My 30-Day Carnivore Diet Experiment: Dramatic Results, Challenges & Unexpected Benefits
Embarking on a seven-day carnivore diet challenge is no small feat. This restrictive eating plan eliminates all plant-based foods, allowing only animal products like meat, eggs, and bone broth. The diet has gained popularity among those seeking weight loss, improved mood, and better blood sugar regulation, despite its extreme limitations.
The journey begins with substantial protein-heavy meals that create immediate feelings of fullness and satiety. By day three, however, physical challenges emerge including digestive issues, headaches, and decreased energy during workouts. Despite these hurdles, proponents like athlete Shaun Baker demonstrate the potential long-term benefits that may come after the initial adjustment period, suggesting that the body requires time to adapt to this radical dietary shift.
Key Takeaways
The carnivore diet restricts consumption to only animal products with no plant foods allowed, creating unique nutritional challenges.
Initial experiences often include increased mental clarity but may be accompanied by digestive difficulties and fatigue.
Physical performance typically decreases during early adaptation, though some athletes report improved strength after extended adherence.
The Catalyst Moment
Carnivore Versus Karma's Path
Will embarked on a challenging seven-day carnivore diet experiment that restricted his food intake to animal products exclusively. This extreme dietary approach eliminates all plant-based foods including vegetables, fruits, and grains. The carnivore diet has gained popularity for its purported benefits including weight loss, improved mood, and blood sugar regulation.
The diet's strict rules allowed Will to consume only meat seasoned with salt and pepper, while drinking options were limited to water, sparkling water, and bone broth. Some practitioners permit coffee, but Will decided to follow the strictest interpretation to maintain the integrity of his challenge.
His meals consisted primarily of:
14-ounce flank steak for breakfast
Ground turkey with eggs for lunch
Various cuts of meat including strip loin and ribeye
Higher fat content meats (80/20 ground beef)
Lily's Abduction Crisis
The dietary challenge began under unusual circumstances. Will received a threat regarding someone named Lily, who was apparently being held hostage. The captor issued an ultimatum: Will must follow the carnivore diet for seven days, or he would "never see Lily again."
This strange situation appeared to be connected to something called "Karma's Way" that Will had supposedly taken. The captors declared, "Since you've taken Karma's way from us, we take carbs away from you," establishing the unusual connection between the dietary restriction and Lily's predicament.
Will's physical response to the diet was mixed. He experienced:
Initial mental clarity and alertness
Persistent nausea ("on the cusp of throwing up")
Severe lethargy by day three
Significant digestive issues
Workout performance deterioration
Intense headaches
Despite the physical challenges, Will continued the strict regimen, incorporating bone broth—which he noted differs from regular stock due to longer simmering time and contains numerous health benefits for skin, hair, joints, and gut health.
Understanding The Carnivore Diet
What This Diet Entails
The carnivore diet represents one of the most restrictive eating approaches available today. It consists exclusively of animal-based foods, eliminating all plant-based items from the menu. No vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, or plant oils are permitted.
Permissible foods include various meats, eggs, and some animal-derived beverages. Salt and pepper are typically the only seasonings allowed. Acceptable drinks include water, sparkling water, and bone broth.
Many followers report that bone broth serves as a valuable addition to the diet. Unlike regular stock, bone broth simmers longer and contains higher concentrations of minerals and vitamins that support skin, hair, joint health, and potentially aid gut healing.
Why People Choose It
Adherents pursue the carnivore diet for several potential health benefits. Weight management is a common motivation, as the high protein content promotes satiety despite lower caloric intake.
The diet purportedly helps with:
Blood sugar regulation
Mood improvements
Mental clarity and focus
Reduced inflammation
Joint health support
Some elite athletes follow this dietary approach, including those who perform at high levels in strength and endurance sports. Proponents claim that after an adaptation period of approximately 30 days, physical performance may actually improve beyond previous capabilities.
Physical Changes To Expect
The transition to a carnivore diet typically involves an adjustment period with distinct physical effects. Initial days often bring lethargy, headaches, and decreased exercise performance due to the drastic reduction in carbohydrates.
