Last summer, I decided to elevate my life with the carnivore diet.
It was the best decision of my ENTIRE life.
Sick and tired of feeling sick and tired, I decided to become truly self-educated about nutrition and food’s effect on the body. You might say that it’s my “freak”.
In educating myself, I not only healed my nearly 30-year eating disorder, but I also healed my body and my mind in the process. It changed the direction of my entire life.
Throughout this year, I journaled my journey to health on the carnivore diet to share it with you. I’m not a doctor, although, with all of the reading and research I’ve done in the past year, I feel like I should have a degree. Please don’t take this as medical advice. But since this has been so monumental for me, there’s a chance it could also be an answer to your prayers.
WHAT IS THE CARNIVORE DIET?
The carnivore diet is an elimination diet in which you only eat meat, salt, and dairy products if your stomach allows. It’s a step up from the keto diet (which never worked for me- a discussion for another day.) Yes, it does go against the grain of everything that’s always been taught about nutrition. However, I’ve learned that there are a lot of politics in nutrition. More updated research studies are being done daily, but unfortunately, you must look for them. Even more, some of it is actually hidden. Sickness is a very profitable business. I will link my favorite resources at the bottom of my post, the doctors who helped me discover and learn about this way of eating. I’m grateful for the doctors who take the time to share nutrition truths.
WHAT LEAD ME TO CARNIVORE?
I noticed in 2022 that my stomach was constantly painful and bloated most of the time. I had very low energy and constantly needed naps. I was gaining weight on my very “healthy” plant-based diet. I was stressing myself out while tracking food on my Keto app, trying to meet the magical macros, and I was getting no results. I was still binging on my “healthy” foods during the weekends and was terrified of spiraling out of control once more. My anxiety was through the roof, although I was on two different medications. I hated being on meds because I feared the long-term side effects. Even worse, I felt that my anxiety medicine was triggering my bouts of anger. There was so much going on that I didn’t know where to begin looking for answers. Fearing that my severe pain was my ovaries or uterus, I went to several different doctors in search of an answer I was never able to receive from any of them. I very much feared developing cancer or an auto-immune disease that runs in my family. I prayed constantly for God to heal me, although I’d been praying that same prayer for years. But finally, I wanted help. I wanted it more than I had wanted anything in my entire life! I was desperate! One day, while scrolling through YouTube, I watched a video by Dr. Ken Berry about the carnivore diet. The next day, more and more videos appeared in my feed. I believe that God placed all of that information in my hands. Why else would a lifelong plant-based eater who was repulsed by meat ever venture into a meat-based diet? I read and watched everything I could before I decided to make the commitment to a month on the carnivore diet. During this era of reading and learning, I found two powerful quotes that spoke to me.
“Genes load the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger.”
“Food has the ability to heal you or kill you.”
From years of living an unhealthy lifestyle, I knew I had to make a drastic change in my food before it was too late. I wanted to come off of all of my meds. I wanted not to just exist but to thrive!
REALIZING YOUR WHY
When making a change, it’s important to know your “why.” It should be something you can repeat to yourself when things are hard. We all know that change can be super hard! Knowing your “why” keeps you motivated.
MY PERSONAL WHY
“I need to live a completely healthy, self-sufficient, and full life into my nineties.” I plan on outliving my husband and parents. I don’t have children. In other words, I don’t want to need help from anyone as I age because I won’t have it. I completely accept that. However, I need to have mental clarity and be physically able to live in my own house, drive, go on cruises, and have a great quality of life up until the day I pass. I absolutely believe it’s doable, but there is no time to waste!
MY CARNIVORE BENEFITS
These are the benefits I’ve noticed this year, along with a few notes.
Defined muscles- I joke that I got muscles sitting in my chair because I did. I saw this result after the first week of eating adequate protein. I didn’t exercise the first two months of carnivore besides home projects. I wanted to give my body a chance to heal without adding further stress. There you go….muscles without working out.
