Why You're GAINING Weight On The Carnivore Diet! - Doctor Reacts

[@emiliasokolova3]

I completely changed my diet six months ago based on nationally recommended guidelines, but it only made my health worse. It wasn’t until I read 'The 23 Former Doctor Truths' that I realized doing the opposite of what the government advises can actually make a difference. No wonder the doctor who wrote it left their career-speaking the truth often challenges the system!

[@JohnnStr1]

Thanks for sharing that Emilia

[@JohnnStr1]

I will have to read that book for sure

[@gemspiritmessages2754]

So tired of these book scam ads 🤦‍♀️

[@norpfuseman1485]

Sardines and eggs. That’s all you get for a week. No cheating. You won’t overeat That gets you unstuck in my experience. Also walk more than you think

[@benicio1967]

That’s a really great suggestion. I’ve never eaten sardines but I do want to try them. I think I need to try that. Just one can of sardines, or two?

[@norpfuseman1485]

@ as much as you’d like, they’re a bit of an acquired taste. You won’t overeat them. 6-8 eggs and a can or 3 of sardines through the day worked well for me

[@suzannereeves7768]

I’ve done the sardines challenge twice but never with eggs. You’re the first person I heard who adds eggs. You’re not sharing how much weight you lost… did you?. I may try this because it will surely help me get down the sardines if I add the eggs.

[@Ohiotruckerkat]

@@benicio1967 mustard is good with sardines

[@monski462]

These are the go to food every time I fell off the tract. Especially meat soup. They reset my taste buds and sugar addiction back to this woe. I always have them at home ready to consume.

[@jasontree33]

I started questioning everything, especially advice from government health organizations after reading Health and Beauty Mastery by Julian Bannett, this book exposes so many shocking truths about the health industry.

[@justin333eb]

I heard about that book before, thanks for sharing

[@anir8023]

Why do you leave the same message everywhere ?

[@defeqel6537]

@@anir8023 it's a spam/ad bot

[@Charliehund100]

@@anir8023it’s almost like it’s an intentional marketing campaign designed to sell that book

[@gemspiritmessages2754]

@@anir8023bots

[@oceanndaisy]

Thank you for so much clarity, Dr Eric.

[@adrian3482]

This whole "eat as much meat as you want" mantra is the problem. The reason carnivore works is because meat is so satiating. Eat when you're hungry, and eat until you are no longer hungry. That really doesn't take a lot of meat. I'm a big guy and I can get by just fine on 1lb red meat a day. I have never needed more than 2lb. No hunger. That's the magic of the diet. If you're constantly eating because you're bored then yeah, you're gonna gain weight. Calories matter. Ignore the people saying ignore calories.

[@gj9933]

💯💯!

[@Susie-se4mv]

Perfect!

[@sunshinekis8583]

Yes yes yes! It took me a while to figure it out Real Hunger after I started carnivore diet ( after eating " healthy" grains, veggies and fruit and low fat diet. I felt always hungry and bloated).

[@diazemap]

This mantra can somehow work only for someone with a lot of weight to lose. An overweight or obese person doesn't in fact need to eat almost at all, especially in the first couple of weeks of keto or carnivore. I lost over 50 pounds in just ten weeks on keto, and it was due to both calorie restriction, cutting carbs and eating just once a day. All at the same time. Now I have no weight to lose and about two months ago, I started carnivore for other reasons than weight loss, and if I ate as much meat as I wanted or even could, I'd quickly put on weight. On the other hand, I can't eat too little either. It is much more difficult to get into ketosis now, when my body's fat percentage is as low as is considered healthy. Even if I eat no carbs and fast, my body doesn't let me do longer fasts anymore without feeling terrible. I just have to listen to my body and absolutely eat if I am starving, and fast only if I overeat a little. It is a very fine balancing act. So basically, it is super important how much body fat you have to lose.

[@josephsantus881]

​@@anir8023 exactly, this carnivore craze is like a cult. Everybody is a self-anointed expert. Did you have that other doctor making videos he's a bodybuilder sucking on a steak like it's a lollipop and insinuating if everybody doesn't eat meat that they are pariahs. You can't eat all the meat that you want calories certainly matter. I just think a lot of these videos are mildly misleading for people who are in desperate need of health improvement. When I started a ketogenic diet as I look back I was eating way too much fat that was calorie dense. Then I started simply eating other foods that were high in bulk and low in calories so forth and so on. Eating nothing but meat is something that is certainly not sustainable for a large part of the population. I would defy somebody to give me a peer-reviewed journal that says that eating meat for over 10 years is sustainable. Add a 0.5 alpha level, I would love to see information where there is more than 10% of the population that ain't nothin but me everyday of their lives until they die. I think it's a bunch of bullshit. Cutting carbs makes sense in general.

[@maevey3]

Yup, medication. So frustrating. I'm doing carnivore ish/ketovore, but am on 3 medications which can cause weight gain, & my body is holding onto fluid. Thank you for mentioning this, Dr Westman.

[@macoediv]

I am not loosing weight, I am stuck at 180 lbs. I did notice that my flab is shrinking.

[@JoaninFlorida]

Me too! Stuck at 180ish for 3 months. I'm not cheating. But I did lose 80 pounds in 14 months.

[@patriciacerwin6266]

I found when I lost weight I would have several months with a little gain, then a little lost pretty much staying at a specific weight. Then the weight would start coming off for several months and then stuck again. I came to realize my body was adjusting its set point. I've never gained any of my weight back. I was not doing carnivvore then, just healthy whole foods. Just stay consistent. It'll come off.

[@Its_Easy7115]

Have you tried intermittent fasting?…if not, give it a try.

[@macoediv]

@Its_Easy7115 I do, omad so 18/6. I guess I am not willing to do extended fast for the last remaining. Numbers are good.

