I love doing the Carnivore Diet Success Stories, I find it very rewarding to share peoples progress. So I am going to try to catch up with people once a year to see how they are getting on.
Will they all still be Carnivore, probably not. However, I believe they will have an appreciation of the benefits of a meat-heavy diet and will use that knowledge as a tool to further their health.
Meat Up with Yecca
How would you currently describe your current way of eating.
I eat meat, eggs, minimal dairy, spices and seldomly sugar free sauces. I occasionally have an alcoholic drink a few times a year, but it definitely bogs me down and causes a little inflammation the next day.
What have you learned regarding nutrition over the last year.
For anyone interested in carnivore, but not ready to take the plunge, just adding more meat to your diet can be extremely beneficial!
What health & Fitness improvements, and/or setbacks have you experienced in the last year.
Every year I keep feeling younger, more muscular and more healthy overall.
What are your health and fitness goals in the year ahead.
My main goal this year is to lose my belly once and for all. I’m currently doing the Carnivore Keto Cut Challenge and I am excited to see my results at the end if the month!
Anything else to add? and where can people follow your journey?
I also became the first female Carnivore Coach last year! People can follow me on Instagram @eatmeatqueen
Check the link in my bio for my coaching link, my Holiday E-cookbook and apparel shop!
Yecca’s original carnivore diet success story is here
Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.
If you like what I am about, check out the below.
Amazon
Carnivore Fit Expanded edition – my eBook and Paperback looking at why meat is good for you, why plants are bad, and how to exercise on zero carbs.
I am an ambassador for the lifestyle brand Descended From Odin, have a look at their apparel and accessories: Click here and get 10% off with the code “ketogenicendurance”
Hi, I’m Cindi. I’m married to my life long friend. We met in Jr. High School and have been married for almost 40 years, 3 children and 9 grandchildren.
How did you eat before Carnivore.
Our journey actually began back in 2000. I say “our” because my husband has always been the researcher for the latest trends in how we can get healthy. We have done juicing, weight watchers, fat free (susan powter anyone?), vegetarian – that one was more my husband because I have ALWAYS loved my beef! Anyway..2002 Dr. Atkins entered our lives and it has grown from there. Between 2002-2005 doing low carb the Atkins way, I lost 120# and my husband lost 50. But over time, I was working out like crazy just to keep the weight off. But gradually over the course of the next 10 years or so, I put back on about 40. My husband went up about 10-15 but he could also get it off really quickly. Then we heard Dr. Davis and wheat belly so we ditched the wheat…again. And some weight came off again. Then primal with Mark Sisson. Paleo, Wild Diet etc etc……so Carnivore just seemed to be the next thing.
Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.
Again…hubby. He heard Jordan Peterson’s testimony and about how his daughter healed herself eating only meat and water on Joe Rogan’s podcast. So he did more investigation and found a lot of testimonials and told me that we should try it. I was a bit more hesitant…I had planted a garden and my cherry tomatoes were just coming in. We started July 18, 2018. And I did have a few tomatoes but I gave a LOT away. We decided to give it a month and “see”. We felt great so we decided to keep going.
How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.
I have “cheats” or make choices to go off plan every now and then. Which honestly does not serve me well. I don’t have too many health issues, especially for a woman my size and age. I’m still carrying around an extra 50 pounds (I think). I drink dry red wines socially a few times a month. I do use dairy but I do have to be careful because for me, it is very addictive and I could eat just a plate of cheese. I tend to like beef best and could eat a ribeye every single day and not get bored with that. But it is pricey so I mix it up with various cuts. Oh and eggs. I rely on eggs a lot. I love them. I also eat pork, chicken (rarely) and fish and shell fish.
What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.
The first thing I noticed is that I could get down on the floor and back up again with little to no arthritis pain. This was huge! I have 9 small grandchildren so getting on the floor is important. I also am sleeping WAY better than I ever have. And a nice perk, I lost 30# bringing me the closest to my lowest in 2005. I keeping hoping the last 10 plus a few more will come off. I probably have about 50 to lose but maybe only 30…who knows.
What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.
Hmmm. Socially it is awkward especially if I am not doing the cooking. We socialize a lot having meals with others. They know we eat weird and have for a while but when someone else is doing the cooking…it is just awkward. I don’t want to offend by not eating but on the other hand…I won’t compromise. And Health professional friends and family are really worried about us but also aren’t willing to read more into this crazy way of eating.
Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.
Not too much. I walk. But I also do body weights, mostly when I feel like it. A couple times a week.
What piece of advice would you give someone who is interested in trying this diet, but hasn’t taken the leap yet.
Try it for 30 days. It’s only 30 days. What harm could that do? And keep an open mind!
Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.
I HOPE so! Yet…don’t eat all my BEEF! LOL I really want to see so many of my family and friends get healthy and THAT is what it is really all about. Losing weight is great but lets get healthy first.
Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow you.
I post on instagram occasionally mostly food porn but family stuff too. @cindiweedon
Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.
If you like what I am about, check out the below.
Amazon
Carnivore Fit Expanded edition – my eBook and Paperback looking at why meat is good for you, why plants are bad, and how to exercise on zero carbs.
