Part 2: My Carnivore Diet Experience & Results
I shared in My Introduction to the Carnivore Diet that my goal with trying the carnivore diet was to investigate whether me and my friends felt better on the diet and whether it was doable. I didn’t have the resources to do a large case control study that eliminated co-factors and was unbiased so I decided it would be an anecdotal study.
I never claimed that the carnivore diet was the perfect diet but I saw its potential to be a great elimination diet and I was eager to see if it could help my patients suffering from diseases of chronic inflammation.
The Participants aka “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”
As I shared in Part 1, I invited 25 of my friends to join this carnivore challenge with me and 13 signed up. As you can imagine, those that signed up were far from ordinary. They were already conscious of their eating habits and aimed to eat healthy on a regular basis. One participant had already tried the carnivore diet before and four were already following a low carb, limited sugar nutrition plan. We had all done hard things before, whether that be athletic, academic, and/or occupational achievements. Eating only eggs and meat would not be the hardest thing these guys had ever done.
The reasons varied for why my friends agreed to try this diet with me. Several joined because they wanted a “reset” after the holidays. Others signed up simply to try something new. While others joined the adventure because they enjoyed the banter in our text chain.
Of the 25 I originally invited, only a few who chose not to start the challenge replied back. There were 2-3 I hoped would give it a try but decided “everything in moderation” was best for them. This inspired my Everything in Moderation blog which is a great approach but does not work for everyone. The truth is there were very few surprises. The people who joined were the ones I suspected would join. They passed the first test.
Backlash
As expected I received some good natured backlash. People heard we were only eating meat and eggs and naturally were skeptical. One physician asked if my end marker was calculating who had a heart attack or stroke. Another asked if I would be checking cholesterol before and after. Finally a few people were concerned that these men would not be eating vegetables.
I admit I was a little nervous. What if something bad happened to someone during the 30 days? Their spouse may blame me forever!
Ultimately I thought of Butch Cassidy laughing at the Sundance Kid. In this clip, Sundance is worried about not knowing how to swim, even though the fall from the cliff into the river is likely to be fatal. In the same way a group of guys were going to give up alcohol, sugar, processed carbs, and junk food and people were worried the steak and eggs would kill them.
Regardless of the questions and backlash I received, I ate my last carbohydrate New Years Eve, had a fridge full of beef and eggs, and prayed no one would have an adverse medical event during the trial.
My Experience with the Carnivore Diet:
1. My cravings weren’t an issue
The hardest part of a sugar/carbohydrate free diet is the sugar/carbohydrate withdrawal symptoms, which can last 3-14 days for most people. I had done sugar/carbohydrate free diets in the past so this was not too much of an issue, and I was already eating a protein only breakfast and lunch before I started. As a result the cravings only came an hour after dinner. They lasted a few minutes and were gone.
I ate dinner with my wife and daughter. We would have the same meat and I would crave their salad. One time Nick, my scribe at work, was eating an apple and it looked like the best treat I’d ever seen. I was surprised I did not crave pizza, pasta, bread, or alcohol but rather fresh avocado on my eggs, salad with dinner, nuts as a snack, and my go to treat greek yogurt with blueberries and paleo granola.
Social situations were not an issue. January is relatively quiet for us. The one dinner out I had was at a local steakhouse (shout out Lewnes’) and I filled up on oysters and a porterhouse.
2. My tendonitis and arthritis disappeared
I went into this challenge with some irritating hip tendonitis and some mild right knee arthritis and my joints were pain free within 2 weeks.
3. I experienced an increase in energy and mental focus
My energy and mental focus were phenomenal after a few days.
4. I felt strong in my workouts but my cardio was reduced
I felt strong in my strength workouts but my cardio (peloton bike workouts) was reduced. Studies show most people have about a 15% decrease in cardio due to lack of carbohydrates but elite athletes in endurance sports will have an increase cardio output. Unfortunately I’m not an elite athlete.
5. No gastrointestinal issues
I did not have any gastrointestinal issues but I did get the keto breath which was slightly annoying.
6. Boredom was the main drawback
The main drawback for me was boredom with eating meat. I am usually excited when I hear we are eating tenderloin, flank steak, skirt steak, or burgers for dinner, and I didn’t get bored of dinner but I lost the excitement as it became the norm. Additionally, I never tired of eggs. I often drink black coffee or bulletproof coffee (coffee with butter and coconut oil/MCT oil) so not having my occasional french vanilla creamer was not too much of an issue. In summary I was not hungry but I lost some of the pleasure in eating.
7. I lost 13 pounds
I went in at 202 pounds, which is my correct weight so my goal was to not drop below 198 pounds with a hard floor of 195. Despite this goal, I dropped to 189 pounds. At this weight I felt great but did not look my best as my clothes were falling off.