[@karhorng]

you're not in deep ketosis as you are eating lesser fats, increase the fats intake to be able to goto deep ketosis which is the end stage to be able to use fats to burn fats. also go do fat fasting for 72 hours for a quick boost into ketosis, the ketosis ketone production will peak for three days or so.

[@blakebunch4485]

When you reach your own personal optimal weight even if you think you could lose a few extra pounds.... it's tuff, I've weighed at least twice a day for 8 months. Always 178 to 185 with 183 being the most common. I'm 62 years 5'11" man and four years ago weighed 220 lbs. It literally doesn't matter how much or little I eat I can't get to 170. I don't exercise regularly enough and have a bum knee for an excuse but I realize that's no reason.

[@mariawiley356]

Love your critiques, you’re very kind and informative!

[@_Solaris]

This is a rare phenomenon. Some can't seem to lose weight because of organic issues, and some can not seem to achieve ketosis. -and because of this, there will be those who will make blanket statements that "ketogenic diets don't work". For most of us, this advice can be safely ignored. The vast majority who achieve a ketogenic state will lose weight and settle in to a natural body composition without losing muscle/bone mass.

[@danvitale1825]

Dairy might be the culprit. I stalled and had to quit dairy, (even though I wasn't consuming sugar.)

[@lauraa2877]

I was carnivore/keto for 4 years and I began to gain weight and feel very fatigued. I always made sure to eat enough fat and drink electrolytes, so I knew it wasn’t either of those. I even upped my protein to see if that was the issue and I still continued to gain weight. I workout regularly and I know my body very well, something was off doing what had worked so well for me for 4 years. I went to my Dr and got a full thyroid panel done which showed my TSH was high but my T3 was very low. I have Hashimotos and I’m on armour thyroid medication. My functional medicine Dr asked me if I would consider doing a low carb diet vs keto/carnivore because she said she has seen some of her has Hashimotos patients on keto/carnivore end up with low T3 because they aren’t converting T4 to T3 properly which is responsible for energy levels and proper metabolism. I reluctantly tried it and after a week I had WAY more energy and lost 4 pounds! I think there are people out there with different health issues that may benefit from a low carb diet vs an almost no carb diet, that has definitely been the case with me.

[@marioncarter1104]

I'm going to try it, I've been carnivore nearly 3 months and I've lost 1 kilogram, very discouraging

[@Donald1942-ls6gv]

@@marioncarter1104 In my opinion tihink of the carnivore diet in 3 stages. 3 day to ketosisi 3 weeks detox 3 months or more healilng. Once the body has healed itself (it only knows this, each person is different) then you will see a loss weight in fat loss, as your body is using the energy for healing. When your body has reaches its optimum weight , it will start to gain muscle which has a higher density than fat, Your body may be still in the healing phase at this moment.

[@Littlefurball7]

How many carbs per Meal or per day did you increase to?

[@lauraa2877]

@littlefurball7 I still eat a low carb diet, so I’ll have a half of a banana with my protein shake for breakfast, for lunch I’ll usually do a salad with some hard boiled eggs, chicken and maybe a half chopped apple then I’ll eat some sweet potato with some ground beef for dinner . I’m not counting carbs necessarily, but I’m not eating a bunch of processed junk carbs either.

[@Littlefurball7]

@ thank you! I agree, I have always avoided processed carbs; I think adding back unprocessed carbs will help my workouts and energy levels return. Hopefully, loose the extra couple pounds I’ve recently gained. Hashimotos is rampant in my family and will retest as I’ve felt lousy lately.

[@michaljagielo7448]

I went down to 84 kg from 140, then I added dairy and cheat meals. All of the sudden I'm at 92 kg... Now I know what to do. No more kebab on saturday, and goodbye dairy.

[@Susie-se4mv]

What’s wrong with kebabs? just ditch all the yummy stuff it usually comes with 😉

[@michaljagielo7448]

@Susie-se4mv you just answered yourself. Also the quality of meat and what it's marinated with, might be something to consider before eating.

[@dereknicol3465]

Dairy is okay...long as it has low sugar and carbs...cheese is my version of a chocolate shack.

[@defeqel6537]

@@dereknicol3465 dairy is ok for some people, but not for others

[@doddgarger6806]

Dairy is designed to elevate insulin and store fat, period, good choice

[@betterplacetobe7896]

Another thing is gaining weight or gaining fat, most of people don't know the difference. As you age it's really hard for most people to gain muscle mass. Lots of factors play into this. Age, sex, nationality, disease, hormones, thyroid issues, medication, levels of activity, genetics is a big one, the intensity you put in the gym and believe me 90% of people don't even push hard. So before putting the blame on the diet make sure you fallow all the steps to build muscle and be consistent.

[@MrRabiddogg]

this is why when I weigh myself I also measure my waist. if you gain weight but waist stays the same or decreases the weight is mostly muscle as the belly is where most fat is stored.

[@betterplacetobe7896]

@ right on 👍🏻

[@yogagayo8695]

What you said is all true..but..most people who start the carnivore lifestyle are mainly burdened with some metabolic problems, and probably with excess weight, so training and training intensity should not play a significant role for them, of course at the beginning..to start the first 90 days, eat until full, eat when you are hungry (it would be good to write down meals) to monitor the body's reaction to certain foods; eggs, dairy products and the amount of fat..of course increase salt intake and monitor electrolytes..only when the body starts to react to the changes and starts to heal, it is time for the gym..