Digestive changes are significant and vary widely:
Some experience constipation requiring increased effort
Others face episodes of urgent bowel movements
Digestive stability typically improves after adaptation
Energy patterns shift noticeably. Many report prolonged satiety, with meals keeping hunger at bay for 5+ hours. Mental clarity sometimes improves, with some describing enhanced focus and alertness despite initial fatigue.
The diet often leads to caloric deficits as appetite regulation changes. Higher-fat meat cuts (80/20 ground beef, ribeye steaks) are recommended over leaner options to ensure adequate energy intake. Organ meats provide crucial nutrients, being particularly rich in B vitamins and minerals.
Day 1 Experiences
Morning Protein: Steak Breakfast
Will began his carnivore diet journey with a substantial morning meal consisting of a 14-ounce flank steak seasoned only with salt and pepper. The steak was slightly undercooked, which he found somewhat unsettling as he consumed it. He paired this protein-heavy breakfast with sparkling water, noting that the carnivore diet limits beverages to water, sparkling water, and bone broth. Coffee remains questionable on this diet, so he opted to avoid it completely to maintain strict adherence to the regimen.
Nutritional Intake
The day's food consumption was surprisingly minimal. After his substantial morning steak at 9:30 AM, Will didn't eat again until 2:30 PM when he consumed a pound of ground turkey with four whole eggs. By 7:30 PM, he remained full, noting that he hadn't even thought about food for most of the day. This naturally placed him in a calorie deficit without intentional restriction.
For dinner, he visited a steakhouse, explaining this choice was practical for someone on the carnivore diet. He highlighted the awkwardness of dining at regular restaurants while following such a restrictive eating plan, where one would need to request meals without sides and minimal seasoning.
Evening Reflections
By the end of his first day, Will experienced no significant digestive disturbances, which he found somewhat surprising given the dramatic dietary change. He noted feeling an interesting mental clarity and alertness by the following morning that he hadn't experienced in quite some time.
However, not all sensations were positive. Will described feeling "on the cusp of throwing up every minute" and experiencing stomach soreness. The thought of continuing this diet for six more days already seemed challenging, as his appetite was significantly diminished despite the need to maintain adequate caloric intake.
Day 2 Observations
Mental Clarity Amid Physical Discomfort
The second day brought an interesting mix of mental and physical experiences. There was a noticeable increase in mental clarity, focus, and alertness that hadn't been present for quite some time. This heightened awareness was impressive, almost like developing unexpected reflexes.
However, physically, the body was sending different signals. Nausea lingered throughout the day, creating a constant feeling of being on the verge of sickness. Stomach soreness became increasingly apparent, suggesting digestive distress. These physical symptoms created a stark contrast with the mental benefits.
The energy levels dropped significantly, making even basic activities like reaching 10,000 daily steps feel extraordinarily challenging. Lethargy dominated the day despite the mental sharpness.
Consuming Fat-Rich Meats and Bone Broth
Breakfast consisted of a 16-ounce strip loin steak cooked with butter, emphasizing the diet's focus on fat-rich animal products. Meeting caloric needs proved difficult as appetite decreased significantly. The strategy shifted toward incorporating fattier cuts of meat like ribeye and higher-fat ground beef (80/20 ratio) to increase caloric intake without increasing volume.
Bone broth became an essential part of the routine, serving as the only warm beverage allowed on the diet. Unlike regular stock, bone broth is simmered much longer and offers numerous health benefits:
Rich in vitamins and minerals
Supports skin, hair, joint, and nail health
May aid weight loss
Potential benefits for sleep quality
Possible anti-inflammatory properties
Supports gut health
Contains antioxidants
Dinner was consumed late despite lack of hunger, consisting of ground beef and eggs. The meal's appearance was less than appetizing, reflecting the limited preparation options available within the diet's restrictions.
Benefits of Organ Meat Consumption
The carnivore diet strongly recommends incorporating organ meats due to their exceptional nutritional profile. Organ meats represent the most nutrient-dense parts of animals, particularly rich in:
B vitamins (including B12, folate, and choline)
Essential minerals like iron, zinc, and selenium
Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
This nutritional density makes organ meats valuable for maintaining proper vitamin and mineral levels while following such a restrictive eating pattern. For those unaccustomed to conventional Western diets, organ meats provide crucial micronutrients that might otherwise be missing when eliminating plant foods entirely.
