THE CARNIVORE DIET BENEFITS
You came to this radical shift from traditional dietary norms because you heard all about the carnivore diet benefits. But you feel sluggish, foggy, irritable, potentially even depressed. Maybe your physical performance is suffering. What gives - why do I have no energy on carnivore diet?
First, let’s be clear. There is an adaptation period when you first start this diet, and it’s normal to feel a bit of low energy on carnivore diet early on as your body gets used to using fat for fuel instead of carbs. After a certain point, though, it could be one of these issues:
- Not eating enough fat
- Protein overload without fuel
- Electrolyte imbalance and dehydration
- Under-eating in general
- Poor sleep and recovery
- Too much stress
There’s also the chance it has nothing to do with the diet at all, and could be a more serious underlying health issue. We’ll examine all the common causes of low carnivore diet energy levels, and more importantly, show you how to get energy on the carnivore diet.
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Signs and Symptoms of Low Energy on Carnivore Diet
It doesn’t get any simpler than following a carnivore meal plan. Just eat animal-based foods and avoid plant-based foods altogether. That means meat, fish, eggs, and if you tolerate them, unprocessed dairy products.
It works by putting your body into a fat-fueled state, often mimicking the effects of ketosis. This may lead to easier weight management, a healthier inflammatory response, clearer mental focus, and fewer decisions to make at the grocery store.
But not everyone feels superhuman right away. In fact, one of the most common speed bumps (especially early on) is struggling with low or no energy on carnivore diet. Let’s take a look at some common indicators your carnivore diet energy levels are low.
Common Indicators to Watch For
You don’t need a lab test to know when your energy is tanking. It’s painfully obvious in how you feel and how you perform on a daily basis. Signs and symptoms include:
- Sluggishness or persistent fatigue
- Difficulty getting out of bed in the morning
- Irritability or mood swings
- Brain fog and poor concentration
- Decreased motivation or drive
- Lower performance during workouts
- Crashing mid-afternoon or needing naps
- Chronic yawning or heavy eyelids despite sleeping “enough”
- Feeling cold or having low body temperature
These signals can creep up slowly or hit hard in the early days. Either way, they’re telling you something’s off with how your body is adapting (or not adapting). On that note, it’s important we distinguish between the early adaptation window and an actual issue with the diet.
When it’s the Adjustment Period and When it’s a Problem
Low energy on carnivore diet for the first few days, or even the first couple of weeks, is totally normal. Think about it. Your body is used to getting energy from glucose, and you cut out carbs all of a sudden. Now, it has to learn how to convert fat into fuel.
This transition takes time. You may be low on glycogen, missing electrolytes, or simply adjusting to a higher-fat intake. This fog usually starts to lift within 2-4 weeks as energy stabilizes and focus returns.
But if the fatigue sticks around for longer than a month, or seems to be getting worse rather than improving, that’s a red flag that it’s not just the carnivore flu holding you back. It’s either an issue with how you’re running the diet, or something with your health.
So, why do I have no energy on carnivore diet?
Why Do I Have No Energy on Carnivore Diet?
You’re not alone if you’ve gone all in on the carnivore diet and suddenly feel like someone unplugged your battery. Low energy on carnivore diet is all too common. It can stem from several possible missteps, and identifying the right one is key to fixing it.
Carb Withdrawal and Keto Flu
Your body doesn't instantly become a fat-burning machine when you cut out carbohydrates overnight. There's a transitional period, which we touched on a bit above. This is known as the “carnivore flu” or “keto flu.” Whatever you call it, it sucks - but it’s temporary.
This is where your metabolism is learning how to use fat for fuel instead of glucose. Energy crashes are common during this phase. Fatigue, headaches, brain fog, irritability, and even muscle weakness can pop up as your body burns through its remaining glycogen stores.
As you can imagine, it takes time to ramp up ketone production once those stores are gone. It usually lasts somewhere between 3-14 days, but it could stretch longer if you were particularly dependent on carbs coming into the diet.