Eyelash growth- Funny, but this was the first thing I noticed a week into carnivore.
No carb cravings- This was HUGE for me! Before carnivore, I constantly craved junk food. I even craved “healthy” junk food. I craved fruit and nuts all of the time. Carb and sugar addiction are a real thing. However, once I started eating meat, I craved it! How crazy is that?
Body recomposition– I noticed this after the first two weeks. Because I was eating adequate fat for the first time in years, I got “butter boobs”! Yes, butter boobs are an actual thing. You can google it. You’re welcome for the laugh! My forever-flat butt became rounder with muscles, and my waist got smaller. I was a little intrigued at that point. I’d never actually had curves. And I was beyond excited to be losing the belly fat! I’m pretty sure I gained weight at first as my body healed, but for the first time in years, I was okay with it because I felt like a different person. That’s also a great topic for a post!
Fat adapted– Three weeks after starting carnivore, I became fat-adapted. Becoming fat-adapted means that your body prefers to burn fat over carbs. This was thrilling! I knew as soon as it happened because my mind was so clear and focused. I was no longer constantly hungry. I didn’t have cravings, I slept well, and my body was literally singing. Fat is a much cleaner and more efficient fuel than sugar. However, because your body becomes trained to prefer carbs, it takes some time and effort to switch back to being the fat burners we were meant to be. More on that later!
No medication- I came off my meds a couple of weeks into carnivore and was pleasantly surprised to feel less anxiety and agitation. Mentally, I now feel like a different person! Incidentally, I have found that eating beef immediately calms me. Beef is my drug of choice.
No inflammation- I had so much water retention and, at times, a very puffy face. I can see that now in past pictures. All of that is gone. I never realized I had small ankles because they were always swollen! And now, after a walk, my fingers no longer swell.
No joint pain- Although I still take a collagen supplement when I remember, I can easily forget it for weeks at a time without pain.
No bloating after I eat– When I do eat a carb or a vegetable, my stomach immediately swells to the point I’m miserable. It’s so cool to me to realize that I can eat a half-pound burger with cheese and bacon cooked in bacon grease, and my stomach is perfectly flat. If only I could address the sagging skin issue…..but I’ll take what I can get at 52.
No heartburn– My digestion is perfect. This is coming from a former Tum’s addict.
Whiter eyes– I think eyes are a good indicator of health, and mine look much better-less yellow and not as red.
No food decisions– I no longer obsess about what I feel like eating because I know I will only eat some form of meat. If I go out, I don’t even have to look at a menu. I don’t have to figure out dinner sides, either. One and done!
There is no binging. I eat until I’m satiated, and then I lose interest in what I’m eating. There’s no struggle to stop because I feel I should stop eating. This is a miracle! Food just isn’t as interesting anymore. It’s definitely not entertainment-worthy.
I don’t track food—I simply eat until I’m comfortably full. Some days, I’m hungrier, and some days, I want more protein than fat. I listen to what my body needs, and my weight remains steady. That’s a miracle!
I don’t take naps—I couldn’t take one if I tried! If I do, it’s directly related to eating carbs the day before.
Food freedom– I have no more food fear or persistent carb cravings. I can have junk food sit in the pantry without being tempted. I rarely think about food until I’m hungry.
Regained hunger and satiety cues– Disordered eating disrupts hunger cues. I regained those quickly and can rely on them.
Eating twice (at least) the amount—I will always be a volume eater! I am thrilled not to have to limit calories. In fact, I’ve noticed I have a tendency to undereat simply because I don’t have an interest in food. If you have always starved yourself, this is monumental.
Staying at a steady weight– No more emotional ups and downs from weight gain due to fluid retention and binges and purges. That’s a celebration!
No body odor– This took a year to realize, and I thought it was so cool! Bodies don’t have the copious amount of toxins to eliminate when you aren’t eating chemicals in processed foods. I have only worn deodorant three times this year- mainly out of paranoia. If you have driven by while I’m working in the yard and smelling my pits, I apologize. It’s still hard to believe.
