There are thousands of diets, protocols and fat-loss strategies out there. This is just another one of those...but different.
When it comes to sustainable fat loss, I’ve been through it all. I can’t tell you how to gain 30 lbs of muscle but I can tell you how to lose 100 lbs of fat. However, fat loss is not the goal. The goal is to feel like you're in flow 24/7. An animal-based diet does this due to ketones being prioritised over glucose.
Carbs are not inherently bad, but if you're like me and you struggle with food addiction, carbs can cause more harm than good.
An Animal-Based Ketovore Diet is one element of living a good life. But one the more important ones. When you eat hormone-adapted foods, you are giving your body the energy it craves. When you have sustainable energy you make better choices. Better choices = a rich life.
When you change your biology it will show up in the rest of your life. It will show up in your relationships, finances, spirituality and business.
This is not so much a diet as a framework — a principle: part of a larger ecosystem of living by cutting out the non-essentials. Modern man is forced to remove clutter by choice.
As it was with the hunter-gatherer to hunt and gather daily, our goal as sophisticated 21st-century bipedal monkeys is the polar opposite: to hide and subtract – to remove the noise in our lives and focus on the important things. This is how we become better humans.
The strength you get from eating the right food will give you power and permission to become a better human. Eating the right food does not start with more but less. It begins via negativa – addition by subtraction.
It's not what you eat that matters; it's what you don't eat.
What To Eat on An Animal-Based Ketovore Diet?
It sounds simple, right? "Just eat meat..." But, surprisingly, many people still have many questions. I'm hoping to give you a basic framework.
The term "Animal-Based" should give you a massive clue. All foods that are derived from an animal essentially fall into a humans food chain. In fact, humans can eat virtually any animal – but the same cannot be said for plants.
Plants are crazy intelligent creatures. And they don't want to be eaten. Whereas animals have legs to run away from predators, plants don't – therefore, plants use chemical warfare to defend themselves from being eaten by insects (and humans!). Read Kevin Stocks article on The Health Dangers of a Plant-Based Diet for more detailed information on the effects of plant chemicals like Oxalates, Phytates and Saponins on the human’s nervous system, gut and brain.
Most people fall into one of two camps: either they want to lose weight or feel better. One aspect of an animal-based diet is the vanity side: losing fat – and the other aspect is the mental clarity side: giving your brain the vital animal fat it needs to make better choices. One is about the physical and the other is about the mental. But, if you haven't started your journey yet, let me be the one to tell you: the mental matters more.
Two Parts to Healing Through Animal-Based Nutrition
There are two parts to this diet: 1) Animal-Based and 2) Ketovore. #1 is the baseline and #2 is the progression.
In part #1, your diet will be mostly meat and zero plants. Depending on how severe your autoimmunity or health conditions, I suggest going at least 2-3 weeks without any plants (and coffee). Then, after that, try adding back in the least toxic plant foods as crafted by Dr Paul Salidino.
Part #1 (the most important part) Animal-Based:
Fatty Beef (fatty because if it's too lean you will perish – fat is the game-changer).
Organ Meats (if you want – this is not a 'must' and there is a lot of debate in the carnivore community whether organs are essential).
Pork (who the fuck doesn't like bacon?)
Lamb (say no more).
Dairy (Think of dairy as a supplement. It should not be the main. But if you are just starting out and are not active and have extreme fat-loss goals, DON'T eat dairy: it can throw you off big time).
From Judy Cho’s Instagram page.
Part #2 Ketovore:
Think of ketovore as a metaphor for the foods that are still in the framework of low-carb, but are not considered carnivore (unless you drink coffee then leave it as is!).
Avocados (these for me are hit and miss: sometimes I can handle them and other times I feel like total garbage...could be because one time I got so drunk I ate 4 avocados at 2am).
Honey (Beware! Don't consume if you're prone to sugar addiction and/or have ketone-specific goals — think of honey as the ketogenic anti-Christ).
Coffee (I’m a regular coffee drinker and it is only ‘plant’ that I consume daily).
Berries (Similar to avocados for me — when I crave them I eat them but generally I feel arthritic symptoms occur post-consumption).