Not Eating Enough Fat
Carnivore isn’t a high-protein diet. That’s a really common misconception on the diet. It’s actually a high-fat, moderate protein diet. So if you’re loading up on lean meats like chicken breast or sirloin and avoiding fattier cuts, you’re likely under-fueling. It’s no wonder you’re tired!
Fat is your primary energy source on carnivore. Your body runs out of fuel quickly without it. You’ll feel drained, moody, and mentally sluggish. The fix is to optimize your 30-day carnivore diet meal plan to eat more fats.
That means more ribeye, ground beef (80/20 or higher), pork belly, and even rendered fats like beef tallow or butter. Don’t fear the fat - embrace it! It’s your new best friend on this diet.
Protein Overload Without Fuel
Eating too much protein (without enough fat) can actually backfire. The reason being, your body can only process so much protein in a given time. The rest is converted into glucose through a process known as gluconeogenesis.
This basically keeps you stuck in a limbo state. You don’t have enough carbs to fuel your body, and you don’t have enough fat to run efficiently on ketones. In other words, you’re just spinning your tires - eating plenty of food yet still running on fumes. Like we said above, eat more fat!
Electrolyte Imbalance and Dehydration
Carbs help your body retain water. So, you effectively flush out fluids when you eliminate them altogether. With those fluids go electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Low electrolyte levels are a huge driver of fatigue on carnivore.
The good news is this is a simple fix. You can start by salting your food generously and consider supplementing with magnesium and potassium if needed. Bone broth and electrolyte mixes (with no sugar) can help rebalance things fast.
Under-Eating in General
Carnivore naturally limits food choices, so it's easy to eat less than your body needs - especially if you’re not tracking your intake. Some people find themselves in a caloric deficit (where you burn more calories than you consume daily) without even realizing it.
Some people under-eat because they're not hungry (a common early carnivore side effect), while others are trying to cut calories too aggressively. Either way, it’s a problem. Energy comes from fuel. Don’t let the simplicity of the diet trick you into eating like a bird.
Poor Sleep and Recovery
You’re eating plenty, and getting the right ratio of fat to protein. So why do I have no energy on carnivore diet, you ask? Well, have you looked at your sleep schedule yet?
Carnivore can sometimes disrupt your sleep early on because of shifts in cortisol or electrolyte levels. But even if your diet is perfect, your energy will suffer if you’re only sleeping 5 hours a night or your sleep quality is trash.
The Stress Connection
Stress burns through nutrients fast. Whether it’s work, relationships, overtraining, or just life chaos, chronic stress can tank your energy on any diet. Carnivore is no exception. Cortisol dysregulation, adrenal fatigue, and poor recovery all drain your system.
This effect can be amplified if you’re pairing carnivore with intermittent fasting, intense workouts, or cold plunges. All of these things are stressors. So, it might be time to dial back on the biohacking for a bit. We’ll share some more tips on how to get energy on carnivore diet below.
How to Get Energy on Carnivore Diet: Tips on Dealing With Low Energy on Carnivore Diet
Understanding the causes of low energy on carnivore diet is the first step. Then, it’s a matter of pinpointing your specific culprit (or perhaps culprits) and pivoting the diet accordingly. Here’s how to get energy on carnivore diet.
Increase Caloric Intake
Start here before you tweak anything else. Ask yourself, am I ACTUALLY eating enough? There’s a good chance you’re undereating without realizing it, as the carnivore diet naturally makes you feel fuller since you’re eating pure protein and fat.
Now, do calories matter on carnivore diet? You don’t have to count calories obsessively, but take a few days to get a sense of exactly how much you eat every day and compare that to your baseline needs for weight maintenance.
If you find you’re falling short, or are just around your baseline, add another meal or a few carnivore diet snacks. You shouldn’t feel like you're gorging yourself, but you do need to hold yourself accountable.
