Good day all. 

I'm trying to sort through all the contradictions of trying to burn fat and gain muscle at the same time. Being strict carnivore now should make this journey easier but I may be sabotaging my progress. Any weight training individuals here who have done this journey?

Here are a few questions I'm still dealing with as I hover close to 60 years old. 🙄

1. Even on carnivore , eating too many calories will store fat even though insulin is low?

2. Eating 500 calories less than maintenance plus walking 10,000 steps per day plus weight training 3 days a week will give me the desired results as long as I get enough protein and fat???

3. Should I only weight train on carnivore and just eat to maintenance and forget about calorie deficit and cardio and let my increase in muscle and increased metabolism handle the fat burning ???

Thank you to all who reply. 

Sort of in the same boat. I'm 55 and went on the carnivore diet back in May. Thus far I have lost 86lbs over 8 months. I feel like the majority of the weight lost was fat, and I am sure there was some muscle loss as well.

I started walking and working out June about a month in and the weight was coming off on what average out to a pound a day for the first 30-40 days. 

The last couple months I have increased the lifting in intensity, weight and volume. I have did a mix and match on the approach. Some days I lift heavier with less sets/less reps and go to failure. On other days I don't lift as heavy and add in both sets and reps. I do splits on most days but at the end of the week I try to do at least one total body workout. After leaving the gym I walk anywhere from 3-4 miles. 

In the beginning I ate once per day. I was simply not hungry thus I was in a deficit most every day. 

As of late I am trying to off set some of the weight loss by eating more as well as hit protein targets to build muscle. I eat a big egg/meat breakfast in the morning, sometimes a meat lunch and then a big meat dinner. My weight loss has tapered off for the most part. I have been right around 85lbs lost for a month or more. 

I'd like to think the muscle is building under the fat that is remaining. I'm not sure. I am getting stronger as getting to failure is taking more weight, more sets and reps as the days go by. 

My best guess will be this will be individualistic. A lot is based on work, home and family so what is working for me might not be the best plan for others. I would say get your workout set and then adjust food intake up and down and see if your needle moves as you wish. Then adjust.

One thing for me, it is now really hard to eat enough to hit the protein targets. The breakfast meal is not so bad. The evening meal I'm seldom hungry so I am eating just to be eating. Constantly adjusting. 

Scott

3.

As you are probably already aware I do not believe in the whole CICO theory. In my opinion and experience the only way you need to eat is to eat when you are hungry and then eat until you are full. No need to count anything. No need to weigh or measure anything. Just eat plenty of animal fat and animal protein. If when you finish a meal and you’re not satisfied yet then eat more until it no longer tastes good. The key thing is getting g enough fat. You do not “burn fat” through cardio or exercise. You burn fat by using ketones for fuel instead of glucose. If you never did any cardio again or ever lifted another weight you would still burn fat and lose weight and inches. By lifting weights you will more than likely gain weight but that would be a good weight because it would be muscle weight. To know whether you are losing fat or not is to keep a journal write down your total body measurements once a month. You will see a difference in size even if you don’t notice any weight loss. 
 

That's helpful guys I appreciate it. I am skinny fat. Only shows in the abs. I'm sure lots of visceral as well. I have been gaining weight so started cardio in zone 2. As per Peter Attia. But I am noticing I'm beginning to slim down while muscling up. That's why I'm not losing weight I guess. Not that I was trying to loose weight. I'm 6' ,175lbs. I read somewhere that as you feed your body exactly what it needs and in the proper proportions, it returns to homeostasis. 

The body measurements are a good idea. I did but a keytone blood meter to measure the levels of keytone. Trying to figure it out. I know im using keytone for fuel because I don't eat any carbs. I would like to speed up the process a bit without losing muscle if possible. Good on you guys for figuring this carnivore thing out. Finally I am consuming enough protein to see results. It only took 58 years to get it right🙄

Happy carnivore month.

