educator, I never recommend "filling up" on meals empty of nutrition. First get the nutrients that you need. If you're still hungry, then have a bowl of quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, oats, long-grain brown rice or a few bananas.

Me too!! I take 5 round of rice per meal.. that makes me full.. then eat again after 3 hours of veggie salad..

I had this problem at first, and then I realized - I'm eating healthy food. If I'm hungry...I should just eat! That being said, I try to eat things that'll stick with me. One of my favorite things to do is get some whole grain bread, sunflower seed butter, and bananas...best sandwich ever! (Peanut butter is obviously great, too...I got this sunflower seed stuff out of curiousity. Tastes just like pb, lol.)

Preach that **** lol, hi 5 on that one I thought I was the only one who ate banana sandwich, when my gf first saw me make that the look of horror on her face was so funny lol, another one I use to eat was mozzarella and pineapple in baguette but since trying to cut out dairy haven't found substitute for mozzarella cheese yet, which is making the pizzas that I make quite lame, also making it hard to be a good Italian lol

I might just add though cooking your own food is so much more satisfying. I don't know if it's just me but when I cook my own food I feel so happy when I eat if if it comes out of oven looking like its been on a holiday to hell I can eat it lol,and it will taste good. I remember when I first went veggie I started buying quite a few microwave meals for 1st few months before i done proper research into changing my diet(Nowadays I avoid them like the plague now lol, I hear they have lots of msg in them) and I don't know why (well if the msg thing is true I suppose I do know lol) they just use to always leave me wanting more food, and seeing as OP said he was new veggie at the time I wouldn't be surprised if he was just using quick fixes for food rather than cooking...

Mozzarella and pineapple sandwich? Oh..... my gosh. Melted or cold?

I think that there are two possibilities. The first and most probable is that you aren't eating a balanced diet. I am actually far less hungry as a veg*n than when I was omni. It has always been that way for me. I focus on whole foods like fruits, a rainbow of veggies, beans, grains, tofu, nuts, good cereals, almond milk, occasionally pasta, tortillas and whole grain bread (I like Ezekiel.) I also indulge in some occasional convenience foods like vegan hot dogs and the like. You need to make sure that your meals have a balance of fat, carbs, and protein and that you aren't just eating salad. And, if you feel hungry, eat. Grab an apple, some blackberries, a banana, popcorn, roasted chickpeas, vegan yogurt, or a hand full of nuts. The second possibility is that you aren't getting enough calories. I love veganism b/c I have to struggle to get enough calories. But that can also be a downfall for some people. You may have to make a real effort. I track my fat, protein, carbs, calories, and various nutrients on an online program. It helps a lot.

both!!!!

yeah could go either way cold or warm, ah man I really do miss that sandwich

I didn't notice being hungrier without meat, but I can tell you that no matter what I eat, I get hungry every 3 to 4 hours. This is because I naturally have blood sugar that runs on the low side. I think it's genetic; my mom and brother are the same way. I do things like keep snacks in the car and eat right before work, since I know it will probably be 3 hours until I can eat. I also find high-fiber foods like whole wheat bread, lentils, and beans help. I try to combine fat or protein with starches. Eating starches alone will elicit more insulin, which only serves to drive my blood sugar down again.

I hear you! I've been vegan for FOUR months now and feel AWFUL! A few days ago I added fermented soy (as other soy has too many anti-nutrients to be healthy- see Dr. Mercola for more info on soy) and I feel WORLDS better. I was eating lots of vegetables a little fruit and plenty of nuts (soaked to get rid of the anti-nutrients and then dehydrated) and felt horrible still then I added cooked legumes and still found I wanted to eat everything in site...so I have to say these last few days (where I added fermented soy to my diet) are the only days in four months that I haven't been ravenous.

I track that stuff too, but only because I'm a nutritionist. I don't think the average person needs to track those things on a vegan diet, or even a RAW vegan diet.

For example, you could eat a salad like thus and get 600+ calories in one sitting easily:

1 bunch of kale (stems removed, leaves massaged and sliced)
1/2 cup walnuts (for flavor, texture, calories and fillingness)
1 Brazil nut (for selenium)
6 dates chopped (for magnesium and calories -- 6 medjool dates is 400 calories)
1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil or flax oil
1 teaspoon ground flaxseed (for omega 3)
1 teaspoon ground chia seed (for omega 3, calcium and iron)
1 apple, chopped into small pieces (for crunch and flavor)

This salad is filling, incredible nutritious, calorie dense, gluten-free, vegan, and even kids love it because it is sweet and fatty despite the large amount of calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin K, and so forth.

For breakfast I like to have this:

4 bananas
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder (by Nutiva's Naturals)

Mash up the bananas on a plate with the cacao powder with a fork and you have easy chocolate pudding. Each banana is about 80 calories. It is important to use really ripe bananas (brown little spots all over the peel and no green coloration) so that they are easy to smash and are sweet.

This is very filling, and for chocolate lovers this really hits the spot way better than any chocolate bar, without the artificial/"natural" sweeteners, powders and garbage that is in all chocolate bars (even organic dark chocolate).

If that is your breakfast and the kale salad is your dinner and you have some red quinoa for lunch with a side of carrot juice or a simple spinach salad you can easily be very full, get plenty of calories and nutrition and consume no GMOs, gluten, animal products, refined sugars, MSG, artificial colorings, and so forth.

Try it. You'll like it.