Help! I was a vegetarian for years and after the birth of my daughter started to only eat chicken.As per my husbands suggestion due to nursing. He thought I needed the protien.That was 12yrs ago. I have choosen to go vegan since May 9th. I feel pretty good but my skin is breaking out. I've never had issues with my skin before? And I'm hungry ALL the time. I'm trying to be sure to eat a wide variety of veg with grains and beans. I was hoping to shed a few pounds with the loss of dairy from my diet but at the rate I am eating I can't see it happening? Wil my belly eventually realize it is full and quit nagging me for more? Much needed support.

Hi hi,

Don't worry about your skin! I looked like the acne monster for about three weeks after I started on vegan (from veggie) and then it cleared up.  I think it was my body detoxing so hopefully it's that for you too and will soon go away.

Are you actually hungry?  I mean is your tummy rumbling out loud?  Because when my friend when vegetarian they felt hungry all the time even though they ate lots, but it was basically psychosmatic because they thought - almost on a subconscious level - that they weren't eating heavy food. Maybe a little bit of your head is asking, where's the cheese, where's the chicken?  And that's making you think that you're hungry?

If you are actually hungry, have you checked things like your iron levels (I eat two spoons of molasses every day which is gross but iron filled!), or your overall calorie intake?  I did find that I was eating a greater volume of food than I was used to when I changed over.  Or, are you getting enough fluids?  You could make some of the iced teas in Kind Diet as if you have flavoured food you might trick your tummy into thinking it's a snack!

Hope both resolve themselves!

Hugs x

I am going through the exact same thing!!!  I have been vegetarian for 21 years and recently gave up dairy due our son needing to eliminate it from his diet.  That effectively makes me a Vegan now, I guess.  I'm not hungry but have not been making the best meals this week as hubby had week off work so been over indulging and few glasses of wine etc.  But my skin.......!  Talk about spot fest, especially on my chin and around my mouth.  I just put it down to hormones/stress blah blah blah.  I am waiting for the glowing skin which Alicia talks so passionately about.

Sounds exactly like new veganism. When you first get rid of all the toxins in your body, it takes a while to adjust. Over time, you're body will simmer down. For me, it took about a month and a half on the acne and two weeks on the hunger. 

Oh, and don't worry: even with all that eating, I was able to loss 60 pounds since I went vegan in August. Only 40 more to go for me - phew! 

I am not a medical professional, and I advise you to consult one. The following is my non-expert opinion based upon my own personal experience while seeking a healthy lifestyle.

Being hungry is not normal. Examine your diet closely. You may have sugar, oil (even vegetable oil), refined carbohydrates, or other processed ingredients that can sabatage an otherwise healthy diet. Avoid diet drinks because of aspartame. In fact you'd do well to avoid all drinks but pure water. MSG is in many foods as is high fructose corn syrup. Commercially processed foods can present you with difficult to diagnose problems because of the sheer number of added ingredients. Wheat and soy are common allergens. Make sure to avoid these and use non-gluten and non-GMO legumes. Sometimes processed foods add dairy and animal based food products.

Please consider a pure diet to see if there is something you are allergic to. I'd avoid restaurant food, convenience foods, and food additives. You have an enormous variety of legumes, whole grains (not processed and non-gluten), green leafy vegetables (kale, collards), whole vegetables, and whole fruits. Of course take B12 and get Omega-3, preferably from flax seed. If you don't get enough sun, take vitamin D.

There is something wrong if you are still hungry on a high fiber, high plant protein diet. Perhaps your naturalpath can do some blood work and help advise you.

Read Dr. Neal Barnard or Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr. for advice about a balanced and healthy diet. My high fiber diet allows me to eat a big breakfast and big lunch. I am never hungry and I never eat between lunch and breakfast the next day. My blood sugar level at one point was out of whack when I was eating six meals a day, but now it's as steady as a rock with just two meals. A period of not eating allows my digestive system to rest. (Dr. Joel Fuhrman) I understand that water fasts are common practice in other countries, but not in America. My ravenous appetite was stilled after a five day medically supervised water fast.

Of course, consult a medical professional with some knowledge of nutrition and alternative medicine.

Wow thanks everybody for the info and support! I'm sure my skin will settle soon. It was just quiet a shock to look in the mirror

Dan, Thank you very much for your detailed advice. I will look into that book you reccomend. I know I do have challenges with my blood sugar dropping if I don't eat. I haven't had any issues with it though since I have switched to Vegan. I agree with you on all the processed food as well. I've never had luck with eating out. I would often get ill before finishing eating. There is still soo much for me to learn about this lifestyle and how to eat. i am learning to listen to my body though and try and determine if I realy am hungry. Old habits die very hard though. Again thanks for your concern and I will look into your suggestions. :)

Tania, Congrats on the weight loss! Thats an incredible accomplishment

Dawn - I agree with other posters that it sounds like you are transitioning. Acne can be a sign either of detoxification or a reaction to a new or overly consumed food. The hunger was there for me and my roomate for about the first two to three weeks of veganism - we were simply ravenous all the time. After that it passed. Even though we ate fairly well before, we still consumed dairy and eggs and meat on occassion. Switching to completely plant-based, and for me no or little oil, I believe our bodies were simply transitioning to burning better fuel. It did pass. I would simply make sure each meal is well-rounded.