Edited January 10Jan 10 by perfecta1c

The tape tells the tale. 

I thought about buying one of the ketone tests but never pulled the trigger. I had carbs for the first time a week or so ago. (I think it was 10) and have been on meat salt and water since May. 

I read somewhere early on the ketogenic type of diet can draw you in and out of ketosis and sometimes it takes some time to move that needle.

I thought about keeping up with it early on but it sort of lost priority.

Do you find it helpful?

Scott

Still finding the right times to check. They say test multiple times throughout the day and log the episodes....ex...after eating, after exercise, first thing in the morning. My kit comes with test strips for ketones and glucose. They apparently affect each other but still trying to discover exactly how. I test both at the same time.  A reading of 0.5 and higher means your in ketosis. Have not been above 0.6 yet. Probably because I'm fat adapted by now. 9 months in.  I also know I am in ketosis because of the strict diet I follow. When I zone 2 for 60 minutes in the morning, it's in a fasted state and I can go on for hours. Energy level is continuous. That's the amazing benefit of carnivore. No more highs and lows. I picked the keto mojo. Apparently very accurate.

Hello Geezy

I read again the posts in this thread. A lot of good information here. I have the same belief as you stated.  That's what a lot of the key dr in this carnivore space attest to. Primarily Dr bikman, Dr Chaffee, Dr Berry, Dr Baker. Because my hunger signal now is so quiet, it's so easy to undereat. Especially is yours coffee drinker.  I wonder if it's even worth tracking the ketones since I don't eat carbs. But once I throw in the cardio or any exercise that produces lactic acid, then neoglucogenesis is a reality. Which is why I purchased a meter. I suppose I got too much time on my hands. Just really trying to dial this in and not waste time and effort. Chasing that natural high I guess. 

That was part of my issue with getting one. I felt like with the meat, salt and water diet I shouldn't worry too much about going in and out of ketosis.

I read some about ketones in the urine and like most everything, too much is not a good thing. 

I have never had high glucose readings so the ketoacidosis is no real concern. Actually, my glucose went over 100 only after 3-4 months on carnivore. Prior to eating this way I would wake up in the morning in the upper 80's low 90's. 

I was reading one article that led to another from an increase in glucose on carnivore to being fat adaptive to ketosis and ketones, and like most medical posts we go straight to the grim reaper, diabetic ketoacidosis. Reading it was like being on a downhill train with no brakes. 

I get bloodwork and a urinalysis somewhat regularly. The other day was the first time I showed a TRACE amount of ketones in the urine sample. The only real switch as of late is the increase in protein consumption and increase in the lifting. Other than that, everything else the same. 

I'd be interested in how your results trend out and what you think dictated the trending.

Scott

24 minutes ago, Scott F. said:

That was part of my issue with getting one. I felt like with the meat, salt and water diet I shouldn't worry too much about going in and out of ketosis.

I read some about ketones in the urine and like most everything, too much is not a good thing. 

I have never had high glucose readings so the ketoacidosis is no real concern. Actually, my glucose went over 100 only after 3-4 months on carnivore. Prior to eating this way I would wake up in the morning in the upper 80's low 90's. 

I was reading one article that led to another from an increase in glucose on carnivore to being fat adaptive to ketosis and ketones, and like most medical posts we go straight to the grim reaper, diabetic ketoacidosis. Reading it was like being on a downhill train with no brakes. 

I get bloodwork and a urinalysis somewhat regularly. The other day was the first time I showed a TRACE amount of ketones in the urine sample. The only real switch as of late is the increase in protein consumption and increase in the lifting. Other than that, everything else the same. 

I'd be interested in how your results trend out and what you think dictated the trending.

