Scott F.

I'm not where I want to be but really grateful for where I am right now. I have lost 60lbs/120 days (62 yesterday but there was a Hot Sauce festival near here and a lot of food trucks. I walked and walked til the sniff test said pull in. First trip was a rack of 8 large shrimp off the grill. The vendor was thrown for a loop when I bought the shrimp but declined on his "famous sauce" at the Hot Sauce festival. As we walked the sniff test pulled me over to a pork truck. I ate a pint of chopped pork BBQ. Again, the lack of sauce was damn near frowned upon, LOL) The last few days I have noticed the three-to-four-mile walks are finishing up a few minutes early. I'm feeling better while moving at a better pace. Along the way I do squats and the second half of a burpee, I walk a few feet and then do ten push-ups. Today I did 8 sets on the walk for a total of 95 squats and 80 push-ups. It is actually getting easier. Still no need for the pain nor the inflammation medicine. The bloodwork last week was not all that bad. Of course, I wanted world class results after 100 days, but all things considered I'm rather happy with those results. I stumbled upon a doctor who seems more excited about my results than I am, even to the point she promised to be well versed for our next visit in Oct/Nov. My next step is to figure out to get to only red meat, salt and water for a stretch. The wife not being carnivore offers up a bit of a challenge but maybe with some pre-cooking/re-heating I will be able to figure it out. Sort of using the board as a journal. My apologies for blabbing. Scott

Congrats on the progress. I hit some energy issues early on but for me it was fats and electrolytes. The weight was falling really fast as I was on a pound a day stretch for a hair over 30 days. My guess is as became more and more fat adaptive I needed more electrolytes, maybe more fat and not as much lean protein. Since I didn't read any instructions early on I stumbled through the first month or so. I'm much heavier on the fats now and I use the electrolyte solution to salt my food, sometimes sort of heavy. Since, my energy levels have been far above where they were pre-carnivore. Congrats on the new pup. We lost our English Bulldog after 16.5 years just this past week. I had a recliner, not sure of the brand, but it was called the beast. She would jump into the recliner, wedge herself in and the three of us, me, her and the recliner, would totally ruin a Saturday. Good times. At some point the innocence and energy of a new puppy will be a good thing for us too... Best of luck and congrats. Scott

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/webcontent/web-content/vi-AN1qqhjkQ%2FW2yA?vid=mUuie1W2NqE&provider=yt&ocid=msedgdhp&pc=HCTS&cvid=832e739c053541a28cc240cb4a5278d4&ei=198 This one popped up earlier. Scott

I just turned 55. I started May 8th. I have an autoimmune disease called NMO/SD, similar to Multiple Sclerosis. Withing three to four weeks on the diet I found I no longer needed the pain and inflammation medicine I had been on since 2018. I started off at 306 and this morning I was 244. 62lbs in less than four months. I only have positives thus far. I had some loose stool issues in the beginning but not really any different than any 'hard switch' in a diet. I didn't have the 'carnivore flu' like some do. All positives. Good luck. This is a pretty good place to learn and ask questions, at least I like hearing from real people vs. reading medical studies. (it seems they all have an agenda). Scott

I'm eating meats, salt and water. The variety I get is because my wife is not digging the carnivore approach. I try to stay heavy on the red fatty meats and my variety comes when she can't/won't do red meats that night. Lat night was grilled salmon and shrimp. I have an autoimmune disease called NMO/SD, really similar to Multiple Sclerosis, but it attacks the eyes. The lesions and infusions are really similar. I do feel like I do better on red meats than other meats. After about three to four weeks I no longer needed my pain or inflammation (gabapentin and prednisone since 2018) Like Bob said, try to cook/prepare the same meats in different ways. I like burger but a lot of times I grind my own adding more fat. Instead of a 73/27 burger I go 60/40 and even made some 50/50 burgers. I liked them a lot but it might be too much for some. I grill them at times, pan fry them in a skillet and sometimes I make it lot taco meat and add cheese/eat it out of a bowl. As of late I have been on beef riblets (Sam's Club) and they are now my new 'go to'. They are fatty, cook rather quickly/easily, and taste amazing. I then keep the bones and make a bone broth to drink or cook with at a later time. Another route is youtube. It seems like there a million carnivore recipes on there. I have planned to build a carnivore pizza for the longest but can't ever seem to get that done. Best of luck with the new approach. Thoughts and prayer to you and yours. Scott

