Hey, my name is Nicola Lewis. I am a 28-year-old who works in a A&E department in the UK, I have two fur babies (cats) called Alan and Molly! So far in my journey I have lost 105lbs with a ketogenic and carnivore lifestyle, I am a meat lover.
How did you eat before Carnivore.
Before carnivore I was living the ketogenic lifestyle from 2018 till November 2020 when I went carnivore.
Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.
The reason I started carnivore was because I’d still overeat on keto especially the keto treats and I wanted to get rid of them cravings, don’t get me wrong I loved keto but I feel so much better doing carnivore.
How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.
I approached the carnivore diet at first by going basic eating meat, eggs and dairy.
What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.
My benefits since being carnivore are zero bloating, clear skin, I have battled my cravings and I have more energy!
What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.
Honestly, I can’t think of any negatives.
Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.
I have a very active job, so I am on my feet a lot anyway walking around but exercising at the gym no, I haven’t really been to the gym, I just do a lot of walking.
What piece of advice would you give someone who is interested in trying this diet, but hasn’t taken the leap yet.
My advice would be getting rid of all temptations in the house, for the first month eat meat when you’re hungry and keep it basic.
Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.
I would like to think it would be in time, but I am unsure I will.
Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow you.
I would love people to just try it and see how they feel and the benefits, even if it is for 30 days there is lots of support out there and information.
Instagram: – @zerocarb.nic
Ketogenic Endurance – I hoped you enjoyed this post.
My name is Stephen Machina, a born and raised Texan. Before COVID-19, I ran a corporate dining cafe and catering program so being surrounded by delicious food day in and day out was the norm for me. Even though I was heavily involved in sports all the way through high school, I somehow was still always the fat kid growing up. That’s certainly not easy when you’re as competitive as I am. A lot of people don’t believe in epiphanies, but it wasn’t until recently that I decided to make a positive, 180-degree change in my life.
2) How did you eat before Carnivore?
For the majority of my life, I had a very poor diet – especially once I graduated from high school. I wasn’t playing sports anymore and eating and drinking became my outlet. Countless cheeseburgers, fried foods, pizza and A LOT of beer. In fact, craft beer became a hobby of mine! Not too long before I started Carnivore, I experimented with some intermittent fasting and switched from beer to Vodka/water, noticing some weight loss results before the diet even began.
3) Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.
Corporate dining and catering can be a physically demanding job. On big catering days, I could walk 15 or more miles in a day. I was always exhausted and my head felt cloudy on a regular basis. I am a big fan of Joe Rogan’s podcast and I had just happened to see Chris Bell’s name in a video title. Chris Bell is a talented documentary filmmaker that I had followed a few years ago. On this particular podcast, he and his brother talked to Joe about the Carnivore diet. Shortly after watching the podcast, I had my last hoorah at a family friend’s wedding and decided February 11, 2020 was my official start date.
4) How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.
It started out as a simple goal of trying to reverse some of the damage I had put on my body throughout the years. After a month, my way of thinking developed for the better. I became way more focused on other activities that could help me increase my results. I think in order to see the type of results most people are looking for on this diet, you really have to maintain the “tough mindset”.
5) What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.
One of the main benefits I’ve seen after starting this diet includes increased energy for sure! I find myself on the move constantly now, around the house and on my single-speed bike. I’ve stopped snoring, my inflammation is now manageable, my recovery time has reduced and I have continued to gain strength while losing over 75 pounds. I now live an active lifestyle and am depression free.
6) What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.
The first couple of weeks, my stomach felt uneasy. Once I got really strict on myself after the 90-day mark, I had trouble maintaining my appetite. Other than that, nothing has been unbearable.
7) Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.
I now exercise on a regular basis. However, it took baby steps to finally get where I am now. I started off walking on the treadmill and doing a little bit of weights. Eventually, it went to inclined walks and kettlebell circuits. Once the lockdown happened, I went out and bought a single-speed bike. It has been a great way to continue to challenge myself. Now that the gyms are open, I am getting back to the weights. My goal is to work on endurance and flexibility at the moment. High reps with lower weight to continue to burn more calories build stamina.
8) What piece of advice would you give someone who is interested in trying this diet, but hasn’t taken the leap yet.
Do your research! There are a ton of resources out there!
Make a conscious decision in your head that this is something you are GOING to follow through with. If you don’t have a purpose behind this decision, it will be hard to pull off. It will also be easy to make excuses when times get tough.
