Super low carb...... the carnivore diet.

[Happyflowerlady]

This is in the same basic catagory as a ketogenic way of eating (WOE), but it limits a person to only animal based foods and no carbs at all. You are only eating proteins and fats.
Since humans do not actually have a requirement for carbohydrates like we do with proteins and fats, we can exist just fine without fruits, grains, and veggies. Not saying that they aren’t good for us, or that they don’t supply necessary vitamins and minerals; but people that live in places that are too cold or too dry to grow plant foods, have lived on animals and fish as their main foods for thousands of years.

Now, we have a diet that is called the carnivore diet, and since it limits carbs, it is a version of the ketogenic diet, just more drastically limited in food that you can eat. It can be combined with intermittent fasting
Some adherents do not even use dairy products, even though they are considered animal food products.
Personally, I like having some plant foods in my diet, especially leafy greens for salads; but also healthy veggies, and some fruits as well.
Here is more information about what is allowed on the carnivore diet, and what people have to say about it.

https://www.onnit.com/academy/the-carnivore-diet/

 

[DenisP]

I’ve actually been hearing a lot about this carnivore diet recently, as it seems to be trending among the fitness community. At first, I was really opposed to it, because the idea of eating just meat seemed to go against all the conventions which I was brought up with. We’re taught that we need to have a balanced diet in order to be healthy—fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, the whole nine yards.

I was surprised to find out that meat is actually all we really need. I listened to a few podcasts on how people actually greatly improved their health simply by switching to an all-meat diet.

Now, would I personally do this? Probably not, mostly due to the fact that I try to minimize my meat intake for ethical reasons. But I definitely wouldn’t mind testing this out for a month or so and seeing how it impacts my health.

 

[Happyflowerlady]

I have decided to try the zero carb OMAD , and see if it helps me to lose weight better. I have been reading more about this type of food restriction, and it apppears that it can help when even regular OMAD or Keto does not work well enough.
There are lot of good reports about health improvement when you eat protein and fats only, and zero carbs, or basically zero.
I started earlier this week, and it actually makes the fasting much easier for me. I am following the same program, morning exercise and then OMAD in the early afternoon, and just having some kind of meat for my meal. I pretty much do not get hungry until the next day, and I think that part of that hunger is the habit of eating after I get back home from swimming.
I have lost a little over 2 lbs this week, and after being just plain stalled for the last few months (no matter what I ate), this is very encouraging to me.
I am going to try this for a month, and see how it goes, and how I feel.
So far, so good !

 

[Happyflowerlady]

The scale says I am another pound down, my clothes feel looser, and I have plenty of energy. I found a website called “My Grocery Deals”, and it shows me all of the sales at every store near where I live, so I can save money when buying meat, since it is expensive. However, I am not buying anything else, so of course, I am also saving money that way.
I am still swimming every day, and doing everything that I was before, so the change in food has not been a problem with energy, either.
Hoping that the zero carb will help my insulin sensitivity reset better, since I am definitely not causing any insulin spikes with my food.

 

[Ravenlady]

The scale says I am another pound down, my clothes feel looser, and I have plenty of energy. I found a website called “My Grocery Deals”, and it shows me all of the sales at every store near where I live, so I can save money when buying meat, since it is expensive. However, I am not buying anything else, so of course, I am also saving money that way.
I am still swimming every day, and doing everything that I was before, so the change in food has not been a problem with energy, either.
Hoping that the zero carb will help my insulin sensitivity reset better, since I am definitely not causing any insulin spikes with my food.

I am on a zero carb group as well and often feel best this way. I plan to work harder to stick to it. Combined with omad is a win win. So much simpler for meal prep and shopping. I find less cravings also without carbs

 

[sabrath]

I have read that if you eat to much protein that your body starts treating it the same as carbohydrates and it stalls your progress and prevent ketosis. I can not remember where I read this but it may be something to research if you are going full carnivore .

 

[Happyflowerlady]

I have read that, too, @sabrath, and I think that if a person were overeating on protein, that could happen. What I found was that it filled me up faster and I actually was eating less food over all.
However, I got tired of having nothing but meat and some dairy (cheese, etc), and I missed salads; so I decided that I am still going to have salads with my OMAD meal when I feel like having something along with the meat.
The less carbs I have, the less hunger cravings I have, so I definitely need to keep my carbs to a minimum.

 

[sabrath]

I have read that, too, @sabrath, and I think that if a person were overeating on protein, that could happen. What I found was that it filled me up faster and I actually was eating less food over all.
However, I got tired of having nothing but meat and some dairy (cheese, etc), and I missed salads; so I decided that I am still going to have salads with my OMAD meal when I feel like having something along with the meat.
The less carbs I have, the less hunger cravings I have, so I definitely need to keep my carbs to a minimum.

@Happyflowerlady I wish I could reach a point where I missed salads, i hate salads though I do like spinach and kale but usually prefer them sauteed.

 

[Happyflowerlady]

This seems to work for me, at least most of the time.. sometimes I just want something different, and as long as I am still doing OMAD, then I am okay with it not being just meat and salad every single day.

 

[Happyflowerlady]

I still think that the zero carb might be a good idea, but I really missed having salads and vegetables, and truthfully, it would be easier for me to be a full vegetarian than a total carnivore. So, I am back to having omnivore meals, and just keeping things low carb.
It was working great, and really curbed hunger, but just not sustainable for me.

 

[Mark1]

Keep us updated

 

[Happyflowerlady]

I found that after several days of nothing but animal-product foods, I was actually wanting to eat more, simply because my body was craving more vegetables and salads in my diet.
What i do now, is try to do the “intuitive eating” thing, where I listen to my body about what it needs. I have found that some days, I really am hungry for meat (especially liver), and on those days, then I eat either all meat, or mainly meat.
On days when the idea of meat protein seems repulsive, then I eat a salad, or whatever it seems that my body wants for food , as long as it is a healthy food and not junk food.