The carnivore diet has been gaining popularity over the last few years as more people discover the potential benefits of restricting carbs and focusing nutrition around protein and fat. While unconventional, this zero-carb approach challenges the outdated idea that we need carbohydrates from grains and sugar in our diet at all.
In today‘s guide, we‘ll share key insights from a YouTuber named Zaid who documented his first week on the carnivore diet, including his decision to incorporate limited amounts of honey and Greek yogurt. We’ll cover Zaid’s key results so far, provide some carnivore diet basics if you’re new to this concept, discuss why he chose to keep these two non-carnivore items, and share a sample meal plan and recipes for carnivore diet day 6.
Summarizing Zaid’s Carnivore Diet Experience
Over the first 6 days of his carnivore diet journey, Zaid reported dramatic weight loss results and increased muscle definition in comparison to a 90-day diet and exercise program he completed recently. He attributes these rapid changes to his body switching into “overdrive” as it adapts to using primarily fat and protein for fuel.
Some key takeaways from Zaid’s experience so far:
- Sticking to a consistent routine of 5 AM wakes up, busy workdays, cardio, and weight training showcases his dedication to transforming his body composition.
- Consuming beef liver emphasizes the importance of organ meats for bioavailable nutrients. He sources quality liver from a local farm.
- Carefully selecting and preparing special meals for his girlfriend exhibits how supporting partners can help ease the transition.
Now let’s dig deeper into the origins of the carnivore diet, whether honey and Greek yogurt fit into it, and everything you need to crush day 6!
What Is the Carnivore Diet?
The carnivore diet is an ultra low-carb, high protein, high fat diet comprised almost entirely of animal products. The only permitted foods are:
- Meat: Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, etc.
- Fish and other seafood
- Eggs
- Some dairy like butter or hard cheeses
- Animal fats like lard or tallow
Foods to avoid include:
- All grains and products made with grains
- All fruits and vegetables
- All added sugars and sweets
- Legumes, nuts, seeds
- Processed vegetable/seed oils
The ideology behind this diet is that foods like grains and legumes contain “anti-nutrients” that are difficult to digest and can damage the gut lining over time potentially contributing to inflammation and autoimmunity.
On the other hand, nutrient and protein-dense animal foods are thought to be easier to digest, satisfying, and provide calories alongside essential amino acids. Due to the elimination of carbohydrate sources, keto flu symptoms can occur in the adaptation phase as the body shifts to using ketones and fatty acids for fuel before achieving fat adapted status.
Deciding Whether to Keep Honey and Greek Yogurt
As shown from Zaid’s video, incorporating small amounts of foods like raw honey and Greek yogurt may provide benefits for some people pursuing the carnivore diet. Let’s analyze both in the context of this zero-carb concept:
Raw Honey – Sugar and carb-containing foods are completely restricted on carnivore, but local raw honey offers unique enzymes and antioxidant compounds from regional pollen. Some people include honey to soothe seasonal allergies. The small doses likely won’t disrupt ketosis.
Greek Yogurt – Since dairy is allowed, the high-protein Greek yogurt fits the carnivore motto. The combo of protein with probiotic cultures can curb hunger. Note that some yogurt contains added sugar or fruit which would be avoided. Always check the labels.
At the end of the day, including these two foods comes down to personal preference, goals, and individual reactions. Some strict carnivores would avoid but staying under 50 grams of net carbs enables ketosis for most people.
Sample Meal Plan for Carnivore Diet Day 6
As your body adapts to carnivore, staying satisfied with the limited food options can become easier over time. Here’s a sample meal plan with creative recipes meeting the main criteria of the diet:
Breakfast: Veggie-free scrambled eggs with cured pork breakfast sausage
Lunch: Juicy bacon cheeseburger served between lettuce leaves with a side salad of blue cheese crumbles and ranch dressing
Dinner: Herb-crusted rack of lamb with roasted asparagus spears
Dessert: Sugar-free lemon cheesecake sweetened with monk fruit
Snacks: Homemade beef jerky, macadamia nuts
Let’s take a closer look at how to prepare the lunch bacon cheeseburger for tomorrow:
No Bun Carnivore Bacon Cheeseburger
Ingredients:
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 tbsp minced white onion
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 large butter lettuce leaf
- 2 oz Monterey jack cheese, sliced
- Tomato, onion, pickles to taste (optional)
Instructions:
- Form ground beef into two patties seasoned generously with salt and pepper.
