The book arrived yesterday and while the pork belly was cooking, I read maybe 1/2 to 3/4. It is an easy read, and I really like the formatting. Each page or so has a subject matter at the top and that area is discussed/expounded upon by the author. It is almost like reading from a forum where the thoughts, ideas or discussions can carry all over the place yet remain under a 'big umbrella'. (if that makes any sense at all).

Maybe it is just me, but sometimes I learn something I already thought I knew. I tried carnivore, I like it, and it has worked for me, then I morphed away from carnivore it in its intended form in pursuit of something I thought was bettering myself I went down the wrong path. 

I ate high fat and moderate proteins to start. And experienced all kinds of successes with minimal to no setbacks. As of late I have increased my protein grams per day to hit as close to 200 grams per day as I can. It has been hard as I can no longer easily eat the amounts of food it takes to get to 200 grams of protein. (Huge benefit from carnivore). I am getting stronger just by counting plates at the gym and I can see and feel some growth in my arms (biceps/triceps) and the man-boobs are almost gone and I can feel muscle in the lower to mid pectorals. (I'm happy with that)

The kicker is that I have gained maybe 8-9 pounds over the last month or so. This an example of gluconeogenesis at its finest. In order to get to 200 grams on some days I eat an extra couple chicken breasts and on some days, I use a protein shake. On my read meats and the pork belly this week I am probably at a slightly higher fat to protein ratio than I need, which is good, but by the time I factor in the lean cuts of chicken breasts and the protein shake I am heavy on the protein and fall short on the fats. I didn't think I was missing by a ton but as I look at it, I'm off by quite a bit. 

All that extra protein that is not being used to build and recover muscle is turned to sugar and not much different metabolically than eating another snack cake. Then couple that with the fact I'm working out in the morning, walking and then coming home and eating a 'post work out loading of protein' meal. I'm already in the 'dawn effect' with daily glucose numbers doing a spike and making even more glucose available to the body, which I am sure is going 'whoo-hoo" with the sugar rush. 

I would like to think the 8-9lbs was actual lean muscle mass but that is not realistic, plus, I had to let my belt out one notch at work, so I know my belly muscles didn't grow that much.

Babbling on, but this very article/thought was in the book, and I was thinking, "this guy is talking directly to me". It is like I had all those facts running around in my brain but the actual learning from application was just outside my grasps. I have been doing the wrong thing for the right reasons so now I have to find the sweet spot somewhere in the middle.

Babbling, like I said, but it is a really good book, a great read and shipped to your door for $5. Can't beat it.

Scott

You don’t need the book, you just need to listen to yourself, lol! 
You really have a complete understanding of how this works. 
The book does sound like it does a good job of putting things in perspective. 

Some days I feel like I have a pretty good GRASP and then somedays it is like all this information is bouncing around un my heads, with a ton or useless information as well, and within that mental demolition derby I think I lose that GRASP. 

I'm a fan of the book, no doubt. As I read, it was like I was saying, "Yep, yep to that, knew that, yep" and then the topic of 'eating protein to get stronger/bigger'. 

The 8-9lns is not the end of the world. I feel like a slight adjustment here and there and I would be back down but I'm getting to the point where the weight is just a number. We should think that way and the cale should not be the real measure of success or improvement, but it like "calories" for some, it is a part of the brainwashing that holds on at times. LOL

Nice video on the other post. I watched a bit of it and then the chickens were coming off the grill. I had to have priorities. LOL

We did chicken, pork belly and sausages on the grill. My son is working on timing as some cook is coming up in a month or so. I'm like that old broke down dog sitting at the end of the table hoping someone drops something. LOL (but at the same time it is my cabin, my cook porch and my wood, so I 'partake' as he practices).

Scott 

 

around in my head......

Im leafing through my copy, and I have to say that it is a well thought out book.  Each "chapter" is barely a page long, with information that is to-the-point.

I am seeing this as a good reminder for myself, but more so, a great tool to get others on board with this way of eating.  Most people (especially malnourished people on a western diet) have minimal attention span, and marginal reasoning capabilities.  It is obvious that this book is intentionally written to be as easy to understand as possible, without talking "down" to the reader.

I honestly find it brilliant, and do recommend it.  Best five bucks I have spent in a while!

Agreed. I like the formatting. It is almost like a message board forum on paper. 

I think it will also help some people who may struggle with "variety" when trying to go carnivore. It breaks down the 'minimal impact non-carnivore' type foods. 

Again, a solid way to spend $5. LOL

Scott

What do you guys think about shooting for 1gr of protein per "ideal" body weight.  And the rest with fat to hover around and just below my daily energy expenditure?

I am in the midst of seeing how it works for me. I have struggled/am struggling to get to 200 grams of protein as that is just a lot of food for me to eat. When I use leaner cuts like chicken breasts, my fat content is not where it needs to be. Same thing if I use a protein shake to hit that number. Off the top of my head, I thought my fat content was sufficient but after further review, not so much. If you can eat the total amount to keep the fat higher and the protein moderate and still hit the gram per pound rate, more power to you. I can hardly hit the target with a lesser amount of fat, I am almost positive I can't hit the target and the fat content be enough. 