I have had one appointment since starting. My regular family doctor was out and the new doctor filled in for my appointment. She was super supportive. It seemed like I did most of the talking and she seemed really interested. She told me she was not completely familiar with the diet but she would be well versed on the next appointment. She also said that she was not a doctor who thought everything needed a pill. She was impressed with my results and even asked if she could add a couple more things to my next set of labs to help her understand. I went in expecting a lecture on how this approach is a horrible idea. To my surprise, she said people having been curing, as well as creating disease, with food since the dawn of time. I told my wife this doctor is going to be my new doctor. My first was very positive. My next appointment is with my neurologist in November. We will see. Scott

I'm not sure I changed anything. I feel like my salt and water intake has been as normal. I skipped a day at the gym and our local temperatures have dropped considerably since the upper 90's stretch we had the last couple months. With that said the last two nights and in some in the days I have had cramps all over. Both my upper and lower legs. My hands and fingers. In my side. I'm drinking a boat load of water today and either I missed a bottle or two or maybe it is another 'adjustment' as the weight continues to fall. First set of cramps I have had since switching. First mustard I have had in months. It relieved the cramps but it sure didn't taste like what mustard taste like before. LOL Scott

Congrats on your accomplishments thus far. I'm carnivore since early May. I've only had positives thus far. I'm off the prednisone and gabapentin/neurotin after only a few weeks. I'm down 60 pounds since May 8th. Exactly what is a "meat up"? Scott

After three or four weeks the inflammation issues I have had since being diagnosed with NMO/SD just eased away without me actually noticing. I basically just thought I haven't taken any medicine this week and then it sort of came together. I have not had any issues that would have resulted in swelling so no real information. I would guess if you have been on carnivore for awhile your body is not fighting off all the other crap so when there is an actual issue you are better prepped??? Just spit balling on this one. Scott

Many factors. I can only speak from personal experience. When I first started I didn't hit my fat to meat ratios and I was flat. As soon as I got that sort of straightened out I was not getting enough electrolytes. When lacking in either/both I felt flat. I was just getting back into the gym and I didn't have a lot of energy. Once I got them both correct my energy levels went up. I have not had a lot of soreness issues. I don't lift super heavy. I feel a tad bit tight on the 'heavier' days but have not experienced a lot of soreness. I would say up your fat content. The fattier cuts of meat always help. I cook in butter and beef tallow. When I use the crock pot I try to drink the liquids. I cook bacon first and then just add the eggs into the bacon and bacon grease. I'm no expert. Scott

Supplement with a potassium included electrolyte. I forget her name but go to youtube-homemamde electrolytes- and her name is Teri G. It is as about as simple a mixture as out there. I started off trying to make drinks with it but not much on the salty taste when drinking. I use it to liberally salt my foods. Hope it works out for you. Scott

I take Vitamin D and magnesium. I have always had low Vitamin D even with supplementation. Since Carnivore, with the supplementation, I am back in the "green". I don't see a problem with it as during the switch they are more than likely needed. I wish I had read the directions or asked the questions. I stumbled thru and had some issues that were easily avoidable. The magnesium may have prevented a few of the "pinch and sprint" trips to the bathroom. I'm not smart like that tho, just seem to wing it. Best of luck. This is a good place to ask and learn. Scott

Congrats on the progress. Agree with Bob's post as well. I'm on that same plan but it is not by intention. Somedays I eat a little more than others, it is nothing really set as far as counting calories. My weight will swing up and down into what seems like a 'moving stall'. When I happen to eat lighter for a day or so I drop weight fast, five to six pounds in a three- or four-day span. Then the moving stall happens again. I guess until Bob's post I didn't know that was a 'thing'. Learning everyday. Scott

Hope it works out for you. I'm on the other end of the spectrum....you skinny people have "champagne problems". LOL Scott

I'm on the other end of that spectrum. No real input from me. If I took a stab at it I would say increase the fat content to the point you are no longer in a calorie deficit. You could even be the candidate for supplementation. Most every one says the carnivore diet does not need the protein additives. Maybe try to eat a surplus amount of fatty meat/heavily fatted and then use the shakes to get the protein. Again, I started off at 306 pounds. Just tossing out a guess. No real experience. Scott

It is a 'dial it in for yourself'. I haven't been doing it very long and I mostly just say 'this works for me'. I didn't have my electrolytes right and I felt like I was dragging. Over the weekend I started adding the electrolyte solution to all my food and after a couple days I lost that dragging around feeling. I don't his the gym like a crazy person but I do move from set to set quicker than most. I leave the gym, come home and walk between 3-4 miles. Along the way I try to get in 60-70 squats and 40-50 pushups. The week before I struggled, then it was like a boost, and I felt better. Since I am heavy on the fats and I make sure I hit the salts, I have had more energy now than I have had in a lot of years. Scott