I am an ambassador for the lifestyle brand Descended From Odin, have a look at their apparel and accessories: Click here and get 10% off with the code “ketogenicendurance”
I love doing the Carnivore Diet Success Stories, I find it very rewarding to share peoples progress. So I am going to try to catch up with people once a year to see how they are getting on.
Will they all still be Carnivore, probably not. However, I believe they will have an appreciation of the benefits of a meat-heavy diet and will use that knowledge as a tool to further their health.
Meat up with Megan
How would you currently describe your current way of eating.
I am currently eating a primal based keto diet. Mostly meat, veggies, butter, and coffee of course with the odd keto snack if I am making one for my son or wife.
What have you learned regarding nutrition over the last year.
That I can build a decent bit of muscle with only meat. Also, if I reintroduce veggies and what not too quickly after being strict carnivore, I will have a bit of bowel discomfort until my intestines get used to the change. I already knew that was a possibility, but I got to feel it first hand. Next month, I will be doing a carnivore reset, so I’ll have more data about going back into carnivore.
What health & Fitness improvements, and/or setbacks have you experienced in the last year.
Overall it was a mixed bag, over the past year, my son, wife and I were living in a single bedroom while our house was being built so my home gym and my workout routine was haphazard and crazy. However, in the few months since being in our new house, I have been able to recoup most of my gains. Now that I am back in a sustainable routine, it is my goal to do the reset I mentioned above to see what improvements I can see this time versus last year.
What are your health and fitness goals in the year ahead.
After my success with my carnivore muscle building protocol from last year, I want to continue to refine my training. Over the next three months, again my focus is to increase my personal records. Right now, I sit comfortably in the intermediate weights for most CrossFit and Olympic movements, so my first goal is to get to intermediate with all of the benchmarks. Then I will sustain the growth while using the rest of the year, to focus on my next and most difficult opportunity. Which are the gymnastic movements, ie: Muscle-ups and anything handstands. Once I get proficient there I can start to progress towards attending a CrossFit event; though I don’t know if I would have a shot at a top 5 spot for another year or so. Regardless, once I feel like I have a chance at doing well I would start to search for sectionals around me, but that step could be quite a year or more away. Especially if CrossFit changes up the rules again like they did last year.
Anything else to add? and where can people follow your journey?
First, I would like to thank you for reaching out! I really appreciate you following up with me. I have been less active on social media than I was this time last year, which is something I can finally remedy. With everything else I had going on, I had less time for developing my coaching business and keeping up to date with everything in the fitness space. Now that I am settled into my new house and everything, I finally have the time to focus on helping others again.
If anyone would like to follow along with my journey they can find me @thrivingonfat on Instagram and Twitter. My website is:
I am an ambassador for the lifestyle brand Descended From Odin, have a look at their apparel and accessories: Click here and get 10% off with the code “ketogenicendurance”
I love doing the Carnivore Diet Success Stories, I find it very rewarding to share peoples progress. So I am going to try to catch up with people once a year to see how they are getting on.
Will they all still be Carnivore, probably not. However, I believe they will have an appreciation of the benefits of a meat-heavy diet and will use that knowledge as a tool to further their health.
Meat Up with Brett
How would you currently describe your current way of eating.
I continue to eat meat & drink water only. See zero need to ever change.
What have you learned regarding nutrition over the last year.
In the last year+ I have learned meat is not only my food but my medicine. If I don’t eat when my body tells me that it’s in need of nutrition, some of the “with psychotic features” parts of my old diagnosis start returning. Easily avoided by eating when hungry.
What health & Fitness improvements, and/or setbacks have you experienced in the last year.
I’ve experienced zero setbacks since I began living/eating this way. Every aspect of my life has immensely improved by eating Carnivore. My skin is healthier than ever. My mood is genuinely happy & joyful every day. My ability to communicate has greatly improved. Zero complaints. Zero issues.
What are your health and fitness goals in the year ahead.
My health goal for the all of 2020 is to continue eating meat & drinking water plus continuing to lift weights in order to reach my 60th birthday as strong as is reasonably possible.
Anything else to add? and where can people follow your journey
Folks can follow my journey at Instagram: thankful.carnivore
I also do Carnivore related talks 5 days a week at my YouTube channel: Thankful Carnivore
Brett’s initial Carnivore Diet Success Story is here
Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.
If you like what I am about, check out the below.
Amazon
Carnivore Fit Expanded edition – my eBook and Paperback looking at why meat is good for you, why plants are bad, and how to exercise on zero carbs.
I am an ambassador for the lifestyle brand Descended From Odin, have a look at their apparel and accessories: Click here and get 10% off with the code “ketogenicendurance”
I love doing the Carnivore Diet Success Stories, I find it very rewarding to share peoples progress. So I am going to try to catch up with people once a year to see how they are getting on.
Will they all still be Carnivore, probably not. However, I believe they will have an appreciation of the benefits of a meat-heavy diet and will use that knowledge as a tool to further their health.
How would you currently describe your current way of eating.
Strict carnivore
What have you learned regarding nutrition over the last year.
That’s the most important for our health
What health & Fitness improvements, and/or setbacks have you experienced in the last year.
Stronger
What are your health and fitness goals in the year ahead.
To be even more healthy, and to stay strong, happy and young
Anything else to add? and where can people follow your journey?
On Instagram- @evabirath_health
Eva’s Original Carnivore Diet Success Story is here
Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.
