Carnivore Plus Lifestyle

...Ghost...

Hello everyone.

I never thought I would be writing to a sub-forum like this one, but here I am, laying myself bare and hoping to get info from others and give my lived experience. Maybe others can benefit from this, no matter the diet or lifestyle they choose. Some family members had dabbled in the carnivore diet and I decided to do some research on it. Like anything else, the data seemed to be very left and right with positive reports and negative reports. I noted the vast majority of the negatives were from sources and people who had not undertaken the diet themselves and verifiable scientific data seemed sparse.

OK, so let me get the health and stats out of the way and to also say that I am under the watchful eye of my GP, because I was having health concerns for several months. I think this is important, because it is an elimination diet and one which has quite a few variations from only eating beef and salt, to eating any beef, poultry and fish, to also eating animal produce like dairy and eggs. Some even allow fruit and coffee.

From research and knowing myself and what I could stick to, I opted for the no processed meat option with animal produce. I decided to allow all meats, poultry and fish including eggs and dairy (sparingly). I decided to do this for one month strictly.

Starting Feb 1st:

Age: 40

Activity Level: Sedentary (Lazy B@stard)

Height: 182cm

Weight: 110kg

Tummy: 114cm

Waist: 101cm

Previous Diet Makeup:

Breakfast - Cereal or sausage, beans and a slice of bread.

Lunch/Dinner - Anything from a healthier home cooked meal (pasta dish, fish dish, meat and potatoes etc) to McDonalds or BurgerKing meal.

Snacks - Most days I would eat something like a Boost bar and drink a coke, lucozade, or occasionally a RedBull. Curse of the vending machine. Once per week on average, I would get a chipper…chips, battered sausage, SF breast of chicken.

Reasons for change of diet and hopes I would reduce/eliminate some of the below:

Very low energy. Sleeping as soon as I got home from work.

Weekly abdominal pain and diarrhea. I carried immodium in my pocket, my car and my work locker.

Acid reflux/indigestion weekly. Always have Gaviscon at home.

Scalp sores (red, sore skin and scabs around the crown).

Brain fog - almost constant, regularly forgetting words mid sentence.

Neck and shoulder pain. Possible poor posture issue.

Mid back pain from injury. No changes expected.

Lower back pain from injury. No changes expected.

Chest/Heart Pain. Irregular pattern, but weekly at least.

Quarterly chest infections. Daily mucus/sputum. Reaching every time I brushed teeth.

Pins and needles if arms raised.

That's it for the most part and I hoped for positive changes in some areas while expecting no change, or to be worse in other areas. It was an experiment, but I needed to do something. I visited my GP on January 31st to report my gastro and energy issues and I had bloods taken, my height and weight recorded. Suffice to say there was nothing say on my weight, it was clear that was high. My blood results later revealed high cholesterol, but due to age and the fact it was just over the threshold, no concern was issued and no meds required. He would refer me to have tests later for my digestive system, plus liver, kidney and pancreas.

You have probably noticed that weight loss was not a goal, or even an expectation. My expectation was to maintain my calorie intake, but to reduce some of my ailments caused by eating shítty food. However, If I was to be in anyway scientific about this, then it would be prudent to keep track of my weight and measurements.

...Ghost...

Preparation:

This is key for any diet or lifestyle changes. You can’t wake up on a Monday and decide, hey I am going to change X,Y,Z to A,B,C right away and expect to last. I knew I would need a few things.

I knew I would need salt to keep my body conductive. The main electrolyte and flavour control. I got myself pink salt in Dunnes. I also got some dissolvable electrolytes from Holland & Barrett. Finally I got vitamin C dissolvable tabs in Lidl.

Next, I ordered myself a meat mincer, a meat slicer and a vacuum sealer so I could prep my own meat. I purchase kilos of chuck beef and pork shoulder from the butcher/wholesaler and I even make my own sausages and burger patties. Doing all this made the process easier to stick to, but it did create work and it takes hours prepping meat and making sausages, which I tend to do every fortnight.

The Reality from Feb 1st:

During the month of February, I was very strict with my food intake. I did not let myself go hungry, but I did not stray at all. I genuinely found it very easy to stick to and I noticed a massive increase in my energy levels from day 2. I was expecting to have diarrhea for a week because this was well reported online. However, I had no problem and my usual diarrhea had gone. I was eating scrambled egg with cheese and bacon. Burger patties and steak, making sure to eat the fat on the steak. My steak preference moved from a medium-well done fillet, to a medium rare rib-eye. I noticed the smell of the bakery at Lidl and the Orange dispensing machine made my mouth water when I passed by. It was crazy! I was enjoying it.