Remember: On this diet, your food is your FUEL. Take your emotions out of it, and eat what you need and not what you want.
When you hit a wall and things get harder than they have ever been, dig in and keep getting after it. Sometimes it only takes one more swing to knock down that wall.
9) Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.
I hope so. I think it could save countless lives! Unfortunately, most of the food industry values profit over health. After spending years in the food business, I realized that most of this industry is far more interested in turning a profit than the health of its consumers. My mission now is to inspire people to try Carnivore as an elimination diet in order to experience the health benefits.
10) Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow you.
Feel free to reach out if you ever need help on your carnivore journey. You can follow me on Instagram @the_carnivore_machina. Watch my continued progress while getting healthier yourself!
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 Brian Forsythe, carnivore, musician, health fanatic, recovering alcoholic. I’m 62 years old, will turn 63 this year in September. I’m 5’8” between 128 & 130 lbs.
2) How did you eat before Carnivore.
I grew up through the 60s & 70s with a “health” conscious mother. She was always active with dance, exercise & yoga but fell for the low fat guidelines and had us using margarine & 2% milk. So I guess you would call that the typical American diet for the times.
At some point during the early 1980s I decided to give up red meat and also eventually phased out poultry too and became a pescatarian. I remained pescatarian well into my Keto experience. I stumbled onto Dave Asprey and Bulletproof Coffee sometime around 2014 or 2015 but it still took another year or two to finally transition into Keto and get off the sugar. I started with dirty Keto, rewarding myself with sweets after a week or two of abstaining. The rewards got farther & few between and I eventually kicked the habit. Intermittent fasting also really helped with not giving in to the cravings.
My first attempt at carnivore came around the end of July 2018. I did about a month to start with, then bounced back & forth between Keto & Carnivore until early 2019.
3) Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.
I heard Jordan Peterson on The Joe Rogan Podcast talking about his daughter Mikhaila’s experience with it and I was fascinated! I’d suffered from gut issues my whole life and nagging lower back pain among other things and thought I’d try Carnivore to see if it would help eliminate any of these issues.
4) How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.
I had a slow start because it caused problems in a relationship I was in at the time. I’d been with this girl for 25 years and when I started eating meat it freaked her out, she couldn’t handle it. So I had to tip toe around and hide my meat eating until the relationship finally ended.
When I was finally on my own I could eat the way I wanted to and went full carnivore at that point.
I fast for at least 16 hours a day but usually extend it to between 18 & 22 hours. I workout in a fasted state then break my fast with a Bulletproof Coffee to hold me over for a few hours then eat my one big meal for the day. I eat nose to tail, beef, pork, venison, seafood, chicken organs, eggs and dairy.
5) What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.
When I initially started, the first thing I noticed was a big boost in energy especially with my workouts. I also noticed a boost in muscle growth. I had been working out on a daily basis for several years at that point and was in pretty good physical shape but going Carnivore really kicked it into overdrive.
The other thing I’ve noticed since giving up fiber in my diet, my guts are no longer chronically bloated.
6) What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.
After that initial bang when I first started, my energy level eventually subsided and I struggled with that for a while. I had to mess with my calorie intake. By the time I’d gotten to Carnivore I was already doing the one meal a day thing and I don’t think I was taking in enough calories to balance out my workouts. So I upped my food intake and it’s seemed to help.
7) Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.
As I mentioned, yes I workout daily when I’m home. I Play music and travel for a living (until recently) and I’d be away from home 3 or 4 days at a time most weeks so there were breaks.
I have a fitness room in my garage with a cable machine, a rack of weights, a weight bench and resistance bands among other things so I can do a variety of things including heavy lifting. I presently follow Jeff Cavaliere at Athean-x for my workouts,.
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 say, just try it for a month and see how you like it. If you do like it, extend it for another month and so on. If you don’t like it you can go back to your crappy diet.
9) Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.
That is a good question! I think as long as the health system, big pharma, the food industry control the government guidelines and are only interested in big profits… no, it’ll never be accepted.
10) Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow you.
Do your own research, never blindly follow anyone’s advice especially your doctor. It’s your life and your body so it’s up to you to know how to take care of it. Since starting on this journey, I’ve never felt better!
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”
My name is Maria Emmerich. I am an international best selling author and nutritionist. I struggled with my health and weight throughout childhood which lead me to become such a passionate nutrition expert. I specialize in brain neurotransmitters and how food can increase mental wellness. My expertise has sent me around the World speaking about ketogenic diets.