I am an ambassador for the lifestyle brand Descended From Odin, have a look at their apparel and accessories: Click here and get 10% off with the code “ketogenicendurance”
Hi, I’m Selina and I’m from New Zealand, I house sit professionally so I don”t actually have a home.
I’m 40 years old and have a 19 year old daughter and a very supportive fiance Scott who also does carnivore with me.
I am only a newbie to Carnivore just been doing it consistently for about 6 months now.
2) How did you eat before Carnivore.
Before Carnivore I tried the keto diet and before that I even tried the vegan diet without great success as New Zealand is a little behind in fad diets so it was very hard to get anything vegan and before that I just ate the traditional SAD diet added with binge eating of macdonald’s, KFC, wendy’s and chips and sweets.
3) Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.
I started the carnivore diet because while being on the keto woe I was doing well, I stalled in my weight loss and even was starting to pile the weight back on.
My problem was I was trying to replicate the bad foods I ate into keto friendly ones. Well that didn’t help my binge eating and I slowly slid back into eating junk food.
I heard carnivore was a great way to reset the body, a sort of elimination diet so I tried it.
Another reason I started was that I suffer from scoliosis and had a spinal fusion so I hoped it would help my pain. My partner Scott has crps (Complex regional pain syndrome) so he’s trying carnivore to see if it may give him some relief as well.
4) How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.
My approach to carnivore is to keep it as simple as possible, otherwise I could slip back into binge eating, which I am trying to win against. The food I eat regularly are: rump, sirloin steak, beef mince, bacon, pork and my all time favorite lamb.
I don’t eat eggs as they don’t agree with me (I get gassy and nauseous).
I try to limit cheese, very rarely do I eat it and I drink a small amount of full cream in some hot water.
The only veggie/fruit I eat is avocado.
I drink lots of water.
5) What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.
The benefits I’ve noticed are I’m not hungry all the time, which helps my bingeing a lot. I actually only eat 1 meal a day.
Carnivore has helped my back pain tremendously, I would struggle to go on walks or stand up for too long, now I can go hiking even run! I’m quite amazed by it.
I suffer from depression and this has helped my dark moods so much, I’m much more positive.
Also my libido is through the roof! Before carnivore my partner and I would only be intimate on special occasions, now we can’t get our hands off each other lol.
I used to have horrible night terrors every night, since starting carnivore they have completely stopped, if I do fall off the wagon and have junk food, the night terrors come back that night.
I also used to have pain in my teeth daily, again carnivore has stopped all that.
Another benefit is I find is I’m doing the planet a favor, our rubbish waste is so minimal compared to a SAD diet. Only some plastic trays our steaks are wrapped in. The cost of our shopping has cut down too.
6) What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.
The negatives for me are family and friends forever worried about the way I eat. Other than that I have no actual negative from eating a carnivore diet.
7) Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.
As for exercise I just walk a minimum of 45 minutes a day, sometime twice. I will be incorporating weights to my exercise regimen soon.
8) What piece of advice would you give someone who is interested in trying this diet, but hasn’t taken the leap yet.
I would tell someone who is interested in trying the carnivore diet to… try it for a minimum of 4 weeks (just meat and water), you’ll definitely know by then if its something that works for you.
9) Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.
I don’t think it’ll ever be accepted as a main steam diet, we have too many big government organizations against the way we choose to live unfortunately. There is some hope though as many more people and doctors are realizing what a carnivore WOE can do for people and the planet.
10) Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow you.
I highly recommend trying this was of eating and to do your own research.
If you’d like to see my journey you can follow me on instagram at @selinadoescarnivore
Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.
If you like what I am about, check out the below.
Amazon
Carnivore Fit Expanded edition – my eBook and Paperback looking at why meat is good for you, why plants are bad, and how to exercise on zero carbs.
I am an ambassador for the lifestyle brand Descended From Odin, have a look at their apparel and accessories: Click here and get 10% off with the code “ketogenicendurance”
Hello! My name is Jacquie Lawson- I’m from Toronto, Ontario Canada. I am super excited to share my journey to health with you and how I got there through the Carnivore way of life. I love living an active lifestyle (running, the gym, hot yoga) and also just keeping busy day to day. I love and create music, value time with family and friends and appreciate the little things in life like walking my lazy little pug or a sizzling Ribeye!
2. How did you eat before Carnivore
My mom is a nurse and has always tried to have ‘healthy’ meals and options around as I grew up but it was still pretty much what you could call the SAD style of eating all through my growing up. I ate what was served to me, whatever was out at parties, what I craved, and LOTS of candy and sour skittles LOL! I started getting interested in “healthier” food options mid high school and tried pretty much every approach: (Smoothies, protein powders, healthy high-carb and low fat, vegetarian, dairy free, gluten free, wheat free , skipping meals/days of food etc.) with no real improvements- SHOCKER. That style of diet continued all the way up until I was in college. In college, all that went to the wayside and I ate the most processed and garbage foods I ever have and much too often. I hated the way I felt and looked: (weight gain, depressed, unmotivated, horrible acne, knee pain, fatigue) and my inability to control what I ate. I would get fed up and try to run every day for a week and then the cycle would all start again. It was not until 2 years ago when I went Keto and focused more on nutrition. After Keto I came across Carnivore/Zero carb.
