So, I am in need of some serious advice. I have been vegan for almost 2 years now (I’m a 23-year-old female), and truly, I love it. It comes so easily and naturally to me, and all in all, I feel excellent! I’m not low energy in the slightest. My only problem—near-constant hunger and subsequent weight gain. I am not a junk food vegan by any means. I strive to eat a balance of whole grains, veggies, healthy fats, and protein at every meal, and I snack on a variety of fruits, nuts, crackers, etc. In other words, my diet is diverse! I drink plenty of water, to the point where I pee A LOT. I’ve had a dietitian call my diet “a dietitian’s dream.” I’ve tracked micronutrients, macronutrients, calories, and I’m almost certain I’m getting everything I need. Calorie wise, I eat around 500 for breakfast, between 400-500 for lunch and dinner, and I snack between meals, tacking on another 500+ calories there, too. My daily totals range anywhere from 2000-2500, sometimes more, thanks to binge-eating related to stress sometimes, yes, but also a desperation to not feel hungry anymore. I can eat HUGE amounts and still literally feel empty, like nothing’s in my belly AT ALL.
Sometimes, I do feel satiated, but most of the time, I’d say I’m not. It honestly makes no sense to me. I read about loads of new vegans raving about how satiated they feel, how deeply nourished. I read about how eating lots of fiber and drinking lots of fluids helps satiety (a big fat lie, in my opinion). I exercise 8-10 hours a week, as I’m a yoga instructor and teach 6 hours, then add 2-4 hours of additional cardio, depending, usually closer to 2 hours, I’d say. Yet, no matter what I do, my weight has steadily crept up, and I cannot shed it for the life of me. I’m not at an unhealthy weight for my height by any means, and I’m in very good shape. I had my metabolism tested once, which told me I could maintain my weight at 2500 calories a day, so apart from occasional splurge-days, I’m mostly in my calorie range, plus all the exercise. I also supplement, so I’m absolutely certain I’m not lacking, nor do blood tests reveal any deficiencies. So, what in the world is wrong with me?
I guess my other question, then, is this: Am I not designed to be vegan? I’ve read about some people who claim that they just cannot physically tolerate/sustain veganism, that they feel their best eating some animal products. I’ve always shaken my head at this because I’ve believed that, when approached properly, a plant-based diet is THE best diet possible, a diet that CAN fulfill humans’ nutritional needs. But after 2 years of struggling, I am at a loss. Mentally, it pains me to think of eating dairy and eggs again (I will just be vegetarian, no meat, thankfully!)—I feel like a failure, a let down. I’ve scoured the internet in search of answers to very little avail. I’ve experimented with my diet a lot to try to figure stuff out on my own. Nothing. Nada. So, now, I’m here, asking for insight, advice, something that could maybe, hopefully, lead me to an answer. So, again, am I possibly one of those people who thrives better as a vegetarian? How does one rationalize the switch back without feeling horribly guilty?
Thank you so much in advance!
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