I’ll be 50 years old tomorrow! 🤪 And I’ve been eating a carnivore/keto diet for the last three years. Before that, I ate gluten free and dairy free starting at age 32.
What Is the Carnivore Diet?
The carnivore diet is a way of eating that consists primarily of meat. Most people eat meat, eggs, dairy products, salt, and water.
It’s not just ground beef. People may eat steak, hamburgers, taco meat, roast, beef stew, hot dogs or Polish sausage (as long as they don’t contain added sugar or dextrose), fish, chicken, pork, sugar free bacon, bison, lamb, and other animal-based foods.
Eggs and dairy are included in the carnivore diet, although some people choose to avoid dairy. Carnivore diet is gluten free, sugar free, and carb free.
I have an O blood type, so I stopped eating bacon and ham in September 2025. 😩
My sugar free pork bacon. I would buy several packages and freeze them. They also sell sugar free turkey bacon, and beef bacon. I’ve tried them all. The turkey bacon just isn’t my favorite, and I don’t care for the beef bacon either. Why does pork have to taste so good! 😩
Many people on the carnivore diet eat bacon, and it works well for them. I also chose to stop eating it because the Bible describes pork as an unclean animal. I read The Biblio Diet by Jordan Ruben and Dr. Josh Axe. They said pork should be avoided.
I’m allergic to eggs. Every time I eat them, I wake up the next day with puffy eyes and sometimes a headache. I’ve also tried duck eggs and quail eggs, but they didn’t work for me either. I still ended up with puffy eyes and a headache. My kids are allergic to eggs too but my kids eat eggs because they know better than me.🙄
What made me try the Carnivore Diet?
I read a post in a mold Facebook group from a woman who had started a carnivore diet. Because she was allergic to eggs, she also ate blueberries and raspberries. She said she felt so much better.
I decided to give it a try myself, and I’ve never looked back! I cut out sugar and most carbs, and I feel so much better!
I follow a combination of a carnivore and keto diet. The keto diet is a very low carbohydrate, moderate protein, and high fat way of eating. Small amounts of berries, like blueberries and raspberries, are also common. Unsweetened almond milk is another keto friendly option, which I use in my smoothie every now and then.
By the way, I know berries can sometimes be contaminated with parasites such as Cyclospora. Even so, I still choose to eat blueberries! Unless the blueberries make me sick! 😄
I also completed a three month parasite cleanse with RogersHood, which ended on June 16. I’ll share my experience and everything I learned in my next blog post. I may even do another 4 to 7 days of the parasite cleanse, just in case. 😊
When I first started eating this way, I weighed about 108 pounds and I’m only 5’2”. I lost 10 pounds and dropped to 98 pounds. That was too skinny for me!
To gain some weight back, I started eating avocados, sometimes two or three a day. I make guacamole and eat it with Siete chips. They aren’t carnivore or keto, but they are paleo, so I decided they worked well for me. I rarely eat Siete chips anymore.
I also add smashed avocado with lime juice to my hamburgers. Eventually, my weight returned to about 108 pounds, where it has stayed for the last couple of years.
I know apples are not carnivore or keto, but I choose to include one every day. The fiber may help support mold detox, and honestly, I just enjoy eating apples. If I stop eating them, I tend to get constipated.
I also supplement with magnesium. I take magnesium glycinate before bed, and magnesium malate or magnesium threonate in the morning. In addition, I take vitamin D3 and K2 drops in my water each day.
I also drink LMNT Raw Unflavored electrolytes every day to help increase my sodium and potassium intake. A full packet is too salty for me, so I divide one packet into three servings. I add about one third of a packet to three different bottles of water throughout the day.
LMNT is expensive though. $45 for 30 packs.
Over the years, I’ve learned that what we eat can have a huge impact on how we feel. Today, I’m sharing what I eat in a typical day and why this way of eating works for me.
I slowly transitioned to a carnivore/keto diet beginning in May, 2023. I didn’t eliminate everything overnight. I slowly cut out sugar and carbs over time.