I am also an International Best Selling author of over 14 books including “Quick and Easy Ketogenic Cooking” and “Keto: The Complete Guide to Success on The Ketogenic Diet”. My books and recipes have been featured by Halle Berry, Al Roker on the Today Show, Valerie Bertinelli and others.
I have been eating a ketogenic diet for almost 20 years. In the last 8-10 years it has been close to carnivore already with a focus on animal proteins. So eating carnivore was only cutting out the grilled onions on my burger, side salad, etc. I was already very meat focused with my diet.
Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.
I started eating mostly carnivore about 2 years or so ago when my husband Craig was diagnosed with Lyme disease. He started doing carnivore to help with his Lyme pain and I joined him. I also noticed increases in energy and enjoyed it too.
How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.
For me I am not as strict as Craig because I no longer have any health issues. I will occasionally eat a lettuce wrap on a burger when I go out to a restaurant. But that is why we made sure to address in our “The Carnivore Cookbook” how it is important to know our why. What is your “Why” for doing carnivore? If it is just general health or weight loss, then you don’t have to be as strict. If you are dealing with chronic disease like Craig with his Lyme, then you have to be more strict to keep symptoms down (in his case the chronic pain).
What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.
I notice an increase in energy or really a more consistent energy. I was already keto for almost 20 years prior to carnivore so I was already used to better mental clarity, increased energy, etc. So this was like one notch better. Going keto took me from a 3 to a 9. Carnivore took it to a 10 (or 11, LOL). Craig has seen amazing results with the reduction in pain he has from Lyme. When he stick to strict carnivore his migrating pain in his joints is completely gone. We also see some really amazing results with clients, especially those with skin issues. They have psoriasis or eczema that they have struggled with for years and within days it is gone. Also huge improvements in brain health like bipolar disease, depression and other issues.
What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.
I have not seen any negatives with carnivore. And about the only ones I see with clients are due to transitioning. One is the dehydration issues when people don’t get enough electrolytes (like keto flu). Muscle aches, low energy, etc. Just upping electrolytes fixes it. The other is temporary digestive issues. Diarrhea is common in the first couple weeks. This is typically due to the body adjusting to eating more protein so we have clients add HCL and digestive enzymes and that typically helps until the body adjusts.
Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.
Yes, I love to move my body. I love running, lifting weights, riding bike, swimming, hiking, riding my paddle board; and sometimes all in the same day! I have endless energy and never have issues staying active and working out when carnivore.
What piece of advice would you give someone who is interested in trying this diet, but hasn’t taken the leap yet.
First, identify what your “Why” is. Based on that determine your approach. If healing from chronic disease like Lyme, bipolar, MS, skin issues, etc. then we recommend doing the Carnivore Autoimmune Protocol (CAIP) defined in our Carnivore Cookbook. This acts as the ultimate elimination diet and can really help with healing for different conditions and identifying foods that can trigger symptoms. Then make sure to give it at least a month to really see the effects and how good you can feel.
Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.
I hope so. Our ancestors primarily ate animal proteins while they evolved into humans. These early humans primarily ate large mammals like wooly mammoths. It is what our bodies are primarily designed to eat. A protein focused diet is what we as humans are designed to eat and it is the only way we get control of the rampant obesity and disease crisis we have today.
Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow you.
I encourage people to give carnivore a try. I make it easy with lots of tasty recipes. Plus if weight loss is the goal, carnivore makes it super easy. All you really have to do eat adjust the types of meat you eat from fattier to leaners to switch from weight loss to maintenance or gaining. We have charts sorted in protein to energy ratio in our Carnivore Cookbook that make this super easy. And almost no prep. Every recipes is really easy and almost all are 5 ingredients or less.
You can also get support, find our ebooks and our keto and carnivore courses here:
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”
My name is Yuval (pronounced like: “The moment YUVAL been waiting for”), I’m a 40 YO software engineer and nutrition enthusiast from Israel. Married with a 1.5YO beautiful baby girl named Rachel. My journey to health started thanks to her.
How did you eat before Carnivore?