[@kelleyfrances490]

Due to high stress from an ill, hospitalized parent, I got off the carnivore diet (near 3 years) to self soothe with all the old staple go-to processed foods and drink and I was honestly shocked how quickly the inflammation returned and lowered my energy, thought processes, my willingness to move more and how old chronic pain came rushing back along with the rapid, and I mean RAPID weight gain all within 5 weeks. Didn't help this was during the holidays either, but back to eating clean Jan 1 and within 4, going on 5 days I'm already less bloated and can feel my gut returning to normal and the energy returning. Derailing sucks, but know it only takes a few days to get back on track and feel the difference.

[@red58impala]

I don't understand why there is such a push for caloric deficits. I eat 2-3 lbs of chuck roast, brisket or ribeye steaks daily. Depending on the cut of beef I'm eating, I'm consuming anywhere from 2100 to 4200 (3 lbs of brisket) calories daily. I'm losing an average of 13 lbs per month with no additional exercise due to knee problems. I don't time my meals and usually fast for 12-16 hours between my last meal of the day and my first meal of the next day. I can eat at my last meal at midnight some nights. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when it no longer tastes good. I feel better but am still tired a lot due to multiple autoimmune diseases.

[@diazemap]

Your results depend on your starting or target weight. What is your body fat percentage, resting and active metabolic rate? Have you got a lot of weight to lose? Are you in ketosis? If so, cutting carbs combined with IF without calorie restriction will get you your weight loss results, but eventually, you'll hit a plateau and will have to start counting your calories again. The less body fat you have, the more your body clings to it and any calorie surplus will be stored as body fat, even on a strict carnivore diet.

[@ceejay6417]

I also have a hard time gaining weight for years now. I eat about a kilogram of beef or more a day and still look so thin . It’s genetic I believe because I didn’t have a weight problem before. I wonder how someone can gain weight eating in such a way but perhaps it’s hormonal or they still have extra things built up in the body over years.

[@martakaczmarek6886]

Autoimmune diseases are triggered by low level of vit d3, optimum level is 80-100 not 30. With d3 you need magnesium, K2 from cheese not K1 from avocados, iodine from algs (kelp, nori), selenium from eggs. Zink is in meat. On general it is called thyroid fortyfication. Read how much is daily intake, calculate how much is in each food that you eat, take supplements if not enough. Collagen - bone broth + vit C

[@red58impala]

@@diazemap The math doesn't work for CICO calculations. According to an online calculator my basal metabolic rate is roughly 2500. For me to lose an average of just over 3 lbs per week I would need a caloric deficit of 10,500+ calories or 1500+ calories per day. Let's assume I was eating only 2100 calories/day based on the low end of my beef consumption. That would only end up being a deficit of 2800 calories, (2500-2100)*7, so I wouldn't be losing even 1 lb per week, yet I'm losing just over 3. It's not water weight at this point either. Some days I eat a 3.5 lb chuck roast - not in one sitting mind you, I'm not an animal ;-). I eat when truly hungry and stop when full. I lost 130 lbs five years ago and didn't count a single calorie. I ate "dirty" carnivore, with a good bit of processed and fried foods, and ate until I was satisfied. I didn't deal with the underlying issues that make me want to consume sugar for self soothing so I gained the weight back. This time I'm losing weight even faster and more consistency with much smaller fasting windows (12-16 hours) and eating only beef. The only time I ever have a stall with weight loss is when I don't eat enough. If I eat enough I'm all set and the weight just comes off. I may hit a stall when I get closer to my ideal weight, but since I'm not there yet, I can't speak to that. As far as ketosis... I would assume so. I have only consumed beef, salt, and water for the past four months and have been carnivore for the past 7.5 months. Though when I started it wasn't as clean of a diet.

[@red58impala]

@@ceejay6417 That must stink not being able to gain weight. I'm not being sarcastic either. I have the opposite problem. I can gain weight very easily when eating carbs. Hopefully, someone who has a similar problem to you can give you some sound advice. I can give some guesses, but they'd be only that.

[@jporter504]

I would like to see a video on how to gain weight in a healthy way while on a Keto diet.

[@doddgarger6806]

You should actually unless stagnant

[@peterpan408]

Its called Bodybuilding with all that goes with it.

[@wenshu888]

I'm pretty sure it's dairy for me, but there seems to be something in cream that my body wants. Feeling fantastic and not wanting to eat all the time take precedent over weight loss for me, though.

[@defeqel6537]

probably just the casomorphins causing addiction

[@doddgarger6806]

I think some low carb cheese is ok but not milk

[@dianetrue2396]

For me it's the Greek yogurt. So satisfying

[@jeffbstrong]

My problem is that my husband is not carnivore and I am only 3 months into carnivore. With this in mind, when he cooks things that are loaded with carbs etc they tempt me so to prevent indulging in them I will eat butter or cheese to fill up before I lose control. I have learned not to trust my will power. So, I am not losing or gaining weight over all. I know I would feel better to lose more weight though. If I were alone I would not tempt myself and I am still carb addicted. So about once a week or two I do give in for about an hour. The mental battle is stressful. I get stronger with time though and when I do give in I am satisfied with less.

[@cynthiameachum5552]

Laura Spath introduced me to a carnivore diet over 4 years ago.

[@lisagayhart2482]

It’s the cheese I am sure . My cartilage is getting stronger . But I am gaining some

[@Hannahviviers-21]

I agree. Definately cheese and cream are culprits for gaining weight.

[@misse2013]

All dairy, really

[@lisagayhart2482]

And I eat lots . I cut out cottage cheese . But really need to get those carbs down. Cheese has carbs

[@danvitale1825]

Yep, I had to quit all dairy.

[@theeagle8268]

High fat dairy can break it. Heavy cream, msscarpone....etc.! Because you can overeat it easyli. Chease out of raw milk works for me very good.

[@phillipmurphy842]

For some people, over-eating fatty meat on a strict plant-free diet will cause fat weight gain; even after years of strict meat and water. Fasting is the key to losing fat weight for those who find themselves in this situation.