3. Why did you try the Carnivore Diet to begin with
I had been doing Keto and Low-carb for a while and found many benefits compared to all the other crash ‘diets’ I had struggled with in the past. However, I found tracking macros and calories very exhausting and toxic as it became obsessive for me. I had gained weight towards the end of Keto even after losing weight with it, as I was overeating Keto treats and nut butters and never felt satisfied. I would tell myself to get back on the ‘clean’ keto-train and then by the end of the week I would go crazy eating whatever I didn’t let myself have earlier. I was also really skipping out on protein without realizing, and was struggling with an eating disorder (bulimia). I came across one of Dr. Ken Berry’s videos about his journey into Carnivore as well as Laura Spath and Shawn Baker – I was intrigued. It sounded nuts but I decided to go for it straight from Keto and haven’t gone back ever since.
4. How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet
The biggest thing for me is listening to my body and looking at Carnivore as a lifestyle not another ‘diet’. I mainly eat beef (lots of ground beef, NY strip) and just cheaper cuts of red meat. Most times I don’t tolerate dairy or eggs too well (which is so sad because cheese is SO good lol) but if it is at a party or if I am out etc. I may have some. I typically eat a higher protein to fat ratio and then will have higher fat days when I need them (where I’dd add bacon or crispy beef trimmings or ghee etc). I eat either once or twice a day and fast daily. Some days I can eat 3 or more lbs of meat other days I’m good with 1lb or may fast all day. I take beef liver capsules a couple times a week and salt my food. I am always so satisfied and satiated and what I crave is meat! My palette has completely changed.
5. What benefits have you noticed
The benefits are truly countless. Weight loss and body composition was a significant one. I initially gained a bit of weight at the beginning as my body was very much deprived of nutrients. But after adapting to this way of eating there was almost a ‘woosh’ effect with my weight and I look the leanest I have ever looked with the least amount of effort (seriously none). Carnivore also fixed my relationship with food and healed my struggles with Bulimia and disordered eating and over-exercising to compensate for overeating on ‘bad’ foods. Weight loss, Clear skin, deep/better sleep, knee pain gone, Strong hair, skin and nails, lean muscle definition and abs, improved workouts, reversed my depression and the list really goes on and on.
6. What negatives have you noticed
Basically no negatives. Seriously! The only thing would be sometimes eating in social setting can be tricky but there are always ways around it and I’ll take that as the only negative any day with all the benefits Carnivore brings!
7. Do you exercise and if so how do you find it and what do you do
I do workout every week and love the gym/keeping active BUT I keep it very simple and efficient. Per week- I’ll do 2-3 days where I lift weights and resistance train and then 3 days where I’ll walk or run for about half an hour. I do also walk most mornings just to clear my head and start the day. (could be anywhere from 10mins to 30mins.) There were times back in the day where I would spend two hours or so 6x a week in the gym with little results- YIKES!
8. What advice would you give someone who wants to start the Carnivore Diet
Yes, it may sound crazy- but JUST try it because feeling frustrated, stuck and bummed about all the things that haven’t worked it even crazier! Eat meat and drink water. Eat what you crave, move your body every day (I love walks) and don’t overthink/complicate things. Trust me- it’s simple and you don’t need to struggle. I found it very helpful to join a Carnivore Facebook group (i.e. World carnivore Tribe) and just watching all kinds of YouTube videos from amazing Carnivores that I found I can relate to.
9. Do you think the Carnivore Diet will ever be accepted mainstream
I think that small steps in the right direction (sharing results, showing real science, simply informing people, sharing, sharing, sharing) can really impact people and could change the way that society looks at the consumption of meat. There will always be people and big food companies that want to continue demonizing the association with eating meat but we can simply share how it has benefited us and the rest will follow.
10. Anything to add- and where can people find you
Yes! You can find me best through my Instagram! @jacquie__fit I am always just a message away if you have any questions or comments or things to chat about! I’m also newly on Youtube as Jacquie Lawson and You can also reach me via email at: fitjacquie@gmail.com
JACQUIE LAWSON/ INSTA: jacquie__fit
Starting weight: 160 lbs. Current weight: 134 Lbs.
I love doing the Carnivore Diet Success Stories, I find it very rewarding to share peoples progress. So I am going to try to catch up with people once a year to see how they are getting on.
Will they all still be Carnivore, probably not. However, I believe they will have an appreciation of the benefits of a meat-heavy diet and will use that knowledge as a tool to further their health.
Meat up with Chris
1) How would you currently describe your current way of eating.
I’d describe how I eat now as “standard bodybuilding diet+”. What I mean by that is I’m no longer carnivore or even really keto (although I’m okay with metabolism switching when needed). After the 2 year mark I felt pretty healthy and wanted to try out a real attempt at a lower fat higher carb diet for building muscle. The difference is I’m trying my best to keep protein sources animal-based, and keep carbs “clean, digestible, and as free from fiber as possible”. That being said, I eat a lot of very lean ground beef, a lot of white rice, and a lot of whey isolate shakes. I’ll have some oats and Gatorade in addition to these things around my workouts, but that’s about it. So far my digestion is still very good, energy levels are great, I still require very little sleep, and my skin is in great shape. I have found that bread will aggravate my eczema and cause it to flare up, so I try to keep that to a bare minimum.