The diet's advocates point to these nutritional benefits as one reason the carnivore approach can be sustainable despite its restrictive nature.
Day 3 Challenges
Digestive System Changes
The third day brought significant changes to the digestive system. Bowel movements became unpredictable and problematic, alternating between constipation requiring motivation to "push one out" and urgent situations necessitating immediate bathroom access. The bathroom experiences were described as extreme and uncomfortable, suggesting the body was struggling to adapt to the complete absence of fiber from plant foods.
Training Performance Decrease
Physical performance in the gym declined noticeably on day three. Energy levels dropped dramatically after completing just the first exercise (bench press). This rapid fatigue can be attributed to the absence of carbohydrates, which typically fuel high-intensity workouts. Despite this personal experience, it's worth noting that some athletes successfully perform on carnivore diets after an adaptation period. Examples include Shaun Baker, a 50-year-old advocate who maintains impressive strength feats including 700+ pound deadlifts.
Physical and Mental Wellbeing Issues
The overall physical and mental state deteriorated significantly by the third day. Symptoms included:
Severe headaches
Extreme lethargy
Lack of motivation for exercise
General feeling of "not being myself"
These symptoms align with what's commonly called "carb flu" or an adaptation period when transitioning to extremely low-carbohydrate diets. The body was clearly struggling to adjust to using fat as its primary fuel source instead of the more readily available carbohydrates.
Dietary Log Highlights
The carnivore diet experiment began with an ambitious 14-ounce flank steak for breakfast, seasoned only with salt and pepper as per the diet's strict guidelines. Beverage options were limited to water, sparkling water, and bone broth throughout the seven-day challenge.
By midday of the first day, a meal consisting of one pound of ground turkey and four whole eggs proved to be substantially filling. The participant remained satiated for approximately five hours afterward, likely resulting in a calorie deficit for the day. Dinner at a steakhouse was chosen as the most suitable dining option, as traditional restaurants would present challenges for carnivore diet compliance.
Morning of day two brought mixed experiences. There was notable mental clarity and focus, but simultaneously feelings of nausea and stomach discomfort. Breakfast consisted of a 16-ounce strip loin steak with butter. Bone broth became an important dietary component, valued for its nutrient profile including vitamins, minerals, and potential benefits for skin, hair, joints, gut health, and inflammation reduction.
Physical effects became more pronounced as the challenge continued. Day three revealed significant energy depletion during workouts, with exhaustion setting in after minimal exercise. Digestive issues ranged from constipation to urgent bathroom visits. By this point, the participant experienced severe headaches, lethargy, and decreased motivation for physical activity.
Food choices evolved to include higher fat meat options (80/20 ground beef rather than lean cuts) to increase caloric intake. The diet also incorporated organ meats for their nutrient density and B vitamin content. A "carnivore salad" featuring chicken thighs and bacon added some variety to the monotonous meal plan.
Carnivore Diet Experience
The carnivore diet represents one of the most restrictive eating plans available, consisting exclusively of animal products. This means no vegetables, fruits, or grains—only meat, eggs, and animal-derived foods.
Many proponents claim this diet offers benefits including weight loss, improved mood, and better blood sugar regulation. The adjustment period can be challenging, however, with noticeable physical and mental effects.
A typical day on the carnivore diet might include:
Breakfast options:
Flank steak (seasoned only with salt and pepper)
Eggs
Ground meat
Beverage choices:
Water
Sparkling water
Bone broth
Bone broth differs significantly from regular stock, as it simmers much longer. It contains numerous health benefits:
Rich in vitamins and minerals
Supports skin, hair, and joint health
May reduce inflammation
Promotes gut health
Higher fat content meats are recommended on this diet for caloric purposes. Experts suggest incorporating organ meats due to their nutrient density—they contain abundant B vitamins and minerals that may be missing from muscle meat alone.
The initial adaptation phase typically includes symptoms like lethargy, headaches, and digestive irregularities. However, some athletes like Shaun Baker have demonstrated impressive physical performance while following this diet. Many practitioners report increased strength and energy after approximately 30 days of adjustment.
Physical performance during workouts may initially decline due to the absence of carbohydrates. This energy reduction is temporary for most committed followers as the body adapts to using fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.
