Carnivore Diet Experiment

[jalanlong]

So yesterday I started what I hope to be 30 days of the Carnivore Diet, just to see if all of the health claims from people like Joe Rogan would be true for me too. I definitely need to lose about 50 lbs, cut my addiction to sodas/empty carbs and change my health.

Have any of you ever done this diet, another diet that is far removed from the Standard American Diet, or any other sort of bio-hacks and how did it go?

[Xan]

So yesterday I started what I hope to be 30 days of the Carnivore Diet, just to see if all of the health claims from people like Joe Rogan would be true for me too. I definitely need to lose about 50 lbs, cut my addiction to sodas/empty carbs and change my health.

Have any of you ever done this diet, another diet that is far removed from the Standard American Diet, or any other sort of bio-hacks and how did it go?

Ditching sugary sodas in favor of canned seltzer water (which is readily available these days) will probably go a very long way all by itself.

[pp4me]

So yesterday I started what I hope to be 30 days of the Carnivore Diet, just to see if all of the health claims from people like Joe Rogan would be true for me too. I definitely need to lose about 50 lbs, cut my addiction to sodas/empty carbs and change my health.

Have any of you ever done this diet, another diet that is far removed from the Standard American Diet, or any other sort of bio-hacks and how did it go?

I did this for a while when I first started with keto a few years ago. I've lost about 50 lbs from my peak with various forms of low carb in the span of a few years but most of it was during that carnivore period which probably lasted about 60 days. My BMI is now in the normal range for the first time in very many years.

It wasn't a hard diet to follow at all and the only negative thing I can report is that I got some bad muscle cramps. So I would recommend some way of supplementing electrolytes if you are going to try it. And buy a can of theraworx and keep it by your bed. Wish I'd known about it at the time but I found it later and it really works.

I did keto with mostly meat and vegetables for well over a year after carnivore but now I'm back to eating some carbs but doing intermittent fasting/time restricted eating with a window of about 3 hours a day. The reason I'm eating the carbs now is mostly because I have to cook for 2 other people beside myself and they couldn't adjust to my keto diet.

[shekels]

So yesterday I started what I hope to be 30 days of the Carnivore Diet, just to see if all of the health claims from people like Joe Rogan would be true for me too. I definitely need to lose about 50 lbs, cut my addiction to sodas/empty carbs and change my health.

Have any of you ever done this diet, another diet that is far removed from the Standard American Diet, or any other sort of bio-hacks and how did it go?

DON'T BUY Sodas , Empty Carbs or anything you are trying to quit..
After a few weeks, it gets easier. Out of sight out of mind.
We are more Lazy Keto ourselves.

[jalanlong]

So yesterday I started what I hope to be 30 days of the Carnivore Diet, just to see if all of the health claims from people like Joe Rogan would be true for me too. I definitely need to lose about 50 lbs, cut my addiction to sodas/empty carbs and change my health.

Have any of you ever done this diet, another diet that is far removed from the Standard American Diet, or any other sort of bio-hacks and how did it go?

I did this for a while when I first started with keto a few years ago. I've lost about 50 lbs from my peak with various forms of low carb in the span of a few years but most of it was during that carnivore period which probably lasted about 60 days. My BMI is now in the normal range for the first time in very many years.

It wasn't a hard diet to follow at all and the only negative thing I can report is that I got some bad muscle cramps. So I would recommend some way of supplementing electrolytes if you are going to try it. And buy a can of theraworx and keep it by your bed. Wish I'd known about it at the time but I found it later and it really works.

I did keto with mostly meat and vegetables for well over a year after carnivore but now I'm back to eating some carbs but doing intermittent fasting/time restricted eating with a window of about 3 hours a day. The reason I'm eating the carbs now is mostly because I have to cook for 2 other people beside myself and they couldn't adjust to my keto diet.

So do you buy that meat is more nutrient dense than veggies and other foods and that you are "repairing" your body by eating only meat? Or do you think the improved health and weight loss comes strictly from the fact that meat (fat) is more satiating and you just eat less doing Carnivore or Keto?