My romance with nutrition (and bad nutrition) started at age 14. A close friend became a vegetarian, and the idea of not hurting animals for food appealed to me since I am an animal lover. This period of vegetarianism continued until I was 26 and I was very strict about being a vegetarian. Never ate or tasted an animal during this time. I did however, eat a lot of carbs. Eating carbs wasn’t so bad when I was young and more metabolically active, and also served in the military here in Israel while being a vegetarian and was more or less lean and muscular even though I was eating no less than a loaf of bread and quite a bit of rice every day, not to mention the vegetarian food supplied by the army. Immediately after getting out of the military at age 21 I started gaining weight since the level of physical activity was much less and I was pretty much eating the same.
At age 26, I’ve reached my highest weight of all time, 135Kg (about 290lbs).
I then decided to go back to eating meat. This was 2006.
Right away I noticed I’m getting more full from less food. I was not a carnivore then by any standard, but the meat was more satiating.
With diet and exercise, I went down to 85Kg in about 18 months. I have yoyo dieted a few times since, going up to 120Kg and back down to 90Kg.
My diets were always about restricting calories and exercising a lot. Looking back, this was not sustainable, which was the reason the weight kept coming back on.
In 2013, I attended a Vipassana meditation retreat. A part of the retreat was a vegetarian and mostly vegan menu. After this 10 day retreat I became a vegan, and maintained being a vegan for a whole year. Following that year I introduced some eggs and dairy to my diet. All in all, I was a vegetarian for 17 years of my life.
On September 1st 2018 I weighed 120Kg, which seemed to be my bounce back weight. I decided to go on a ketogenic diet after researching a few ways to lose weight. I decided I want to do it right this time and I need to live long enough to see my daughter grow up and to be able to be there for her.
After a full year of keto, I went carnivore.
Why did you try Carnivore to begin with
While on keto, I did a one month experiment of no fiber, so I basically ate meat, fish, chicken and dairy. This was the month I lost the most weight and didn’t feel any bloat. Then a decision was made in my mind that I want to try Carnivore for a while to see how that will go. I did complete a whole year of keto, and on September 1st 2019 I went carnivore. At this point I was still eating cheese and drinking coffee, which was my only plant vice. The weight kept coming off and on January 1st 2020 I also eliminated dairy (Except butter) and coffee from my diet.
Reducing bloat and gas, shedding weight, having more energy and ability to focus have all been the reasons for me to eliminate the plants from my diet.
How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet
For me, the carnivore diet consists of mainly red meat. I also eat eggs, chicken, some fish and butter / ghee.
Keeping Kosher, there are a few restrictions for me that most people might struggle with on carnivore but I don’t give it too much thought. For example, I don’t eat meat and dairy together (so no steak in butter), and I don’t eat fish and meat together.
As far as meal times go, I usually eat 2 times per day. Some days I’ll have only one meal and rarely 3 meals per day. I do fast on occasions as well.
I eat until I’m full and don’t sit down to eat unless I’m hungry.
One more thing I do is track the food I eat as accurately as I can, which might not be necessary on a carnivore diet but as an engineer I like to experiment, and so if something goes wrong, I can always see what I ate and make changes based on that.
What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet
I’ve lost over 43Kg (about 95lbs) and I am at my lowest weight of my adult life. Also, I have a lot more energy, able to focus on my work and the things I love and I don’t think about food too often as I used to when I was a vegetarian or vegan. There is no bloat and hardly any gas on Carnivore, which is something I dealt with constantly as a vegetarian.
What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet
In the beginning, I’ve experienced some diarrhoea. Having little to no carbs was also a challenge at first in the gym. I found that with time, the body adapts and the need for protein grows. When this happens the energy is back up, so there’s not much problem anymore.
One other negative is the social aspect of Carnivore. Personally, I don’t know of any other carnivores around me, and actually I don’t even know one other carnivore in Israel… I find that going to restaurants is such a task when I need to explain to the waiter what I want, I’ve stopped going out to eat.
Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do
I exercise moderately on this diet, two to three times weekly. Since the COVID-19 mess started, I upped my game and started a home workout program called Body Beast, so now I’m exercising 6 times a week about an hour each time, to make the most out of this situation.
What piece of advice would you give someone who is interested in trying this diet, but hasn’t taken the leap yet.
As an engineer, I like to look at everything I do as if it’s an experiment. This is what I did with the Carnivore Diet. On September 1st 2019 I went on a 3 month experiment of Carnivore Diet + coffee and dairy. On January 1st this year I started a 3 months Carnivore Diet experiment without any plant matter of dairy (except cheese).
