What is the Carnivore Diet?
It’s been almost two years since I started eating a carnivore diet, and as it seems more and more people looking at doing the same, I thought I’d share my top twenty tips for getting started. A basic ‘carnivore diet for beginners’ list. But first up, what is a Carnivore diet?
I wrote a post answering this question a while back, so if you’d like a more in depth answer you can find that post here. So a brief explanation will suffice for this page as I’m assuming if you’re here that you have some idea of what we’re talking about, or you can check out my article linked above at your leisure. Simply put, those who eat a carnivore diet eat anything that comes from the animal kingdom. It can be something that was once part of an animal, fish or bird, OR it can be those foods that come out of animals. Simple examples are meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, and dairy.
And while there are a number of variations on that basic outline, there honestly isn’t any need to over complicate it. The carnivore diet really is that simple. Now let’s get on to my top twenty tips for getting started on this way of eating!
15 Tips for Starting a Carnivore Diet
1. Learn to be tough – or sneaky
My first tip is to somehow, if possible, grow thick skin. Get tough! Learn to say NO, and do not worry about what other people think! The concern about what others think, or are going to say is probably the number one reason that people either quit the carnivore diet, or never get started.
Everyone has those opinionated friends and/or family members who like to tell us what to do and how to live our lives. This has never been more apparent than in the last few years since 2020! But you must remember that YOU live in your body – not them! And no-one has the right to tell you what to put in, or on your body. Once you are an adult, and taking care of yourself, your body is YOUR temple and YOUR responsibility! You are the one that lives there, and you are the only one that can feel what’s going on in that body.
But be warned… Even strangers will try to get in on the action! Telling us what we should and shouldn’t be eating…
You’ll probably also find that friends and family may try to sabotage your efforts by offering you all sorts of temptations. Don’t let them sway you. Keep in mind why you’re doing this and learn to say NO!
Do your research, get educated, and learn from others. Listen to the growing number of carnivore doctors, and to the experiences of those in the carnivore community who have walked this path before you. Then you decide what’s best for your body!
The other option is to be sneaky and just don’t tell anyone what you’re doing. Just do it. Make excuses for why you’re not eating other foods, and wait until you are more confident about talking to people about what you’re doing and why.
2. It may be prudent to start slowly
If you’re eating a standard diet, or if you’ve had years on a vegan or vegetarian diet, it may be wise to start slowly. Start by removing processed foods, seed oils and sugar. They’re the biggest culprits that will cause weight issues and health problems.
Take a while to clean up your diet, and gradually introduce more meat and fats. Maybe get started on a Keto diet, and then gradually remove the plants and transition onto a carnivore diet.
Taking it slow like this can be of benefit in a number of ways. It will help you to create new habits within your diet and lifestyle. Most of what we eat is repetitive and habitual, and to work out what we can eat instead of something that’s been a mainstay can be a challenge.
Other benefits include less likelihood of detox symptoms making you miserable, allowing your digestive system to adapt to more fat and less carbs, and reducing the misery of oxalate dumping!
But if you’re like me, an ‘all-or-nothing’ kinda personality, then just do it and be prepared for the initial challenges. Within that approach however, I suggest you ‘be like water’ and always adapt where necessary, even for a short time.
3. Clean out the pantry
My number three tip is to remove all processed foods from your home if possible. Especially the ones that you love, or that will trigger you if they’re still within reach! Be warned though that sometimes family members can get upset when you remove their favorite snacks from the house…
This is where it’s best to try to get your family and/or partner on board. Ask them to join you in your new way of eating, or to at least support you. Let them how important it is for you and tell them that if they love you they will help you and not hinder you. They can get their carb fixes if they need them outside of the home so that you’re not tempted by the junk they still want to eat.