[pp4me]

So yesterday I started what I hope to be 30 days of the Carnivore Diet, just to see if all of the health claims from people like Joe Rogan would be true for me too. I definitely need to lose about 50 lbs, cut my addiction to sodas/empty carbs and change my health.

Have any of you ever done this diet, another diet that is far removed from the Standard American Diet, or any other sort of bio-hacks and how did it go?

I did this for a while when I first started with keto a few years ago. I've lost about 50 lbs from my peak with various forms of low carb in the span of a few years but most of it was during that carnivore period which probably lasted about 60 days. My BMI is now in the normal range for the first time in very many years.

It wasn't a hard diet to follow at all and the only negative thing I can report is that I got some bad muscle cramps. So I would recommend some way of supplementing electrolytes if you are going to try it. And buy a can of theraworx and keep it by your bed. Wish I'd known about it at the time but I found it later and it really works.

I did keto with mostly meat and vegetables for well over a year after carnivore but now I'm back to eating some carbs but doing intermittent fasting/time restricted eating with a window of about 3 hours a day. The reason I'm eating the carbs now is mostly because I have to cook for 2 other people beside myself and they couldn't adjust to my keto diet.

So do you buy that meat is more nutrient dense than veggies and other foods and that you are "repairing" your body by eating only meat? Or do you think the improved health and weight loss comes strictly from the fact that meat (fat) is more satiating and you just eat less doing Carnivore or Keto?

I buy into the idea of fasting repairing your body by the process of autophagy but I really have no way of knowing whether eating only meat did that. I do remember having the strong feeling that some fundamental changes were taking place inside my body and that they were beneficial in some way. I've read that it affects your gut bacteria and that there is some kind of direct connection that has been discovered from your bacteria to your brain so that may have been what I was feeling. When all those sugar/carb loving bacteria exit your body the cravings seem to go away with them.

[WiseOne]

Good luck with your diet, jalanlong!

I guess I'm "lazy keto" also. I don't think of it as a diet, rather it's a permanent shift in my eating pattern. 99% of the weight loss benefit will come from eliminating sugar, grains, and industrial vegetable oils, so you may not need the full carnivore treatment if that doesn't suit you.

The hardest part was definitely the first few weeks. You go through a carbohydrate withdrawal plus you get very thirsty and need extra electrolytes (potassium, sodium, magnesium especially). I remember the craziest hunger pangs - on the advice of a friend I kept a supply of cooked bacon on hand, and would eat it with a slab of cream cheese when needed. For the electrolytes, buy Morton's lite salt (half potassium, half sodium) and use a ton of the stuff - I even put it into water. Bone broths help. There are electrolyte powders you can buy, but I didn't care for them. Also I couldn't have survived without my Sodastream.

The other hardest part is that most of the world of convenience foods is no longer an option. I've been noticing more and more "keto-safe" foods in my local grocery, but you're still going to see a lot more of the inside of your kitchen than you probably do now.

[jalanlong]

Good luck with your diet, jalanlong!

I guess I'm "lazy keto" also. I don't think of it as a diet, rather it's a permanent shift in my eating pattern. 99% of the weight loss benefit will come from eliminating sugar, grains, and industrial vegetable oils, so you may not need the full carnivore treatment if that doesn't suit you.

The hardest part was definitely the first few weeks. You go through a carbohydrate withdrawal plus you get very thirsty and need extra electrolytes (potassium, sodium, magnesium especially). I remember the craziest hunger pangs - on the advice of a friend I kept a supply of cooked bacon on hand, and would eat it with a slab of cream cheese when needed. For the electrolytes, buy Morton's lite salt (half potassium, half sodium) and use a ton of the stuff - I even put it into water. Bone broths help. There are electrolyte powders you can buy, but I didn't care for them. Also I couldn't have survived without my Sodastream.

The other hardest part is that most of the world of convenience foods is no longer an option. I've been noticing more and more "keto-safe" foods in my local grocery, but you're still going to see a lot more of the inside of your kitchen than you probably do now.