Results for Feb:

My lower back pain remained.

My mid back pain was intermittent anyway, but the problem was less frequent. Surprise, but maybe coincidental.

Neck and shoulder pain reduced dramatically.

ALL OTHER AILMENTS GONE OR MASSIVELY REDUCED. I could not believe it. Never felt better!!

I promised to keep a watchful eye on my weight and measurements, so not everything was based on feelings, or possible placebo effect. I find it kind of awkward to take my measurements, so take those with a pinch of salt. The weight though is taken by the scales and I can’t mess that part up.

Weight: 102.6kg (down 7.4kg)

Tummy: not recorded

Waist: not recorded

Results for March:

During March, I relaxed a little and wanted to see what would change. I allowed myself have a small bar of 85% dark chocolate from Aldi. I have also eaten about 6 battered sausages and a southern fried chicken breast. Yesterday I was stuck and I had a southern fried chicken wrap with butter and cheese. Aside from that, I have been sticking to the diet and mainly have been eating steak. In the morning, at work, I have a cheese and ham omelette.

The ailments are still gone or reduced to a level I don’t notice them. For example, my crown is a little dry (very mild dandruff), but no sores, spots, or scabs. I haven’t had any bowel issues, which is amazing and for me is the real win here. My mood is improved and that’s because I am not tired all the time. I still have lower back pain to contend with, but as that is due to nerve damage, I don’t expect that to disappear and will manage that as I usually do. Overall, I am super happy with this.

I won’t recommend it to anyone other than to say if you have any similar ailments, to check with your GP and consider a diet change. Cutting out sugar is obviously a big positive. Cutting out the carbs means my body has to use up the fat stores and that is a consistent energy supply in my current state. For me, it was important that I choose a diet I could stick to and one which doesn’t require a cabinet of supplements. I couldn't do vegetarian and Vegan is alien to me. I like eating meat, so it works for me.

I take official results on the 1st of a month, but for this thread, I took results just now, so you get a sneak preview.

Weight: 96kg (down 14kg in 2 months)

Tummy: 108cm

Waist: 96cm

I think I might have taken my tummy and waist measurements wrong in February, because I am sure I lost more than todays recorded result. On my belt, I was 2 notches away from the last hole. A few days ago, my Wife commented that I needed new jeans because they were falling down to reveal some crack. I am constantly pulling my trousers up 😆. I had to add new hole to my belt….i'm not buying new jeans as I only bought 3 pairs in December!

Difficulties of the diet:

There aren’t many. I used to eat out with my Wife every other week, but now that is more difficult, We have been out for a meal once since I started the diet. Went to FX Buckleys. I must say, my own steak purchased from Lidl is better, but it was a nice experience. The canteen at work is OK for breakfast, but I can’t trust lunch/dinner because I don’t know what is in the food, or how it is cooked, assuming the meat is not slathered in a sugary sauce. I can either bring in prepped food (I never do) or pop over to the local supermarket and get some sliced beef. I pick the salt only option. I can also go to McDonalds and order a burger patty. A triple cheese burger with only patties and cheese ties me over if stuck. They don't fry the patties in oil.

So what now?

I will continue as I am. After today, I will cut down on the daily chocolate intake and continue what I am doing. My Wife got me a dark chocolate egg for Easter, so it would be rude not to eat/share it. On holidays, I plan to relax and not be strict unless I can easily have good meat. I'll be in Germany next week for a few days and will see how I get on.

So far, it’s been a really positive experience and the challenges have been minor and beneficial in their own way. I’ve had an unhealthy diet for…well, as long as I can remember and certainly from my mid-teens. I’ve been technically overweight for half my life now and it’s great that I am falling to a healthy weight as a side effect of this change. The compliments are nice too from all quarters. Everyone has noticed I am slimming down and looking better. I feel better.

I updated my GP last week and he is happy to see I am getting positive results, but I am still scheduled for tests at the hospital, one of which I had this week for my organs, mainly liver (no, I’m not an alcoholic). Now that I say that, I should say I was never much of a drinker. Could go weeks and months without a drink. Also not a smoker, or any other addict. I think I will schedule another checkup as early as May 1st but no later than July 1st depending on how I am doing.

