The carnivore diet, an increasingly popular dietary approach, involves consuming primarily animal products. Many people are intrigued by the potential benefits, which they have learned about through firsthand accounts or online testimonials. This article examines the carnivore diet, how it works, its potential benefits and drawbacks, and what results you might expect after 90 days.
What is the Carnivore Diet?
The carnivore diet is an all-meat diet. With the carnivore diet, you focus on meat recipes and snacks, consuming only animal foods and products. Everything else is restricted. That means no fruits, no vegetables, no bread or grains, and limiting your dairy intake to low-lactose foods. Anything that comes from the animal kingdom is fair game. It also includes eggs and dairy products like cheese, milk, and butter. This approach eliminates plant-based foods. However, it allows for a high-fat intake.
How the Carnivore Diet Works
Following a high-fat carnivore diet means consuming virtually zero carbs and fiber. As a result, your body turns to using fat and protein for energy. The carnivore diet plan works by eliminating all carbohydrates and forcing your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. This triggers several physiological changes. First, your insulin levels drop significantly, which promotes fat burning and can lead to rapid initial weight loss. Additionally, by eating only animal products, you're consuming high-quality protein and natural fats that promote satiety.
First and foremost, you’re avoiding so many problematic plant-based foods which are notorious for causing digestive problems. But, you’re also reaping all the benefits of animal-based nutrition.
Potential Benefits of the Carnivore Diet
Many people credit the carnivore diet for substantial transformations. Here are some potential benefits:
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- Weight Management: When you're fat-adapted - also known as being in ketosis - your metabolism can use both dietary and stored body fat for fuel. In addition, fat and protein are very satiating. You may go for several hours without thinking about food, and studies have also shown that becoming fat-adapted improves your hunger hormones, further regulating your appetite.
- Reduced Inflammation: Inflammation can be exacerbated when carbohydrate-rich food groups are consumed. Having less inflammation may result in fewer aches and pains.
- Hormonal Function: Healthy fats are responsible for optimal hormonal function, including testosterone, and diets that are high in healthy fats have been shown to improve testosterone levels.
- Improved Mental Clarity: Many meat eaters have reported increased focus, energy, and mental clarity. Studies have shown that ketones have neuroprotective properties, and the brain actually prefers fats for energy over carbohydrates.
- Resolution of Intestinal Issues: Many carnivore meal plan evangelists note that intestinal issues are resolved after beginning a carnivore diet plan. This may be true due to the elimination of typical inflammatory foods like sugar, lactose, or anything else your body may be sensitive too.
- Improved Mood: Many people have reported an improved mood and a more positive outlook on life since starting the carnivore diet.
Potential Drawbacks of the Carnivore Diet
There are some side effects of carnivore diet that you should be aware of. This is known as the “carnivore flu” and is just the result of your body adjusting to burning fat for energy rather than carbs like it’s used to. There’s also the risk of nutritional deficiencies like magnesium, potassium, or certain vitamins. You might encounter social challenges as well, like dining out or attending gatherings and not seeing anything that aligns with the rules of carnivore diet.
- Nutrient Deficiencies: Organ meats and eggs are about your only option apart from supplementation to get the Vitamin C you need.
- Lack of Fiber: Fiber is only found in plants, and it contributes to healthy bowel movements and good gut bacteria.
- Increased Intake of Sodium and Saturated Fats: Eating only meat and dairy will almost certainly increase your intake of sodium and saturated fats.
- Divergence from Dietary Guidelines: A carnivore diet meal plan for beginners and experts significantly diverges from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommends that adults get 45% to 65% of their daily calories from carbohydrates.
Getting Started with the Carnivore Diet
Getting started with the carnivore diet plan is extremely simple. Whether it’s a carnivore diet for beginners or experts, it doesn't get more straightforward, and there's no need to over-complicate it. Get your blood work done before you start a carnivore diet meal plan and again after approximately 2 months in. Everyone has different metabolic needs, so it's important to know if the diet is working well with your body. If you’re on a carnivore diet meal plan for beginners, you'll likely experience fatigue, headaches, and other flu-like symptoms during the first week of the diet. You'll have some days where you want to eat non-stop and other days where you won't even think about food. A carnivore meal plan makes your weekly grocery haul extremely easy. Your main calorie source of your carnivore diet meals should come from fatty cuts of grass-fed meat like NY strip steak, porterhouse, ribeye, 80/20 ground beef, t-bone, bacon, pork chops, and flank steak. Just like meat, aim for the fattiest fish you can purchase. Salt, pepper, herbs, and spices are allowed. Stick to simple ingredients that don't contain any sugar or carbohydrates. Added sugars across the board are out! Even though the carnivore diet meal plan is meat-based, that doesn't mean any meat is on the table. No bread or grains across the board! Nuts, seeds, and legumes aren't allowed either. Anything else that isn't meat!
The 90-Day Carnivore Diet Challenge
Many people undertake a 90-day carnivore diet challenge to experience the potential benefits. Eddie Hall, the 2017 World’s Strongest Man, embarked on a 90-day journey of eating almost exclusively meat and animal foods to achieve a mental and physical reset.
Eddie Hall's Experience
At the start of the experiment, Hall weighed 167.9 kilograms (370.1 pounds) and had 27.1% body fat. By the end of the 90 days, he:
- Lowered his body weight from 167.9 kilograms (370 pounds) to 159 kilograms (350.5 pounds).
