As of this morning I have read all the articles and watched all the videos on carnivore and fasting. LOL (Youtube sent me a notice saying I had made it to the end of the line-actually it was an alarm saying my crystallization and neutralization process needed my attention-both pretty much the same)

I have been on Carnivore for a tad over 11 months now and as of late have been digging into fasting on a regular basis. I don't know if I am weird or just built different, but I have only had positive results from both. I have had only two issues, one expected and the other not so much. I have had bouts with loose stools, some self-inflicted by not-so-good choices, and others just didn't get the fats and proteins, and water and electrolytes lined up as well as I should. I think anytime there is a switch in a diet there will be some 'looseness' during the adjustment phase. I guess it was expected.

I have lost 92lbs in 11 months and the unexpected 'almost negative' was that I somehow lost weight and size in my feet. I hadn't long bought a pair of boots that were $$$ and all of a sudden, they felt like clown shoes. I had to go to insoles for spacing vs. comfort. 

I think since I was already pretty much fat adapted rolling into a fast was made easier/worked better. I am sure I was in the lower edges of ketosis at the start of the fast and there was not a lot of 'sugar dump' some need. This past time I tracked blood glucose and blood ketones. Initial ketone level was 0.7 and after Day one it was around 1.4 or 1.5. Between Day #2 and Day #3 it reached four and when I did the math for my GKI numbers it got below 2:1, as low as 1.4 to 1. Around the time the HGH start bouncing around and the ketones are everywhere, and the stem cells are being deployed, maybe around 68-72 hours deep the energy level is crazy. From 72 hours until the completion of the 96-hour fast I had crazy amounts of energy. Not nervous or anxious type energy but a simple, "Let's Go!" type energy. That energy lasted 2-3 days after I started back eating. 

I'm reading and learning, I can use a lot of the right words, especially the autophagy/ketosis/ketones/stem cells/HGH, etc. etc. but it still is hard to understand how much energy is available from not eating. It goes against what we have all been taught about 'need to eat this'-'need to eat that' to create and sustain energy. Without the personal experience I would have a hard time believing there is an extended boost in energy from not eating for a couple-three days and then have that energy maintained for a couple-three afterwards. Just a really strange concept for me.

Anyway, babbling on a slow Sunday morning workday. I spent the last hour or so reading older threads, somewhat to pass the time, but mostly to gain experience form other people's experiences. I get bored reading some of the studies, especially when it veers from directly what I am interested in at the time. The headlines and forum titles call out to me as I scroll thru.

Thanks to the board members, both past and present, who have created quite the knowledge base here. Much appreciated.

Scott

 Congrats on your weight loss so far. 4 years later and I will still get "Disaster Pants" maybe once a year or so. Who knows why?. Doesn't matter because it's still better digestion and elimination than when on a SAD diet. Now when I think about it for a minute, it happens to me when I overdo my fat consumption. Yes, That my reason for sure.

 Because of how GREAT I feel when fasting I wish I could do it all the time. For me it's an amazing energy boost, and yes it will last for a few days after the fast has ended. as you refill your system with food it must take a while for that effect to go away.

 I used cronometer for a while to track my food but it became too big a PITA and just stopped doing that. I never tracked blood levels of anything. Now I just go by how I feel and how my pants fit. When i have to pull the belt out of the closet then I know I'm on the right track. Currently I'm the lowest in weight since probably middle school. I was very overweight from kindergarten on. Carny has fixed all that and more. I recently stopped all the cheese I was eating, which wasn't a lot by the way and have started losing weight again. Down 3-4 more pounds this week alone. 7 pounds from my next goal weight. 

Great luck to you (and us all) for continued success!

Spread the word if you can and remember to "Eat your meat and live a long life"

Edited April 13, 2025Apr 13 by Terry

Congrats to you as well. 

I was really interested in knowing the blood ketones and I will use them on the next fast after that as well. From there, I am not sure. I bought the test kit and it came with either ten or twelve testing strips. It was like $35 for the lance, looks like 25-30 lancets, and the meter. Another set of test strips is like $40-50. I'm not sure I see the point (sort of cheap on a lot of things)

I work rotating 12-hour shifts. Four nights followed by three days, then three nights followed by four nights. As I am finding it is really hard for me to eat a gram of protein per pound of ideal bodyweight (that does not even count the needed fat to make that a high fat/moderate protein approach vs the high protein/moderate fat approach). Right now, that is a lot of food. My plan for next month is to fast on the three nights and the four nights, make an attempt to hit the protein mark on the other days but not gorge myself chasing a number. The protein chase is to gain some muscle, but I am not lifting to be the next Mr. Universe/Mr. Olympia. At 55, that ship has sailed.