I also know I should change my lifestyle to become more active. It won't be as easy as the diet change due to pain and laziness. The results I have seen thus far are only based on diet change. I don't starve myself. I have only fell hungry on a couple of occasions and I don't get bothered if I stray a bit.

If anyone has any questions, if I can, I am happy to answer.

edited to fix a couple of typos

neris

On youtbe Watch Dr Ken Berry & Anthony Chaffe both very good when it comes to a carnivore way of eating

magicbastarder

Did you have covid? I'd talk to your doc about long covid too, whatever he or she can tell you about it. Some of your symptoms sound very long-covidy. Gastro intestinal upset is one of the symptoms too, apparently.

Just in case that's what triggered a lot of what you were going through.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122004670#Comment_122004670

I have heard the names, but not watched their content yet. I will have a look at their stuff.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122004693#Comment_122004693

Good observation. I did get Covid in 2021 and it knocked the cr@p out of me for a week. I lost my voice for about a month.

However, my listed symptoms pre-dated covid.

Last month, I allowed myself to eat small amount of dark chocolate with no noticeable negative impact.

This month, I have maintained this and I was also on a family holiday in Germany for 2 weeks where I largely stuck to my diet plan by eating meat. In a couple of cases, the meat had a sauce on it. In one case, I ate a full Fillet O'Fish in McDonalds with water. I had 1 beer at a restaurant. No intestinal, or any other issues.

Today I had the first bit of discomfort in my gut since starting the diet and I have it figured out as to why (or I think I know why). Yesterday, I cooked 1.5kg of of Lidl dry aged beef streak, same as the image below. I seared it in butter, ad seasoned with salt, pepper and dried rosemary before cooking in the oven to medium. I cut 3-4 slices for the family who ate theirs with mash. I must have eaten a good 600g which was delicious. It had a decent amount of rendered fat and it was filling.

This morning, I had slight discomfort before visiting the loo. I am grand now and figured I maybe just had too much rendered fat. I am not inclined to blame the small amount of rosemary I had, but will keep it in mind. Yesterday, I had also eaten a rib-eye steak and 4 squares of Lindt dark chocolate, both of which I have had no previous reaction to. So about 20 minutes of dull discomfort is all I have had. Much better than the daily aches I had before.

taxAHcruel

Very meat heavy myself too - and if I have any issues, including weight issues - I tend to go full on carnivore as part of my path to dealing with it. I am not stranger to making a Turduken or a Surf'n'turf or other meat eating extremes.

The target for everyone I guess should be finding what diet works for me. My diet might tank or kill another person in the same way theirs would me!

I am somewhat agnostic on the why it works for me though. It could be that it is just the right diet for me. It also could be that it is just an extreme elimination diet. For other reasons I am pretty much convinced it is the former (mainly because other extreme diets that would also be elimination diets did not have the same effect) but I remain open minded and agnostic all the same.

So if you are having issues and you are finding the carnivore diet is solving them all - it is good to see that you have also taken the decision to stay open to the notion that it might not be that diet so much as you having eliminated some thing (or some number of things) that is solving your issues.

Going nearly 100% full Carnivore works so well for me in fact - in terms of energy, concentration, strength, balance, performance, sleep, stress, libido, focus, motivation and much more - that the only reason I do not stick to it all year around is that I simply miss other foods too much :) So the rest of the year when I am not full carnivore I go for an extreme varied diet where I have as much variety on as wide a cycle as humanly possible.

But if I have my eye on weight loss, competition in martial arts or running, or anything like that I switch to Carnivore knowing that it will boost my performance to my personal extreme in the same way as I know if I switched full vegan my performance would tank entirely - if I was even able to get out of bed to even compete in the first place which given the effect attempting veganism had on me is extremely doubtful :)

...Ghost...

I don't often put myself on the scales, but this morning I did. I'm curious to see if I am still heading in the right direction. I am coming in at 96kg, so looking good. My regular jeans have been hanging off me, so I had to root out older ones I haven't been able wear since before we ever heard the word covid.

