Hunger is different

[Mleedilley]

So I've been on Carnivore for four weeks now and have only just realized hunger feels different now. Haven't had any issues up until now but I was feeling "wobbly" and realized I only had one meal yesterday and one brekkies 10 hours ago. I don't have a growly stomach to announce its food time anymore. Something I must pay attention to in the future. I can be too focused when I'm working on something and that's why I forgot to eat.  Otherwise, this way of eating is refreshingly easy with losing aches, pains and weight being a massive bonus.

[Scott F.]

Sometimes the 'wobbly' is a sign to eat. For me, it was I found my electrolytes were not up to par. I didn't really read the instructions but pretty much dove right into carnivore.

I tried some of the pre-made electrolyte drinks, but they tasted horrible to me. I made a homemade electrolyte solution that also tasted 'not so good'. 

Now, I use the electrolyte solution and slat my food to taste. Since then, I have been actually hungry only twice in just over 60 days. I basically eat 1 meal a day, occasionally two, but I have also done a couple 48-hour fasts.

My 'wobblies' were more to do with electrolytes than eating.

Scott

[Geezy]

It can be easy to under eat in the beginning of carnivore because it satiates us so well that we just don’t get hungry like we used to. Instead of a hunger that craves food like it did when we were carb eaters our bodies tend to just let us know when it needs fuel.
A carb hunger vs a carnivore hunger.
It’s important then to make sure you are getting enough food and nutrition at each meal. You need plenty of fat to go with the protein.
I generally only eat one meal a day so i make sure I eat enough.


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[Bob]

When I get hungry on carnivore, it's basically an empty feeling and I know I want to eat.

When I would get "hungry" on carbs, I would be starving, ravenous, and nauseous, and felt like I was going to drop dead of starvation if I didn't eat something soon.

[Mleedilley]

Thanks peeps. Good to know. Lots of new info to take in but first hand accounts are always more reliable and relateable.

[Scott F.]

The carnivore diet is a big experiment for me and now there are a lot of little experiments along the way.

When I first started we did some heavy shopping to stock up. I bought a bunch of red meats and some fatty cuts to start. The weight peeled off like nothing I ever imagined. Then as time went along, I bought two huge packs of pork chops and leg quarters. I cooked them all and ate them over a three-four-day period as it was easy and convenient while doing shift work. On the chicken and pork with not a lot of fat with the pork chops my weight sort of planed off.

This past weekend my son cooked a huge rib roast. I ate a 1+ inch slab on Sunday night and bathed it in butter. On Monday morning I got a really good workout in the gym for about 45 minutes and then walked just shy of 4 miles. When I got home, I ate another slab, maybe 3/4", lots of fat as well. I added a couple scrambled eggs cooked in butter. I was out and about during the day and the most strenuous thing I did was get the freon right in my wife's Tahoe. For supper, I had another 1+ inch prime rib roast 'slab'. This one had a nice tail piece of fat.

I woke up Monday morning, stepped on the scale and had dropped over 5lbs from Sunday morning to Tuesday morning. The kicker is I felt like I ate like a horse. Crazy how that works.

I have read that once fat adaptive the body uses the fat in our food for energy and then easily transitions to using body fat for energy. I wonder if I was bouncing around the 'fat adapted' line when I upped the fat content over the previous week or so. 

Not sure.

Scott

[Mleedilley]

Yes Scott, I'm going to look into that. I know ruminant meat is what most recommend. The first 3 weeks I was eating grilled pork bellies because they were the cheapest fattiest meat I could find, and I dropped 6kgs (some was probably water weight). I was also eating a lot of eggs and butter. I then went onto 'Rump tails' not sure what it's called in other countries. The meat is cheap and has a nice layer of fat on it but I think it's too lean inside. I'm not exercising because it's so cold and wet outside (mid winter here) but I think I need to do as you did. Start exercising, find a fattier cut and reintroduce eggs (because they pair so well with butter) am considering asking my butcher to make up a few kgs of 60/30/10 Beef/fat/liver mince so I can have something quick to nuke with the eggs. I have found a place that sells pure a grade beef tallow in 5kg tubs  so that's next. As you say it is an experiment and thanks for the advice. I have already started to see other health benefits so this is no longer a diet for me. This is tuning and tweaking the way I'm eating in future. Cheers

[Orweller]

Carb hunger is more aggressive, obvious, in your face, like a Karen. Carnivore hunger is like a stalker, a killer in the night, it sneaks up on you. 

Consider fat intake, and mind your electrolytes, with regards to feeling empty. 

[Scott F.]

A few weeks in I made some hamburger. By the time I finished they were at best 60/40, maybe even 50/50. They were awesome. I'm planning to make another batch this weekend along with another batch of the beef tallow. 

I'm going to lean toward the red meats a fat for a stretch maybe as my own little experiment.

Tonight, it was honking salmon filet with a handful of shrimp in butter. 

Scott

[Geezy]

On 7/17/2024 at 9:45 PM, Scott F. said:

The carnivore diet is a big experiment.

As it should be for everyone.

Quote

Then as time went along, I bought two huge packs of pork chops and leg quarters. I cooked them all and ate them over a three-four-day period as it was easy and convenient while doing shift work. On the chicken and pork with not a lot of fat with the pork chops my weight sort of planed off.

Pork and chicken can do that because of the imbalance of the fats they have compared to ruminates.

Quote

I woke up Monday morning, stepped on the scale and had dropped over 5lbs from Sunday morning to Tuesday morning. The kicker is I felt like I ate like a horse. Crazy how that works.

And this is what I love about this lifestyle. I can eat until I’m satisfied and never have to count calories because it isn’t about the amount, it’s about how you’d body processes the food.

Quote

I have read that once fat adaptive the body uses the fat in our food for energy and then easily transitions to using body fat for energy.

This is true.

 

 

 

Edited July 22 by Bob
Fixed quotation code

[Scott F.]

I hit the 45-pound loss this week (since May 8th). 

There have been a number of things that have amazed me thus far and maybe hunger, or the lack of hunger, is one of the bigger surprises.

I can say I have actually been hungry only two times since starting. Not that it has been forever, but looking back I can where I just ate to be eating. I also thin with the high carbs and the trash I was eating actually caused hunger. And from there I guess cravings can arise. 

For me, no cravings and no hunger. This also includes a couple 48-hour fasts and eating one meal a day for the most part. 

Scott

[Vickie]

It sounds to me like your salt deficient.


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[Bob]

22 hours ago, Scott F. said:

I hit the 45-pound loss this week (since May 8th). 

Congratulations on your progress!

 

[Mleedilley]

Fantastic Bob 

[Scott F.]

7 hours ago, Bob said:

Congratulations on your progress!

 

Thanks. It is funny since it is the Carnivore DIET the weight loss is talked about most.

I have been off medicine for NMOSD since mid-May and that is the first time since the diagnosis in Dec. 2018. As far as the NMOSD I have been pain free since May. The 45lbs is super nice but the 'no medicine' and 'no pain' outweighs that by a ton.

 

I have bloodwork in a week or so to see where my immunoglobulin numbers are between infusions. So this DIET might help me lose more than weight. LOL

Scott