My Journey from Low Carb to Carnivore

[Bob]

I became a big boy once I hit drinking age in the mid-late 90's, and it was around that time that my next door neighbor gave me a book to read, called Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. I read it from cover to cover in almost no time at all, because it was both easy to understand, and it the science made sense. I applied what I learned and lost weight with ease. If I recall correctly, I went from the low 200's down to just under 165, and for the first time in my life truly felt "skinny".  I was a believer in low carb ever since. Unfortunately, I didn't stay on the fourth phase, "Atkins For Life", but instead became a yo-yo dieter in the years and decades since. I have been routinely swinging back and forth between 180 and 230 like a pendulum. Then as I've gotten older, I'd make it down to 190, then 195, then 200, the 205, and started to think my metabolism was slowing down with age.

Now I am in my upper 40's and over the years have developed some chronic conditions that have forced me to give more serious thought to my weight and what I put in my mouth. During the pandemic, I actually lost a lot of weight and could make the connection that it was because I was cooking good food at home because for a time we couldn't go to restaurants and being in crowds was discouraged. My blood labs were improving too. But in 2022 I backslid again and gained it all back, and the blood labs reflected that this was not good. So, I started low carb again in March. But today's "low carb" diets have been tainted by manufacturers who make all these processed "keto" foods, and make up low "net carb" counts using mathematical trickery. I wasn't having much success. Then in late March and ealy April I started learning about True Keto, and decided to go from the "dirty keto" I had been doing to REAL whole food Keto and vowed to never eat sugarcane or grains again. After 6 weeks of just meat and vegetables I was losing weight and feeling fantastic.

In the middle of May I broke my ankle, and knew I was going to be sedentary for the next couple months. Prior to this, I had been learning about Carnivore and intermittent fasting, so on that day I decided to go fully zero carb, carnivore and practice intermittent fasting 16-8. I would eat and noon and again no later than 8pm. During those 2 months where I could not bear any weight on my leg, I lost 10 more pounds.

My blood work is showing improvement too. I've reversed a few conditions, such as high blood pressure and ulcerative colitis, and am working on a couple others. Most of all, I feel fantastic. I'm truly believe I am a committed 97% carnivore, occasional ketovore. I'm trying hard to make sure the only thing that goes in my mouth now comes from the Creator above, from farm to fork, from the field to the table, with very few exceptions. My only regret is that I had learned a lot about this with that book in the 90's but didn't stick with it.

 

[cwise]

I never had a weight problem until I got older. I started Keto in 2018. My husband watched me from the sidelines and then joined me right before we went to Copenhagen for the International Convention. We both felt great, we were able to keep up with all of the activities and had a great time. Covid hit right after that and we became a little lazy I guess.  Now we're both trying to get back to where we were.  Your right @Dismal_Bliss about things being tainted. Mathematical trickery is the only thing I see at the store.  So it requires me to be vigilant and busier in planning and preparing. But, I feel the effects of not taking care of myself and I'm determined to stick to it.  

[Bob]

4 hours ago, cwise said:

Now we're both trying to get back to where we were.

You did it before. You can do it again!

Admittedly, whenever I have fallen off this lifestyle and WOE it has been a struggle to get back on. It takes me weeks to get into that diet mindset again, and I usually start with low carb, lazy/dirty keto through the week, then screw up on the weekend, and repeat, lol. But with each week I get more disciplined and my resolve to eat right gets stronger.

5 hours ago, cwise said:

Your right @Dismal_Bliss about things being tainted. Mathematical trickery is the only thing I see at the store.  So it requires me to be vigilant and busier in planning and preparing.

Back when I read New Diet Revolution, I don't think there was such a thing as "Net Carbs". The book may have talked about fiber not counting, but I honestly can't remember. But then when low carb and keto became trendy, then suddenly there was all these ingredients, all carbs, that magically didn't count. I kinda bought into it and that may have been part of the reason weight loss wasn't as successful in susequent diet attempts.

So when I went clean Keto, I vowed no sugar, no grain, and not net carb nonsense ever again. I basically have to cook everything now, but it's always fresh, whole, one-ingredient foods found in nature, and I am finding success again.

But I was a plant-based keto dieter, namely, the Salad King! lol. As I learned about carnivore and implemented it, the results were amazing - and backed by blood work and other measurements - something regular low carb and dirty keto couldn't accomplish in me. So now I am like 97% carnivore, which some people say I should call "ketovore". In summary, I am animal-based keto instead of plant based keto now.

Now I just have to stick to the vow and do this for life

[cwise]

I'm really happy about this forum. I'm sure it will help me and my husband(I'm sharing experiences with him) maybe he will join. 

[Bob]

14 minutes ago, cwise said:

I'm really happy about this forum. I'm sure it will help me and my husband(I'm sharing experiences with him) maybe he will join. 

That would be great. He would be considered one of the founding fathers

 

[Ravenfreak]

Thank you for sharing your story Bob! I recall seeing those books at stores when I was a kid in the late 90's, I believe my aunt had one of those books too. I've heard great things about the Carnivore diet, and a few different people I follow on Youtube lost weight and have been keeping it off too!