Looking at the UK NHS BMI calculator, my BMI previously at 33.2, now being 28.9, I have dropped from being in the OBESE category to the OVER WEIGHT category. At 182cm tall, my alleged ideal weight is 61-82kg. I think even at the highest end of that scale, I would be rather skinny. I guess I will see how I am going when I reach 90kg, which I predict to be before June on my current trajectory.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122013304#Comment_122013304

What you are doing is basically keto for weight loss. By going carnivore you are essentially cutting out carbs, intentionally or otherwise. The result is, even if eating a lot of meat, you are under your calories. I'd worry abut getting enough of various vitamins and minerals long term.
Food quality is very important when eating a meat and fat heavy diet. A triple cheeseburger (without bun?) is not ideal, but I understand the lack out last minute carnivore options on the go.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122020853#Comment_122020853

Yes, unless I stray a little, carbs are cut out and the result is weight loss. I don't count calories at all, so I don't know where I am with regard to calorie deficit. I can only say that I rarely feel hungry and much less so than before I changed my diet.

I was initially concerned about vitamins and minerals, but what I have found (at least in the short term) is that I am not wanting for anything outside of what I am eating. I have read and watched video diaries of others mirroring these concerns and who have not had any issue in some cases many years on carnivore. For my part, I take an electrolyte tab most days and I take a vitamin C dissolvable as insurance. I haven't felt this healthy in years and I am still a sedentary person.

I agree that the quality of meat is very important. I mostly eat rib-eye steaks from Lidl and I ground my own mince and make my own sausages. I eat eggs regularly and I occasionally have some cheese. The triple cheese burger with no bun, sauce or veggies is OK when in a pinch. I wouldn't make a habit of it. Some more carnivore options would be nice for on the go, but I am not overly strict and will deviate somewhat if I need to. That's how I see it lasting for me.

If I have any concerns, or problems, i'll be having a chat with the doc. I'm thinking I will get bloods done after 6 months on the diet. I expect higher cholesterol, but I am learning that this isn't an issue because higher cholesterol is apparently not a concern if your triglycerides are high. There is a ratio and I need to look more into this. In the mean time, I will be carrying on and I will come back here monthly to update if there is an appetite for me to do so.

carrollsno1

I started a thread on similar last year thread got closed due to it being deemed harmful to myself....

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122022143#Comment_122022143

I did see that thread actually. I thought maybe it was closed down because from memory, you were on and off the diet with some alcohol binges thrown in there and weight loss over the period of the thread didn't seem to last. The fact i'm liaising with my GP on this is maybe part of the reason it's active, but that's just speculation.

Have you continued on the carnivore diet since you last posted? If yes, what sort of results and experience can you share? I'm finding the whole experience to be pretty good and my results for what is a small sacrifice are well worth it. Losing weight was not a goal, but it is very welcome and I am down from 110kg to 96kg since Feb 1st.

...Ghost...

April was a pretty loose month for me overall. While I didn't go crazy and eat loads of junk, I wasn't disciplined at all really. I did learn a bit though.

Hunger makes it easy to make bad decisions.

When hungry, I was much more susceptible to making poor food choices and being lazy. This meant I would more likely have a sausage in batter, or a piece of chocolate. Eating the fast food items made me congested and more tired.

We really need electrolytes.

I was eating less steak, so less salt and I was also drinking less water because I switched from a dissolving electrolyte to a pill. A few days ago, I had an almighty calf cramp when I was asleep. I had only ever had one that bad about 20 years ago. It put me out of action for the whole day, but I realised what I had been doing wrong and took action, quickening my recovery and improving my water and electrolyte intake.

I used to get an eye twitch every few days. It could last a few minutes or over an hour. I used to think it was purely stress related, but could happen at any time no matter what was going on. Someone mentioned eye twitching a week ago and it just hit me than that I haven't had this happen since going carnivore. Maybe it was connecvted to low electrolytes. Not sure, but it's a positive, because it used to annoy the hell out of me.

Weight 95kg

On May 1st, I was down another kilo. Not much, but still in the right direction and despite an undisciplined month. I also had to buy some new jeans. I've gone from a 36" to a 32" because the larger ones were starting to look very roomy on me. I've also gone from a size XXL Tee to a Large. Pretty good progress there. I haven't recorded other measurements, because I get a different reading every time I take it….so I suck at measuring myself.