All that is documented facts, but with that said, this is sort of hard to beat. Scott

Second that. I have found I have more energy and better efforts in the gym on the red meats. So much so (see the post above) I am about to ease into a red meat, water and salt diet. Another thing is electrolytes. When I started I didn't read any instructions, just dove in headfirst. I was feeling flat and not all that energetic. Then I read about electrolytes and tried a couple of the store bought versions. I didn't like their taste and found a youtube video for a homemade electrolyte solution. Between the fats and the electrolytes I have found more energy than I have had in a lot of years. Scott

Me too. I read that was a beautiful marketing strategy to sell pork as the 'just as healthy as the chicken' white meat. It was a great marketing campaign because the first thing that comes to mind is 'the other white meat'. Scott

I always lead off with, "it's only been XXX number of days", so I am on the lower end of the learning curve. In those 112-114 days I have noticed a number of trends along the way. I sort of keep track of what I've eaten and how it affected me, mostly stool scenarios, but I have noticed I seem to feel better (totally subjective as so many other things factor in) and have more energy the day or so after red meats, especially the fattier red meats. Thus far it has been a pretty good mix of the meats, the variety coming from my wife is not into the carnivore, so the meats vary. As of late I have swayed a bit more to the chicken. Again, it "feels" like there is a difference. Part of that is we have a local Mom & Pop grocery store, and they have killer deals on chicken. I sort of stocked up a week or so ago. I'm off work this week and will finish up the pork chops and the chicken over the next two to three days. My wife calls it grocery shopping and I call it a 'meat run', but either way this week we stock up. I think I'm going to red meat, water and salt for a 30 day stretch just to see. It won't exactly be a double-blind study with control subjects, as I will be the double and the blind and the subject all rolled into one. This has piqued my interest. Speaking of learning, as I read up on this version there were a number of people who referred to pork as 'red meat'. I never considered it red meat, but I guess the learning is never ending. Scott

I'm no expert at all and personally, I consider 114 days still in the infancy and barely tipping the iceberg of the learning. Seldom do I disagree with another's post because everything is really individualistic when it comes to one's health. My son was on the diet and told me three or so weeks in the diet I would seldom be hungry and eating two hamburger patties would be a tough go. Like was posted earlier, I could snack midafternoon, eat a honking ribeye, with a loaded bake potato, two to three glasses of sweet tea and then eat a hearty snack before bed. "eezy-peezy". I'd still wake up hungry in the morning. There is no way two hamburger patties are going to fill a man at 300lbs. So, I pretty much thought he was full of S*&%. Fast forward three weeks in and I put four patties on my plate and nearly had to choke the second one down. The next two got moved til the next day.. From that point on I am mostly OMAD. Before I snacked to be snacking, mostly out of habit and cravings. From about three to four weeks in the cravings were gone and have not had one since. I mentioned once my wife mixed some left-over black beans and corn into a scrap bowl to give to the chickens. It was not exactly a craving, but it did look appealing. I also did a lot of snacking based on break times at work on the 12 hour shift. For most, eating is a habit as much as it is a craving or a need. The carnivore diet is all about elimination. For me, it eliminated the cravings and pretty much broke the habit of eating just to be eating. It has not eliminated my need to eat but it has eliminated what I thought was "the need to eat all the time". Again, this is my spiel, and the carnivore experience will never be 'cookie-cutter' but there a lot of typicals. Scott

Welcome. Dr. Shawn Baker and Dr. Chaffee have several videos that speak directly to the points/questions you are asking. Check them out on youtube. Scott

No doubts. No complaints. Scott

I'm good with the numbers. Like anyone, I was hoping to see some improvements. But I can't imagine fixing 50+ years i 111 days. LOL I still think I'm in the infancy of the carnivore lifestyle. I'm figuring things out every so often. For now, I'm going with I feel better, I'm not taking any medicine for pain/inflammation, and I have dropped 60 pounds in less than four months. I'm good. Scott

I think so too. It is still just 111 days in so I'm trying to not be terribly impatient. I don't take any medicines other than my infusions every six months. My BP has always been relatively low. For me, 110/70 is the highest I see. Once with Covid I had 125/75 and that is highest I have ever seen. It is the same with blood glucose. I would have to eat a Little Debbie cake to get into the mid 90's. Since Carnivore I'm in the low 100's. Prior to that some mornings I would do the 'wall slide' to get to the kitchen to eat. I would wake up in the upper 80's at times. I have bloodwork again in November with my infusion. It will more data points. LOL Scott