So far I have not had any intense cravings. The main thing I have faced is a bit of a headache, foggy head and the fact that if I overeat then I get very nauseous, probably do to the high fat content of my meals. I am hoping that goes away after a few days.

[yankees60]

Good luck with your diet, jalanlong!

I guess I'm "lazy keto" also. I don't think of it as a diet, rather it's a permanent shift in my eating pattern. 99% of the weight loss benefit will come from eliminating sugar, grains, and industrial vegetable oils, so you may not need the full carnivore treatment if that doesn't suit you.

The hardest part was definitely the first few weeks. You go through a carbohydrate withdrawal plus you get very thirsty and need extra electrolytes (potassium, sodium, magnesium especially). I remember the craziest hunger pangs - on the advice of a friend I kept a supply of cooked bacon on hand, and would eat it with a slab of cream cheese when needed. For the electrolytes, buy Morton's lite salt (half potassium, half sodium) and use a ton of the stuff - I even put it into water. Bone broths help. There are electrolyte powders you can buy, but I didn't care for them. Also I couldn't have survived without my Sodastream.

The other hardest part is that most of the world of convenience foods is no longer an option. I've been noticing more and more "keto-safe" foods in my local grocery, but you're still going to see a lot more of the inside of your kitchen than you probably do now.

So far I have not had any intense cravings. The main thing I have faced is a bit of a headache, foggy head and the fact that if I overeat then I get very nauseous, probably do to the high fat content of my meals. I am hoping that goes away after a few days.

Not necessarily directed at you but to anyone who wants to answer.

Two things I've many times read about why humans are not set up to eat meat are that:

1) Our teeth are different than carnivore animals.

2) We have long digestive tracks like fruitarian apes rather than short ones like carnivore cats and dogs. Therefore, meat will putrefy in out digestive tracts.

Both gross simplifications or incorrect?

Vinny

[Mark Leavy]

Not necessarily directed at you but to anyone who wants to answer.

Two things I've many times read about why humans are not set up to eat meat are that:

1) Our teeth are different than carnivore animals.

2) We have long digestive tracks like fruitarian apes rather than short ones like carnivore cats and dogs. Therefore, meat will putrefy in out digestive tracts.

Both gross simplifications or incorrect?

Vinny

1) true. Humans have evolved to survive on whatever food supply we can get. We're pretty adaptable. It has served us well.
2) false. Human digestive tracts most closely resemble dogs. Apes have much larger digestive tracts so that they can get some of their B vitamins via the bacterial breakdown of plants. There is an interesting fact that an animal's energy consumption is a direct function of their body mass. It doesn't matter if the animal is a fish or a lizard or a mammal. Whatever. The two most energy expensive systems in the body are the digestive tract and the brain. For the human brain to increase in size, something had to give. It was the digestive tract. Meat (and cooked meat) were the primary enablers of that evolution.

We are still well adapted to a large variety of foods. Some are just better for us than others.

[pp4me]

Speaking of "lazy keto" I tend to think of carnivore as the laziest form of keto. When I introduced vegetables into my diet along with berry smoothies and some homemade keto desserts I had to buy some of those keto test strips to make sure I didn't eat too many carbs and kick myself out of ketosis. With carnivore, you don't have to really think about that. Ketosis is almost guaranteed.

Kind of the same thing now with my time-restricted-eating which has been working quite well in maintaining my weight. I guess it's just like with the PP - I prefer something you don't have to think that much about.

[dualstow]

...
Have any of you ever done this diet, another diet that is far removed from the Standard American Diet, or any other sort of bio-hacks and how did it go?

I gave up soda 10 years ago and try to limit alcohol and sugar, and stay aware of how much bread I consume. Beyond that, I basically omit what my body rejects. Soon I’ll have nothing left to eat. (but on the inside: )

[Mark Leavy]

So yesterday I started what I hope to be 30 days of the Carnivore Diet, just to see if all of the health claims from people like Joe Rogan would be true for me too. I definitely need to lose about 50 lbs, cut my addiction to sodas/empty carbs and change my health.