For me, I gained weight. Between 8-9lbs over a month or so. Even missing on the proteins, I was close, I am stronger and certain looks in the mirror I am growing/hypertrophy. So, for me not hitting 1 gram per pound is not going to be the end of the world. Maybe I get stronger and grow more if I consistently hit 200 grams of protein per day, but I doubt I will be Mr. Olympia/Mr. Universe so, again, for me, I think I can scale back the protein to make room for the fat and still make some progress. 

I am not sure there is a 'best of both worlds', and thus far I am finding I need to find something in the middle. Once I adjust and feel like my fat content is up front I will try to eat a little more at the correct ratio (or closer than I am now) but that tasks looks daunting.

I think this may end up being very individualistic. 

Scott

why chicken??    Im gonna eat as much beef as I can and if that is not enough Ill use protein powder to make up the difference.  And if I don't have enough energy Ill add butter until I do.  Should be pretty straight forward. 

16 minutes ago, Scott F. said:

When I use leaner cuts like chicken breasts, my fat content is not where it needs to be.

I can’t eat bird without lots of butter. 

55 minutes ago, ketomonster said:

why chicken??    Im gonna eat as much beef as I can and if that is not enough Ill use protein powder to make up the difference.  And if I don't have enough energy Ill add butter until I do.  Should be pretty straight forward. 

Yep. It is pretty straight forward. I didn't really have an energy problem, but the fat content was low. When the protein is that much (and I am not sure what the number is for everyone) and the fat content is too low gluconeogenesis can happen. The "extra" protein is turned to sugar and some of that sugar will be used for energy (probably why I didn't see the energy drop with the lesser fat content) but parts of that sugar will be stored as fat. (most likely why I gained 8-9 pounds over the month or so I have been trying to hit the protein per pound target). 

Hitting the target is doable for some if you have the eating capacity to eat X amount of protein and then still ensure the fat content is a bit higher than that X amount of protein. 

I zoned in on hitting the protein target and struggled with eating that much food. I sacrificed some fat content trying to get there. Energy level was fine, got a tad bigger and some stronger but the down side was 8-9lbs re-gained. It is not the end of the world but re-gaining sucks.

Scott

is this after your fast?

combined before and after. I was down around 213-214 a month or so ago when I started trying to hit the ideal protein target. My weight went up around 4-5 pounds. The 96-hour fast dropped 7 but then as I started eating again to hit that amount, I jumped up three or four pounds quickly.

I guess there is a net loss in there somewhere, but I track daily and most days a couple three times per day. I approximate as I think I ate too much too soon coming out of the fast. One, I had some stool issues and two, my body was probably waiting to store whatever came down the pipe and I obliged by sending in a lot of food, maybe even more than I would have eaten if I hadn't fasted. Sort of overcompensation. I am sure that might even be a pound or two of the 8-9 I mentioned. Couple that with I refueled with moderate fat and high protein. Not a great combination.

I think the 8-9lbs is what I ate, when I ate it and how the amounts affected the breaking of the fast. Just for numbers as I don't count calories, but if I eat 2000 calories a day and then fast for a day I am 2000 in deficit for those two days. But if I come out of the fast and eat 3000 and overcompensate for three days, I'm now in surplus. 

I think I still got all the benefits from the fast from autophagy, ketones, growth hormones and stem cells but I gained some weight on the back end.

I feel like I couldn't see the forest with all the trees in the way. LOL

Scott

 

 

wonder what would have happened with a shorter fast, say just 24 hours? I will probably try that one day.

I have been watching Dr. Bikman videos as of late. One of the newest things I have learned is that it is more important on how you come out of the fast than it is to measure the length of the fast.

Most lead off with I fasted XX amount of hours. But if you come out of the fast and eat like a horse (or two horses like I did) to sometimes overcompensate for not eating, it can not give the benefits one would think. During the fast the benefits are there but there can be some losses on the back end.

I would think the 24 hour fast, or eating OMAD, consistently will keep one from overcompensating during your eating window as it becomes habit. Doing a 24 hour fast and then eating twice the next day may lean toward overcompensating. 

I would think if one did a 24 hour fast to get all the benefits the food intake to break the fast must be minimal on the day after. 

Simply not sure. I'm just shy of 11 months in and I can only speak to my experiences. I had my best over-all results from carnivore when it morphed into eating about once per day. I would occasionally snack on some bacon or a left over burger, but that snack could push me past 24 hours the next day. With that, 24-hour fasting on a somewhat regular basis would be just as beneficial, maybe even better because it probably more sustainable. 

Again, this is seeing thing thru my lens. Might not hit the mark.

Scott

I like to read books. Found this second hand.

Edited April 27, 2025Apr 27 by Carburetor

I just ordered it. I have to say I have heard several sources speak on protein shakes being bad because it's powdered and too easily/quickly digested.

3 hours ago, Carburetor said:

I like to read books. Found this second hand.

I am not sure where you are having it shipped to and I am guessing that factors. On eBay I paid around $5 with free shipping.

I'm in the states and that might be the difference.

After reading if it were the $18-20 shown, it is still worth the price and the time to read it.

The format itself makes it a great read.

Scott