A how-to guide
The Carnivore Diet for beginners
Eating an animal-based diet for the past three years is the single most beneficial thing I have done for my body and mind since I can remember.
I started the Carnivore diet after looking at the Instagram page of Dr. Shawn Baker MD. This dude is 53, a world record holder in indoor rowing and an overall badass, that can do things, not even a 25-year-old young man can do.
All he eats is meat, eggs, and fish occasionally.
Background
I am going to preface this article by saying that yes, I used to be dogmatic about this way of life — let me be clear its not just a diet but a way of life. If anybody expressed any views to the contrary — which almost everyone did — I would just brush off their comments with an air of superiority or give them a long lecture about how plants and processed foods were destroying their lives. If you have even a small understanding of human nature you will realize that this arguing got me nowhere, and only made people more defensive.
So, here I am going not going to give any advice on what you should or should not eat. I am also not making grand claims that this is the perfect species-specific diet for humans. However, what I will say is that if you decide to give this a go, it will 100% change your physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. All I ask is that you reserve critical judgment for 30 days, just 30 days out of your life to reap potentially life-changing benefits.
So, let’s begin.
The Basics
‘Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.’
Albert Einstein
At its core, the carnivore diet is incredibly simple. Just eat meat, water, and salt. I understand that this is too extreme an undertaking and people have social and work lives where this model of eating can be unfeasible.
You must ask yourself how much your health and wellbeing mean to you.
Getting started
I just went cold turkey. I decided to eat animal products exclusively. My diet consisted of ground beef, which is cheap everywhere, eggs, and I liberally seasoned my food with salt. Salt is extremely important on a diet that is devoid of carbohydrates. When carbohydrates are removed from the diet insulin is lowered which results in the loss of sodium through urine. Inadequate salt intake can result in loss of energy and general feelings of lethargy. This is sometimes referred to as ‘keto flu’, and it is only a temporary shift from burning carbohydrates to burning fat for fuel.
Dr. Baker suggests 2 pounds of animal products a day for men and 1 to 1.5 pounds for women. Initially, there is no need to track calories or anything like that. This diet is all about simplifying your life and breaking the habit of using food as entertainment. Later on, if you have a specific goal in mind the macros can be shifted around to suit any goal whether it is body recomposition or gaining muscle and strength.
Nose to Tail
I would highly suggest eating a nose to tail carnivore diet, which includes plenty of organ meats. Organ meats are some of the most nutrient-dense foods out there. Nutrients found in organ meats are highly absorbable by the human body unlike many plants derived nutrients which also come with bundled with anti-nutrients further reducing the bioavailability of these crucial nutrients.
Here is a list of organ meats that I consume:
1. Ox Heart (great co Q10 content, very lean, cheap)
2. Lamb liver (not as strong a taste as ox liver but it is a powerhouse of nutrients)
3. Lamb brain (Great omega 3 content providing a huge amount of DHA)
Try as many organs as you like and settle on a few which agree with your taste buds and consume them regularly. If the thought of all these organs meats is too much to stomach, I highly suggest ox heart. You can cook it like a steak and season with herbs and spices.
Exercise on a carnivore diet
Initially, you will feel a little slow in the gym. Strength in the weight room will be lower and over explosiveness will be reduced, but it will come back in time and then some. You must stick with it. I am sorry I wish I could tell you differently, but since the body is transitioning from burning carbohydrates for energy to burning fat, there will be an initial dip in strength. Rest assured if you stick with it the changes will be well worth it as documented by thousands of people on websites such as MeatRx and the World Carnivore Tribe fakebook page.
Many athletes are already reaping massive benefits in performance by eating a ketogenic diet which is usually higher in fat than a carnivore diet. A carnivore diet is higher in protein than a standard ketogenic which goes some way in replenishing glycogen stores.
Understand: your body will always need some glucose to function optimally. This glucose does not have to come from carbohydrates as the body can make its glucose quite comfortably from protein and fat via gluconeogenesis.
Mental wellbeing
There are numerous anecdotal stories from people around the world who report a general sense of calm and emotional stability after starting the carnivore diet. These changes can sometimes be very dramatic and immediate. I too can report that these are not just musings of a fringe group but results that are very much quantifiable. I used to be a very emotional and sensitive person taking everything anyone said to heart and I was also quite prone to having episodes of anxiety and depression.
I can’t say for certain what has bought about the change, it might have something to do with the absence of blood sugar spikes which follow a carbohydrate-rich meal. These spikes are inevitably followed by a dip in blood sugar which can make you irritable at all the wrong times. I believe this is the reason everyone is so agitated around lunchtime.
This brings me to one of the greatest benefits of the carnivore diet: freedom.
Freedom from the constant grazing and fantasizing about food. You will learn to see food for what it is, that is energy and nothing else. Once you eat a nice big carnivore meal you might not be hungry for the rest of the day, which will free up time for other worthwhile pursuits.
Becoming a savage
That’s how other people might view you, to be honest. Be ready for many strange looks and sometimes well-meaning lectures from friends, family, and your local butcher. Like I said please reserve critical judgment and intellectual arguments for 30 days and give it a go. You can only approve or disapprove of something if you have tried it, and given it a fair shot. After that, if it's not for you move on. Having an open mind and trying new things in itself will give you more confidence.
The change will be for the better.