I am definitely finding now I that I have a better time cherishing high-end treats, and treating them as that instead of snacks to binge on.
2) What have you learned regarding nutrition over the last year.
I learned that we still know very little. I learned to be a little more open-minded and listen, and to speak less. Rely less on gurus and experts and do more self-experimentation.
3) What health & Fitness improvements, and/or setbacks have you experienced in the last year.
Last year I dieted pretty hard in the first quarter and then increased my fat to really high levels (while carnivore). I gained a ton of weight and had to diet it off again. Wasn’t a huge deal but the weeks where I was averaging 800 calories a day were very tough. I will say I came out the other side MUCH improved.
4) What are your health and fitness goals in the year ahead.
My current goal is to add mass for the next two years, while trying to maintain sub-12% bodyfat. After that I will shred down again and pick a show to compete in!
5) Anything else to add? and where can people follow your journey?
Nothing to add, other than I may be in for a branding change soon. The jury is still deliberating. I can still be found on all the old channels: carnivoremuscle on all social media platforms, and on carnivoremuscle.com, my personal blog.
Chris’ original carnivore diet success story can be found here
Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.
If you like what I am about, check out the below.
Amazon
Carnivore Fit Expanded edition – my eBook and Paperback looking at why meat is good for you, why plants are bad, and how to exercise on zero carbs.
I am an ambassador for the lifestyle brand Descended From Odin, have a look at their apparel and accessories: Click here and get 10% off with the code “ketogenicendurance”
I’m Damon, and I’m 36 years old and live in southern Japan where I work as landscaper, handyman, and wedding celebrant (fake wedding minister) for Japanese couples who want a western style wedding but aren’t Christian. It’s as strange as it sounds.
I was always athletic and relatively skinny growing up. Despite teaching Jujitsu on campus at CSU in Colorado I fell out of shape in my mid twenties. I never got noticeably big but the lack of weight training coupled with a poor diet and plenty of drinking at the club I co owned really started to affect my health.
A friend I knew from martial arts got me into CrossFit and I quickly found out that a stomach full of pasta did not go well with a WOD. I never threw up after a workout but I hopped on the paleo train pretty quickly. It was a revelation – I dropped weight, leaned out, and the knee pain I’d had since I was 13 disappeared. What I had learned about nutrition did not line up with my experience.
My diet went out the window when my business collapsed and I got a job managing a bar on a Marine Corp base in Japan. Looking back, I have come to understand that I am an emotional eater and losing my business made me very depressed. It was my identity and I had failed. My first apartment was about a 20 minute walk from the base and like every apartment in Japan, near a 24 hr convenience store with delicious food and a variety of alcohol. It became a regular routine to grab a cheese burger, piece of cheesecake and a small bottle of whiskey to help me sleep on the way home from work at 2am. Over the next two years I puffed up to 180 pounds at 5’7. For comparison, when I was eating a strict paleo diet and working out 5 days a week I was 160 – a muscular 160 pounds.
It wasn’t until I heard Peter Attia on Tim Ferriss’ podcast that I decided to give Keto a try. My daughter had been born with Down Syndrome and like many with her condition had a bad heart and had to be transported to a hospital in Hiroshima which was an hour away from my home so she could have surgery. It was while I was staying in Hiroshima, sitting in my brother-in-laws apartment that I finally decided that I was sick of being fat. There was nothing else I could control, so I controlled my weight. And it fell off quickly, I lost 20 pounds in 3 months and I stuck to the diet until my daughter passed away a few months later. She was 7 months old. I remember distinctly coming back from her funeral and stopping by 7-11 to grab some food and thinking about sticking to my diet. I didn’t – I just wanted to feel something good. Cheese burger and cheesecake. And a drink.
Two years later, after hearing Jordan Peterson describe his experience with the carnivore diet I decided to give it a try. I was working at a Chili’s on the base in middle management and I got an employee meal. Maybe headquarters wouldn’t approve of my daily ribeye but no one said anything so I stuck to it. I’ve been at it ever since, which has been about a year and a half.
2) How did you eat before Carnivore.
Right before I started the Carnivore Diet I was eating a pretty standard American diet. As previously mentioned I was a manager at Chili’s so lots of chips and salsa, quesadillas, etc. I made a few attempts to get back on a ketogenic diet but nothing stuck.
3) Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.
I wanted to get lean and ripped again but I couldn’t get back on track with my keto diet. I had heard Shawn Baker on Rogan but it wasn’t until I heard Jordan Peterson talk about his diet experience before I decided to give it a try. What really sold me was when Peterson talked about being able to get up early for the first time. That and he made a very good point about trying it for 30 days saying, “I can do anything for 30 days”. That really stuck with me – just do it for 30 days. I knew I could do that. The diet is so simple, no macros to count, just eat meat!
4) How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.
Steak, ground beef and eggs. I have had an on and off relationship with cheese. I think I’m better off without it but when the budget has been slim cheese has been a good way to get some extra calories in. Beef is expensive in Japan but tongue, liver, and of course fish are pretty cheap out in town so whenever I can’t shop on base I’ll pick up some of those things.
5) What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.
