THE CARNIVORE DIET BENEFITS
Ready to cut through the noise and get down to the real deal about the carnivore diet results everyone is raving about? We’ll look at real carnivore diet before-and-after studies and explain what the typical transformation timeline looks like.
More importantly, though, you’ll also get tips for success if you’re ready to start this radical nutritional regimen, ranging from carnivore diet snacks that can keep you sane and strategies for coping with the adaptation phase. Learn more below!
Are There Any Carnivore Diet Before and After Studies?
It’s easy to feel like all the crazy carnivore diet transformation stories you’ve seen on social media or Reddit are “too good to be true.” Frankly, a lot of them are exaggerated. Those people conveniently fail to mention the peptide stack they’re on, or the GLP-1 they supplemented with.
That being said, there are legit carnivore diet results. The research we find most compelling came from a team at Harvard Medical School, which surveyed over 2,000 adults who had been eating just meat for more than a year. The carnivore diet before-and-after data was dramatic:
- 95% of participants reported improvements in overall health
- Those with diabetes, digestive disorders, and anxiety/depression saw improvements
- Median BMI dropped from 27.2 (overweight) to 24.3 (normal range)
The coolest part of the findings was what researchers didn’t discover. Adverse symptoms. At least, they were very rare. Less than 6% of people in the study experienced side effects.
A few caveats that need to be kept in mind. This wasn’t a randomized controlled trial. It was a survey, which means the participants reported their own carnivore diet results. So, take these transformations with a grain of salt.
Again, though, there’s a reason you’ve been hearing so much hype about the carnivore diet over the past few years. You’ve seen them on Reddit, YouTube, and Instagram. You might even have a personal connection who has sworn by the carnivore diet. There’s so much anecdotal evidence that it’s impossible to ignore any longer.
How Long to See Results From Carnivore Diet (Transformation Timeline)
Everyone wants to know how long to see results from carnivore diet. But there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It all depends on what “results” mean to you. Weight loss? Digestive discomfort fading away? Mental clarity?
Where you’re starting will play a role in the carnivore diet transformation timeline, too. Someone who is way overweight will see more of a shift than someone struggling to lose the last few pounds.
Here’s an overview of how long it’ll take to see carnivore diet results week-by-week.
The First Week
Don’t expect to notice any positive changes in the first week of trying the carnivore diet. In fact, it may be a rough transition. A lot of people experience what is known as the “carnivore flu.” Headaches, fatigue, brain fog, irritability, and cravings are quite common.
It makes sense as your body is going through a fairly dramatic change. It’s used to relying on glucose as its main source of fuel. Now, it’s relying on fat for fuel instead. That’s a pretty crazy shift from a metabolic perspective.
That being said, you may also notice some weight loss in the first week. That’s usually water weight, not fat. Your body dumps all the stored glycogen when you cut carbs out, and each gram of glycogen can hold up to 3 grams of water. 5-10lbs of water weight is normal to lose.
The best thing you can do during this stage is support your digestive system. Stay hydrated, consume electrolytes, and stick with it!
Weeks 2-3
The worst of the adaptation symptoms will have faded by this point in time. Your energy levels will stabilize. You may not notice yourself struggling with the afternoon crashes you used to. You feel sharp from morning to evening.
Your appetite begins regulating itself as well. Protein and fat are far more satiating than carbs, so you don’t have to eat nearly as much to feel full. This is where most of the carnivore diet before-and-after results can be traced back to. You don’t even have to count calories!
The First Full Month
The 30-day carnivore diet is where you start realizing you are on the right track. Water weight is long gone. You’re losing real fat at this point if you follow the diet correctly. You can see it not just on the scale but perhaps even in how your clothes fit and how your face looks.
But the other things you may notice are less physical discomfort, a smoother digestive system, clearer skin - all signs of less inflammation in the body. This is really the crux of going carnivore: you eliminate a lot of inflammatory foods when all you eat is animal-derived products. No more seed oils, sugar, or any other junk that holds you back from looking and feeling your best.
2-3 Months of Commitment
We get asked all the time: how long should you stay on the carnivore diet? As long as you want! There’s really no reason to stop if you’re seeing the carnivore diet results you wanted. This isn’t something you have to “cycle off.”
In fact, the longer you adhere to the carnivore diet, the better your transformation will be. The second and third months are where things really start getting dramatic.
