Scott F.

Nice post. I was trying to explain blood sugar and the dawn effect to a co-worker that has shown interests. I used the 'circadian rhythm'. Guilty, as charged. Scott

@Terry Geezy was spot on with us being individuals. I upped my protein to build muscle and although it did not totally zap my energy I did gain some weight. What I have found that I do better with a higher fat content. I don't measure or track but if I make a concerted effort for fat intake I feel like my overall energy level is higher and I get in and out of fasting much better. That is a pretty good price on the suet. Around here is averages close to $2/lb. I buy a ten pound bag every week. I get some and the dogs get the rest. Me and the dogs get excited on that day. Scott

great story and welcome back. I think most of us travel down a similar path. I got lucky and just stumbled onto the health benefits. I was 306 the day I started and into the 320's before that. Once the health benefits started rolling in I used that as my motivation to keep going. For us, it is just my wife and I. She has been very supportive in my efforts and even tried carnivore a couple three times. I can't imagine if we had several in the house to feed and "short order cook" would be the apt title trying to make everyone happy. I commend you for the effort it takes with multiple family members eating from the same kitchen. I guess if you have gotten the family to lessen the carbs that can be considered a good start. I have evolved into a big fan of fasting. I am now trying to figure out what length works best for me and then fit that into my rotating shift schedule. I am sure the benefits from ketosis and autophagy and HGH and stem cells is there as advertised but I am most pleased with the energy levels toward the end of the fast and the two-three-four days afterward. It has become a bi-monthly rejuvenation of sorts. I just went over a year and I am starting to feel like I have a lifestyle over a diet plan. For me, I think that is a huge hump. Pretty much all diets work for a stretch but just about all diets fail over time. Successes are found in lifestyle changes. I think I am getting there. Again, nice re-introduction. Keep pushing. Wishing you the very best in your efforts. Scott

Not many wild boars per se but the feral pigs multiply faster than most anywhere can eradicate them. I went to SC once and a farmer showed me a field they had planted beans in a few weeks earlier. The feral pigs could drop their nose in like a plow, like a rooter, and dig the field up at night, almost as fast as it was planted during the day. The destruction is massive. I am no expert nor a connoisseur but the meat is different based on geographic location. The Texas pig I had was a bit 'gamier' than the South Carolina pig. I am guessing it was far more to eat in the bean fields and corn fields in SC than the west Texas area we visited way back when. In Texas I am told they cover much more ground, maybe slightly leaner, just guessing. In South Carolina they will latch onto an area and consider it a food plot til its gone and move just far enough to gorge again. Somewhat 'fattier'(Again, only four or five pigs from each area, so I am no expert) My buddy that turned us on to the hunt said we had to go to the easter part of Louisiana across the Gulf states and into Florida to get the Texas to Carolina cross. It wasn't exactly farm raised hogs/pigs but it was still pretty good. And again, its bacon. My Pops use to say someone could make a cardboard sandwich taste good with three strips of bacon. Scott

Funny. When I was a kid my best friend's dad would eat a chunk of raw hamburger while making patties for the grill. His wife use to tell him he was going to have worms as well. Scott

Good to know. The word polyproline jumped right out to me. We use polyproline glycol in the jackets of our tanks to cool them down and there are many forms of polyproline anti-freezes out there as well. Kinda makes you want to go back to clay pots. A little dirt never hurt anyone. LOL Scott

It is interesting to read the WHY's and HOW's when it comes to carnivore. My son also introduced it to me, but I only seen it as a logical means of weight loss. The health benefits were more of a shocker. Thus far it has had a pretty good 'bonus plan' on top of the weight loss. Scott

Left over rib eye, four fried eggs and maybe a 1/4 stick of butter. Weekend dayshifts usually are just whatever is left and whatever I can throw together. Not much thought goes into the weekend dayshifts. Scott

Just out of curiosity, how did you learn about carnivore? What made you think it would be the path forward? Scott

Agreed. I came to carnivore with zero health expectations other than losing weight and maybe the benefits from losing weight. I went from 'having no idea' to life changing results out of the blue. Talking about a pleasant surprise. When someone seems genuinely interested my spiel starts off with, "If you had told me this same story 12 months ago, I would be thinking you are full of it". Then lead into what it did for me in relative short order. I also direct them to the influencers and videos. Most continue on their path and in turn, I continue on mine. Scott

