Does being a vegetarian make you eat more?!

Hi, binging is our bodies way of telling us we're missing out on something vital. This can be a specific nutrient or sufficient food in general. You certainly don't need to start eating meat again, since whatever you're missing out on can be obtained from vegetarian sources.

Does your daily intake meet the recommended calorie allowance? Restricting calories too low can cause us to feel deprived thus leading to binging.

You mention that you don't eat much carbohydrate. That could be an issue. Basing each meal around complex carbs is actually recommended and it's a myth that they cause weight gain. Maybe try to include more grains and potatoes in your diet? These also have the advantage that they keep you feeling full for a long time which'll decrease the urge to binge.

It's also a good idea to eat a wide variety of foods. Eating a lot of vegetables isn't the same as eating a wide range of vegetables. By getting a lot of variety in your diet you'll be more likely to be getting all the different nutrients.

It might be worth having a blood test to identify any particular vitamin etc that your diet may be lacking. That way you can easily fix the problem by finding a vegetarian source of that vitamin.

X

Sometimes thinking about food and your diet will make you eat more. You are just going through an adjustment phase, switching to a diet you are not used to. Try using a food journal for a few days to realize what you are actually eating and see where you need to make changes.

If you are restricting calories, you may also set yourself up for a binge later in the day when you are starving. Try eating plenty of whole, natural unprocessed foods and do a little meal planning. If you work, then bring snacks that you have already portioned out in little zip-lock bags. It will take a while to get used to, but just be sure to add in plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains so you don't set yourself up to binge later.

Well, humans did evolve eating meat. Your body is probably trying to compensate from you cutting out meat. You do need to be careful of eating too many simple carbs. They break down quickly in your system.

Too, most veggies are not high in calories. So you're probably not getting enough calories. I don't know if you've seen the posting about the now infamous vegan girl who gave it up? She said she used to eat and eat and eat at every meal until her belly and belt were stretched. But two hours later she'd be hungry. I'll post the link....remember, though, she was a vegan, not ovo lacto vegetarian.

Perhaps you should keep a food diary. Record everything you eat. You may just need more calories. Good luck.

http://voraciouseats.com/2010/11/19/a-ve…

There might be another reason for this. Binge eating is normally a response to stress or boredom.. Have any other of your life circumstances changed, apart from becoming vegetarian?

I wouldn't think so. I eat the same amount of food as I did before I was a vegetarian, but because none of it is meat, I stopped putting on weight.

Maybe you're not eating enough protein? Try eating more eggs or cottage cheese or something or try quorn xxx

If you're female, it could be related to hormonal shifts in your menstrual cycle. I find I binge eat before and during my period.

I guess it just depends on the person. I'm a vegetarian and i certainly don't eat that much.

It depends on you. I am a vegetarian and I don't eat that much.