I lost about 20 pounds very quickly but kept my muscle. Sleep quality has gotten a lot better, and I feel like I dream better too. Probably the best part for me has been waking up early. When my diet is strict I wake up about 4:30-5am without an alarm clock and I’m ready to go. That has never happened before and it’s awesome. I was always a guy who needed 10 hours of sleep to feel half awake. Now I need 6. It’s a game changer.
6) What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.
It took awhile for my wife to get on board with my strict eating habits. She’s not on any kind of diet and initially was a bit unhappy I didn’t want to join her for ramen or eat the same food at dinner. It took some work to get past all of that and it was made more difficult due to a culture that is a bit more likely to listen to authority so when doctors are saying follow the food pyramid and the dude that cuts grass and pretends to be a minister says its ok to just eat meat you can imagine who’s words have more weight. There isn’t even that much of a debate – guy in white lab coat says fermented beans and rice is healthy. But we did get past it. After awhile, results become hard to ignore.
7) Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.
Lately I have been swinging kettlebells. I haven’t had any negative effects and the diet hasn’t seemed to impede my progress at all.
8) What piece of advice would you give someone who is interested in trying this diet, but hasn’t taken the leap yet.
Just do it for a month. It won’t kill you. And don’t trust a fart until you adapt and quit ejecting liquid out of your butt. Sorry that’s gross but you’ll thank me. Make sure to eat enough too. That definitely hurt me in the beginning.
9) Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.
I think the stigma around beef and animal fat will lessen, especially in the US. I would be surprised if Carnivore went mainstream at least in the near future. Unfortunately veganism and environmentalism have become religion and for a certain portion of the population cow farts will always be the cause of all evil no matter what the evidence says.
Japan will take even longer to change. The culture changes slower here and beef is just so damned expensive anyway so less people are apt to try a carnivore diet here.
10) Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow you.
Instagram – meat_and_bells
Facebook – @iwakunikb
Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.
If you like what I am about, check out the below.
Amazon
Carnivore Fit Expanded edition – my eBook and Paperback looking at why meat is good for you, why plants are bad, and how to exercise on zero carbs.
I am an ambassador for the lifestyle brand Descended From Odin, have a look at their apparel and accessories: Click here and get 10% off with the code “ketogenicendurance”
I’m Katleen (Kat) Reid. I live in the US with my husband, along with our 4 horses (2 Shires, 1 Friesian and a mini horse), our 3 dogs and 4 chickens. We run a residential remodeling business from at our 14 acre farm and also partner with our animals in life coaching and health coaching. I hold a masters in physical education and physical therapy from the University of Brussels, and I am also a certified functional medicine health coach (currently in the process of becoming National Board Certified) and a certified MeatRx Coach (animal based nutrition).
As long as I can remember I have been fascinated by the human body, health, nutrition and nature. My journey from physical education through physical therapy and personal training lead me to different routes that ultimately merged again through Health Coaching; I worked as a researcher at the University of Brussels (faculty of biometrics and biomechanics) and worked on documenting the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in boys and girls between 3 and 17 with overweight and obesity, followed by co-creating a multidisciplinary intervention program with a small group of children. Once I graduated as a physical therapist, and started my own practice combined with work in a back- and neck clinic, I started looking into ways to get to the root cause of my clients’ issues and was passionate about supporting them to return to a life in which they could thrive at all levels. Even though I loved my work as a PT, I felt that oftentimes I could not access the core issue with my chronic patients, not even through adding modalities like functional training, coaching and by working with our other specialists like ergonomists and psychologists. I felt I lacked skills and knowledge as a young PT. Little did I know at the time that nutrition – an overlooked core lifestyle factor – could have been a key factor in their healing process and overall feeling of well-being and how they perceived themselves and life in general.
My professional life and personal love for adventure did take me on a quest of exploring our natural state of health and the roots of what causes discomfort and illness and what can regenerate our natural state of well-being. Today at the age of 40, I am happy to combine my past and current experience and ever growing knowledge with a broad spectrum of health and lifestyle coaching.
How did you eat before Carnivore.
Before Carnivore, I had been keto adapted for 5 years. Over the course of those 5 years, I started out with the typical bacon, eggs and cheese approach, which quickly transitioned to a dairy-free whole foods approach in which I would eat fresh organic veggies, local organic and pasture raised meats/eggs, lots of olive oil, ghee and Bulletproof Brain Octane, coffee, and the occasional homemade almond flour cookie substitutes or homemade coconut ice cream and treats like dark chocolate 🙂 I barely ate processed foods though. I did feel great in general, but I remember I wished I would have less cravings and less ups-and downs in my mood and energy (which I blamed on my cycle at the time).