Agreed. It is one thing to lead by example and an even better to share one's knowledge. I try not to make much about it when I get 'corrected' on my way of thinking/eating. I provide feedback when I can but if the wall has been built I don't spend an awful lot of time trying to break down barriers. I'm coming up on my semi-annual visit with my neurologist and our biggest conversation will be around my immunoglobulin numbers, my immune system and have I 'healed' enough to discontinue the infusions. My last bloodwork said I was really close to being 'normal'. I'm interested to see where we land. I have been lucky with the two Neurologists I see. Both are super-supportive of my carnivore efforts. My primary is pretty much 'if it is working for you, then it is working for me' approach. If you think the people in this group are anti-statins, you should listen to his spiel. If you didn't know him or have contact with him, you would think it was an all-out scare tactic. He is that much against them due to long term neurological and brain impact. I alternate visits between the two but my second is participating in research studies for MS at the Mayo clinic. The Mayo clinic is not onboard with the carnivore approach but the number of people in the MS community seeing positive results with carnivore is ever increasing. One of the interesting facts is that in the 50's one of the most successful treatments for MS was called the 'red meat diet'. It was basically the Lion diet before it got the catchy name. Dr. Chaffeee speaks to this in one of his carnivore-auto immune videos. My neurologist actually checks in on me and my progress in between visits. She asked if she could present my story to her colleagues even asking if another neurologist could sit in on my last appointment. I feel like I'm in a really good place with neurology. My primary family doctor is on board with the results and not totally against carnivore, but he is not a fan of my LDL. He is not a fan of the number of eggs I eat per day/per week. I also enjoy the board here. I am a much bigger fan of a person's personal story as I am 'study for this and study for that'. It is almost like there is a study to support whatever your persuasion is about just about any choice you make. I often chuckle at how two people from the same medical school, who received the same education/training on a 'scientific' subject can have such polar opposite opinions. And then can deliver 'scientific studies' to support whichever side of the fence they are standing. Like, 2=+2=4, regardless of what side of the fence one resides. I guess I amjust not smart like that. I can relate better to someone's personal experience. This type forum works well for me. Scott

Congrats. Thanks for all your input on the board. I have learned a lot from your posts. Continued successes. Scott

I went what I thought was cold turkey. My food selections were 'cold turkey' but I was using water flavoring packets as I was not a big water drinker prior to carnivore. In time I stopped using the water packets. I think I weaned myself into carnivore via the sugar in the packets. I didn't have a lot of issues with withdrawals/cravings. Muy issues were around the lack of salt/electrolytes. Once I got the salt/electrolytes in check, then adjusted the fat content up, it was a rather easy transition. Goodluck Carnovorenewbie. Hopefully today is better than yesterday. Take small steps and celebrate those smaller steps. The little accomplishments add up to big accomplishments. Best of luck. hang in there. Scott

Thanks for the replies. It has been quite the journey and most rewarding. I "celebrated" with back-to-back nights of big ol' honking rib eyes. Probably the best birthday cake I ever had (in more ways than one!) Thanks. Scott

Today marks one full year on carnivore. It has been quite the journey and more amazingly beneficial than anything I could have ever imagined. I started off with carnivore as being just a weight loss hack. I had no idea there would be benefits other than those associated with weight loss. I didn't bother with any of the research on carnivore, the best ways to go about things, I just plunged right in headfirst. It didn't take too long to start learning and figuring things out. (some even the hard way) I am extremely happy with the measurables. I started at 306lbs with my pant size 44-46. This morning, I weighed 213lbs, losing 93lbs in 12 months and a pant size of 38. If I hadn't started eating for grams of protein per pound the loss would have been well under 100 but I'm good with where and how I landed at 12 months. I have never had blood pressure or glucose issues and the only movement there is my blood sugar is now in the 80's most everyday whereas it was in the 90's before carnivore. My blood pressure has been a consistent 110/60. My cholesterol has improved some as my HDL is staying sort of constant, but my LDL dropped by 35 points on my last visit. The biggest benefit is that I have NMO/SD, an autoimmune disease that had me on pain and inflammation medicine for just over six years. The prednisone and Neurontin sort of got me thru some rough times when the pain/inflammation was slowing me down. After 4-6 weeks on a strict carnivore diet I found I didn't need the medicine anymore. By the end of that sixth week, I had stopped taking the pain and inflammation medicine altogether. Being pain free is an incredible thing to experience and to get there without a daily medication is really hard to describe. I could not have been any more surprised and could not have been any more pleased with the first six weeks of carnivore. I'm in the gym three to four times per week and the lifting is starting to grow both in weight and volume. It feels like I am performing better at 55 than 25. A big thanks to the members of the board and sharing their experiences and thoughts. I'm a bigger fan of hearing someone's personal experiences over a medical study where I have to wonder if the backer had a monetary interest in the outcome of the research or whether the control subjects were really controlled subjects. I can relate to another person's story more than that of a bunch of doctors and control subjects. I really appreciate the exchange of information as it has helped me get over some obstacles here and there. I'm still learning. After 12 months I think I am easing into carnivore becoming a life style vs. being a weight loss hack. Still, there is work to be done. Scott

Yep. Good to know. I don't have them that often and usually they are somewhat self inflicted for me. I get really busy at work and don't make it a point to drink enough fluid during the day. The cramps remind me of my forgetfulness. LOL Good information. Scott