"spreading the word"..... when I say I only eat meats, salt and water one group of people look at me like I am crazy and the other group at that point automatically have a Medical degree and tell me how I should be eating. Then bring up the fact I am going 96 hours without eating, nothing but water/salt, and that first group looks at me like I should be committed to an asylum and the second group uses their newfound medical degree to start CPR or a lobotomy, depending on their newly found specialty. 

Maybe the bright spot in that is a younger guy at work. He gave Carnivore a try, it started working early, and he has been doing for several months now. He told me this morning he was -46lbs. Another theory of mine, I waited til I was 55 and just about beat down form life's choices and it has worked wonders for me. This guy didn't have any serious medical issues other than being fat. It looks like it is working faster and more effectively if the canvas is a bit cleaner. I am guessing the earlier and healthier one starts the even better the end result will be, but that is just an opinion of mine.

Scott

3 hours ago, Scott F. said:

Congrats to you as well. 

I was really interested in knowing the blood ketones and I will use them on the next fast after that as well. From there, I am not sure. I bought the test kit and it came with either ten or twelve testing strips. It was like $35 for the lance, looks like 25-30 lancets, and the meter. Another set of test strips is like $40-50. I'm not sure I see the point (sort of cheap on a lot of things)

I work rotating 12-hour shifts. Four nights followed by three days, then three nights followed by four nights. As I am finding it is really hard for me to eat a gram of protein per pound of ideal bodyweight (that does not even count the needed fat to make that a high fat/moderate protein approach vs the high protein/moderate fat approach). Right now, that is a lot of food. My plan for next month is to fast on the three nights and the four nights, make an attempt to hit the protein mark on the other days but not gorge myself chasing a number. The protein chase is to gain some muscle, but I am not lifting to be the next Mr. Universe/Mr. Olympia. At 55, that ship has sailed.

"spreading the word"..... when I say I only eat meats, salt and water one group of people look at me like I am crazy and the other group at that point automatically have a Medical degree and tell me how I should be eating. Then bring up the fact I am going 96 hours without eating, nothing but water/salt, and that first group looks at me like I should be committed to an asylum and the second group uses their newfound medical degree to start CPR or a lobotomy, depending on their newly found specialty. 

Maybe the bright spot in that is a younger guy at work. He gave Carnivore a try, it started working early, and he has been doing for several months now. He told me this morning he was -46lbs. Another theory of mine, I waited til I was 55 and just about beat down form life's choices and it has worked wonders for me. This guy didn't have any serious medical issues other than being fat. It looks like it is working faster and more effectively if the canvas is a bit cleaner. I am guessing the earlier and healthier one starts the even better the end result will be, but that is just an opinion of mine.

Scott

I don't track protein or calories. Only carbs, which I want as close to zero as possible, every day and I try to get as much fat as possible, so I don't waste the time tracking fat at all. I eat 99% zero carb foods so my tracking is really easy. I have a small food window of items which I find very convenient for shopping.

 My wife and I are both retired for 4 years now, and right after retired I started to not feel very well. My MS was kicking a little along with a few other thing. We both Started ketovore and quickly went carnivore. Pretty much helped everything and haven't looked back. 

 If the opportunity appears to discuss carnivore with someone and I see they are wide eyed about it then I will also give them the 96 hours fasting story also. I like to blow there minds with wonder.

 Nice to hear about your friends weight loss. Did he start Carny because of you? either way it's good to hear

Yes. He seen how well it was working for me and said he would give it a go for two weeks. Those two weeks turned into 30 days and since then he has done very well. He plans in a cheat meal once a week. Sometimes it is barely crossing the lines, but.... He made a really meaty chili but used some tomato paste, cheats similar to that. He has lost 47lbs he told me just a little bit ago as I was getting off and his shift was coming on.

I counted for the muscle building aspect but that is sort of fading. I struggle hitting the target as I am gorging myself to eat that much. That is sort of getting old too. 

Scott

11 hours ago, Scott F. said:

Yes. He seen how well it was working for me and said he would give it a go for two weeks. Those two weeks turned into 30 days and since then he has done very well. He plans in a cheat meal once a week. Sometimes it is barely crossing the lines, but.... He made a really meaty chili but used some tomato paste, cheats similar to that. He has lost 47lbs he told me just a little bit ago as I was getting off and his shift was coming on.

I counted for the muscle building aspect but that is sort of fading. I struggle hitting the target as I am gorging myself to eat that much. That is sort of getting old too. 