Hopefully you got your bloodwork done before starting the carnivore diet. Because now would be a great time to get a second round done to compare things like:
- LDL-C
- HDL-C
- Triglycerides
- TG/HDL ratio
This gives you a better idea of what’s actually going on under the hood, so to speak. But you should also be keeping a journal of all the things that matter to you so you can self-report your progress. Things like:
- Sleep quality & quantity
- Stress levels
- Energy levels
- Mental clarity
- Pain/discomfort
These carnivore diet results can’t really be “seen,” but they’re just as important.
3-6 Months of Sticking With It
You’ve fully adapted to the carnivore diet lifestyle by this point in time, and it doesn’t really feel like a diet you follow anymore. It’s just how you live. You’ll continue seeing your body composition trend in the right direction, and autoimmune symptoms keep fading away.
The results keep getting better and better because you have more data to work with. The cuts of meat that make you feel the best, the supplements that are actually worth taking, the meal timing side of things.
Think of the carnivore diet results as a snowball. The longer it runs downhill, the bigger and bigger it gets. The longer you stick with carnivore, the happier you’ll be that you took a chance on this radical shift from traditional dietary norms!
Setting Expectations: Who Can See the Most Impressive Carnivore Diet Transformation?
Almost anyone could benefit from trying the carnivore diet. But there are a few groups of people in particular who are better candidates, and then there are those who might not be a good fit. This regimen is not one-size-fits-all.
Good Candidates For the Carnivore Diet
The more overweight you are, the more dramatic your carnivore diet before-and-after story will be. This is a great diet for anyone who is obese. Other good candidates include people with:
- Food sensitivities
- Autoimmune disorders
- Chronic inflammation
Even if you’re just tired of tracking macros and counting calories, the carnivore diet can be a refreshing change. You just eat until you’re full. Don’t overthink it! A lot of people turn to carnivore diet for the simple fact that they’re living a more natural lifestyle without processed foods in their lives, too.
People Who May Want to Try a Different Regimen
It’s not that carnivore is “unsafe” for anyone. But it’s worth a conversation with your doctor first if you have a diagnosed kidney condition or any other medical reason to watch your protein intake. The same is true for pregnant or nursing women.
We also tell people to avoid starting carnivore if you can’t commit to at least 2-3 months. A 1-month carnivore diet can still show you that it’s worth sticking with, but we’ve found the real carnivore diet results are waiting in the second and third months.
The Best Ways to Boost Your Carnivore Diet Results
The beauty of carnivore is how simple it is. But there are still a few things you can do to really set yourself up for an amazing carnivore diet before and after story:
- Fat is your friend: Leaner cuts aren’t going to give you the energy you need. Stick with ribeyes, pork loin, brisket, all that type of stuff. You should try to get at least a 1:1 ratio of protein to fat, if not more fat than protein.
- Keep the right snacks: Cravings can be real, especially at first. It’s worth having snacks you actually look forward to, such as our meat chips. They’ve been called meat pastries because they melt in the mouth, giving way to tantalizing flavors. There are so many varieties to choose from, too. ribeye chips, brisket chips, steak chips, pork chips, and more.
- Hydration is key: You need plenty of electrolytes to help your digestive system adapt to the extra workload. This is one of the best supplements you can have in your regimen.
- Don’t be obsessed with the scale: We know you want to see an impressive carnivore diet transformation. But this is a surefire way to end up discouraged. Look at all the different carnivore diet results - how you feel is just as important!
Be sure to switch up the meals you enjoy, too. The hardest part of sticking with carnivore long term is it can get a bit mundane. But you have tons of options at your fingertips! Round up your carnivore diet shopping list and start your carnivore diet plan. Best of luck.
Frequently asked questions
How much weight can you lose in a month of carnivore diet?
5-10 pounds comes off fairly quickly as water weight. You can lose another 5-10 pounds in fat over the course of a full month. It all depends on how much you actually eat and how overweight you are.
Am I actually losing fat on the carnivore diet, or just water weight?
Water weight at first. But you will slowly but surely start losing fat as well.
What are the typical results of the 30-day carnivore diet beyond weight loss?
Less bloating, better sleep, clearer skin, less joint discomfort, better focus, and stable energy.
How long does it take to see results from a carnivore?
You can see initial changes within the first week, but the real results come around weeks 3-6. The longer you stick with it, the better!
Are there any side effects before and after the carnivore diet?
You may experience the carnivore flu in the first week, but it fades fairly quickly.
