Interview with Daniel

Introduction

My name is Daniel Deghi, I am 63 years old and live in Southern California. I have been in the vocational church ministry for 30 years. For the past 8 years I have worked as an Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor at a faith-based rehab center in Huntington Beach, California.

My Diet Before Carnivore

I grew up in a home eating the Standard American Diet in my early years. Then, like most of us, as I reached adolescence, I ate pretty much anything and everything from pizza, coke, potato chips, French fries, ice cream, candy and pretty much any processed food that was available. This eating habit followed me into my college years. I didn’t pay too much attention to my diet as I was a thin person and after all I was young and invincible!

After college I got married and we were eating whatever we could afford…so the frozen foods that we could heat up and anything that was in a box and easy to fix were pretty much our “staple”. This transitioned into not cooking anything at home and going out to “fast food” places for lunch and dinner and this is what my eating habits have been most of my life.

Why Did I Try Carnivore Diet

I have been fortunate in that I have never struggled with major health issues, but I did go from being 160 lbs. in college to 250 lbs. at my heaviest point as senior citizen. Because of getting older, I started taking my health more seriously (something I should have been doing long before now). I was feeling uncomfortable in my clothes and very self-conscious about my shirt being tucked into my pants because of my embarrassing “dun lap” disease (my belly “dun lap” over my belt). So, with that, I began my quest for a diet that cures this vanity disease!

I found several diets that I could do, but they were either too complicated and time consuming or the plans and supplements were too expensive! Then I came across Dr. Shawn Baker at MeatRx.com and listened to him talk about just eating meat and fat and how the body really didn’t need much of anything else to survive other than salt and water. I listened to countless individuals who were losing weight and experiencing healing from physical and psychological life issues. It sounded easy, simple and sustainable…as I have always loved eating meat and fat! So, after a month of research and listening to many testimonies, I decided to give it a try.

How I Started My Carnivore Diet

On August 19, 2019, I jumped in with both feet and started my carnivore diet! The first week I went to my local grocery store and bought the fattiest hamburger and steaks that I could find…which were my favorite…RIBEYES! To my surprise, when I calculated what I spent for all that meat for my first week, I discovered that it was way cheaper than what I was spending to eat out at the fast food joints! Then I discovered Butcher Box and I ordered a large custom box of ribeyes and hamburger that is delivered to my door every month and feeds me for 28 days! I thought that I would be spending all our grocery budget on my meat diet. To my surprise, I spent only one-third the budget for me to eat meat for a whole month! I also eat bacon, sardines and eggs.

The Benefits of My Carnivore Lifestyle

The first benefit that I have experienced in the 7 months of being on the Carnivore diet (as of the writing of this article) is my weight loss of 61 lbs.! But there were several other unexpected benefits that I experienced! The migraines that I was experiencing at least twice a week have completely stopped! My mental clarity has gotten significantly sharper where I am no longer searching for my words when I talk. My achy joints in my fingers have cleared up and an annoying itchy rash on my arm has gone away! My non-alcoholic fatty liver has disappeared as well as my type 2 diabetes!

Now I no longer consider the Carnivore diet as a diet…it is my new lifestyle! While my initial reason for beginning Carnivore was for weight loss, that now has become secondary to me. Now I have adopted the Carnivore lifestyle for my overall internal health! I know that I will eventually die…but I want to do so with a sharp mind and on my feet!

Negatives with the Carnivore Lifestyle

I have to say that I am hard pressed to find any negatives to this new way of eating. But if I had to come down on one, I would say that initially it was managing my social settings. Going out to dinner with friends was easy because I haven’t had any problem ordering meat. I usually can find the restaurant’s menu online and predetermine what I am going to order. Most of my friends don’t either notice or choose not to say anything that I only eat my meat and not my veggies.

During the holidays and family gatherings, I would usually eat before I went and then at the holiday event, I loaded my plate up with meat and some veggies and sides. I would only eat the meat and move my veggies and sides around as if I had eaten a little of each (just like I did when I was a kid).

I guess the other thing that can be annoying is when someone notices that I am looking good and wants to know what I’ve been doing, I was hesitant to tell them that I am just eating meat. Because I would either get a weird look or a lecture about how I was going to die of a heart attack. Now I either just tell them that I am on a low carb diet (if I don’t want to engage in the conversation) or I will engage in the conversation and if there is emotional opposition to what I am doing, I just shut it down by saying, “You do you and I will do me”…and I move on. But I do have to say I have convinced a few to try the Carnivore way of eating.

Do I Exercise?

I did no exercise my first 6 months. In my 7^th month I have incorporated walking 10 minutes a day 3 – 4 times a day as discussed by Rhino Rants on YouTube and his video on – “Ten Minutes Walks Will Change Your Life” (https://youtu.be/xyrMjxHzPE). I have also begun 30-minute compound body weight exercise 2 times a week. Other than that, that is pretty much all I am doing right now.

What Advice Would I Give to Someone Considering the Carnivore Diet

First, I would suggest that your watch as many YouTube videos on the Carnivore Diet as you can. Channels I have subscripted to (in no particular order) are: Center of Brilliance, Health Coach Kait, Healthy With Nicole, Human Performance Outliers Podcast, KenDBerryMD, MeatRX, Nutrition with Judy, Paul Saladino, MD, Shawn Baker MD, Dr Paul Mason, and L. Amber O’Hearn.

I would also suggest that you read two great books on the Carnivore Diet. The first being “The Carnivore Diet” by Shawn Baker. Second, “The Carnivore Code” by Paul Saladino M. D.

As you educate yourself on the health benefits and myth “debunking” about eating meat, you will find the courage to start and to stay with an eating habit that will significantly improve your life!

The last suggestion I would make is, don’t do this for weight loss only. Do it for your overall health. Let that be your focus. The weight will come off naturally. Stay off the scale except for maybe once a month and don’t count your calories. Eat until you are full and only eat when you are hungry. No snacking between meals. You will find that you may only eat once or twice a day because meat and fat are VERY satiating and will keep you full for a long time! But all of this you will learn in the resources I have cited above.

Will Carnivore Ever Be Fully Accepted As A Mainstream Diet?

Yes, I do! In just the last year, the Carnivore diet has exploded and gained a lot of steam. This is in part to Dr. Shawn Baker and Dr. Paul Saladino and now even Jim Rogan who has recently gone Carnivore and singing its praises. These are not the only ones…there are so many more! We still have a ways to go, but the Carnivore lifestyle is gaining influence and capturing the attention of many doctors who are singing its praise exponentially! It’s just a matter of time!

Some Last Thoughts

The wonderful thing about the Carnivore community is that there is a lot of tolerance and flexibility in the way you do your carnivore lifestyle. Everyone’s body is different and responds to foods in different ways. You will have the freedom to experiment with your diet with the support of those who might be doing it a little different from you. The important thing is that you do it the way that makes you feel the best.

If you are interested, you can follow me on Instagram at ribeyes_4_life and on Facebook at Daniel Deghi where most of my posts are carnivore oriented. On both platforms, please feel free to message me and ask any questions you may have.

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.

Low Content Books – Carnivore & Keto inspired Journals, Notebooks, Diaries, and Planners.

Clothing – wide range of Carnivore & Keto inspired apparel under the brand Ketogenic Endurance Carnivore Success Company.

Media

• The majority of my personal journey is documented on Instagram.
• Carnivore Diet Success Stories Facebook group.
• Carnivore Diet Success Stories Newsletter.
• 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”

Stores

Etsy – Unique Carnivore