- Reduced his body fat percentage by 7.2%, from 27.1% to 19.9%.
Hall also experienced tremendous benefits in the gym. His strength increased significantly. However, bloodwork showed plaque buildup, attributable to increased LDL cholesterol in the blood, and high ferritin levels, an indicator of excess iron. These issues were addressed by increasing vitamin K, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin C intake and reducing daily food consumption.
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Real-Life Transformations
Here are some real-life transformations after following the carnivore diet for 90 days:
- Christina (age 52): Healed SIBO and insomnia and lost 25 lbs.
- Individual: Lost 15 pounds in 90 days without exercising. Another person lost 34 pounds in 90 days.
Personal Experiences
One individual shared their experience after two weeks on the 90-day carnivore diet challenge:
- Improved mood and a more positive outlook on life.
- Nightly acid reflux disappeared.
- Other aches and pains started lessening.
- A long-term rash/eczema started fading away.
- No hunger between meals and no desire to snack.
Another person reported sleeping better, experiencing more energy, and losing 15 pounds in 90 days without exercising.
What Happens to the Body After 1 Month on the Carnivore Diet?
Here are some of the main changes that can occur in your body after 1 month on the Carnivore Diet:
- Weight Loss or Maintenance: Many individuals experience weight loss or stabilization.
- Increased Energy Levels: Cutting carbohydrates can increase your energy levels and improve mental clarity due to stable blood sugar levels and reduced inflammation.
- Adaptation Period: The first days/ weeks are known as the adaptation period during which your body tries to adapt to the new eating habits and minimize carbohydrates. So, some individuals may experience fatigue, headaches, diarrhea, constipation, or cravings. These side effects usually fade away within a few days to a week.
- Changes in Blood Markers: Blood lipid profiles can change, with some people experiencing improvements in cholesterol levels. It's essential to monitor these changes closely and consult with a healthcare professional if needed.
- Ketosis: Due to the minimal intake of carbohydrates, the body can enter a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of glucose. This can lead to increased ketone production, which boosts weight loss and improves mental clarity.
How Long Should You Stay on the Carnivore Diet?
You shouldn’t expect to see or feel jaw-dropping carnivore diet results 30 days in. While some adherents do feel the difference after the first month, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The real magic comes from consistency for a few months. Think about it like this - you came to carnivore because you wanted to make a change in your physical or mental health (maybe both?). On the other hand, maybe you are hoping to follow a more hybrid carnivore diet style, reintroducing certain foods after waiting a while to get a new baseline for health. If you’re going to go through the work of learning how to do this diet and navigate the adaptation phase, you should plan on committing for at least 30 days. This is a long enough window to give your gut a complete reset by eliminating irritants like plant lectins and oxalates. But, transitioning to carnivore from the standard American diet can be a shock to your system. Reverting away from the diet just a month or two in can send your body back into shock. Think about how many years you’ve been eating a standard American diet and consuming processed foods. It’s going to take time to undo all that damage. Chronic conditions or more significant health goals will take much longer to achieve.
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There’s technically no need to cycle off if you’re not experiencing any adverse effects from the regimen. This is especially true for those using carnivore diet for autoimmune disease - like lupus, arthritis, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and other similar conditions. Once you make it to the point that you’ve been on the diet for 6-12 months it’s unlikely you’d want to cycle off anyway. Just be sure you’re taking steps to address the potential drawbacks of long-term carnivore dieting, most notably, nutrient deficiencies. That being said, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer for how long to stay on carnivore diet. It’s entirely up to you.
Tips for Success on the Carnivore Diet
- Start Slowly: The worst thing you can do is jump into carnivore cold turkey. You’ll feel miserable and revert back to your old eating habits. Slow and steady wins the race here, as gradually eliminating non-carnivore foods eases the “adaptation phase” we mentioned earlier. Start with leaner meats and smaller portions before working your way up to bigger portions of fatty cuts.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- Eat a Variety of Meats: Rotate between steaks, chicken thighs, lamb chops, and seafood for variety. Try preparing them in different ways as well. Slow-cooking, grilling, or air-frying all bring out unique flavors and textures.
- Monitor Your Body's Reaction: If you do decide to transition away from carnivore, follow the exact opposite approach you did while ramping up. Our advice is to only bring back one new food at a time so you can monitor your body’s reaction. If nothing adverse happens, great - maybe that specific food wasn’t a problem in the first place!
- Consider Meat Chips: Don’t forget to try our meat chips if you haven’t already, as they’ll be a complete game-changer for this journey. We’ve sourced the meat from the most elite, ethical regenerative farms in the nation, too, so you can feel good about indulging in this delicious, meaty treat.
- Consult with Healthcare Professionals: The health effects of a carnivore diet meal plan remain controversial among nutrition experts. Most registered dietitians express concern about its long-term sustainability and potential nutrient deficiencies.
80/20 Rule
The 80/20 rule in a carnivore diet meal plan typically refers to eating 80% red meat and 20% other animal products like fish, eggs, or dairy. Some followers use it to describe being strict 80% of the time while allowing small deviations 20% of the time.
Sample Carnivore Diet Meal Plan
A typical day on a carnivore diet meal plan might include ribeye steak and eggs for breakfast, salmon for lunch with a snack like meat sticks, and ground beef patties for dinner. Focus on fatty cuts of grass-fed meat, wild-caught fish, and pastured eggs. The simplest carnivore diet meal plan is: eat only animal products, drink water, and eliminate everything else. Season with salt and pepper.