Have any of you ever done this diet, another diet that is far removed from the Standard American Diet, or any other sort of bio-hacks and how did it go?

Hey jalanlong - my best wishes.

I have a lot of experience. Over 10 years strict carnivore. Now, a bit less strict, but probably 90% carnivore. It's been very good to me.

Just so you know what to expect, you are going to feel like shit for at least 2 weeks. Assuming that you aren't a spring chicken anymore, it may be 6 or 8 weeks. If you can manage to keep your trial going for 60 days instead of 30, you'll have a better comparison to see if it is for you or not.

Here's the killer: Your body processes carbohydrates for energy much differently than it does fat. It actually requires mitochondrial and brain chemistry changes to use fat effectively. You don't have those changes yet, and it will take a while for them to develop.

In the meantime, your body will panic. It will start searching for glucose in whatever form it can get. You can expect to lose around 10 lbs of weight in the first couple of weeks. Almost all water. Stored glucose in your body is bound with water and it will be released as you harvest it. Your liver has a glucose reserve. You may notice long periods of elevated heart rate and anxiety. That is your body pushing epinephrine (adrenaline) to get your liver to let go of the glucose in a fight or flight response.

You may lose a lot of fat because your body is ripping up fat molecules to get to the glycerol and throwing away the rest. Your piss will smell like acetone from the discarded acid chains.

You might feel fuzzy in your thinking or not as sharp as usual. The brain is a huge glucose hog, and until it converts over to ketones it won't be at 100%. The good news is that once it's running on ketones you will be sharper than ever.

Aches and flu like symptoms for awhile - again until you rebuild your mitochondria.

Your bowel movements will be all over the map the first few weeks. All of your gut flora that depend on carbs will die and leave in a hurry... likewise the volume of food that you eat will be significantly reduced, so don't expect the same regularity that you had before. Eat plenty of fat and drink plenty of water.

That's about it! I don't mean to scare you, just don't expect the transition to be smooth sailing. The change affects every level of your body down to the cellular level. The good news is that it is totally worth it. You will be in the best shape of your life and have the highest mental capacity.

Mark

[jalanlong]

So yesterday I started what I hope to be 30 days of the Carnivore Diet, just to see if all of the health claims from people like Joe Rogan would be true for me too. I definitely need to lose about 50 lbs, cut my addiction to sodas/empty carbs and change my health.

Have any of you ever done this diet, another diet that is far removed from the Standard American Diet, or any other sort of bio-hacks and how did it go?

Hey jalanlong - my best wishes.

I have a lot of experience. Over 10 years strict carnivore. Now, a bit less strict, buy probably 90% carnivore. It's been very good to me.

Just so you know what to expect, you are going to feel like shit for at least 2 weeks. Assuming that you aren't a spring chicken anymore, it may be 6 or 8 weeks. If you can manage to keep your trial going for 60 days instead of 30, you'll have a better comparison to see if it is for you or not.

Here's the killer: Your body processes carbohydrates for energy much differently than it does fat. It actually requires mitochondrial and brain chemistry changes to use fat effectively. You don't have those changes yet, and it will take a while for them to develop.

In the meantime, your body will panic. It will start searching for glucose in whatever form it can get. You can expect to lose around 10 lbs of weight in the first couple of weeks. Almost all water. Stored glucose in your body is bound with water and it will be released as you harvest it. Your liver has a glucose reserve. You may notice long periods of elevated heart rate and anxiety. That is your body pushing epinephrine (adrenaline) to get your liver to let go of the glucose in a fight or flight response.

You may lose a lot of fat because your body is ripping up fat molecules to get to the glycerol and throwing away the rest. Your piss will smell like acetone from the discarded acid chains.

You might feel fuzzy in your thinking or not as sharp as usual. The brain is a huge glucose hog, and until it converts over to ketones it won't be at 100%. The good news is that once it's running on ketones you will be sharper than ever.

Aches and flu like symptoms for awhile - again until you rebuild your mitochondria.