Going even further back in time, I can say that I grew up in a very health conscious family. I grew up in Belgium and we did eat an omnivorous diet. My parents kept “candy” as an occasional treat (birthday, Christmas, …) so I did not grow up eating lots of sugar or processed foods. In my teens, my parents switched to a low-fat/low sodium diet driven by their doctor and so I of course ate the same meals. I do remember that this was the onset of crazy cravings. This was also the time that I believed I was going to save the planet by becoming a vegetarian, so from my 16th through my 23rd, I ate a low fat, low sodium vegetarian diet. Once I went to University at the age of 19, I ate really unhealthy for a few years, which I believe was caused by living with my roommates and enjoying tasty food that I had missed at home (fried food, sandwiches, lots of cookies and chocolate). Once I graduated from University and started my work-life, I got back to whole foods and fresh home cooking. I then also had access to local meat and the fact that it was local and organic, I was back to eating meat again around the age of 24. Between that time and my move to the USA at 32, I felt good! Then, in my first years in the USA, I started eating with my husband and I would describe this diet as a combination of a low fat bodybuilding diet (oatmeal, protein powders, lean meats, ….3 meals and 3 snacks a day) and lots of restaurant food and prepared meals (nevermind exploring all the American food I had never seen!). I gained 16 lbs in my first year and started getting digestive issues and lots of colds. My skin started breaking out and I felt bloated almost all the time. With all this discomfort, I also experienced constant cravings for sweets, chocolate and nut butters. So this discomfort I tolerated for 2 more years until I got the flu. I did not heal from it and my doctor suggested me to take anti-biotics. It was the second time ever in my life I took an anti-biotic and I decided it was beyond time to make a change! I was active, I was happy BUT, my nutrition and overall well-being were worse than I had ever experienced. I made it a point to start homecooking again. This was also the time that the ketogenic diet was becoming popular through Jimmy Moore and the books by Phinney and Volek. It sounded too good to be true, but with my research background and both my husband’s and my own upbringing and the fear of (saturated) fat, it took us a while to feel comfortable putting the ketogenic diet into practice. So we did our research, dove in deep and the rest is history 🙂 Over the course of those 5 years, I lost those 16 pounds and felt great again. Little did I know though that another level of “great” was waiting for me …
Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.
I tried Carnivore on January 1st, 2019 out of pure curiosity. This was the result of a few YouTube videos my husband and I watched the month before. We looked up Dr. Shawn Baker, the interviews of Jordan Peterson and Michaela Peterson and Dr. Shawn Baker on the Joe Rogan show and we were hooked. My husband felt excited about the clarity and simplicity of this way of eating. I was intrigued by the results I heard about, but felt a bit sceptical … I was feeling so good and was afraid of loosing this … Also, I was halfway my Functional Medicine Coaching curriculum and was convinced I needed my colorful veggies (phytonutrients, anti-oxidants), fiber and very balanced diet. I was also taking about 10 supplements to “optimize” my health. So at first I decided I would support my husband and eat my first meal of the day “carnivore” with him, and have my big colorful salad as my second meal. On the third day, I had also digested all the available videos by Dr. Paul Saladino and his info gave me more confidence to go all in and try it for a month. I thought: I can easily adhere to this way of eating for a month and not get in too much trouble 🙂 Let’s go for it and decide at the end.
And I haven’t looked back since!
How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.
I chose to follow a nose-to-tail way of eating. My staples are any cut of beef (we invested in a local regeneratively raised 1/2 steer), either raw liver/raw kidney/heart, whole eggs or just raw egg yolks (we have our own chickens and access to local pasture raised eggs when needed), suet, and Redmond Real Salt. Occasionally I have raw Iberico Pork fat (from White Oak Pastures) or heritage pork (from our local farmer or White Oak Pastures) and salmon roe (we source it from Vital Choice). I also make broth weekly from the bones we have/leftover bones and chicken feet. And I do supplement with glycine to balance out methionine and with bone meal (weekly) as a calcium source. I certainly want to add that – when eating keto before – I was taking at least 6 supplements constantly. Since going carnivore, I only take glycine and calcium (bone meal) on days I don’t eat any tendinous tissue or egg shells or soft bones and will occasionally use collagen powder too.
I have experimented with coffee (been coffee-free from August through December) and added back some decaffeinated coffee in the morning – which does not seem to impact me negatively. I used to drink red wine occasionally when going out, so I also left out wine fully for the same amount of time as the coffee, and allow myself now to have a glass when eating out or occasionally during a movie night. I don’t feel a negative impact when I consume 1 glass maybe once every 2 weeks or spread out more.
As for water, I seem to drink about 1.5L-2L a day, and this can be a mix of our own well water and San Pellegrino/Gerolsteiner.
I give myself free choice before every meal, yet so far I keep gravitating toward eating 100% animal based because it makes me feel so good. If I would get in a situation where I have no choice over what to eat, I do have non-negociables like: fried foods, vegetable oils, processed foods, grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds. I refuse airplane food entirely and choose to fast during traveling.
If I really want something different or a treat, I would choose between Rebel Ice cream, full fat Greek Yogurt, red organic wine or bacon 🙂 Not a bad line-up of treats if you ask me. However, looking back at the past 13+ months, I had only 3 days that I chose either the ice cream or yoghurt and all three times they left me with inflammation, digestive discomfort and I haven’t included these items any more since. I like feeling great too much.
What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.
A stable mood, a solid energy and a complete lack of cravings and an overall positivity. A clearer skin and a natural desire to eat only one to two meals a day; I gravitate towards eating early, so for me that means between sunrise and noon-ish. This pattern has also improved my sleep and mental focus in the afternoon! I also love the simplicity of this way of eating. The limited amount of choices is incredibly freeing and I spend so much less time planning, shopping, preparing and actually eating. Don’t get me wrong I am a foodie at heart and still love being creative in the kitchen. BUT, it is so freeing to work with less ingredients and need less food, have no waste and still create beautiful and tasteful plates.
Another beneficial side-effect has been being involved a growing community of friends who live a similar lifestyle and experience a shared joy, love respect and awe for life.