Breakfast
Every morning for breakfast, I eat a bowl of fresh blueberries and sometimes raspberries. They aren’t organic. I know! I’ve tried many organic brands, but they were either too sour or overripe, and I ended up throwing them away.
Sometimes I’ll also have a small homemade beef breakfast sausage. I make a large batch at once and freeze them, so breakfast is quick and easy. On school days, I usually eat breakfast around 7:00 a.m.
Mid-Morning
Around 10:00 a.m., I eat two hamburgers without a bun.
I buy frozen grass fed ground beef from Elburn Meat Market for about $9 per pound. Sometimes I order grass fed beef from U.S. Wellness Meats at www.grasslandbeef.com, but it costs $13.98 per pound.
I prefer the beef from Elburn Meat Market, but sometimes they are sold out.
I cook it in a stainless steel pan with a little avocado oil and sea salt. I do have a grill, but I rarely use it. It’s usually too windy outside or too cold outside.
I mash an avocado with fresh lime juice and spread it on top of my hamburgers.
I make fresh lime juice with my juicer and freeze it in ice cube trays. Each cube is about one tablespoon. Whenever I need some, I simply take a cube out of the freezer and mix it into my avocado.
Afternoon Snack
At about 2:30 p.m., I eat an organic apple with Justin’s almond butter. Or when I go out, I sometimes have a beef stick.
Dinner
For dinner, I usually eat a ribeye steak (about $29) or a chuck roast (about $30), which gives me 3 to 4 servings.
Sometimes I eat beef stew or two Polish sausage.
I cook it in a stainless steel pan with a little avocado oil and sea salt. I buy my ribeye steaks from the Elburn Meat Market. They aren’t grass fed, but they are so good! I’ve tried many grass fed ribeye steaks over the years, but I still haven’t found one I really like.
I eat steak about two or three times a week. I like steaks! 😊 And yes, I eat the fat too! Healthy fats are good for you! They help keep me full, and I think they taste great! 😋
I buy grass fed chuck roast from Whole Foods.
I also make homemade beef bone broth which I use in my chuck roast and beef stew. I make it in large batches and freeze it, so I always have some ready when I need it.
Or you can use beef bone broth instead.
I freeze the leftover roast, so I always have some on hand for an easy meal.
I also eat two Polish sausage from time to time from Costco. I buy it in bulk and keep it in the freezer, so it’s easy to heat up when I want it.
Chicken is ok, but it doesn’t fill me up. I know a lot of people on the carnivore diet feel the same way. Beef keeps me full much longer.
Oh, and one more thing. I hate fish! 🐟 Many people on the carnivore diet love salmon, sushi, sardines and other seafood. Not me!
I don’t eat sushi or salmon. Fish can often carry parasites. Sorry, sushi lovers!
If you’re interested in learning more about parasites, check out Kim Rogers on Instagram or YouTube.
What I Order at Restaurants
For dinner, I usually order a steak with double vegetables instead of potatoes. Restaurants often cook steaks with butter and sometimes add sugar to their seasoning, but I don’t worry about it when I’m eating out. Or I order salad with chicken.
If I go out for breakfast, I usually order steak and vegetables or an omelet with a little mozzarella cheese, ham, and bacon and veggies like asparagus. Mozzarella cheese is considered beneficial on the O blood type diet, but ham and bacon are not. I know I’ll probably wake up with puffy eyes and maybe a headache the next day, but once in a while, it’s worth it.
For lunch, I usually order a salad with chicken. Most salad dressings contain a lot of sugar, but I don’t worry about it too much when I’m eating out.
Fast Food Options
McDonald’s! 😀
Yes, even McDonald’s is an option once in a while! I think that Wendy’s and Burger King are acceptable too.
When I first started the carnivore diet, I ordered Double Quarter Pounder beef patties à la carte. Just the meat. No bun, no cheese, no ketchup and no mustard. (Cheese is ok with the carnivore diet).