Be wary, as silly as it sounds – especially to carnovices (beginner carnivores) – these keto-extras can cause serious implications when you first start out. Berries and avocados are highly fibrous and fibre can be thought of as enemy #1 when healing gut-related issues.
So again: 2-3 weeks minimum for starting out without part 2 is highly encouraged. Think of part 2 as good things to come. Something to work towards.
Parting Thoughts
This is about what has worked for me – It may not work for you. I’m nearly 1.5 years into my animal-based healing journey and I still don’t have this all figured out.
I believe in logic, experimentation and simplicity. I don’t have fancy-sounding credentials behind my name. I'm not a doctor, expert or certified whatever. Always consult your physician before embarking on your new meaty endeavours.
You Might Gain Weight…Relax
Don't get caught up in becoming super skinny. That will happen with time. First things first: heal the body to heal the mind. This means that initial weight-gain might occur. Body fat is an organ. Just like any other vital organ, we need body fat for our hormones to function at optimum.
Isn't Eating Only Meat Expensive?
Yes. But in the long run you will thank yourself.
Try buying ground beef which is affordable anywhere and in Europe a 500g tub of ground beef at Albert-Heijn costs the same as a Flat White...go figure. No excuses.
I wrote a post about this which you can read here.
Eat More and Mostly Fat:
The biggest mistake you can make is to not eat enough (women, I'm talking to you). Fat is your friend and it will help keep your hormones in check. From a logical point of view, if you think about it, you're technically zero carb when eating keto-carnivore: therefore your only other energy source is fat.
However, our society has been so brainwashed into thinking that saturated fat is bad and cholesterol is enemy #1 that it has conditioned us. So much so that I sometimes find myself thinking to myself: man, you pig! you just ate an entire rib-eye with all the fat!
When that happens I recognise it as societal conditioning and remind myself that fat is my friend. Think Nemo when going Keto: fat is your friend, not an enemy.
Adaption: how long does it take and will it hurt?
Like anything, it's highly personal. Some people experience the white light of pure bliss and joy in the first two days while others feel the wrath of the Devils penis slap them for months on end until eventually decades of SAD (standard American diet) eating is healed.
I fall – and still do at times (read my post on my 10-month keto-carnivore update) – in the latter category. I came to this diet for a number of reasons: but mainly it was gut-related issues (SIBO most likely) and depression (and I believe firmly that the former caused the latter).
Happiness Is A Side-Effect of an Animal-Based Ketovore Diet
Amber O'Hearn once tweeted that she came to carnivore diet for fat loss, but stayed for the mood stability. I could not agree more. In fact, overcoming one challenge only makes you worthy of more.
You may have the intention to lose weight, and you may fulfil that intention (especially if you follow the Animal-Based Ketovore Diet) – but I promise you that getting your wish will not make you happy in the long run. What will make you happy is dealing with your trauma that caused your illness in the first place. This is beyond the scope of this post, but going to the root of your suffering can give you a sense of freedom that a 'perfect diet' simply cannot.
You Must Walk The Path
We live in an age (maybe it's just a human thing?) where people need constant confirmation. Therefore, whenever things go inevitably wrong, people search for more answers which leads to more confusion. People search for online gurus and nutrition ‘experts.’ These experts then become idolised and this glorification prevents you from making your own choices guided by your own intuition.
Nobody can walk this path but you.
There will be times on your journey when you feel like shit.
That's ok.
In situations like that, a good rule of thumb is addition by subtraction. Instead of searching for a miracle supplement or spending five hours on a Reddit forum – try taking away something. Maybe it's the egg whites? Maybe it's the coffee? Maybe it's the slow-cooked meat? Who knows. But chances are it's not the steak (unless you've been bitten by a Lone Start Tick)
Steak is baseline. Return to baseline as often as you please.
Reach out in the comments and tell me about your journey (no matter how far you are).
Resources for an Animal-Based Beginner 🥩
MENTORS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHERE TO START when going carnivore:
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts. If you feel you have transformed and changed via meat-based eating, pop me an email hello@joshsnyman.com so we can connect. I'm always looking for people to come on my podcast to chat to.
Proost.