[@DrAJ_LatinAmerica]

Some over eating butter 🧈 or heavy cream.

[@JoJo-oc8oq]

​@@DrAJ_LatinAmerica i thought Dr Chaffee said we can't get fat from eating too much fat. that we use it for energy?

[@sunshinekis8583]

Yes, and Elizabeth Bright, and Ken Berry , and Ben Bickman 😊

[@milmish7140]

I listen and listen to a lot of doctors a lot of specialists and my opinion nobody knows anything you don’t get enough sleep I know people who doesn’t sleep a lot And they healthy ,you use different nose drops ,use different pills you don’t eat enough fat eat enough fat It is very confusing. KZbin, it’s a killer everybody wants you to get personal consultation so don’t give advice on KZbin

[@milmish7140]

I listen and listen to a lot of doctors a lot of specialists and my opinion nobody knows anything you don’t get enough sleep I know people who doesn’t sleep a lot And they healthy ,you use different nose drops ,use different pills you don’t eat enough fat eat enough fat It is very confusing. KZbin, it’s a killer everybody wants you to get personal consultation so don’t give advice on KZbin

[@UncleDavesKitchen]

18 months on Carnivore after doing Keto and I gained weight. Meat, eggs, fat that's it, no carbs and no cheating. I finally got to speak with Dr Chaffe who told me to cut out the fat and salt and keep calories to 1600 a day. Now the weight is coming off. I need to lose over 100 pounds. I add scant oil to fry the meat and eggs now are all hard boiled to avoid the fat. No salt at all. My labs are perfect and I'm losing weight. So what is finally working for me is calorie counting, carnivore, low fat and no added salt.

[@EEEBA1]

That is great. Calories still matter no matter what way of eating we incorporate. Essentially your diet now is higher in protein, low in fat and no salt at all? I may do the same thing since I'm struggling losing on carnivore.

[@UncleDavesKitchen]

@@EEEBA1 Dr Chaffee spoke on several videos of not adding salt as there is sodium in the meat. Other 'experts' say add all the salt you want. I definitely see a difference in my blood pressure and weight loss cutting out salt. My recent labs were perfect after 3 months not adding salt. I eat out once a month with friends so I'm sure there is salt in that but that infrequent bit hasn't mattered. Our bodies reuse minerals . Maybe try severely cutting back on salt and take it in steps. Salt is tasty.

[@EEEBA1]

@@UncleDavesKitchen Yes, salt makes food more enjoyable. What do you think, are you losing weight because you cut out salt and fat or because you lowered your calories down to 1600? I wonder what would happen if you were still eating salt but staying at 1600 calories...

[@UncleDavesKitchen]

@@EEEBA1 I was, I weigh all my food. Yes, losing weight with cutting salt extremely back. Cutting the salt out has had great results.

[@j.p.h.8126]

You can gain weight no matter your diet. You need to eat at a caloric deficit to lose weight regadless of your diet its that simple. Keto and carnivore diets will usualy make you lose the weight faster. I did a keto diet a few years ago and i lost over 40 pounds in only 6 weeks. It really works if you do it right.

[@Zaaxun]

Man, i wish i had that problem. I started carnivore for health benefits and disease prevention, not to lose weight but after 4 weeks I lost 23lbs. I was always around 197, I've always worked out, i just dropped to 175 and now no matter how much I eat i can't gain a pound. 3 big meals a day, im going to have to start eating 5 times a day i guess.

[@dianetrue2396]

My husband is like that. He eats a lot but is lean n active. Tall with heavy bones. Eats plenty of carbs. No weight gain. I'm jealous 😅

[@PolishMike1993]

It’s not a weight loss diet. Focus on improving health and the weight will optimize in the direction it needs.

[@benicio1967]

I sincerely respect what you’re saying but some people are 300 400 lbs and up. The last thing you can tolerate are those weights is to gain more pounds. That terrifying and do demoralizing for some.

[@truthmatters8241]

It's a IIfestyIe for most, getting heaIthy is the g0aI for many and weight Ioss is a side benefit.

[@ZZP-SchoolNL]

Understandable, ​@benicio1967 . So maybe that's the first thing to address? Otherwise you're still treating just the symptom (weight) of one ore more underlying problems.

[@defeqel6537]

@@benicio1967 300+ lbs people eating carnivore aren't very likely to gain weight

[@DrAJ_LatinAmerica]

YES, medications is a great point. Exercise can also increase bone density which in turn adds weight to the scale, can also increase muscle tissue / muscle hypertrophy (slowly of course), and more muscle can mean more water retention. Adding items like creatine monohydrate can add water weight but good weight.

[@yogagayo8695]

🔝👏🏻👏🏻

[@sophiepoint6270]

I’m tempted to overeat bacon, it’s for the salt that I crave it… so I fix a lemon water or bone broth with salt, no-salt (potassium chloride) and a magnesium pill and it postpones hunger.

[@dianetrue2396]

@@sophiepoint6270 I love bacon. For years I stayed away now I love it but eat it at a minimum because I can't stop at 3 slices... so good

[@DW-vd9mp]

She did mention starvation mode. I thought that was a myth. I lost 115 lbs as a type 2 and Im fairly strict keto fir 3 years now. There are days I'm truly not hungry and I never eat when truly not hungry. I do intermittent fast daily and my weight has been completely stabile for 2 years now. Its a lifestyle now for me as a postmenopaisal 55 year old woman. I dont count calories nor try to meet caloric goal. Best thing I ever did to get off insulin a d feel great.

[@rui37CdjOe]

Great discussion. What exactly should a post menopausal sendentary 75 year old carnivore eat, who is at a stall and gaining?

