THE CARNIVORE DIET BENEFITS
There’s no denying the benefits of carnivore diet, from easier weight loss to mental clarity, lower inflammation to nutritional simplicity. It’s a radical shift from traditional dietary norms, but one that can pay off in the form of tangible carnivore diet results.
The biggest issue newcomers deal with, though, is sugar cravings on carnivore diet. Even seasoned individuals struggle with carnivore diet cravings, for what it’s worth - so don’t beat yourself up if you’re having trouble staying on track. It’s totally normal.
We’ll show you how to deal with sugar cravings on carnivore diet below and help you set your expectations for when they should subside. The truth is, though, it’s as simple as keeping the right carnivore diet snacks and carnivore diet desserts on hand for when cravings strike.
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The Challenge of Carnivore Diet Cravings
Starting the carnivore diet can feel like flipping your entire relationship with food upside down. You cut out everything except animal-based products. That means no more grains, nuts, seeds, veggies, fruits, or any other plant-based foods.
The diet’s simplicity can be both liberating and brutally honest. There’s no snacking your way through cravings. There’s no reaching for something sweet “just because.” It’s meat, salt, and water. The shift can feel dramatic when your body’s been running on carbs and sugar for years.
Let’s take a quick step back - what does the typical carnivore meal plan consist of? meat, fat, salt, and sometimes eggs or dairy (depending on how strict you go).
The idea is you can eliminate many sources of inflammation, simplify digestion, balance blood sugar, and rely on fat (instead of glucose) for energy. This leads to an array of benefits, and once you make your way through that carnivore flu - a transitional period for your digestive system - you’ll be glad you made the switch.
Your body is used to running on quick, accessible carbs. Think bread, fruit, granola bars, soda - even healthy-seeming snacks are often loaded with sugar or fast-digesting starches.
Your brain panics when you cut them all out. Sugar lights up dopamine pathways, soothes stress, and gives you fast energy. Your body wants it back and so your mind will play tricks on you, trying to get you to grab those chips or cookies without even realizing what you’re doing.
Cravings are physical, emotional, and psychological. Sugar is tied to routine, comfort, boredom, and even celebration. Not all carnivore cravings show up the same way, though. Some are loud and urgent - others are sneaky. Here are some of the most common types:
- Post-meal sweet cravings when your brain expects desserts.
- Late-night urges are tied to stress, fatigue, or emotional wind-down habits.
- Phantom hunger. You just ate, but still feel unsatisfied or “empty.”
- Mood-based cravings occur when you turn to sugar in response to anxiety, loneliness, or boredom.
So many carnivore dieters have slipped up and given way to their cravings, and then they deal with that vicious cycle of regret and guilt after indulging in an old favorite treat.
That’s why learning how to deal with sugar cravings on carnivore diet really comes down to finding healthier alternatives and stronger coping mechanisms. That said, when do cravings stop on carnivore diet, if ever?
When Do Cravings Stop on Carnivore Diet?
The short answer is cravings won’t disappear overnight - in fact, they tend to peak after a week or two on the diet. They slowly but surely subside with time, but for some people, they can pop back up seemingly out of nowhere. Let’s take you through a quick carnivore cravings timeline.
The First 1-2 Weeks: Carb Withdrawal Is Real
This is the rough patch as you’re literally forcing your body to change the way it creates energy, from carbs to fat. Cravings are intense in this stage as your body is scrambling to get quick energy, and your brain is still wired to seek out dopamine from sweet, fast carbs.
Aside from cravings you may feel foggy, tired, irritable, or restless, especially at night when your old eating patterns used to kick in. The key is to stay patient and avoid panicking. This is withdrawal, not weakness - stay strong!
Weeks 3-4: The Turning Point
This is where things start to shift - sometimes subtly, sometimes all at once. Your blood sugar stabilizes, your appetite calms down, and that gnawing, snacky energy that used to follow meals starts to disappear. You may notice:
- Fewer sugar cravings after eating
- Less mental “food noise”
- A growing disinterest in the sweet stuff you used to love
Be clear, you haven’t cured yourself of carnivore diet cravings. You’re not a slave to them any longer, though. Your metabolism is leaning into fat as its primary fuel, and your brain is starting to feel the benefits of that steadiness.
Long-Term: Cravings Are (Mostly) Gone for Good
Once you’ve made it a month through the diet and beyond, you could even feel indifference toward sugar - something you’d never thought possible. That constant pull toward sweet flavors weakens, and foods that used to tempt you now seem off-putting and overly sweet.
That doesn’t mean you’ll never experience a craving again. Stress, poor sleep, or emotional triggers can bring them back. But your baseline changes, and you’re no longer wired for sugar or carbs anymore.
Still, you need to know how to deal with sugar cravings on carnivore diet when they do pop up. We’ll provide some strategies you can use to stay on the right path below!
How to Deal With Sugar Cravings on Carnivore Diet
It’s not about learning how to stop cravings on carnivore diet - much of this is out of your control. Remember, cravings are triggered by something external, be it stress, routine, or boredom. In this sense, it’s about learning how to manage carnivore cravings when they inevitably pop up.