So my recommendation is: Just start! Set a start and end date for your own experiment. Let’s say a one month experiment: Start with Meat, chicken, fish and butter. Do that for 30 days and then evaluate how you feel. I truly believe once trying a carnivore diet for this period it will be clear to anyone trying it that the benefits are there, even if they don’t continue as pure carnivores.
Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet
No. and that’s perfectly OK with me. I believe the vegan agenda is so strong that eating a purely meat based diet will always be out of the norm.
When I was a vegan, I clearly remember feeling that I’m morally superior for not eating animals. Not knowing how many animals die in the crop fields from pesticides and other chemicals used to grow the food I was eating. People usually see what’s on their plate and will feel good about it if they don’t see suffering.
Moreover, if this diet becomes mainstream, expect factory farming to be more and more prevalent, which might be a problem. I believe regenerative agriculture is the way to go and this takes time, so for now I’m happy this is not a mainstream diet and also that most people find it weird… More meat for us carnivores, right?
Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow you
I really appreciate the opportunity to share my health and carnivore journey.
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 guess I will start by introducing myself. My name is Molly and before I started Carnivore I never really had to worry about what I ate. I was never over weight. After having kids it all started to catch up with me. I tried so many different diets even weight loss pills and I lost a little bit of weight but nothing seemed to be working and I would just quit.
Eventually a friend of mine told me about keto. She was losing a bunch of weight so I figured hey why not let’s try this again. I have to. I was so unhappy with myself I just knew this had to be it. So I started keto. Lost a ton of weight about 20 lbs but got stuck in a long stall. I kept on going though.
Eventually through following so many different keto accounts on Instagram, I kept seeing a lot on the carnivore diet. Did some more research and thought well let’s give this a try.
My approach to starting was more “Dirty Carnivore” or what some call “Carnivore Keto”. I still ate dairy, used spices on the meat I ate, and always kept it simple.
Again I dropped a lot of weight. Lost another 23 lbs but this time I felt different. Better. I was almost never bloated and I lost weight faster than when on keto. I noticed how much leaner I was as well and just I don’t know BETTER.
My skin was clear as well I had more energy at the gym. I do work out by the way as much as I can. At least 3 times a week no less. It was just something I enjoyed incorporating into this lifestyle. I do Cardio as well as weightlifting.
My advice to anyone who is interested in trying Carnivore is to take that leap. It’s worth it and trust the process. It can get tough because you might think. How can I give up some of my favourite foods? But let me tell you that you can! Even If you do sneak in those cheat meals, that’s ok we all do it. Just make sure to get right back on track after and you will be just fine.
I do believe one day this diet will be part of a main stream diet as it is becoming more and more popular. The benefits are endless! I have never felt better and more confident in my life.
You can follow me on instagram @Carnivore_kutie and see my progress, tips, some of the food I eat as well as my full support. Support is so important and I made so many friends by reaching out to others on the same path and lifestyle that also played a huge role on my progress. The body can achieve anything that the mind believes. Keep pushing toward your goals and never give up.
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! My name is Carmela and I’m a Carnivore! I’m a wife & mommy of 3 aged 7, 2 and 1, 2 girls and a boy and I hope my story inspires someone to take the next steps to better themselves and their life!
2) How did you eat before Carnivore.
S.A.D – Standard american diet, high carb diet. I tried every “diet”out there over a period of 15 years and nothing ever really worked to better myself for more than only a temporary short time.
3) Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.
My husband told me about it back in June of 2018 and how it was changing people’s lives and to be honest, I thought he was nuts and that everyone doing it was crazy too. I mean I have been told that meat is not healthy my entire life. That you need to limit red meat. Then I started researching it myself and was astonished to say the least.
4) How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.
So I am not a strict carnivore (at least not yet) which means consuming beef water and salt only. I consider myself 90% standard carnivore and 10% keto carnivore. I mostly eat beef and onions. Protein and Fat. I also eat other proteins including dairy sources such as eggs cheese sunflower/pumpkin seeds chicken pork turkey fish shellfish, anything protein but zero carb. I do zero carb zero sugar.
5) What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.
In 6 1/2 months I have lost 68 pounds, i have energy, no more fatigue, high blood pressure and diabetes disappeared. My cholesterol dropped 75 points, my triglycerides dropped 130 points, my liver function returned to normal, my A1C went from 6.5 to 5.7 and much much more!
6) What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.
The first 2 weeks are rough. but really NOTHING!
7) Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.
No I am not yet.