[@Susie-se4mv]

Be less sedentary? Did you hear what Dr Westman said about lowering calories?

[@horse__power7891]

Eat 1-2 meals in 6-hour window (sausage & eggs then two 1/3# burgers) every other day. Fast the other day. I never could eat much my enire life, but eating every other day works. And move as much as possible. I could walk and work until I dropped, but it never seemed fair that others did virtually nothing.

[@defeqel6537]

if you can, try to improve muscle strength, e.g. with (partial) squats, lunges, etc. stick with ruminant meats and eggs, especially avoid dairy (edit: also, measure your waist, not your weight)

[@dianetrue2396]

Some people do well eating a bit more chicken and fish using a bit less added fat. That's me. I'm smaller and do well with the additional protein but too much fat and I gain. Our bodies do not burn our own fat if there is too much dietary fat to burn especially if not active. My cholesterol went too high also. I am very active and 125 lbs. We are all different and have to adjust according to our individual needs n lifestyle

[@lauraaleksandrapravs6603]

women should never ever fast regularly. all of the research on the benefits of intermittent fasting has been done solely on men, and in recent years, it has come out that it is dangerous for women's bodies

[@healthconscience4931]

For me it's addictive tendencies. I had to quit alcohol back in 1997 never to have another drink but I turned to carbs/sugar since. Now I have to get away from that.

[@JimWooddell]

Who taught you? Wow! What a great question! Love it! Going to use it and compile the names! Thanks Doc!

[@mrbrightside3771]

I have to do carnivore with some nuts, a bit of fruit (no not because of Saladino guys, he's a grifter) because full carnivore makes me wake up at 4:30 sharp every morning! And super alert.

[@peterpan408]

Got to be up early to get ready for the Hunt!

[@casoniadespire3008]

That’s most often a cortisol response. I’ve seen people up the amount of animal fat they eat and also eat a small amount of animal fat such as a brown butter bite before bed to reset this. But everyone is different. Maybe think of trying though and you can compare your personal results. 😊

[@jenny4287]

@@peterpan408😂

[@joycelavallee6803]

I've been carnivore for 11 months, I have lost 21 pounds, That's not alot but I have lost inches all over and I feel better so I will stick with it.

[@tunein2life681]

I struggled staying on carnivore. I have a friend that i swear want to thwart my diet. She eats everything and says she wants to lose weight, then says things like I'm braver than her to eat carnivore. Puts it down. I can't even share what I've learned. I now choose to stay away from her and am doing better...i was at a standstill. She needs to lose at least 70 pounds, plus she carries all of her weight in the upper half of her body..her legs are actually skinny...and she is overeating. Choose your friends carefully and don't hesitate to walk away from those that put you down.

[@UpwardSpiralPodcast]

Wow, this video really opened my eyes to the potential pitfalls of the carnivore diet. I've been struggling with weight gain and now I understand why. Thank you for the informative content, Doctor! Time to make some changes. #healthyliving

[@sandramorton5510]

Thank you, post menopausal, low exercise, older - need to drop the calorie number to lose weight.

[@Kroh13]

Don’t give up working out and lifting . I would workout and lift and I think it’s far more important for longevity and bone loss

[@sandramorton5510]

@@Kroh13 Thank you for the advice.

[@dianetrue2396]

I lift and do cardio as well.. former personal trainer.. as we lose weight n gain muscle we often don't need as much fat.❤

[@Luv-evedear]

Back in the ‘70’s, we called it CARB CYCLING. Keep your body confused. Even Jack Lalanne carb cycled…. Otherwise, your body and metabolism gets used to the constant carb amount and fights back….. body needs to be confused.

[@lindarobb3868]

Are you saying, the inhaler i use for COPD, which is a steroid, is keeping me from losing weight?

[@benicio1967]

I wasn’t losing anything so I added in one small helping of fruit two or three times a week and started eating one meal a day. I finally started losing.

[@katpoohtoo]

15:00 Regular exercise causes muscle tone or muscle gain. Muscle is heavier than fat, so yes, there will be weight gain, so if the person is faithful to their proper diet, the weight gain would not be from fat, but from muscle. There's a huge difference between weight gain from fat and weight gain from muscle. Muscle gain also helps strengthen the bones.

[@michellemeuleman385]

I can’t exercise.. I know my weight gain is from fat increase..

[@katpoohtoo]

@@michellemeuleman385 I used to be athletic until I got into a bicycle accident in 2013 and busted my right knee open, and it never healed completely. I gained some girth. However, I do resistence training with my upper body and do stomach crunches. With age and injury (I'm a 62 year old woman) I'll never be a muscularly svelt as I used to be. But I am able to do some exercise that doesn't involve using my knees. You can't do any exercise at all?

[@pointshealthcoaching8474]

"Gaining weight"? You mean adding muscle and bone density? That would be good, don't you agree?

[@rebeccajordan3732]

Thank you both for this one!! Great video and answered some questions for me.❤

[@PaleoMeat]

I can't find anything wrong with Carnivore. I've lost 227 pounds (410 to 183) almost effortlessly on Atkins, then shifting to Keto and now Carnivore. I count NOTHING -- calories nor carbs. I eat until I'm full, just what kinds of foods fit the diet. Yes, I hit stalls. The first one turned out to be zero-carb, zero-calorie sodas stopped me. (Gary Taubes explained my experience perfectly in Good Calories, Bad Calories.) Once I stopped those, the first stall ended.🎉

[@debjurgens6447]

None of this is helping me. I eat 1 strip loin 11 am, and again at 7pm. 1 cup of coffee. Thats it. No weight loss for 20 months and I need to lose 100lbs. I don't even go into ketosis. I have liver disease but doctor tells me that has nothing to do with it.