When you are not eating carbohydrates and sugar you do not crave food. I ate because it was time to eat. I have a big appetite so this was unusual for me. Many people report only eating 1 or 2 meals a day. For someone trying to lose weight this is a bonus but for someone trying to maintain weight it can be difficult. I did notice that Surf and Turf was the best way for me to maintain my calories. When I do the carnivore diet again, I will make sure to have a wider variety of meat so I remain interested in eating.
Final Reflections
In the end I did not cheat once and I was ready for the 30 days to end. The next time I do it I will add back one item at a time but this time I added fruits, veggies, nuts, greek yogurt, and sourdough bread within the first 48 hours. I added back ice cream and whiskey within a few days. It was not that hard so if I had severe chronic inflammation I would consider the carnivore diet as a permanent nutrition plan. Giving up some eating pleasure as a trade off to decrease pain and suffering would be a fair trade. However, if I only had a bad joint like an arthritic knee I would likely just get the joint replacement rather than stick to such a restrictive diet.
Rating Results for the Carnivore Diet
My original idea was to grade the results on a scale and for each contestant to rate their joint pain before and after while also rating how difficult the diet was to follow:
Joint pain Scale 1-10 for each painful joint
(here are some numbers for guidance)
0. No pain
2. Notice the joint is different but not painful
3. Modify some activities or exercises due to pain
5. Currently treating the joint with medication/supplements, therapy, injections,braces, etc.
7. The joint is affecting your lifestyle and you are considering surgery
10. You are currently in the emergency room due to pain
Difficulty in following the plan
Easy
3. Minor inconvenience that required meal planning
5. Moderately difficult like a full schedule of exams
7. Difficult- you would not expect someone with average willpower to accomplish
10. Your own personal VietNam
Everything's a competition in our world so I decided to choose a champion at the end. To keep everyone involved I created a varsity and J.V. division. I was not looking for perfection but the varsity would only be allowed a few cheats. The J.V. was for those who needed some exemptions. All I wanted was honesty. If someone fell off the wagon I wanted them to hop back on instead of being “eliminated.” In reality my friends are not great at following directions so only some provided their results in numbers. As a result I will provide their comments to demonstrate how they did. I’ve given the participants nicknames and will keep their identities secret to protect their privacy. They are all aged 47-57.
Everyone Else’s Experience with the Carnivore Diet
“Did It Their Own Way” Division:
(The did not quit, they just had their own way of doing things)
The Inspiration - I saw my one friend at a Christmas party and he looked great. I asked him what he was doing and he was fasting 4 days each week. I figured the carnivore diet would be easy compared to this. This motivated me to invite others to the challenge. He talked a lot of trash on the text chain, suggested only eating what he hunted, and was never heard from again. My guess is he had a good thing going and did not want to mess with amateurs.
Twizzlers - I thought for sure he would make it. He gave up drinking 30 years ago so I assumed he would be in the running for the championship. He had some reservations early on because he’d been eating healthy for many years and wondered why he should change it up. In the end he did not want to give up family dinners or his twizzlers habit.
The Physician’s Husband - He was a strict carnivore for 2 weeks. He then switched out to do Whole 30 with his wife. He replied “my wife was worried I'd stroke out.” Going in he had no pre-existing joint pain which I’d bet has a lot to do with an overall healthy lifestyle.
Junior Varsity Division:
The Fighting Irishman - He sent me his meal plan prior to starting and it was pretty strict and healthy. He did carnivore with only a few cheats which included veggies with dinner and a few drinks socially. He had no pre-existing joint pain but he did notice decreased muscle soreness after workouts on carnivore. He had consistent energy levels and sleep during the month. His sugar cravings lasted the first 2 weeks and he lost pleasure in eating by week 3. He plans to do a modified carnivore moving forward.
The Sheriff Of Nottingham - He had stiff hands in the morning and a painful knee status post quadricep tendon repair. The pain in his knee and hands went completely away. The first week he had some Keto breath which he improved with increased salt and gastrointestinal issues which were resolved, and he wanted to strangle everyone the first week. His wife was not a believer so he was heckled daily. He lost 13 pounds and plans to stay low carb with a whole foods type nutrition plan. He will continue through until a vacation in March with a somewhat modified version of carnivore.
The Father of the Brides - He felt great on the diet and lost 12 pounds. His energy, focus, and sleep greatly improved after struggling with some sleep issues. He had no preexisting joint pain. When he had flour he felt bloated immediately. His wife had some concerns and sent him some contrarian videos which he watched. Other people were mostly discouraging because he was not having fruits and vegetables. He felt it might best be used as an elimination diet. His long term goal is to add fruits and vegetables but eliminate gluten, dairy, and sugar. His difficulties came from business and social situations he perceived he needed to be a part of.