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! You must be mentally prepared to change for life for good. No cheat days, this is i this is life. sure as time goes on and you are mentally ready to cheat at a meal, go for it. I’m not there yet. Might never be.
9) Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.
Eventually, if enough of us tell our story, yes I think so.
10) Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow your journey.
It has changed my life and brought me back to life. I have lost a total of 102 pounds since having my son in August of 2018 and experimenting with Keto. It was that time at the dr’s office back in january 2019 where I had to stay an extra 30 mins for them to triple check my blood pressure that was so high for a 34 year old that they were about to call an ambulance that was my wake up call to say enough is enough. Follow my journey on instagram @carmy_mommyof3 and on SNAPCHAT @ only4daddi
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”
My name is Sonja Graff. I am a 52-year-old yoga instructor and writer.
2) How did you eat before Carnivore.
I came to carnivore via the S.A.D diet. And it was very sad indeed. I quit drinking alcohol nearly 5 years ago, which helped me shed some pounds, but my eating habits ranged from vegan to see food. As in: I would eat anything and load up on it! I was a carbohydrate addict! Desserts were more important to me than actual food. I snacked all day and ate meals every 2 – 3 hours (Old School.) 🙂 I figured as long as I was also incorporating enough fruits and veggies, supplements and green drinks I was doing great! I used to brag that I was able to eat whatever I wanted without putting on too much weight, but I wasn’t paying very close attention to what my choices were doing to me.
3) Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.
Here within lies the problem. About seven years ago, on my 45th birthday actually, I noticed a tiny little balding spot on my scalp. I was going through a stressful time and just wrote it off, hoping it would just work itself out. It didn’t. It got bigger, to the tune of a fifty-cent piece! I went to several doctors who said it was alopecia and that it had no cure but could be managed with cortisone shots…in my scalp…every 3 weeks! Once a spot would fill in, another would appear. I chased it for SEVEN YEARS! I even had six PRP treatments at $650 a pop. Nothing worked. In addition to styling my hair like Donald Trump to cover the bald spots, I started to notice my energy levels were dropping. I was sleeping in and napping every day. Then the lower back pain set in, it was more of a nuisance at first, but over time became debilitating. Then my fingers started to ache so badly that I couldn’t even tie my shoes as the movements were too intricate. Some days I couldn’t get out of bed because my body hurt so badly. So…at 51 I was suffering from chronic fatigue, chronic joint pain, migraines, insomnia, inflammation, bloating and gas after every meal, and severe hair loss! I started to realize it was not just old age. I was getting sicker by the day. My husband is in medical sales and knows every kind of specialist, so I saw them all. And do you know what every single one of them said after ruling out thyroid trouble, arthritis, cancer, bone deterioration etc. etc. etc….most said it was all in my head! It was stress! Then an endocrinologist suggested fibromyalgia, which has no cure other than Big Pharma. I was at my wits end! I started researching like my life depended on it because…it did! At first, I believed it to be breast implant illness. So, I suggested we take a look at my 20-year-old implants. What do ya know…they had leaked and my lymph nodes were filled with silicone! I immediately had them removed and replaced with new, shiny implants. I was overjoyed that I was able to find what was killing me, all by myself and heal my body. Except that aside from having perky new boobs, my other symptoms persisted. That’s when I found Nicole Carter on Instagram. She went through yoga teacher training with me, has a Masters in Health Promotion and was suffering from similar issues as me. She had been a vegan for 15 years and suddenly she was only eating meat, and she was thriving! I started researching the carnivore WOE and decided to give it a 30 go to see if it could help alleviate my suffering. What do you know…I say results in as little as 5 days! Within 2 weeks I could see my abs! I never knew they existed! By day 75 I was energetic, lean, strong and my hair was actually growing back in and staying put! By day 120, I had never felt better! I was doing yoga like I was 20, all of my pain and fatigue had disappeared and my body was better than it had ever, and I mean ever, looked! So, what started off as a 30 experiment has lasted over 6 months and I am not going back to my old WOE! But, I have added in the occasional dessert…I have cheated while on vacation from time to time, but I usually feel so crappy that I abstain.
4) How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.