- Grill burgers for 4-5 minutes per side, adding cheese on top half way through.
- Top each patty with crumbled bacon, onion, mustard, and other toppings as desired.
- Wrap burgers tightly in lettuce leaves to contain the juicy filling.
Pair it with a low-carb side salad like blue cheese wedge or caesar for the perfect high protein carnivore lunch. Add that satisfying crunch!
6 Tips for Thriving on the Carnivore Diet
Here are some top tips for making the most of your carnivore diet journey based on conversations with real carnivores, researching founding experts like Dr. Paul Saladino, and curating resources:
1. Incorporate nutritious organ meats: Organ meats like liver offer vitamin A, B vitamins, iron, and minerals in bioavailable forms. Consider adding grass-fed liver once per week. Heart and kidneys also provide superfood benefits.
2. Drink bone broth daily: Sipping on bone broth offers collagen, amino acids, and electrolytes to hydrate, boost protein intake, and replenish nutrients. Aim for 8-16 oz per day.
3. Get plenty of salt: In contrast to popular health advice, carnivore proponents suggest salting food generously since the kidneys efficiently regulate sodium levels on low-carb diets. This prevents fatigue and cramps.
4. Eat more fat: Flip traditional recommendations upside down and indulge in delicious animal fats like tallow, ghee, and duck fat for energy, hormone regulation, and cell membrane health.
5. Support local farmers: Prioritize purchasing grass-fed meat, pastured eggs, and wild-caught seafood to reward regenerative agriculture practices and ensure quality nutrition.
6. Listen to your body: Monitor energy levels, sleep, mood, athletic performance, and other biomarkers. Adjust fat/protein ratios according to your needs by adding more meat versus eggs and dairy.
My Experience with Carnivore: Transformation Inside and Out
I’ll leave you with a testimonial highlighting my own life changing carnivore journey over the last 9 months. As a busy entrepreneur and dad of two kids under age 6, I was battling symptoms of fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, and unwanted weight gain that weren’t alleviated with clean eating plans like Mediterranean or Paleo diets.
Out of desperation, I committed to carnivore 100% for 30 days. That first month I lost 15 lbs, cleared the mental haze, awoke with energy again, watched nagging back pain disappear, and noticed steadier moods without blood sugar crashes.
Today I remain devoted to nourishing my body with nutritious animal foods as the staples. I’ll occasionally incorporate reasonable amounts of seasonally available berries and citrus fruits that seem well-tolerated. My digestion improved exponentially thanks to eliminating gut irritants. I cannot recall the last time I experienced abdominal bloating, gas, or discomfort after meals which plagued me for years prior.
My whole family enjoys weekly meal prep adventures as we brainstorm new carnivore dishes featuring fatty meats, organ meats, fish, eggs, and dairy. We now source quality ingredients from ethical local farms which motivates us to show up consistently.
This nourishing approach enhanced my life forever. I cannot envision ever reverting to carb-centric meals given how optimized my wellness parameters look today from athletic performance to bloodwork markers and everything between. The adaptogen-like power of meat and organs literally fuels me to chase my passions while spending the best energy with my family.
If you resonate with these perspectives and want to unlock your best self, I encourage you to try out carnivore for a 30 day trial. Follow Zaid’s YouTube channel to keep learning from his experiments. And please reach out to me on Instagram or over email to share your story!
To your health.
John Smith
Founder, Carnivore Lifestyle Resources
Email: [email protected]
IG: @carnivorestrong