Your bowel movements will be all over the map the first few weeks. All of your gut flora that depend on carbs will die and leave in a hurry... likewise the volume of food that you eat will be significantly reduced, so don't expect the same regularity that you had before. Eat plenty of fat and drink plenty of water.

That's about it! I don't mean to scare you, just don't expect the transition to be smooth sailing. The change affects every level of your body down to the cellular level. The good news is that it is totally worth it. You will be in the best shape of your life and have the highest mental capacity.

Mark

Thanks for the help! I definitely have the foggy brain and dull headache thing going.

In your experience would it have been better for me to slowly ween off of carbs instead of going cold turkey? I went straight from a Standard American diet with tons of soda and empty carbs right into meat,eggs and water. I wonder if I should have tried to transition over a few weeks or if it would not have made any difference?

[Mark Leavy]

Thanks for the help! I definitely have the foggy brain and dull headache thing going.

In your experience would it have been better for me to slowly ween off of carbs instead of going cold turkey? I went straight from a Standard American diet with tons of soda and empty carbs right into meat,eggs and water. I wonder if I should have tried to transition over a few weeks or if it would not have made any difference?

I've heard good and bad from both approaches. I'm a cold turkey kind of guy. Rip the bandaid off and see what happens.
I made the transition in my mid 40's and it hit me hard. I was the CTO of the company and my brain shut off for about 4 weeks. If I hadn't also been an owner, I'm sure I would have been fired

Mark

[pp4me]

So yesterday I started what I hope to be 30 days of the Carnivore Diet, just to see if all of the health claims from people like Joe Rogan would be true for me too. I definitely need to lose about 50 lbs, cut my addiction to sodas/empty carbs and change my health.

Have any of you ever done this diet, another diet that is far removed from the Standard American Diet, or any other sort of bio-hacks and how did it go?

Hey jalanlong - my best wishes.

I have a lot of experience. Over 10 years strict carnivore. Now, a bit less strict, buy probably 90% carnivore. It's been very good to me.

Just so you know what to expect, you are going to feel like shit for at least 2 weeks. Assuming that you aren't a spring chicken anymore, it may be 6 or 8 weeks. If you can manage to keep your trial going for 60 days instead of 30, you'll have a better comparison to see if it is for you or not.

Here's the killer: Your body processes carbohydrates for energy much differently than it does fat. It actually requires mitochondrial and brain chemistry changes to use fat effectively. You don't have those changes yet, and it will take a while for them to develop.

In the meantime, your body will panic. It will start searching for glucose in whatever form it can get. You can expect to lose around 10 lbs of weight in the first couple of weeks. Almost all water. Stored glucose in your body is bound with water and it will be released as you harvest it. Your liver has a glucose reserve. You may notice long periods of elevated heart rate and anxiety. That is your body pushing epinephrine (adrenaline) to get your liver to let go of the glucose in a fight or flight response.

You may lose a lot of fat because your body is ripping up fat molecules to get to the glycerol and throwing away the rest. Your piss will smell like acetone from the discarded acid chains.

You might feel fuzzy in your thinking or not as sharp as usual. The brain is a huge glucose hog, and until it converts over to ketones it won't be at 100%. The good news is that once it's running on ketones you will be sharper than ever.

Aches and flu like symptoms for awhile - again until you rebuild your mitochondria.

Your bowel movements will be all over the map the first few weeks. All of your gut flora that depend on carbs will die and leave in a hurry... likewise the volume of food that you eat will be significantly reduced, so don't expect the same regularity that you had before. Eat plenty of fat and drink plenty of water.

That's about it! I don't mean to scare you, just don't expect the transition to be smooth sailing. The change affects every level of your body down to the cellular level. The good news is that it is totally worth it. You will be in the best shape of your life and have the highest mental capacity.

Mark

Thanks for the help! I definitely have the foggy brain and dull headache thing going.

In your experience would it have been better for me to slowly ween off of carbs instead of going cold turkey? I went straight from a Standard American diet with tons of soda and empty carbs right into meat,eggs and water. I wonder if I should have tried to transition over a few weeks or if it would not have made any difference?