Scott

For myself after all this carny time I no longer try to "eat till stuffed". I now just do a nice OMAD around 1pm, and maybe some beef jerky or pork rinds around 5pm or 6pm and thats it on a typical day. If we do like big ribeyes or something really tasty for a meal and I eat too much Then I feel uncomfortable all night long. I'm now getting closer to my current goal weight and do not require so much food anymore. once I reach the current goal of 150 pounds total body weight I will then reevaluate how I feel and maybe set a new goal of 145. To me it's amazing how well you can feel and survive on so little food when you are eating quality nutrition without all the crap foods.

1 hour ago, Terry said:

I'm now getting closer to my current goal weight and do not require so much food anymore.

I found that the more the weight came off the more food I needed. 
As I lost fat I needed more fat to sustain my energy. 

3 hours ago, Geezy said:

I found that the more the weight came off the more food I needed. 
As I lost fat I needed more fat to sustain my energy. 

 I've found that I can't eat the "comfortably stuffed" (As Dr Berry would say) portions anymore. I do get plenty of fat though using bacon grease and butter, also coconut oil cubes that I keep in the freezer work well, especially for ketone production. The MCT's from coconut oil are supposed to go straight to the brain. 

I have been following the Dr Jack Kruse crowd and just learned that we can get energy from the sun too! Just like plants!

4 hours ago, Miranda said:

I have been following the Dr Jack Kruse crowd and just learned that we can get energy from the sun too! Just like plants!

And boatload of vitamin D also. That vitamin D is formed from cholesterol and sun exposure. 

And boatload of vitamin D also. That vitamin D is formed from cholesterol and sun exposure. 

Most especially through the eyes. It’s very important to not wear sunglasses.


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8 hours ago, Geezy said:

Most especially through the eyes. It’s very important to not wear sunglasses.


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https://www.youtube.com/@carnivoredoctor

Dr Lisa Wiedeman has some info on that very subject of not wearing sunglasses

https://www.youtube.com/@carnivoredoctor
Dr Lisa Wiedeman has some info on that very subject of not wearing sunglasses

Yes, it’s my understanding that sunlight coming through the pupils turns on the vitamin D receptors that in turn produce the melatonin that protects our skin from sunburn.


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1 hour ago, Geezy said:

Yes, it’s my understanding that sunlight coming through the pupils turns on the vitamin D receptors that in turn produce the melatonin that protects our skin from sunburn.


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Unless you are a fair skinned "fear the ginger" person like me. I burn, hurt, peel, back to white. Then repeat. 

I can burn pre-dawn. LOL

The closest thing to tanning I ever had was when I spilled Type-F transmission fluid on my leg while wearing shorts. My legs were hanging out from under a 72 K5 Blazer. It just about sizzled like bacon. Turned brown after wards but I wouldn't recommend Type F for sun bathing. LOL

Scott

5 hours ago, Scott F. said:

Unless you are a fair skinned "fear the ginger" person like me. I burn, hurt, peel, back to white. Then repeat. 

I can burn pre-dawn. LOL

The closest thing to tanning I ever had was when I spilled Type-F transmission fluid on my leg while wearing shorts. My legs were hanging out from under a 72 K5 Blazer. It just about sizzled like bacon. Turned brown after wards but I wouldn't recommend Type F for sun bathing. LOL

Scott

I’m not ginger but I’m very white white boy that’s 75% German and 25% Scandinavian. I’m so white I glow in the dark. Guys at hunting camp thought I was wearing long johns when it was 75° but I was just walking around in my boxers. Lol! 
I’ve always been a burn and peal kinda guy and had even developed a sun allergy. if I was going to be out in the Texas sun for more than 15 minutes I had better wear sunblock. 
After about a year on carnivore I noticed that I could stay out in the sun much longer. I might get a little red but it would turn brown overnight. In areas that see sun all of the time like my arms and face I’m not burning anymore. If I expose white skin that normally doesn’t see any sun I will burn if I stay out in it too long but it doesn’t hurt and never blisters or peels and just turned brown. It’s a whole new experience for me. I’ve been taking my shirt off every chance I get these days. 
 

I may need to try that as the summer approaches. 

I could swim in the sunblock and still come out burned. 

Scott

16 hours ago, Scott F. said:

I may need to try that as the summer approaches. 

I could swim in the sunblock and still come out burned. 

Scott

I used to burn in about an hours worth of Wisconsin summer sun but not anymore. Carny fix that for me. my wife noticed the same effect. I wouldn't use any sunblock now anyways due to all the bad chemicals contained within.