If you order the patties à la carte, they’re usually about $1.50 each. I’ve ordered them this way so many times that I know exactly what to ask for. Occasionally, though, an employee doesn’t know what à la carte means, so I end up paying the regular price.
I don’t order them for myself anymore, but I still order them for my son.
One thing I like about McDonald’s Quarter Pounder patties is that they’re made with 100% beef and no fillers.
Some people disagree and believe McDonald’s beef contains fillers. From what I’ve researched, the Quarter Pounder patties are advertised as 100% beef with no fillers or preservatives. That’s also consistent with what I’ve learned from the Feingold Diet and from Dr. Ken Berry’s videos. If you’re interested, I’ve included links to those YouTube videos below so you can decide for yourself.
Five Guys
I order a hamburger with two patties, plain with no bun. Unfortunately, Five Guys doesn’t offer à la carte patties, so I have to pay full price, about $10. 🙄 The patties also seem smaller this year!
But my two sons like Five Guys. Their fries are approved on the Feingold Diet because they don’t contain preservatives.
I know the Feingold Association closed permanently this month. ☹️ I’m so thankful for everything they taught our family over the years.
Did I Cheat?
Yes… once! 😀 Just kidding! Lot of times but when I eat out or when we’re on vacation. I stick with steak and veggies but I know that has butter on it. Butter is allowed on the carnivore diet, but it doesn’t work well for me. Otherwise, I stick to my diet.
Oh, and dessert. I love dessert! But I only have cake for my kids’ birthdays or when we’re on vacation, like on a cruise. I love sugar! 😩
Last year, I cheated while on a trip to New York. I took my daughter there as her 8th grade graduation gift because she chose New York. 😳
My brother and his wife came along too.
On our first morning, we went out for breakfast. I ordered buttermilk pancakes with blueberries and pure maple syrup. They were so good! The pancakes were a little dry, so I kept pouring on more maple syrup. 😬
Not long after I finished eating, my face became bright red and felt really hot. Really red! I started feeling nauseous and thought I was going to throw up. I asked my daughter where the bathroom was, but she didn’t know.
I got up from the table and started walking out of the restaurant. It was really crowded. Just before I reached the door, one of my hands went numb and I collapsed. I think I fainted, but I’m not completely sure.
My brother came running after me. The restaurant manager helped me into a chair, but I felt very confused.
The emergency room was only a few blocks away, but there was no way I could walk that far, so we took a taxi.
At the hospital, I told the doctor that I normally eat a keto/carnivore diet, but I had cheated and eaten pancakes with maple syrup. After checking my blood work, he said the large amount of sugar and carbs may have caused the reaction.
About an hour and a half after eating the pancakes, I felt completely normal again. 😀
My CT scan was normal, but my blood sugar was sky high. My glucose level was 187. 😳
Needless to say… no more pancakes for me! 😀
Since I was feeling much better, we still made it to the Statue of Liberty because we already had reservations. Unfortunately, we ran out of time to visit Central Park, which was one of the places I really wanted to see. Maybe next time. ☹️
This picture was taken immediately after I was discharged from the hospital. 😀
During my 3 to 4 day trip to New York, by the last day I had terrible joint pain in my right hip and right knee.
When I got to the airport, the pain was so bad that I thought I might need a wheelchair! It hurt that much! ☹️
As soon as I got home, I went right back to my carnivore/keto diet. Within a couple of days, the joint pain was gone.
When I got home, I received the hospital bill from New York. It was almost $9,900! 😳 Thankfully, my Christian Healthcare Ministries plan covered it. I love CHM!
Fasting
Some people fast for health reasons, while others fast for spiritual reasons.
Over the last year, I completed my first fast ever, and I chose to do it for spiritual reasons. Since then, I have fasted six times. Each fast lasted 24 hours with no food, only water.
If you’re a Christian, Jesus didn’t say “if you fast.” He said “when you fast.”
Matthew 6:16 “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting.”