Prioritize High-Fat Cuts of Meat
What you eat is just as important as how much you eat. The carnivore mantra is simple: fat = fuel. Shift your plate toward meats that bring the fat: ribeye, pork belly, 80/20 ground beef, lamb chops, oxtail, bone-in short ribs. These are the best meat for carnivore diet.
Or, at least try changing how you prepare your meals to include more butter, beef tallow, or suet. All that matters is you’re eating enough fat on a daily basis.
Add Energy-Supporting Organ Meats
We know eating organ meats may not sound like the most appetizing thing in the world, but they’re a carnivore diet staple for a reason. They contain nutrients you won’t get from muscle meat.
Liver, kidney, and heart are packed with B vitamins, iron, zinc, and other cofactors involved in energy metabolism. You don’t need a lot - 1-2 ounces a few times a week is enough. Try freezing liver into pill-sized chunks and swallowing them raw. Or, explore our carnivore diet dinner ideas for some organ meat ideas that are actually palatable.
Rebalance Your Electrolytes Daily
Don’t assume this is a one-time fix. Electrolyte needs on carnivore are ongoing. Make it a daily ritual: salt your food generously, drink mineral-rich water (or add drops), and consider adding magnesium and potassium if you’re sweating a lot.
A lot of electrolyte-related energy issues can be fixed by adding more salt to your meals, but remember that not all salt is created equal. We prefer Redmond Real Salt, and that’s what we use for our carnivore chips.
We get asked all the time, does meat have Vitamin C? Not much. You might need to look into carnivore electrolytes. Our blog has more tips on what supplements to take on carnivore diet.
Consider the Quality of Your Meat
Quality matters, especially if you’re eating nose-to-tail. Grass-fed, pasture-raised, or wild meats tend to have better nutrient density and fat quality (more omega-3s, fewer inflammatory compounds).
You probably already know this if you’ve tried cutting corners and eating exclusively factory-farmed chicken or cheap pork as staples. We know it’s more expensive, but you get what you pay for!
Can You Have Coffee on the Carnivore Diet?
Can you drink black coffee on carnivore diet? This is a highly contentious topic. Technically, the answer is no - it’s a plant-based source. But those following a modified carnivore diet make room for it in their ritual.
Just be sure you’re not drinking more and more coffee to compensate for low energy on carnivore diet. Caffeine can mask fatigue without solving it. A cup of black coffee in the morning can be beneficial, but skip the sweeteners and make sure you’re not making matters worse in terms of jitters or an energy crash.
Patience Is Part of the Process
Remember that dealing with no energy on carnivore diet is somewhat expected early on. Be patient, especially if you’re coming from a carb-heavy background. It can take 3-6 weeks before you stabilize.
That doesn’t mean you should suffer through extreme fatigue. Following our advice on how to get energy on carnivore diet can give your body time to become fat-adapted. At a certain point, though, you might have to consider that the issue isn’t related to your diet.
Other Underlying Health Issues to Consider
Low thyroid function, chronic stress, poor sleep, hormone imbalances, or lingering nutrient deficiencies from your pre-carnivore diet could be in play if you’ve made all the right changes and still struggle with no energy on carnivore diet.
Don’t hesitate to get labs done or work with a practitioner who understands metabolic health. Carnivore can be part of the solution, but it’s not a magic bullet!
Wrapping Up Our Guide to Carnivore Diet Energy Levels
Low energy on a carnivore diet can be frustrating, but hopefully these tips help you narrow down the issue and get back on track. Whether it’s under-eating, missing electrolytes, or needing time to adjust, there’s always a root cause. If it’s undereating, we here at Carnivore Snax can help.
Our meat chips are among the best protein bar alternatives because you still get the nutrients you need with nothing you don’t. We also think they taste better, and our customers agree! They’re called “meat pastries” because they have a delightful, airy crisp that quickly melts in the mouth.
From ribeye chips to steak chips, pork chips, brisket chips, and more, there’s a variety for every palate in our online storefront. Take a look and see what catches your eye - we’re confident you’ll be back for more once you taste the difference firsthand!