I started off by eliminating any and all plant-based foods, all carbs, sugars, artificial sweeteners, grains…I only ate beef, seafood, eggs, and chicken (wings) 🙂 I also ate a lot of cheese because I don’t think I want to live in a world where I can’t eat cheese! I never graduated to organs, I don’t like the taste and can get the dense nutrients from an ancestral supplement. I also never graduated to beef, water, salt only. I feel so great that I don’t want to remove anything like the occasional heavy whipping cream from my coffee (if I’m not fasting) or the occasional scoop of ice cream. I intermittently fast daily for a minimum of 18-24 hours and I only eat once or twice a day. I consume 1.5 to 2 lbs of meat, fish or poultry (one or in combination) each day. I cook everything in ghee, use real salt, drink only water, electrolytes and black coffee.
5) What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.
I have completely healed all of my symptoms. Although admittedly, when I indulge in dessert, my stomach gets very upset with me!
6) What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.
None. I primarily eat rib-eye steaks, burger patties, eggs. I can always find something to eat when I go out and I never get bored with the foods I do eat. I can assure you, feeling healthier than ever in my life is so wonderful, I can’t find any negatives!
7) Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.
I exercise considerably less than I used to. I no longer go for runs! I do yoga, barre, weights or take a spin class. I work out 2 – 3 times a week instead of the 5 to 6 I used to think I needed!
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! Give yourself a small goal, like 30 days. What’s the worst that can happen? You feel better? If you don’ t like it, stop. Pretty simple. But definitely give it a go. It can be the best decision you have ever made!
9) Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.
I do. I think as more and more people try it and reap the benefits, the science will be indisputable. We definitely need more research, but we also need more people who have incorporated this into their everyday lives for a significant amount of time.
10) Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow your journey
When you tell people that you have decided to eat only animal products, they lose their minds! My doctors thought me completely insane. Outside of my social media support, I didn’t get much support from anyone who knew me well. People fear what they don’t understand. Do not be swayed by anyone’s opinion! Commit to getting healthy! Have a thick skin! Do the research! And, I highly suggest anyone looking to heal their bodies get their blood work done beforehand so they have a marker. Also…take before pics! What a hoot! 🙂
Oh, and you can find me on Instagram @sonjagraff
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”
I’m Kat Nikao, I’m a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, a long distance runner and an Air Force Officer!
2) How did you eat before Carnivore.
For about a year and a half before switching to a more carnivore diet I followed a low-carb, classic ketogenic diet. For about five years before that I loosely followed a paleo diet and have avoided vegetable oils and processed sugar for a long time before that, so benefits I’ve experienced on a carnivore style diet cannot just be attributed to a generally healthier diet compared to SAD!
3) Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.
In 2018 I had the privilege of attending Low Carb San Diego. Many of the speakers and attendees talked about the carnivore diet and it seemed like all the great benefits of low carb we’re being taken to the next level for those following this carnivore diet. What really got me was hearing Georgia Ede in a speaker Q&A panel. Members of the audience kept asking questions about specific conditions like sleep issues and restless leg. The other speaks on the panel would give their inputs and then it seemed like every time, Dr. Ede would take the microphone and say “I had that problem when I was low carb, but it went away when I switched to carnivore…”
I naturally have a somewhat extremist personality and has already fallen in love with low carb, so carnivore seemed like the next thing I had to get on board with!
4) How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.
I don’t take as strict as an approach to the carnivore diet as many people do. I believe a very strict carnivore diet is beneficial for severe autoimmune and digestive conditions, but I believe most of the benefits people experience on a carnivore diet are from dramatically increasing protein and animal product intake, not from strictly 100% eliminating plants. I choose to keep spices and a few occasional plant foods in my diet mostly so I don’t lose tolerance to them and can enjoy a bite of chocolate, or a sauce on my meat, if I want. I use the term “dirty carnivore” a lot and have started a Facebook group with this name because I believe this approach to carnivore is far more appealing and sustainable for most people, and a realistic solution to getting more people on board with a meat based diet.
5) What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.
I have experienced benefits from each step of my diet changes over the years. Paleo and gluten free got rid of allergies, stricter paleo elimination diets helped hypoglycemia and IBS symptoms, low-carb dramatically improved my hypoglycemia and energy, but a meat based diet reversed an autoimmune condition I have had my whole life (clinically diagnosed low blood platelets), got rid of cellulite, improved energy, improved my skin, and reduced cravings.
6) What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.
The only negative for me of a meat based diet (other than really missing sweet potato fries) is that I continue to have some bowel motility issues. However, I know that only a small minority of people on a carnivore dirt experience this problem and I do not believe fiber is an essential part of our diets, so I continue to experiment.
7) Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.