I didn't have nearly as bad an experience as Mark describes and that may have been because I had been dabbling off and on with low carb eating for quite a few years before I went with keto/carnivore. So my body wasn't totally shocked by the change.

I'd take the things you are feeling as good signs however. Just shows it's working.

[dualstow]

God, this reads ilke withdrawal and rehab for grain and vegetable eaters (omnivores, really).
I don’t mean that in a disparaging way; just being factual.
I honestly had no idea.

[Cortopassi]

Lazy keto here as well. I will not refuse myself a cookie or chips, for example, but our meals are mainly meat and vegetables. Sometimes some white rice.

I never drink full sugar pop, but do drink diet at times. Never really eat bread or pasta. Completely stay away from vegetable oils, except what’s in the chips...

When I go hardcore low carb, I fall to about 191. Typical lazy keto, I sit around 196. The five pounds is not worth restricting myself that much.

Joints, in general, are less achy when I go hard core. Other than the five pound difference, that is what I noticed the most. I see no real difference in energy or mood. But I was in generally good shape to start with.

[pp4me]

In addition to keto/carnivore I have to give some credit to the fact that I retired 4 years ago for my weight loss. I think the stress of working has a lot to do with it as well as going out to lunch every day with the guys at work and then coming home to enjoy my wife's cooking for dinner.

Now I'm the cook and I can eat whenever and whatever I want as long as the other members of the household don't complain too much.

[boglerdude]

Vegetarian 30 years vegan 10. Food is a drug and it takes years to wean off the large dopamine bursts from high fat/sugar/salt/meat. You cut back a little at a time. Diet doesnt matter much tho, im ripped because i only eat once a day and walk 10 miles/week. Try coffee and tea instead of lunch.

[yankees60]

Vegetarian 30 years vegan 10. Food is a drug and it takes years to wean off the large dopamine bursts from high fat/sugar/salt/meat. You cut back a little at a time. Diet doesnt matter much tho, im ripped because i only eat once a day and walk 10 miles/week. Try coffee and tea instead of lunch.

What is your height and weight? Any other exercise aside from the walking?

Vinny

[l82start]

keto and near keto for a at least 7 or 8 years now, (i have lost track ) no negative symptoms during the transition, lost a lot of weight, better joint health etc etc...

not being as hard core with it right now, but still avoiding the bad oils, bread and most sugar, i also stay fairly close to an intermittent fasting meal pattern...

[WiseOne]

Hey Vinny,

Let me recommend a book by Lierre Kieth, "The Vegetarian Myth." There are a lot of claims about the dangers of meat eating that simply aren't true. The book very effectively rebuts them.

Research on pre-Neolithic diets indicates that the human diet was primarily (but not exclusively) based on meat. And, that human health worsened significantly after the transition to agriculture - height and life expectancy declined, teeth and bones started showing chronic disease, and heart disease (from investigations of Egyptian mummies) became common. Fascinating stuff. Takehome is that humans are not adapted to a vegetarian diet, and particularly are not adapted to eating grains.

[dualstow]

Vegetarian 30 years vegan 10. Food is a drug and it takes years to wean off the large dopamine bursts from high fat/sugar/salt/meat. You cut back a little at a time. Diet doesnt matter much tho, im ripped because i only eat once a day and walk 10 miles/week. Try coffee and tea instead of lunch.

I used to walk 6 miles/10km a day and was by no means ripped. You must have good metabolism.

[yankees60]

Hey Vinny,

Let me recommend a book by Lierre Kieth, "The Vegetarian Myth." There are a lot of claims about the dangers of meat eating that simply aren't true. The book very effectively rebuts them.

Research on pre-Neolithic diets indicates that the human diet was primarily (but not exclusively) based on meat. And, that human health worsened significantly after the transition to agriculture - height and life expectancy declined, teeth and bones started showing chronic disease, and heart disease (from investigations of Egyptian mummies) became common. Fascinating stuff. Takehome is that humans are not adapted to a vegetarian diet, and particularly are not adapted to eating grains.

Thanks. Just bought a used copy from Amazon. Will get to me sometime in August.

Vinny