[@EricAnimeFreak]

To properly be in full ketosis you need more fat in your diet. I am around 65% fat, 34% protein, 1% carbs. Also You still need a deficit to lose weight, but you also need to adjust your metabolic state as well. Too much restriction for too long will result in lower metabolic function resulting in body being more efficient with what you eat, requiring less and less food to maintain weight. So you may need to increase food for a bit then restrict after. Also finding out your maintenance calories is or increasing exercise might help you adjust. But I'm just offering my 2 cents from personal anecdotes.

[@scoobydadog246]

There seems to be a message in the carnivore circles that calories i.e. energy intake does not matter, but that isn’t true. Basic laws of thermodynamics still apply in order to be a weight loss diet, must be in a calorie deficit. I think Maria Emmerich is one of the few I’ve heard address this. I know you will hear people say they just eat as much as they want, but if they are losing weight, they are in an energy deficit. That is more important being in ketosis, as far as weight loss is concerned, however, if you are eating carnivore and burning your own fat for energy you will be in ketosis at least sometime. But, I do agree The other person who replied, if it hasn’t worked for that long, then something needs to be changed. I don’t know how much you weigh right now and what your target weight is because that will be important to know and figuring out how many calories you want to shoot for and you also don’t say the amount that you are eating now. If you figure those things out, that will at least give you some data to work with and you can go from there.

[@gsts379]

First, don't stick with something for 20 months if it isn't working. Keep learning and do some experiments/changes. You are probably eating too much protein, which can keep you out of ketosis, and not enough fat. If each steak is 10 ounces, then you are eating about 150 grams of protein per day and 1760 calories. You might try a few eggs cooked in butter for breakfast and then for dinner 6 oz of steak and all the fat. Add some heavy cream to your coffee. (Optional: You could slowly add back small amounts of cooked greens with olive oil or some avocado. Start with very small amounts to give your body time to adjust.) A different experiment would be to try different forms of fasting. For intermittent fasting shift your eating window from 8 hours to 6 hours. Some people do well with alternate day fasting: eat one day and not the next. Repeat 2-3 times per week. Take extra salt, broth, or pickle juice on fasting days. See Dr Jason Fung for more info on fasting.

[@AMentorway4u]

Bloating and constatpation . Not much weight loss. 6 weeks now

[@BoobooSnafu]

I found this also. I found tips of using more liquid fat like MCT rather than solid fats like butter, and fiber tablets helped my keep my system moving .....if that helps at all🤷‍♀️

[@Kroh13]

@@BoobooSnafuyou don’t need fiber tablets .

[@debs2667]

I suffered with constipation and also have hearmorhoids that is slowly starting so it got worse for me. I think you have to have a Dr or coach eith this way of eating. Haven't gone back to carnivore as that's the only thing stopping me. Would love to go back to it as I have an autoimmune disease. But we don't have any doctors in South Africa for this sadly........😏

[@defeqel6537]

whoah, never heard of bloating on carnivore, but all drastic changes to diet should be avoided and changes done over time

[@easycookinggal]

How low carb do we need to be to get into ketosis? I have just been eating 7 carbs a day and not losing.

[@dianetrue2396]

Might be too much fat. Not everyone does well on this. It works initially if very overweight, diabetic or sick in some way. We are all different. No one size fits all. I had to eat lower fat but do well on high protein and good carbs. I'm not overweight and I'm athletic even at 65 yo. High fat worked initially. IF is what drops weight for me regardless of what I eat. It takes some experimenting to figure out where you are now. Not where you were and find out what works for you. Also exercise in a fasted state is amazing for me. Just walking for 30 minutes might make a difference. Best wishes ❤

[@donnahalstead531]

I tried carnivore twice for about 6 weeks each time and lost nothing.. got frustrated and quit ..other people seem to drop weight like crazy 😒

[@rebeccajordan3732]

It first heals, then the weight drops. Patience is a virtue in this case.

[@defeqel6537]

did you measure your waist or your weight, the latter matters less

[@wendyscott8425]

I've been on a ketovore diet for years now, and I haven't gained any of the weight I lost back. This is the first time I've experienced no weight gain after losing the initial weight. I used to be in Weight Watchers, and I lost 40 pounds. I gained them all back after that. BTW, I thought I was eating a healthy diet, too. I like eating this way. I'm rarely hungry, eating only two meals a day, making my meal planning very easy.

[@nikisindoni]

May I ask about ketovore? I’m questioning veggies to help keep me regular (meat will bind me) and all I’m seeing is NO veggies. I’m currently 285 and have insulin resistance so I’m nervous to use veggies

[@wendyscott8425]

@@nikisindoni You don't need them. If you want them once in a while, that's okay. But meat gets digested in your stomach before it ever gets to the intestine, so it can't "bind" you.

[@shawsie5780]

Eddie Hall was eating over 10,000 calories a day on carnivore and still lost weight 🤷‍♂️

[@toriwolf5978]

Go figure lol

[@Kroh13]

He is a big guy , it makes sense ..

[@nathanshackelford7812]

Def don't include cheese if you aren't losing desired weight or stalling.

[@melanieshoemaker9197]

Very helpful video. Thank you!

[@michellemeuleman385]

Unfortunately carnivore diet isn’t working for me.. I’m not losing weight. I’ve gained. I’m considering bringing in low carb veggies back in. And less meat .. see if that helps

[@stephaniephouotrides2435]

I lost weight, then I gained weight but I'm losing flab and my hubby says I look more cut. To be fair, I do IF And I workout regularly

[@katdoe192]

If you can stay strict for a longer period of time like 6months to a year then so long as you keep your "cheats" to once or twice a month them most people do not go back to burning carbs. You will keep burning fat.

[@DomenicoAntonioTrimboli]

Why would insulin levels rise on low carb diet?