I have always been a long distance runner and compete in races pretty regularly. Since switching to low carb and then a meat based diet I have ran some of the fastest times of my life and they continue to improve. I truly believe carbs are not necessary for short, high intensity or long, low intensity exercise.
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 encourage someone wanting to try carnivore that I found this diet even easier than low carb! It sounds very restrictive and intimidating, but I found this to be the first diet I followed that seemed to look forward to what I could eat and enjoy instead of looking back to all the things I couldn’t.
9) Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.
It will take a while, but the carnivore diet is quite simply too successful to be ignored for long. There may be too much against it for it to ever become mainstream, but I believe it will become more popular and accepted. I expect and hope to see protein, meat-based diets grow.
10) Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow your journey
I hate to see people dismiss the importance of diet because they either think they are healthy, or they have never seen “healthy” eating work that well and therefore don’t believe diet is important. I was in my 20s, athletic, and 120 lbs when I started following a low carb and carnivore diet. You do not need to be in terrible health or overweight to start following this way of eating! You will be amazed at what it will still do for you and you will have the assurance of significantly reducing your risk of chronic diseases later in life.
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”
Hey y’all. I’m David Dugas from Cajun Country. 30 years old. I’m a physical therapist assistant and proud husband and father.
2) How did you eat before Carnivore.
Terrible. Just the worst really. I was a picky eater ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I lived off of processed garbage. Anything that came in a box/bag and was full of preservatives was in my belly. Any type of whole food intake would have been extremely rare.
3) Why did you try Carnivore to begin with.
I first heard about the diet listening to Shawn Baker on Joe Rogan. My wife actually was first to try it and after seeing her results first hand, I would have been a fool not to try it.
4) How do you personally approach the Carnivore Diet.
I come at it very practically. Personally, I’m on the road all day so just about all my lunches are meat from various fast food restaurants. I’ve become very creative with making my own entrees. Every morning I’ll have 5 eggs sometimes bacon and for supper a great home cooked meal. Overall, lots of ground beef in my diet which I prefer to a fatty steak (I’m a sucker for the leaner cuts) but still get the benefit of high fat content.
5) What benefits have you seen since starting the Carnivore Diet.
Where to start? Biggest change is physique for anyone who isn’t previously eating a decent diet it’s hard to miss. For me, I used to have a ton of GI issues. Real bad IBS issues multiple times a day almost every day. That just completely disappeared. Positive mood changes. More energetic. Dental care is a big one too on this diet. Much easier to maintain and better for your teeth. I don’t have any more sugar and carb plaque all over. I’ve been able to bulk ever so slightly with working out which is something that my body seemed incapable of before
6) What negatives have you found with the Carnivore Diet.
The diet has been amazing. If I didn’t have those convenient fast food options I’ve allowed myself then convenience would be the issue. The myth of it being too expensive is a farce. It costs me $5.95 at Burger King for 4 patties and 4 slices of cheese. Only other thing I’d say is the “extremists” of the movement make it a little unpalatable as far as sharing it with others. We don’t all drink blood and eat raw meat. There are normal ones among us. And I even season my steaks too. I mean, I’m from south Louisiana cher.
7) Do you exercise on the Carnivore Diet, if so how do you find it and what do you do.
I began lifting weights every day for the first few months and was personally amazed with the results. I’ve backed off to a few times a week now and continue to maintain. Unfortunately I wasn’t lifting any just before starting the diet to make any real comparisons.
8) What piece of advice would you give someone who is interested in trying this diet, but hasn’t taken the leap yet.
If you’re on the fence, just give it a month. See what it will do for you personally. It certainly won’t hurt you. If your results are anything like most of us, chances are it’ll become a lifestyle. It may be a little difficult the first few days or so but the amount of change you’ll see in one month if you honestly try this thing will amaze you.
9) Do you think Carnivore will ever be accepted as a mainstream diet.
I think it has the potential. To see the growth in just a years’ time I’ve been aware of the diet is astounding. That momentum, I feel, may continue due to all of these incredible results we are seeing. Frankly, what has fuelled this amazing blog is testament to that and there is no shortage. The product is truly great and there’s no need to sell it. You just gotta try it out.
10) Anything you would like to add, and where can people follow your journey.
Thanks for the opportunity to contribute with my personal story and take on the diet. Anyone interested for more can follow me on Instagram @laissezfairecarnivore. I’m also on Minds @laissezfairecarnivore. And if you still reading this far down, mais merci beaucoup!
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”