If you’re new to fasting, consider starting with a 16-hour fast. Drink plenty of water and work your way up as you’re able.
Water
On the carnivore diet, I drink only water. No soda, no energy drinks, and no juice. I don’t drink alcohol, so that has never been an issue for me. If you do drink alcohol, I encourage you to consider quitting. Your body will thank you!
Proverbs 20:1 “Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.” I like wisdom! 😀
Exercise
Yes, I exercise about three times a week. I usually work out at Planet Fitness. After my workout, I use the red light therapy booth. I also have a Joovv red light therapy panel at home, so I use that too.
😂 It’s funny because there’s a lot of truth to it! Exercise is important, but diet is the key. You can’t out exercise a poor diet.
Sometimes I only exercise for five minutes at home. I do simple workouts I find on Pinterest or YouTube, or I do military-style exercises like sit-ups, squats, or planks. Even five minutes is better than nothing.
I’ve watched many YouTube videos about how to live a longer, healthier life, and almost every one of them talks about the importance of eating well and exercising every day. I can do that! 😀
I’ve watched videos of women in their 60 year old and I always think, I hope I look that good when I’m 60 years old! 😀
Did I Have Any Bloodwork Done?
Yes! I’ve had bloodwork done three times over the last three years.
My total cholesterol was 194, which is under 200.
My holistic doctor also ran very extensive bloodwork. She took 22 vials of blood! 😳 That’s crazy!
Thankfully, everything came back looking good. That was encouraging to see after eating a carnivore/keto diet for the last three years.
How I Feel
I feel great! Since switching to this way of eating, I’ve noticed a lot of positive changes.
• No joint pain.
• More energy throughout the day.
• I exercise more because I have more energy on a carnivore/keto diet.
• No more sugar cravings.
• If I miss a meal, it’s no problem. I don’t feel hungry or have a sugar crash.
• No more puffy eyes. Before I changed my diet, I had really dark circles and puffy eyes almost every day. I believe sugar, gluten, and dairy were major contributors. Since changing the way I eat, my eyes look much healthier.
Before I went on the carnivore/keto diet…
And after I went on the carnivore/keto diet last month…😀 See the difference!
• I usually sleep about 6 to 7 hours and wake up feeling refreshed and energized. I don’t need 8 or 9 hours of sleep anymore.
• Much less bloating than before I started eating a carnivore/keto diet. I’m sharing my picture of the stomach. 😀 I’m almost 50 years old, so who cares! 😀 Less bloating.
And if you need to lose weight, the carnivore/keto diet is the way to go! Out of all the diets I’ve tried over the years, the carnivore/ keto diet has given me the best results by FAR! It’s outstanding the way I feel!
Kelly Hogan has YouTube channel. She lost over 130 pounds by following a carnivore diet and has maintained her weight loss for years.
Is the Carnivore Diet Expensive?
Yes… and no. If you eat ribeye steaks every day, then yes, it can get expensive.
But if you mostly eat ground beef, eggs (if you can eat them), chuck roast, chicken, and fish, it can actually be very affordable.
Eating this way doesn’t have to break the bank.
On the other hand, doctor visits, medications, and poor health can be very expensive. For me, investing in healthy food is worth it.
This way of eating may not be perfect, but it works well for me! 😊 After years of experimenting with different foods, I’ve found a routine that helps me feel my best and keeps life simple. And I like simple! 😊
If you’d like to learn more about the carnivore diet, I encourage you to watch the YouTube videos below on the Carnivore Diet or Keto Diet. Both diets work well for me. They helped me understand the diet.
…and many more!
Do your own research, listen to different perspectives, and decide what works best for you!
Fix it
Recent blog post below…”How God Found Me Again.”
Written by Sheri Fortes - Visit Website
Author of "All Natural Mom's Guide to the Feingold Diet"
Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram
The Treating ADHD Naturally Conference is coming back to Chicago May 23, 2018! More details coming soon at www.mothersdetermined.com.
