Katleen’s original success story is here – https://atomic-temporary-109996383.wpcomstaging.com/2020/03/05/carnivore-diet-success-stories-withkat/

Interview with Kathleen

How would you currently describe your current way of eating. 

My current way of eating I describe as animal-based.

Daily staples are

• Various cuts of beef as the base, 4-5 days per week (organic local pasture raised/ we invest in 1/2 steer nose-to-tail twice a year)
• Pasture raised lamb, once a week
• Wild salmon/whole fresh wild sardines once/twice a week
• Eggs daily (our own pasture raised corn/soy free eggs)
• Animal fat daily (our different sources are suet/iberico pork fat/ grassfed butter or ghee, bone marrow)
• Wild salmon roe, 1 tbsp daily 
• Oysters (1-2 a day)
• Liver/kidney and other organs we have in our freezer,  about 1oz/day

• Redmond Real Salt
• San pellegrino
• Well water with trace minerals
• Pluck (organ based seasoning)
• Coffee/organic peppermint tea

I limit chicken and pork, as I don’t digest those too well. However I love the flavor and it’s fun to be creative with in the kitchen. Occasionally I’ll have some smoked salmon. 

I love the convenience of slow cooking some cuts, but I also limit the consumption of slow cooked meats as I don’t digest them well either. I found some more tendinous/collagenous parts to be really good when sliced/minced when still frozen and eaten raw, or sliced ultra thin and gently blanched and my digestion is happier this way 🙂

Supplements:

I do supplement with collagen on a weekly basis too, mostly on days I have meat without any tendon or lots of collagenous tissue. I also add calcium in the form of bone meal on a weekly basis. 

Since our first conversation, I have had labs done a few more times and I have no imbalances and all values are within range. This is why I haven’t supplemented with anything else other than with magnesium (magnesium glycinate/ magnesium malate). 

Plant/other food experiments:

The plants I have added over the past year are seasonal blueberries, cherries and cranberries and over the Summer I added occasionally some watermelon. I also had a few apples last Fall since we have an apple tree! I don’t eat any of these on a daily basis, but rather in season, maybe once or twice a week in a small amount (a few berries up to a cup at most). I enjoyed the juiciness they added during the warmer time of the year. 

I also tried out different fermented foods, of which my favorites are kombucha and lactose free sour cream. I tried yogurt over the past year (both regular and raw organic types, A-1, A-2, goat yogurt) but it still is a trigger food for me: I get acne, bumps on the back of my arms and insane cravings within a day or two. 1-2 tbsp of the lactose free sour cream have no triggering effect so far.

I also tried out raw honey and bee pollen (yes, we have our own hive), and even though I digest it well and my blood sugar didn’t go too crazy (wearing a CGM for a year makes it possible to track), I didn’t feel any benefits to consuming honey on a daily basis. On the other hand, a tbsp of bee pollen always gave me an energy boost. I plan on enjoying the honey seasonally just like the fruits. 

What have you learned regarding nutrition over the last year.

Another year of carnivore/animal based eating really confirmed to me how stable I feel, how sustainable this way of eating is and how trigger-free these food choices are. I feel clean, nourished and satisfied and solid. I enjoy this way of eating and where it was a “diet” in the first months of experimenting in 2019, it really has evolved into a lifestyle I don’t even think about anymore. This is where I also see nutrition beyond what we put in our mouth; add in sunlight, sleep, movement, relaxation, play, connection, ….. those are all ways to nourish our body, mind and soul and I sense the impact of all elements combined more powerfully than in all the years before “carnivore”. Maybe it has indeed connected me more, or maybe all elements can freely impact this physical being now it’s nourished nose-to-tail!

In the meantime, I have also witnessed many others transitioning and I realize more than before how everyone’s journey is unique. There are a handful of principles I believe we can all benefit from when adapting to a carnivore way of eating, and the larger remaining part is very individual. Embracing these individualities and keeping a long-term perspective on how every individual wishes to feel, I have found to be major keys to success to move toward this day after day. It becomes less about “carnivore” and more about letting go of what doesn’t work and adding in the pieces that do work 🙂

What health & Fitness improvements, and/or setbacks have you experienced in the last year. What are your health and fitness goals in the year ahead.

I have had quite a setback over the course of the last year due to lyme + COVID . Neither made me really sick, but I have had a constant mild elevated body temperature for 13 months with bi-weekly spikes to 102, heavy fatigue and brain fog. We finally figured out the lyme, I got on antibiotics and the fever has disappeared. I feel so grateful I have kept nourishing myself well during this time, to which I contribute the “mild” -even though chronic- nature of the symptoms I had and the quick improvement I am feeling currently. This year certainly impacted my overall fitness; I stayed active daily as I kept taking care of our farm and animals, which has also kept me closely connected to the outdoors. But now that my energy is improving, I am ready again to build up higher intensity activities. I have a DEXA/VO2 max test scheduled for mid June, so I’ll set more detailed goals after those results come in. 

Anything else to add? and where can people follow your journey?

Even though I am not using social media to document my carnivore journey specifically, I do support anyone who has questions or loves to bounce off their journey and ideas through DM’s. Connect on Instagram through @healthcoach.kat and @horsepower.farm or book a session with me on MeatRx.com 

Thanks for this meat up!