[@capimages]

Gluconeogenesis- too much protein, not enough fat to produce ketones, so the body turns to making glucose from protein to keep things running.

[@musclesmouse]

I have not lost weight since July, but my waist has shrunk. Converting fat to muscle It is so much that pants that I bought in July no longer fit

[@karolmolpus9536]

Medications should have these extra features in labels!

[@Littlefurball7]

How do you go about working with those who exercise is sabotaging their appetite as mentioned?

[@kahearne5361]

Thank you Dr Westman! Did Adapt Your Life with you in January this year... had cut back sugar September before but in total have lost 39 pounds from 189 to 150 today... I weigh once a week and the primary motivation was multiple sclerosis, sjoegrens/SLE ... fatigue/lassitude huge improvement but mobility seems worse but stress a factor I am sure and spinal lesions were bigger concern to neurologist who retired than brain lesions (brainstem though). Changed to carnivore mid June. You always bring a sense of calm and wisdom and appreciate all you do! I have not been in my hub for months though a member but still keeping the course and though wishing for MS changes more dramatically, am happy with the path I am on and your teaching was and is my most trusted source! All the best, Kathleen in Canada (Vancouver)

[@alice33]

Kathleen McAuliffes book " This Is Your Brain on Parasites: How Tiny Creatures Manipulate Our Behavior and Shape Society " made my think little about parasites and cravings.

[@bonniebenz8792]

I don’t really need to lose weight. I want to get healthy, reduce inflammation and hopefully not increase plaque. I don’t think I agree with her on eating when not hungry.

[@dianetrue2396]

Why would you eat if not hungry? ❤ Would you sleep if not tired?

[@thegeraldinekuss]

I was Keto & lost weight, went Carnivore & started gaining weight. I've been fasting, but now I'm stumped. I think it might be too much protein & not enough fat.

[@dianetrue2396]

Too much fat along with the protein is my problem. I had to do IF ( which works great for me even though I eat carbs) lower fat version is better for some people. All of this really depends on where you are on the journey. I only had a few pounds to lose. Very active and no health issues. Your needs will change as your body changes. Everyone is different. Hope that helps.

[@mariehughey5390]

I have put on a couple of pounds but my clothing is still loose. So I think maybe that’s okay.

[@reverendterminator]

i cant imagine how i could possible manage to be in a caloric surplus just eating meat!

[@chrystalthornton1502]

Even the master carnivore, Shawn Baker has to "lean down" once or twice a year because he's gained about 30 lbs. Just eating too much I'm sure.

[@narcisoguanlao5992]

Definitely not on me. I kept on losing weight on straight carnivore. So I add about 50 grams of carbs to maintain my weight and that works great for me

[@meblake7359]

gluconeogenesis is the reason folks on keto diets gain weight. They are eating way too much protein and not enuf animal fats. I lose fat very quickly, once I reduce how much protein i'm eating. I lose fat because I can see the muscles. Filling up on low protein, high fat extremely low carbs is what kicks the fat burning. Fat cannot convert to sugar and store as fat. It also, can't store as fat. Any fat excess will go out the back door. I've been low carb/keto since 1998, am 61 years old with no healthy issues.

[@susanne_christine]

Thank you for chiming in about calories. I typically eat between 800-1200 calories depending on hunger. I find I can’t go lower than that, but that has helped me lose about 27 pounds so far. And I feel fine at that level. Never feel like I “need” to eat more. 😊

[@doddgarger6806]

Because your fat storage is adding lots of calories to that as you burn it

[@mariad1151]

TY Dr. Westman! Finally states it in crystal clear language: takes more than giving up carbs to lose weight. I mean I know it, but it's so validating to hear it from one who seems to proclaim it's all you have to do! Ahhhhhh TY Of course that leaves some of us in the ditch w the same old, same old problem. Eating too little ultimately leads to failure. 800 calories per day or less is tough! It also begs the question: why some & not others. This is what Taubes originally went after. He came to the false conclusion that giving up carbs is the solution. If you see my old friend Taubes, tell him to keep his foot on the gas & keep hammering away at the problem with his questions! Best luck out there, everyone! 🍀

[@Susie-se4mv]

What do you mean by hearing from one who proclaims it’s all you need to do? That’s not what Dr Westman says at all

[@mariad1151]

What do you mean? He always says give up carbs & your appetite diminishes & you lose weight. It's not true for a lot of people.

[@PaulaAlinsangan]

Julien, how exactly did you know you're malnourished? What tests did you take? Did you get sick and underwent some lab tests? You sure it wasnt just some some feeling or craving for food? I'd really want to know?

[@stoker261]

how do you know what your metabolic rate is?

[@dianetrue2396]

A dexa scan or body fat test. You can sometimes find a bio impedance scale that will give you an idea of your fat percentage, muscle n skeletal weight. Best wishes

[@SharonH65]

I did the carnivore for 90 days lost 5lbs in the beginning, the only thing I could use it for was an elimination diet, I find a lot of veggies don't agree with me, broccoli, cauliflower for a start. I ate mostly eggs and beef, steaks chicken thighs, butter ghee the only exercise I could do was walk my dog. I also tried Keto first carbs under 20 ate 1500cals. I'm just done with diets I have tried them all.🥰🥰

[@pokuaokra]

Hey, I don’t know if you’ll read this.. but I want to encourage you not to go back to eating the standard diet of whichever country you live in which is very likely to be high in carbs and ultra processed foods. Low carb be it Keto or carnivore works and it works not just for weight loss but a whole host of health benefits!! Don’t focus too much on sudden weight loss, don’t give up on yourself ❤ Whatever you do, don’t get comfortable consuming carbs ( sugar) in excess of more than 20g … all the best

[@dianetrue2396]

Many people don't do well with cruciferous vegetables. They can block iodine absorption which is so important for thyroid function. So important as is vitamin D for regulatory purposes.