Just like new, the first steps can be the hardest. A few things to keep in mind. Hydration is paramount. Carbs require a lot of water. If you have stopped the carbs your body is using them up as that has been the fuel source prior to carnivore. In turn, there may be the need for more water. One thing to offset that other than water intake is increasing your fat content. Fat burns better than carbs, requires less water and is an over-all better energy source. Next would be the individuality of most every thing health related. Going cold-turkey carnivore may not work for you. You may need to ease into the diet and wean yourself off the carbs and sugars. I never like using these words as they carry a lot of negativity, but they are adequate and accurate. You are having withdrawals and de-toxing. Coming off a dumpster diet can be hard. It comes with cravings, and perceived hunger that is your brain telling your body to get back to the status-quo. Good luck. This is a good place to drop by and share your experiences. Although we are all individuals odds are what ever you are experiencing more than likely there is someone here who has worked thru the same things. You can lean on that. Good luck. Higher fats, moderate protein, salt/electrolytes and hydration. Keep pushing. Scott

We had two in town and both have since closed. One was the Oak Grove Market. They butchered in one part of the building and another part those same meats were cooked and served. We shopped there a couple times per week and ate lunch there at least once per week. The second was called "Supply Line". Their meat selection was tremendous and if they didn't have what you were looking for they would track it down and it would be there the next time. Even for a local, family-owned business they kept their prices down and relied on service and quality to offset the big box stores. They were able to do that for years and years. I miss both those places. We now have one 20+ miles away that is 'from the field to your table' and their meats are incredible. Expensive over time, but incredible. Everything is high, and if they bought high and sold low, they would be out of business in short order. In some slight mental justification, I shop there because I have saved money just eating meats and secondly, they are local, and family owned. Maybe the third, the young man that opened it is maybe 26-27 years old and when he interacts with customers you would think he was the 75 year old farmer from down the road that watched everyone grow up. An old soul. Our pork is from out back to inside, only a few hundred feet from the door. Eggs the same. Scott

I go back in a couple weeks and I may be having that same conversation with the Rituxin. Since the onset in 2018 I can feel the difference between having the infusion, the next three months, and then the last two or so before the next one. The last month or so before the infusion I get a little run down, the fatigue sort of returns and I have been susceptible to most anything coming down the pipe. I was a frequent flyer during covid with and without positive tests. The last time I didn't really didn't get the run down feeling the last month or so, (five months on carnivore) and this time I'm as energetic as all get out. I'm stacking night shifts like cord wood and going to the gym consistently. I can say I have not felt better in a really long time, and especially since being diagnosed is 2018. Tomorrow is one year. My last blood work suggests I am on the cusps of having a normal immune system. If it tracks accordingly the next test should be "in the green". I get that there is a lot of negativity toward the state/approach of the current medical system and I understand the profit taking precedence over overall health. Nothing hard to understand there. But at the same time, I am both thankful and appreciative for the treatments I received. Good or bad, it got me to a point where I was still kicking to make a better decision. The alternative would not have ended well. Scott

I'm not sure it is an amount to be concerned with the way it reads. I had not thought about it years but it was a staple as a kid. Fried spam with eggs was almost a go-to. I have not had it in years. The next trip into the grocery store I am going to venture up the 'can' aisle for the first time in a long time. LOL Scott

The same. If I were single or if we cooked separate meals I would go straight red meats. I can actually feel a difference the few times I did red meats for a week to ten days. My wife does a ton to support my carnivore eating so mixing in chicken and fish here and there is a pretty good trade-off. Scott

As I learn more and more, this statement is incredibly accurate. I feel like the medicines saved me and I also feel like they kept me going. I am not sure if they did any harm, maybe, maybe not. I do believe 'keeping me going' and 'on the hook' are really similar. With all that, I am really appreciative of where I am today. Scott

True. I truly believe there is no financial future with cures. I'm sure there have been a few that cured the common cold but not that I am total conspiracy theorist, but I'm guessing they died a mysterious death or wound up in an unmarked grave. I still believe in the benefits of modern medicine I just have a bigger belief that the medicine is the stopping point for most doctors and most people. For me, it took me years to punish my body with a dumpster diet to develop all the issues I had coming into carnivore. I was diagnosed in 2018 and the pain management medicines and the infusions kept me going. If someone is rushed into the emergency room with life threatening issues, like blood pressure or glucose or cardiac type issue, the advances of modern medicine can save their life with basically an immediate response. My issue is that is where the treatment stops for most. You are now on this medicine forever and we are not going to figure out the root cause and get you off the medicine. I didn't know about carnivore in 2018 so I was thankful that the medicines kept me around for what turned out to be the next six years. I started carnivore as a weight loss hack and had no idea it would provide any other benefit. The weight peeled off just as advertised. As I read and learned I thought most of the stories on boards like, and youtube, and etc, were pretty much full of it. Click the button below, or buy this product, etc, etc. I'm a nay-sayer at heart. As I started to need my medicine less and less, and (I'm sort of slow) putting two and two together, I figured out that the things I had eliminated from my diet could have been my problem all along. Although I am super appreciative of the medicines that saved me, I do wish I had dug deeper way back when and figured this out 6+ years ago. Being off "supposed life long medicines' is an incredible feeling. I appreciate the advances in the short term but most would appreciate them/the process even more if the health system pushed things to the next step. As you stated, all the money is in continued treatment. Scott

....if you read it on the internet it has to be true..... Scott

Great story. Congrats on the victory. Big picture for me, it is just crazy to me at times how with all the advances in modern medicine we find the answer in a ribeye. Scott