4. Understand that oxalate dumping is real
Be prepared for your body to do some stuff that might be uncomfortable. Oxalate dumping is real and can cause some misery for a short time, or a longer time! I have a number of videos on my experience with oxalate dumping. You can find my latest video on this here. I also highly recommend Sally Nortons book on the subject as it helped me massively to understand what was happening and why. You can find her book here and I always have a link to her book under my videos.
Many people also have diarrhea or gut issues for a short time when starting a carnivore diet due to microbiome changes and their bodies adapting to a new way of eating. This is generally short lived, but if you find it continues, make sure to watch my videos and read my article on how I cured SIBO/SIFO and resolved the ongoing diarrhea that was making life for me stressful and difficult. I also have many videos on this, with my latest discussing how I eventually realised that my gallbladder was also a problem and what I did about that. You’ll find that video here.
Also, it pays to note that although many people have oxalate issues in the beginning of their journey, not everyone does. And in fact for some people it sneaks up on them later. I’ve read accounts from those who have had an easy transition to carnivore, and been going along swimmingly for a year or more, only to suddenly find themselves in oxalate dumping misery when they thought they’d got away with it and least expected it. Our bodies are all different and behave differently when it comes to eliminating and healing.
5. Be prepared with carnivore food options
Try to make sure you always have carnivore food options in the house, and try to have foods that you can grab quickly when hungry or looking for a snack readily available, because if you don’t, then the day you’re starving and don’t have the time or energy to cook a steak, you’re going to reach for something else – guaranteed!
It takes time to create new habits, and it also takes time for blood sugar levels to stabilise and satiety to really kick in. So ensuring you have carnivore snacks available all the time when you first begin your carnivore journey is good planning. Simple things like boiled eggs, cold meats, cheeses, and pork rinds can help keep you on track until carnivore life becomes second nature.
6. Eat ALL the carnivore foods!
Don’t make the mistake of restricting what you eat when you first start out. Eat ALL the different types of carnivore foods initially, and eat as much as you want. Eat your favorite meats and cheeses. Eat all the foods you love so that you feel happy and satisfied. That will help keep you on track and then you an adjust later. If you try to start off strict, and you feel deprived, you’re more likely to stray. Whereas if you’re loving the food you’re eating, inspired by the variety, and feeling stuffed after each meal, you’re much less likely to be tempted by old habits.
Once you’ve got your head in the game, and your new eating habits are solid, then you can look at tightening up your diet if you choose to, to lose weight or to aim for even better health.
7. If you need coffee or tea have it
As with number six above, drink the tea or coffee for as long as you need it. Once you’re on track and solid in your eating plan, then you can drop the caffeine or plant based beverages if that’s what you want to do.
8. Use the condiments
Again, as with six and seven above, use condiments if you need or want them. Many carnivores continue to use additions like mustard, garlic, onion powder, herbs and spice blends forever. Others eventually give all, or most of them up eventually. It’s all personal choice. Just make sure to read the ingredient labels, avoiding sugars and chemical additives.
9. Leave Lion for later
This is an extension to number two – start slowly. My advice would be to NOT start straight on the Lion diet unless you have a good reason to.
Some people do start with the toughest version of carnivore because they’re using it as an elimination diet, or because they have autoimmune issues that they’re desperate to resolve and I get that!
But if you’re just starting out because you want to improve your general health, or to lose some weight, then taking it slower is always going to be good advice. If you jump straight into the Lion diet you’re more likely to fail due to cravings, feeling deprived or bored, or due to detox or oxalate dumping.
10. Take meals with you
Prepare carnivore friendly meals to take with you to school or work. If you don’t prep and you decide to wing it, you’re going to get hungry and then grab what you can. Regrets are tough…
So this might mean making your lunch each day, or even prepping for the whole week at one time. Do what works for your lifestyle and the time you have available.
Simple, transportable foods like boiled eggs, jerky, and biltong are easy to make in advance to take with you. Or cook extra, and take leftovers.
