The last six months I have tried to eat to hit a protein target. Still strict carnivore (18-19 months) but eating pretty much more than I want each day to have enough protein for muscle growth. The proteins went up, and I didn't hit the fat targets, so I had some stiff and hard stools. I increased the fat to catch up to the proteins and help with the stools as well. In turn, so my diet has not been 'eat when hungry-eat til full' for the last six months or so.

After six to 12 months on carnivore my cholesterol dropped a few points but took a significant bounce up at the 18-month mark. I was expecting an increase with the sheer amount of food I was eating but I didn't expect the numbers to jump this much.

May thru November 2024 May 2025 November 2025

Total Cholesterol 239 212 274

LDL 185 150 164

HDL 37 39 55

Tri-G 49 43 41

My total weight loss of carnivore has been 95-96lbs and in the last couple months I gained 12-15 pounds bouncing around the 215-mark for the most part. The weight gain I expected as the lifting has become more and more a part of my day to day. I am stronger now than I can even remember (never was much on lifting) and the energy levels are still that constant/ability to keep going since early on with carnivore. I feel just as good now as I did six months ago. I had a great visit with my neurologist yesterday. (He is moving back home to Alabama so I quipped that carnivore was going to run him out of business. He replied, "I hope so".) He told me of all his NMO patients I have made the biggest turnaround and went from ho-hum numbers 18 months ago til now. All my markers are within limit is with the exception of one. I started carnivore 18 months ago, so I let people draw their own conclusions. (LOL, preaching to the choir in a forum such as this). My blood sugar crept up a little. My day-to-day over the last six months moved from the low 80's to touching the low 90's every now and then. Yesterday it was 94. Blood pressure was 100/58 before the infusion and 98/54 afterwards (laying in a recliner for five hours).

Even with the cholesterol making a jump this is how I judge my health. When I first started the infusions I was 310+lbs and was on a dumpster diet. After each infusion I would be wiped completely out. The 45-minute ride home felt like hours. I hit the recliner for a stretch then to bed really early. restless sleep all night and pretty much flat the next day. Fast forward from 18 months ago, yesterday I saw the Neurologist at 8AM, started the infusion at 9AM (use to be six hours at 310 pounds but now 5 hours at 220) and I was home by 3PM. The ride home was a simple ride home and I ate bacon, sausage and eggs mid-afternoon. I went outside and busted/split just about a Toyota truck full of red oak from two trees we had taken down last week. Fed all the animals as it got dark and back in the house. I went to bed at 9 and now I am up at my normal 3AM time frame. I checked out the forum and now off to the gym to be one of those 4AM weirdos (LOL).

I'm going to call that progress, maybe with a chunk more of fat running free in my bloodstream, but over the last 18 months, progress the same.

I don't think we make progress over months/years without stacking up a bunch of day-to-day wins.

Hope all is well with you and yours.

Scott

In my opinion you are fine. Your levels of TC and LDL are ok. Your TRI is lovely. Your HDL is increasing nicely. These last to are part of 6 important metabolic markers ! What u call a big jump to me is not so much. Just my view of it.

Edited November 25, 2025Nov 25 by pauls
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You are doing great Scott. I’m very happy for you.

I’ve got you beat on the cholesterol even thought it’s not a contest. lol.

I'm good with it. It just was a bigger jump on total than I thought over the 4-5-6-month span. I felt like it would move up some, just not as much as it did.

I have been eating a lot as of late. When I brought in the protein drinks I think that little bit of sugar not only increased my appetite at mealtime it also brought back some cravings during the day. Some days I would snack on left over meats and other days I'd eat a stab of butter. I now think butteris an amazing snack, almost too good. LOL

I feel good and I am sure if I targeted or actively pursued a lower number I could adjust what I am eating get there in time. I have ditched the protein drinks for now and will let things sort of settle out.

Although I don't see anything wrong with pursuing a protein target for muscle gain I do see where it does not fit as naturally as 'eat when hungry-eat til full' approach. That little bit of sugar manipulates/stokes the hunger/appetite.

Scott

Howdy all,

New here to the board. I've been carnivore for the last two years, five years of keto before that. Lost 90 lbs. in total. Last week I had my annual and my LDL shot up to 220. My Dr. is freaking out. She scheduled an appointment with a cardiologist and a dietitian! I can't wait just to school them both. I'll let you all know the results of the meetings.

Welcome and make sure to let us know how the schooling goes. Lol.

I have diabetes and kidney issues, if I move on to carnivore diets, will phosphorus and potassium contents in meat not affect my kidney?

Welcome.

Good luck with their schooling.

Scott

Good day sir, please am suffering from kidney and diabetes. I come across your carnivore diets yesterday because of disturbances of what to eat and not to eat.

Potassium and phosphorus contents of carnivore diets is it not going to be another stressful to my kidney.

Please give me more lights on potassium and phosphorus contents on kidney issues that based on carnivore diets or keto diets.

Thanks

I'm neither diabetic nor do I have kidney related issues.

Hopefully Bob sees this and responds. Kidney issues are in his wheelhouse.

Several members of the board have discussed the positive effects of the carnivore way of eating.

Hopefully they chime in as well.

Scott