No toenail fungus– Gross for sure, but I’ve dealt with that for years, and it disappeared six months into carnivore.
No weird bumps on the backs of my arms
No sunburns or sun rashes– I never wear sunscreen on anything except for my face, neck, and chest. I can now be outside all day without burning. Also, I used to have a terrible rash after being in the sun for even an hour. I’ve since learned that the culprit is seed oils! Carnivore is sometimes more about what you DON’T eat.
Faster sickness recovery– I do get sick, but when I do, it’s so short! When I had Covid, I felt bad for three days. On the fourth day, I felt completely fine.
Less supplements- I no longer need to take many costly supplements because my diet contains so many vitamins and minerals. At one point, I was spending a fortune. Cringe! Now, I take zinc, magnesium, vitamin C, iodine for my breasts, and a collagen supplement for my skin. I probably don’t even need those. My D3 levels are always high.
Less trash – Because we don’t buy any snacks and purchase meat in bulk, we sometimes only have one bag of trash at the end of the week. My fridge contains only eggs, cheese, sour cream, bacon, and a bunch of condiments that only Eric eats. I honestly think we save money.
Less Bodily Waste– That’s always the biggest concern for people. I have less waste because my diet is so pure; my body uses every bit of everything I eat. Your body only rids itself of the things it can’t use. If you don’t eat s#*t, you won’t need to s#*t so often. While that’s not ladylike, you get my point! If you feel you might be constipated on the carnivore diet, you add more fat to your diet. Your body will let you know exactly how much fat you need. It will also let you know if you eat too much fat. Trust me on that! My bowels have lived a very pleasant and beautiful year without consuming fiber.
Great Blood Work- This isn’t really an issue for me. Thankfully, I’ve always had good numbers. My cholesterol has always run on the high side. I’m not bothered by that because my body needs a lot of cholesterol for good brain health. My triglycerides are 52, and my A1C is 4.8- both have been the same for years. From what I understand from carnivore doctors, those are the two things on which you should focus. No, carnivore hasn’t made my numbers worse.
Why I’m Choosing to Continue My Carnivore Journey
I believe that you can’t truly know how good you can feel until you do feel good. We get used to feeling poorly and accept that as the new normal as a part of aging.
I’m past the point of just wanting to get better. I want OPTIMAL health. I want to keep learning about my body and the foods I consume. I’m a “more is more” person, and I want to keep tweaking my carnivore diet with exercise and eliminating toxins. I want more of the good stuff!
Because I’m not a perfect eater, I will occasionally make homemade crackers from almond flour or a keto dessert. Sometimes, I will try adding in a vegetable or piece of fruit. On a birthday, I eat a few bites of cake. But very quickly, I realize how fast I can fall into the carb trap of food addiction that robs my body of energy and steals my peaceful mind. Because I’m so intuned with my body, it lets me know when I eat things that are dangerous to my health.
So, I’ll pass on most things that aren’t optimal for my health. Two minutes of taste isn’t worth two days of feeling bad. I’ve learned that the only thing I’m missing out on is feeling sick and tired.
I’m a carnivore, and I thank God every day that He taught me how to help myself. This is my BEST life!
Favorite Doctors and Other Carnivore Resources
*My suggestion is to listen to videos/ podcasts while walking. You will easily get steps in while gaining motivation and inspiration! *
Dr. Ken Berry- My favorite! He tells it like it is!
Dr. Lisa- She is an optometric physician and 15-year carnivore.
Anthony Chaffee- He has great information about cholesterol.
Kelly Hogan – The greatest Carnivore champion
Bella from Steak and Butter Gal- LOVE her! She healed her eating disorder.
Dr. Elizabeth Bright- She doesn’t have her own channel, but google her! She’s a resource on women’s health and the importance of fat.
A Great Book by Dr. Berry- Lies My Doctor Told Me.