Alternatively you can buy ready made carnivore friendly snacks such as these pork rinds, or sugar free beef jerky (always read the ingredients and decide what you’re happy to put in your body – or not!). And you can even make your own Pemmican (that link goes to my video on how to make it) and cut it into meal sized bars. Pemmican bars will apparently keep for years and they’re the perfect food for when you’re on the go. The best thing is that if you make it yourself, you can adjust for taste and fat/protein ratio, and know exactly what you’re eating!
The other option when you’re out and there’s no carnivore friendly food is to fast. With time fasting comes easy and so it’s simple to just don’t eat if nothing is available.
The trick is to just – be – prepared!
11. Eat before you go out for social occasions
If you’re going out for dinner or to a social event and you’re unsure if there will be food you can eat, eat before you go. That way if you get there and find there’s nothing really suitable, you’re not hungry and tempted to eat foods that aren’t part of your eating plan.
If you’re worried about offending, eat what you can and then just push the rest around with your fork. If you don’t make a big deal about it, most people won’t notice that you’ve left your veggies. OR use the ‘allergy’ excuse! That also always works quite well. If people think it’s going to make you sick, they’ll forgive you for not eating their food!
12. Drink sparkling water
This is also one for when you’re socialising. It’s easy to feel left out when others are drinking alcohol and you’re not. My solution to this is to drink sparkling water. You can add a slice of lemon – or not – and no one will know the difference.
Having a glass in your hand will make you feel and look like you’re doing what everyone else is doing, but you’ll wake up in the morning feeling amazing. No hangover for you! You’ll also be popular if you can be the designated driver…
13. Carnivore doesn’t have to be expensive
If money is tight, don’t panic! The carnivore diet doesn’t have to be expensive. Once you stop buying all the other stuff you used to buy, you’ll find that this way of eating doesn’t have to cost too much.
Buying meat in bulk and cutting it up yourself can help to lower costs. Often whole rumps, ribeye, or other steaks are much cheaper than the already sliced options.
Also buying direct from a farmer can be a great option.
Alternatively, just buy cheaper meats such as ground beef, or tougher cuts, and learn to cook them to perfection. All cuts of meat can be delicious when cooked well!
14. Don’t focus on weight loss
Some of us don’t lose weight initially. That’s just a fact. And another fact is that some of us gain weight at the beginning of our carnivore journeys! That was what happened to me, but because I was prepared, and knew that that might happen, I just accepted it.
It’s really common for those of us who’ve been on a plant based, vegan, or vegetarian diet, to get really hungry when we first start eating a carnivore diet. Our bodies have been starved of many of the nutrients that are found in meat and other animal based foods, and once the cells of our body realise these are coming, they want more.
Rest assured that over time this will settle, and weight will start to come off. Patience is required by some of us, much more so than others. Your focus initially needs to be on health, and then eventually as you get healthier, your body is more likely to settle into a healthy weight. If that doesn’t happen, then you can make the changes needed to focus on weight loss once you’re settled into carnivore life.
15. Make a list
Make a list of everything you have going on with your health before your start. Note your weight, take your measurements, and then sit down and think about every little thing that’s been going on in your body that shouldn’t be.
This will help as time goes by. It means you can look back and really see how far you’ve come! Our memories have a habit of failing us when it comes to changes in our bodies. We get frustrated with where we’re at, but if we have a list we can look back and be reminded of how things were before we started.
List anything that’s going on with your skin, your gut, hair, headaches, strength, weird symptoms, mental state etc. You’ll be surprised when you list it all, how much is actually not right with your health.
16. Get blood work done
Get blood tests done prior to starting on the carnivore diet. That way you have a starting point, and just like your list of symptoms, it allows you to identify what’s changing over time and compare where you are, with where you were!
So that’s it! My list of tips for starting a carnivore diet. If I think of any more I’ll come back and add them. I hope you find them useful and if you have any questions for comments, pop them down below and I’ll answer them asap. You can find my video with my top 20 tips for starting a carnivore diet here.