What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.
None so far. I don’t miss anything. Also, where I hear some people finding it challenging in social situations, I personally don’t sense this being an issue for me. Also, going out to restaurants (we are very picky and go out to mostly just one, maybe twice a month) is a non-issue as the chef is always happy to adjust the plate. And this is something I notice being really common in the US: restaurants easily adjust according to dietary preferences.
We don’t have vegan or vegetarian friends or family members, so when we are hosting and food is part of it, everyone is happy with ribeyes or a roast. And we always suggest to BYOV (bring your own veggies).
Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.
Yes I do! And I have been active my whole life.
In my first year of eating nose-to-tail carnivore, I did keep my activities and exercise the same, meaning I did my regular daily farm chores, seasonal farm chores and a daily average of 20,000 steps and lifting heavy things (read: functional farm fitness). With that, I did notice my body composition change to getting leaner and a little more muscular.
Now, in my second year I added weight lifting again. I have always put on muscle with ease on any type of diet, so I am curious how my body composition will adapt. I feel strong, I have plenty of energy in the gym and I recover really well. If one thing, I would say I recover better than I can remember from before Carnivore. Now, while increasing my strength workouts, I am already blown away by how easily I can play with my macros and my workout intensity. There is a very clear and clean action/response as long as I respect my recovery and sleep.
What piece of advice would you give someone who is interested in trying this diet, but hasn’t taken the leap yet.
If you are simply curious: Go for it, try it for a month!
A part of me would love someone interested to try it “all in” for a month and then decide what’s next. Depending on what diet the individual comes from, it may be a pretty radical change and mean a week to two weeks of feeling “weird” – things like the keto-flu, diarrhoea or constipation may occur during the transition. However I believe that anyone can stick to something new for at least 21 to 30 days and ultimately feel the difference. I would advice to write down how you feel at the start. Go in detail from head to toe! And take note of any and all changes along the way.
If you need healing, take it slow.
When someone is looking to heal issues and maybe looking to make a long term lifestyle change, I would recommend a different approach. I would ease into it more, and look at “long term” success and compliance and look at all areas that contribute to someone’s feeling of well-being. I would also recommend to consult with a doctor experienced in this way of eating to help with establishing and understanding one’s baseline profile (and follow up quarterly or a few times a year) and possibly a coach to help with the transitions and adherence. Aside from professional support, joining a carnivore community is extremely powerful and fun!
Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.
I believe so. It has already proven to be a very powerful therapeutic diet, temporary elimination diet and more and more people are showing up who have followed a type of either strict or carnivore-ish diet for 5 or more years. I believe that the current lack of large studies keeps us a bit hesitant when considering this diet as a long term lifestyle. Meat has still a “scary” taste and we need more data within a carnivore context to show all benefits. Our bodies simply operate differently in an “animal-based-nutrition” context. But I have hope for the future!
Also, I wonder how the term “carnivore” will evolve over the next years. Will it be defined as “only” animal products or will it become more “animal based” with the occasional inclusion of certain plants? I would already be elated if the current carnivore movement results in expanding research, debunking myths, raising awareness around healthy food choices among the public, and showing consumers honest data to then make their personal choices. We may always be on a quest about what is best to optimize our individual health, but I believe a certain amount of variables are known and many are very close to be proven.
As for myself, I am also curious if I will keep feeling this great or if I need to make seasonal changes at some point. As for taste and satiety however, it is the easiest and most satisfying way of eating I have ever experienced.
Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow you.
I love our carnivore community. I am mostly active on Instagram, and I am blown away by the support and inspiration people offer and share. Everyone seems to want to help because this diet has helped them so much in the first place. I believe there is something to feeling good and the gratitude that comes with regenerating ones own health. You can not NOT share it!
I don’t know if a 100% carnivore diet will ultimately be for everyone, at any time, or forever. I think this is what personal experiments and future research will reveal. What I do believe is that it is the purest, most nutrient dense and bioavailable way of eating. It offers a way of experiencing oneself and life in a very grounded and very connected way, without all the “noise”. And I wish for everyone to – at least once in their lifetime – get to experience this.
Following my personal values I am also an advocate for regenerative farming, and when it comes to choosing my animal based food sources, I support my local resources first and look beyond when needed.
While I am building my personal brand, for now you can find me and connect with me on Instagram (koach.kat). In the very near future I will add a YouTube channel and a Podcast and a Website/Blog to it 🙂 People can work with me as a health coach, which can cover any and all of the areas that make up our lifestyle. In my coaching and facilitating the personal growth of my clients, I do focus on reconnecting with nature and living life in line with one’s own nature.
Within the carnivore context, I am contributing as a coach to the MeatRx.com community. I am also part of Dr. Paul Saladino’s team as a health coach, empowering clients on their journey into carnivory.
And for those who love conferences: I hope to see you in person at White Oakchella, at KetoCon or at CarnivoryCon this year!
Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.
If you like what I am about, check out the below.
Amazon
Carnivore Fit Expanded edition – my eBook and Paperback looking at why meat is good for you, why plants are bad, and how to exercise on zero carbs.
I am an ambassador for the lifestyle brand Descended From Odin, have a look at their apparel and accessories: Click here and get 10% off with the code “ketogenicendurance”
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