Medical

I had an ultrasound done a few weeks ago. My GP range me. All results were good with the exception of a fatty liver, tying in with the blood results I had got in February. The advice is lifestyle change and cutting out junk foods and sugars. I will need to improve my lack of activity, but on the diet side, I know I am doing much better. Colonoscopy to be done this week, then no more medical stuff until I have bloods done, maybe in July to compare with the results from February. I will have another ultrasound done in a year (suggested by GP) to see how it is doing.

neris

You shouldn't feel hungry on carnivore that you start eating junk. Getting fat adapted can take a while but the recommendation is to eat 3 high fat meals a day for a few weeks then cut that down to 2 or omad. Some good videos on YouTube that might be worth a look

SharkMX

OP my Dad had all of the ailments you mentioned there apart from the injuries. As well as carpel tunnel in both hands. He even used to get migraines and optical migraines. He tried all sorts of things for years. All sorts of diets, physio, even acupuncture. Nothing worked.

Eventually on the advice of a GP my aunt was dating for a while, he went on zinc and magnesium supplements to see if they helped at all. Within 6 months all of the ailments disappeared altogether. He is still taking the supplements and has had no issues in the last 4 years. Not even a headache. Carpal tunnel is gone altogether too.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148259#Comment_122148259

Agreed. The problem was that I wasn’t eating enough routinely and would occasionally be caught out feeling hungry. This meant I was more likely to make a bad decision. It’s a good learning experience though.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148372#Comment_122148372

Interesting. I had tried supplements in general in the past, including centrum, but would stop after a month with no changes.

With the carnivore diet, the changes happened really quickly. So, in my mind, it wasn’t because I was lacking in some vitamin/nutrient. I feel so much healthier now.

carrollsno1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122022171#Comment_122022171

How's things since on this WOE for you? Unfortunately I got a bit disheartened with the thread being closed and last year was a fairly **** year for me all round too I kept going fairly good at it until August time and was feeling pretty good, kept doing it in a half assed way until October. Between overtime and a long commute (in excess of 20hrs a week) for the bulk of the months running up to Christmas I was fucked and had no interest in continuing the WOE. I did get a fee week's in December where I was doing OMAD and saw an improvement In figure at the time however it wasn't suiting me with the commute and heavy workload at the time. I was just totally burnt out after a bad year.

I ate a meat heavy diet for the start of the year however I was still eating a lot of **** along with it and was fond of a takeaway at the weekend too. Towards the end of April I was heading away to college for 11 weeks (nearing the end of it now) and I said I'd cop myself on during that start afresh with a clean slate. I was 132kg at the start of college and the diet wasn't great I was easing into it slowly again,, started lifting weights no more than twice a week (short workouts to failure) and put up 2kg within 1 or 2 weeks at the start. Despite being told I was definitely a bit trimmer by my classmates/gym buds. I was also doing a regular running regime including two nights of steady running and one night of drills as well as a easy cycle at the weekends.

I then started doing a relaxed OMAD for Monday to Thursday with the weekends more laid back. I was eating 4 poached eggs and two rashers each morning while training and again kept getting comments about not being as bloated looking slimmer etc.

I then decided last week to do an extended water fast I was a bit optimistic and aimed for 96hrs and got to 55, I am going for 72 this week and will get there. By God what a quick way to notice a reduction in body fat within a week this was again pointed out to me too by my colleagues.

I listened to Eddie Abbew beforehand in regard to the fasting and said I'd give his method a go. I had promised to read Dr Shawn Bakers book last Summer however It was hard to find interest to read a book at the best of times. I finally got around to listening to it a few weeks ago and that has given me a kick to get back into it.

I still drink a few beers at the weekend, as myself and a friend who is also training and adjusting his diet agreed upon at the weekend its definitely one thing well never give up. The reason being we enjoy a drink and its not at a stage where we should be worried about our drinking plus we're still young aswell. I did give it up for 8 weeks the back end of last summer and I think it did me more harm than good in terms of living a more isolated life and the weekends felt a lot longer and boring too.

As far as results go I bought a shirt in the fall of the year last year which fit when I bought it although it wasn't loose but It wasn't real tight on me the time I bought it however it was getting tighter as time went on, I didn't wear it to a social event a month ago as I reckoned it was too tight at the time. I put it on last Friday and it was loose enough on me I could have nearly done with tucking It in. My face is not near as bloated looking as before, clothes fitting better and just a general all round good feeling the last few weeks tbh. I haven't weighed myself since I was 1354/135kg as I don't want to be disheartened if the results go the wrong way for me there however I will weigh myself at the end of my final week here.

One of the first places I also noticed a big change on my body was my forearms. They are gone a lot narrower and the veins are a lot more visible (not protruding however a lot more visible and a healthy looking under the skin. The veins on my hands are protruding more the last few weeks too.