Keep the Right Snacks on Hand
Having the right snacks on hand makes coping with carnivore diet cravings effortless. You can just reach for something healthy and approved! The problem is, tasty carnivore diet treats are few and far between.
Most snacks labeled “low-carb” or “keto” are loaded with sweeteners, artificial ingredients, or plant-based fillers that kick your cravings into overdrive. Even most “carnivore” snacks fall short - they’re dry, bland, or packed with preservatives.
So, what can you eat on the carnivore diet to satisfy cravings without sacrificing progress you’ve made? The good news is we’re here to change that narrative with the ultimate snack without compromise. The best low calorie high protein snacks are a click away: our carnivore chips.
These are made with just two ingredients: regeneratively raised meat and salt. Nothing else. Each bag starts as a full pound of meat, slow-cooked into crisp, melt-in-your-mouth chips you can take anywhere. There are so many varieties to choose from, too:
No prep, fridge, sugar, or bloat - this is guilt-free indulgence at its finest. More than 110,000 customers and counting rely on our meat chips to cope with carnivore diet cravings.
Whether you need something to hold you over between meals or you’re just trying to break up the food monotony, Carnivore Snax makes it easier to stay on track because you actually enjoy eating it.
Get the best low carb high fat snacks and give yourself a fighting chance against carnivore diet cravings. We’re confident you’ll be back for more once you taste the difference yourself!
Prioritize Fat Intake to Feel Fully Satiated
Your body uses fat for fuel instead of carbs - so you need to make sure you’re getting plenty of fat on a regular basis. This nutrient also helps you feel full, so you don’t reach for something else after eating a meal.
So, how much fat should I eat on carnivore diet? Aim for at least a 1:1 ratio of protein to fat. Some carnivores eat as much as 70% of their calories from fat, though. You’ll know you’re not eating enough fat if you feel tired, sluggish, or like you’re living in a fog.
You can get more fat from ribeye, pork belly, and lamb shoulder. Add tallow, suet, or butter when needed. Hunger-driven cravings fade fast when you’re truly full!
Eat Enough Often Enough
Cravings love an underfed body, so you can expect them to creep in if you’re skipping meals or trying to push through long fasts before your body is ready for the challenge.
The problem is there are no caloric targets you need to hit on carnivore. It’s a very intuitive approach to dieting. Just eat as much as you feel necessary, and adapt over time.
Most people find they’re not eating enough on carnivore since everything on the carnivore diet food list is so filling. You don’t have to eat six times a day. But two or three hearty, intentional meals with plenty of fat and protein will go a long way in killing sugar’s grip.
Remove Triggers From Your Environment
Willpower is overrated - you need to actively reduce the triggers of carnivore cravings in your life. This means getting junk out of your pantry.
Get rid of those protein bars, keto treats, dark chocolate, “just in case” sweet snacks. Say goodbye to flavored sparkling waters, sugar-free gum, and anything that mimics sweet flavors.
These “carnivore-adjacent” foods really just kick the can down the road and still leave your palate wired for sugar, even if you’re not technically breaking your diet.
Replace the Habit, Not Just the Food
Like we’ve said a few times throughout this guide on how to deal with sugar cravings on carnivore diet, some of the splurges come from a moment of weakness - be it stress or boredom.
Either way, you need to have strategies in place to deal with habit-based cravings. Create a new ritual that satisfies the emotional or behavioral itch. Go for a walk. Sip bone broth. Stretch. Journal. Chew on a fatty cut of meat if needed.
Stay Hydrated and Get Enough Electrolytes
Dehydration is sneaky, and what you may be associating with cravings for something sweet could be your body telling you it’s thirsty. In other words, hydration has to be a top priority, which means adding electrolytes to your regimen.
You don’t get as many electrolytes through food on carnivore, so you might consider a supplement. Or, just cook with more salt, sip on bone broth, or eat organ meats.
Get More Sleep and Manage Stress
Cravings skyrocket when you’re sleep-deprived or stressed out - so you may need to make some lifestyle changes outside of the kitchen to keep carnivore diet cravings at bay.
Poor sleep throws off hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin, while stress boosts cortisol - in turn signaling your body’s demand for fast energy.
Simple techniques like improving sleep hygiene, getting more sun during the day, winding down during evening, and limiting screens/caffeine can make a big difference in how carnivore cravings show up.
Final Thoughts on How to Stop Cravings on Carnivore Diet
That does it for our guide on carnivore diet cravings. We know that these can be brutal, and you might feel like giving up when they set in. But, recognize them as a test and use our tips on how to deal with sugar cravings on carnivore diet to persevere.
The key takeaway: the less you feed the craving, the faster it dies. There’s an old saying about feeding a stray cat and how it will always come back for more. The same can be said for those carnivore cravings.
So, keep the right snacks on hand that actually align with your goals. Stock your pantry with Carnivore Snax and skip the sugar spiral for good!
