Six Months as a Carnivore

Six months on the Carnivore Diet Personal Update Steak Meat Zero Carb Animal Based

I can’t believe I’m here at this point. For the last six months, I’ve eaten a diet completely devoid of fruit, vegetables and grains. When I first started out, I didn’t imagine I’d last as long as this. Part of me was convinced that it couldn’t possibly be healthy. That’s what we’re always taught right? Meat is bad, fruit and vegetables are good… well maybe, just maybe, that’s not the case.

The zero carb animal based carnivore diet is definitely gaining popularity. Because I live in a constant state of ‘what if I’m wrong’, I question things all the time, and especially in this case, I’ve spent much of the last six months researching and listening to anecdotal stories of peoples diet experiences to make sure I’m not doing myself permanent harm. What’s shocked me, is that the more I look, the more I find people switching to this way of eating. And I’m not talking just about people like me who have always enjoyed meat, there are many many vegans who are also going from all plant, to all animal based diets, with amazing results.

Anyway, I’m not here to talk about other peoples experiences. I want this to be about my own personal story and how eating only meat for six months has affected me both mentally and physically.

I have all my carnivore related blog posts linked down below, but in a nut shell… this diet is amazing. There have been a few issues, and I’ve discovered things about myself and underlying problems I’ve been having for years. In general though, I’ve found this to be literally the best I’ve ever felt. I’m able to eat food until I’m full, and without the bloated lethargic feeling I get from eating plant and grain based food.

I really expected to get bored of only meat, but you know what? It’s quite the opposite. I genuinely look forward to every dinner. For the most part, I’m switching between steak, roast beef, and roast pork. I’m also eating eggs, the occasional bit of liver and drinking raw milk. On the rare occasion I want to snack or am just too lazy to cook, I’ll go with cured meat and cheese. So it’s not like there’s no variation at all. The only problem is that for the most part, it’s a very brown diet. I’m yet to workout how to get to the food styling aspect nailed.

Six months on the Carnivore Diet Personal Update Roast Pork Crackling Meat Zero Carb Animal Based

Most people’s reactions to this are amusing. They fall into two categories… either complete disapproval, with smatterings of ‘you’re gonna die’ or ‘what about fibre?’, or they’re super inquisitive and I end up talking about my diet far more than I’d actually like to. I said right at the start, that I didn’t want my diet to define me as a person. It’s one of the things I dislike about the vegan movement. I’m not a carnivorous photographer, I’m just a photographer.

The most surprising thing I’ve noticed on this diet is my mood and overall state of mind. I’m far happier than I’ve ever been. Things that used to irritate me or get me down, now don’t bother me at all. Everything is positive, enough that the people around me are forced to take notice. I’m far more motivated too. I get way more things done, I’m sleeping better, waking up earlier, and I do have sense that my brain function is way better than ever. It’s hard to really put into words. It’s like mentally I’m Jay 2.0.

Where I’ve seen the biggest changes is my body. I’ve been trying to lose weight for years, and this has been by far the most effective method. It’s not just about the number on the scales, but the type of weight I’ve been losing. What little muscle mass I have (2019 is the muscle year for me), has been retained, although I’m actually stronger than before, despite no carbs. My belly is noticeably flatter, although still not quite got a six pack. I never planned to post topless photos of myself online at any point in my life, however I’m genuinely proud of the 6 month improvement, so to hell with it.

Six months on the Carnivore Diet Personal Update Meat Zero Carb Animal Based MyFitnessPal Flat Stomach Weight Loss Body Transformation Jay McLaughlin

I’m now planning to take a two week break for Christmas, purely for life enjoyment purposes. I’d be lying if I said there aren’t foods I’ve missed for the past six months, so Christmas seems like the perfect time to indulge in some naughtiness. I’ll no doubt gain some weight, but it’ll be mostly water, and I know that I lost it before, so I can lose it again.

So after six months strict carnivory, what are my thoughts going forward? I think I’m a convert! This way of eating is amazing. It suits me, I enjoy it, I get all of my desired outcomes physically and mentally, so without doubt, I’ll be returning to a zero carb animal based carnivore diet in January, without hesitation.

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