As regards the future I return to work mid July I'm not going to be a hero between overtime and commuting and I reckon I will do OMAD with a feed of steak and duck eggs every evening Monday to Friday and relax a bit at the weekend. It's definitely an easier year for me to live this way and I will be making myself my number one priority going forward.

As regards the late reply I hadn't anything to report until now really.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122272058#Comment_122272058

Great that you are seeing some positive results! What I am learning is that if you stray and eat any carbs, it takes several days for that to clear the system. So, for me, weekend beers would be a complete no go.

I have also found that if I stray somewhat within a day or two, I feel mildly crampy and somewhat lethargic. It could be something as simple as eating a battered sausage 2 days in a row, where I might only have one every 2-3 weeks.

In any case, it is much better than the way I was before. I would eat takeaways several times a week. My weight was going up and my health was declining. I’ve really turned it around. My progress on the weight side is much slower now, but it is still coming down. It was down by another kilo on June 1st to 94kg.

I am doing nothing extra. No weights. No change to exercise. All this will come later. For now, it’s making my new diet permanent, rather than it being a diet, I want it to be MY diet. I’m still working out what that is going to look like and I will decide when I reach a targeted 90kg and maintain that for a month.

It doesn’t take much to start going in the wrong direction, so I am taking it slowly, month by month. Will probably get bloods done in July to compare what I was at the start of Feb.

I had a colonoscopy which yielded excellent results. I’ve no issues with passing stools either. It’s a non event, where before I suffered with regular loose stools requiring constant carrying of Imodium. I had a scan which revealed I have non-alcoholic fatty liver, so this will be re-checked in a year.

Overall, I am doing really, really good. I’m down from from a 36/38 waist to a 32/34. From a 2XL Tee to a L Tee. I look and feel healthy now.

NeutralHandle

That weight loss is insane. I might try doing this for a month or two to bring my weight into a healthier range.

I have reflux issues too. It can cause a chronic cough, so not surprising they both cleared up at the same time. I wonder if it was also causing the chest pain.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122272058#Comment_122272058

A water fast for a few days isn’t going to cause massive fat loss. You burned maybe 2700-3000 cal it’s a day. Even if most of that energy cane from fat stores, you’d be looking at may 1kg of fat burned in 3 days.

Any additional weight, or slimmer appearance is mostly dehydration.

carrollsno1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287413#Comment_122287413

Well I must be dehydrated so thanks for your input.

carrollsno1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122287413#Comment_122287413

1kg of fat gone after 3 days isn't bad going, keep it up through the year and it will all add up.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122272965#Comment_122272965

It's worth a try, but if you do it, you should prepare properly, or you will probably end up suffering. I would say the most important aspects are:

1. Eat plenty…don't starve yourself. On average, I have a 3 egg ham and chees omelette, plus bacon and sausage for breakfast. Then 1 or 2 rib-eye steaks for lunch/dinner. I'm sedentary, so this is plenty for me.
2. Electrolytes. I take an electrolyte tablet every morning. I also take a vitamin C dissolvable. I add Himalayan salt to my food. Steak is well seasoned for electrolytes. If you don't do this, you will feel awful and end up with leg cramps…ask me how I know!
3. Water. I try drink a liter per day. Helps when you have a water bottle.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122288049#Comment_122288049

1kg of fat is not bad over 3 days, but I think the important things are to keep on the same trajectory toward a healthy weight and the maintaining it. It really has to be the way you are, rather than the way you are right now. I hope you see great results regardless.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122288044#Comment_122288044

It’s not dehydration in a normal sense. Going going low/no carb means you use up glycogen stores. Around 600-750g worth, glycogen retains water in a 1:3 ratio. Meaning you drop 2.4-3kg when you deplete glycogen.

If you refuse carbs it would restore water. Many rapid diets fail to make that clear, people assume it’s fat, but then also assume the weight they rehydrate in future is “putting back on fat”. That misguided thinking is negative overall.

I’m putting you down saying it’s not fat. I’m clarifying so there’s no discouragement.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122288049#Comment_122288049

1kg of fat in 3 days is doable when close to fasting (7,700 calls total). But not sustainable long term.

1kg a week is still great weight loss. 1,100 deficit daily. Adds up over 6-12months.

...Ghost...