Try Again - He started with 12 days in January and quit. He had a ton of travel and business obligations so the diet was difficult. In addition he had GI issues and was almost kicked to the guest room by his wife. The second attempt in February was much smoother. Less cravings and improved GI issues. He does not have preexisting joint pain despite some beat up joints (I have seen the MRIs and can verify). His reflux improved and he felt less tired. He slept better and decided to continue a modified version.
Varsity Division:
Been There, Done That - He had done ketogenic diets before. He lost weight, improved indigestion, slept better and quit snoring. Wife happy! He is a true believer that ketosis works for weight loss. His only hassle was eating out and would sometimes order an extra entree to take the place of sides. Some people encouraged him for his willpower to cut out breads and sugar but some discouraged him because they did not understand ketosis, were worried about cholesterol, and it made them look in the mirror at their own choices. He thanked me for organizing and felt doing it with a group was fun and made the task easier.
The Persian Panther AKA the Best Looking Man in College Lacrosse - He did not cheat at all. He felt fantastic with more energy and less bloating. He lost a little cardio and strength at the beginning but it returned. He lost 7 pounds without trying. He got tired of the redundancy and craved fruits and avocados but did not crave alcohol. He will consider doing it 6 days a week. He thanked me saying he never thought he would be this sexy again.
The Mountain Man - he did not cheat and fasted every Wednesday. He went in with level 3 joint pain in his back, shoulders, wrist, and ankles. He is status post knee surgery and that could get up to a 5. His joint pain disappeared after 2 weeks. He was not sure if this was due to decreased inflammation or the fact he lost 24 pounds. Overall his body felt much better. He did not notice any change in strength or cardio but did have a significant increase in flexibility. The first week was tough with G.I. issues and giving up sugar. He slept better and had dramatically improved focus. His wife joined him in the challenge which was helpful and they still have 4 teenagers at home. They all ate the same meat for dinner and added sides for the kids. He craved fruit. He will continue a modified version of the diet. His final statement was F…K the J.V. and anyone who couldn't compete for the championship.
The Vintage Hoop Star - He had 2-3 level joint pain in his feet, knees, and back and 0 pain after a few weeks of carnivore. His focus and energy improved and he slept well. He struggled with cardio during the first week in his 6:00 am basketball games but that improved after the first week. He had some bad breath and G.I. upset which was resolved after the first week. The cravings only lasted a week but he missed his afternoon nuts and a full family dinner. He lost 14 pounds he really did not need to lose. Moving forward he will cut back on bread, pasta, and cookies.
#19 - he did not have much inflammation going in so he did not notice any change. His blood pressure dropped into normal range. He lost 16 pounds and his sleep was significantly better. His energy was down the first week then normalized. He had no idea how addicted he was to sugar prior to starting. He does not think the diet is sustainable but can be altered to add vegetables and sugar in moderation.
The Pistol, no longer a Squirt Gun - He was already starting from a good place and only got involved for the text chain banter and to contribute to science. He had level three hip pain which was annoying because it is the only part of his body that hurt. It went down to level 1 but he was hoping it would completely disappear. He did not have any sugar/carb withdrawal but felt the lack of variety was not sustainable for him or most others. He did not notice any change in his cycling workouts. People were concerned that he was eating only meat but relaxed when he explained that he was eating mostly fish and chicken. He noticed the arguments in favor of the diet seemed to be based on a thoughtful approach and the arguments against seemed to be backed by feelings and assumptions. He lost weight even though he hoped not to. Those around him became more curious when they saw he was having positive results and not falling apart. He might do a variant periodically but would include fruits and vegetables.
The Wonder Women - The original email invitation went to 25 men. I did not send it to any women. I guess I assumed they would be less interested. However the one woman who joined may have had the best results of all. She had never been able to stick with a nutrition program before but this time was different. She loved how good she felt from the beginning. Her joints felt great and her legs felt light. The weight loss helped to keep her motivated. Her running and yoga felt improved. She is a highschool lacrosse coach and felt she was crushing the teenagers in morning workouts. She had some venous congestion (very common for the mother of 4 teenagers) in her legs which resolved. Prior to her cycle she reports being irritated with her family and this is resolved. She felt even keeled in a great way. She described it as a hormone balance or reset. She doesn't feel the diet is sustainable but wants to modify it to keep the results.
Stay Tuned for Part 3:
That is a lot of information for one blog. As you can see many had great results. Stay tuned for my conclusions from the challenge and to hear who won the junior varsity and varsity championship!