Scott

Hello Geezy

I read again the posts in this thread. A lot of good information here. I have the same belief as you stated.  That's what a lot of the key dr in this carnivore space attest to. Primarily Dr bikman, Dr Chaffee, Dr Berry, Dr Baker. Because my hunger signal now is so quiet, it's so easy to undereat. Especially is yours coffee drinker.  I wonder if it's even worth tracking the ketones since I don't eat carbs. But once I throw in the cardio or any exercise that produces lactic acid, then neoglucogenesis is a reality. Which is why I purchased a meter. I suppose I got too much time on my hands. Just really trying to dial this in and not waste time and effort. Chasing that natural high I guess. 

Hello Scott

For sure. I will post once I get it all dialed in. 

5 hours ago, perfecta1c said:

then neoglucogenesis is a reality

From my understanding neoglucogenesis is only an issue if you are a diabetic. 
 

 

4 hours ago, perfecta1c said:

I suppose I got too much time on my hands.

Lol, yeah it’s real easy to overthink Tim his way of eating. Sometimes we just need to KCCO. (Keep Calm and Carni On) 😁

4 hours ago, Scott F. said:

I read some about ketones in the urine

That would be perfectly normal as with almost every thing if we don’t use it up then our bodies will excrete it out as waste. 

Yep. Thinking the same.

Three or four months in ketones in the urinalysis showed NEG.

I was thinking based on the food intake, the weight loss and the working I would have seen a response for ketones.

This was part of the reason I looked into checking for myself on a more regular basis. 

Then on this one, 8 months after the switch, I get a TRACE. 

I was thinking it would have shown a tad earlier.

It ends up being a note in the journey. Sort of like the 35 point drop in LDL. I was not expecting that at all. 

I guess another note. 

Scott

On 1/10/2025 at 10:48 AM, perfecta1c said:

1. Even on carnivore , eating too many calories will store fat even though insulin is low?

Good news. No need to count calories anymore. You could track what you eat for reference, track your macros for sure, but that's it. 

On 1/10/2025 at 10:48 AM, perfecta1c said:

2. Eating 500 calories less than maintenance plus walking 10,000 steps per day plus weight training 3 days a week will give me the desired results as long as I get enough protein and fat???

More good news. You do not need cardio to lose weight. It's an unwise method as we cannot outrun what we eat. A 5K run is a chocolate chip cookie we eat in 5 seconds. Do cardio for vascular health, that's it. Moving is important of course, mostly for heart health and metabolism. For weight-loss, that is a losing battle the fitness industry makes a lot of money on. 

On 1/10/2025 at 10:48 AM, perfecta1c said:

3. Should I only weight train on carnivore and just eat to maintenance and forget about calorie deficit and cardio and let my increase in muscle and increased metabolism handle the fat burning ???

Yes. Keep it simple. Caveat, obviously, you need about an hour and a half of cardio a week for cardiovascular health but shoveling snow or walking the dog counts as cardio as well. A 15 minute jog may suffice or sprinting. 

In short, track your macros if you must, do not count calories, focus on muscle growth and eating right. 

A more explicit opinion as bonus: steps and calories are bullshit and a waste of time. It leads one to be discouraged as we cannot outrun what we eat. It is why the food and fitness industry can always count on the dollars to roll in. Change that way of thinking. That is a more important step than any of those 10,000 steps. 

All good tips guys thanks. I got a response from Dr Chaffee....

 

Good day Dr Chaffee
I hope you can answer this. Does it matter what zone I train in for fat loss since I don't consume carbs anymore? Or does Neoglucogenesis play a role that I must consider? Just trying to dial in the visceral fat burn. Thank you so much

 

 

 

 

Sorry for the dark post. Not sure what happen. 

26 minutes ago, perfecta1c said:

All good tips guys thanks. I got a response from Dr Chaffee....

 

Good day Dr Chaffee
I hope you can answer this. Does it matter what zone I train in for fat loss since I don't consume carbs anymore? Or does Neoglucogenesis play a role that I must consider? Just trying to dial in the visceral fat burn. Thank you so much

 

 

 

 

Yuppers. High intensity, and go heavy on the weights. Go big. Beast mode. Enough said. 

Absolutely.