Month 5 Update

Still consistent with my meals. Electrolyte pill and vitamin C in the morning. Ham and Cheese Omelette for breakfast. Steak for Lunch/Dinner. Some cheddar cheese and 2 squares of 85% dark chocolate most evenings and about 2 cups of full milk. I haven't really had an appetite and when I get hungry, I will have extra.

My energy levels have been consistent, but I notice they dip if I veer off the healthier meat and opt to add a battered sausage or something like that into my diet more than once a week.

Weight dropped by another kilo to 93kg as of this morning, so still going in the right direction and nice and slowly just the way the body likes it. I don't think my measurements have changed in the month. Maybe the jeans are a little looser, but I don't care to measure it if I'm completely honest.

I'll be looking to have bloods taken this month to have my GP make a comparison between the start of this diet and the time the bloods are taken, so about 6 months. I'll report at the beginning of next month and will leave out further updates unless requested.

fits

would you consider introducing fruit and veg and whole grains at some stage? You can do these things without going back to previous diet.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122327034#Comment_122327034

I wouldn't rule it out, but I don't see the need to introduce anything into my diet, as I think I am getting everything I need. It's been 5 months and while that's a relatively short period of time in the grand scheme, I believe it's long enough to tell me that I am mostly getting it right without the fruit and veg and whole grains.

If I do introduce anything, I think I would go with foods that are "gifted" from trees/bushes if that makes sense. So, I would eat an Apple, but not the Leaf from the Apple tree. I would do it slowly and choose things I miss, like Strawberries, or Pineapples.

I'm not a die-hard dieter and I give myself some leeway. For example; today I was at Emerald/Tayto Park and I brought my cooked steak which had been cut into strips and put into a lunch box. I took along a piece of 85% dark chocolate and toward the end of the day, I had a small choc-chip Ben&Jerrys ice-cream in the tub.

If I was strict carnivore, animal only products all the time, I would definitely have achieved a goal to dip below 90kg 2 months ago, but then I suspect I would have had a high chance of falling off the wagon and going back to old ways. Giving myself some slack makes it easier to stay the course.

fits

It seems very extreme and unsustainable is all. Maybe it is for you. And maybe it’s not very healthy in longer term. Severe lack of fibre for one thing. And all those micronutrients in fruit and veg.

I’ve lost 10 kg over last six months and haven’t cut out any food groups and don’t go hungry either. I’m Focusing on lots of protein and fibre and cut out snacking. Well into normal bmi territory now. I lift weights too.

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122327174#Comment_122327174

I had concerns of lacking nutrients going into this, so I understand your point of view. It's also why I wanted to do it under the care of my GP and to have tests done to check my health. Since starting, I had bloods taken right away, followed by an ultra sound a couple of months ago and a colonoscopy about a month ago.

I'm not a fan of dieting and went into this only after doing my due diligence in so far as it was possible. What I found is that the diet and lifestyle is sustainable for other over many years (assuming some carnivore people are telling the truth) and for me, it has been transformational from day 1. I can't argue with the results and while I can't say for certain that I won't drop down dead from a heart attack in 2 years time as a direct result of not eating fruit and vegetables, I can say that I feel great now with all previous ailments gone now. My bowel movements are also regularised now, whereas before, the only regular thing about my bowels was that I had frequent problems. I carried Imodium in my wallet!! Not anymore.

I have eaten healthy diets for weeks and months at a time before and I saw some results, but I still had my ailments. For example, I had real Muesli, or Porridge, or eggs for breakfast. A salad, or tuna/turkey wrap for lunch and a wholesome, home cooked dinner, with yoghurt and fruit for supper, cutting out all junk. I focused on weight as a marker for success and I did see some weight loss, up to about 4-5kg, but with no change to my energy levels, or ailments. The only thing that has worked and has been sustainable for me is what I am doing now. The initial results were huge and they have maintained. I haven't changed anything else for 2 reasons.

1. I wanted to be sure that any results were purely diet related.
2. I'm not really into change, so exercise and weight lifting is something I will have to build up to.

If my body was missing something, I like to think I would have seen some sign by now. I'll keep going this road unless I have good reason not to.

PatMurphy021987

What did you did on the diet, can you have tea with milk?

...Ghost...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122397054#Comment_122397054

If going strictly carnivore, the only allowances are animal products. Milk would be OK, but not tea. I'm not that strict about it. I do what works for me and it keeps me going in the right direction.