[@doddgarger6806]

Yeah it's not just food that makes us healthy, have to move, and lots of people overeat protein and aren't actually getting enough fat bc our meat is cut that way have to get fatty meat on purpose, so we sous vide a lot of 70/30 ground beef and you don't lose any of the fat that way

[@Gamerallday2012]

Dancing around other people's perspective as not a strong enough POINT is exhausting, i dont think there will ever be a case where a singular batch of data convinces everyone of carnivore lifestyle being optimal. Sugar is not optimal, leaving room for error creates people that argue over nothing

[@jeCktHeReal]

I shake my head at "weight-loss" this and that, people should not care about how much they weigh but instead should care about how much fat is on their body. One could lose fat while gaining lean body mass and that would look like a "weight-loss stall" but that would be perfectly indicated by the body, for that person's optimal health. The calorie-talking also makes me cringe.

[@peterpan408]

Sparing muscle is a high priority while losing fat. So easy to lose it, so hard to gain. If possible encourage moderate muscle gains. At some point you will be peak-natural.. low body fat and a good amount of muscle.

[@perserverance333]

You need IF to burn fat. There's no way anyone cannot lose weight with IF and carnivore combined, no way.

[@sandramorton5510]

What is IF?

[@suzanneroche2615]

Intermittent fasting.

[@sandramorton5510]

@@suzanneroche2615 Thank you

[@beam3819]

Being skinny I would like to know how to keep or gain weight on the carnivore diet.

[@peterpan408]

Consistent weight training, moderate cardio, moderate Calorie surplus.

[@francoserafinelli8830]

Can you talk about keto bread with 10g carb per slice and 2 net carbs . Ok to have a slice for breakfast with eggs?

[@lindarobb3868]

Do you have gut issues?

[@RC-tm8jo]

Avoiding dairy almost entirely helped me to maintain my weight on carnivore and I can never eat enough fatty red meat and eggs that would make me gain weight.

[@dianetrue2396]

You found what works for you. Congrats ❤

[@yusufkartal4375]

Im male age 65 I’m 5ft7” I was 12.5 stone I have been carnivorous for 6 months and now I’m 10 stone when do I stop loosing weight?

[@dianetrue2396]

When you add in some non starchy carbs. Not everyone can do strict carnivore indefinitely. Humans have always cycled according to the seasons. We survived by being able to eat n digest God given earthly food. Your body has changed now probably your dietary needs have as well. Just food for thought. ❤

[@molotulo8808]

I only lift weights, I never do cardio exercises. I have severe chronic atrial fibrillation, so long-term stress of doing a half hour to an hour of cardio (my wife runs 5k's, does the treadmill and exercise bike, yey she is dangerously overweight. She buys a lot of unhealthy food.

[@stephencarrier6465]

Get a good cardiophysiologist and get the ablations, that's what I did, you'll be 100 percent better.

[@christieanderson1330]

People forget that protein Raises insulin too. Unless you eat once or twice a day. Don't eat more than 20grams of protein at a meal. If youre still hungry add more fat.

[@lindarobb3868]

If I followed that rule, I wouldn't get enough protein in a day

[@peterpan408]

Remember 1g/lb/day 😉

[@rtay0311]

I thought being metabolic flexible was good

[@jeffreypua1981]

metabolic flexibility metabolic great health and healthy metabolism are all synonomous. at minute 6:00 Laura Espath talks on it and then Dr Westman echoes it at minute 7:15 the idea is that if you have metabolic flexibility you are healthy and burn fats and carbs well you are not gaining weight when you eat a little bit of fruit or carbs most competitive athletes are probably metabolically healthy flexible. you can also investigate the Randle cycle. a person that is metabolically flexible would not have insulin resistance. a metabolically flexible person would be insulin sensitive.

[@rtay0311]

@ thank you

[@sanesp1025]

I got a stent a few months ago and need to be on high dose Statins. However Statins prevent the liver to create Ketones. My weight stays the same even though on Carnivore.

[@bnic9471]

You may want to do more homework on the rationale for statins. Also the role of lipids in the body; the Framingham study had some flawed conclusions.

[@dianetrue2396]

Statins. Ugh. Wicked side effects. Please research ❤

[@caterinadc5567]

Re: Eating more to lose weight, you could check out Kelly Hogan about this! The term she uses on her channel is "reverse dieting", and I think it was some expert who first brought this to her. And she's apparently had success using this technique with coaching clients who hit weight loss stalls while under eating; they slowly increased the calories and then LOST more weight. So, I don't have the answers myself but her channel may be a place to investigate more.

[@heathermjordan-durant8684]

The only carbs I have is leafy greens, does this count?

[@Karisa1316]

All carbs count, whether or not it’s a problem is individual. If you like them and they don’t cause you issues, it’s not really a problem. They do cause most people issues though. Leafy greens are generally full of oxalates and other “anti-nutrients”

[@gsts379]

If you want to do strict carnivore for some reason, then no vegetables or fruit or nuts. Dairy is optional. Some people with IBS, for example, find that many vegetables make it worse. On the other hand, Dr. Westman puts his diabetic and obese patients on a strict version of keto. His "page 4" diet guidelines say to eat meat, poultry, fish, eggs, bacon, lard, tallow, olive oil. He also includes 2 cups of leafy greens and 1 cup of other non-starchy vegetables - with butter or other fats. Count total carbs, not net. No nuts (at least at first). Moderate cheese and limited heavy cream. Berries.

[@charleshall3372]

Laura is best with her ordering carnivore at a drive thru.

[@stellaancimer8505]

I start geting gain, but it was because of mold

[@Highwind4598]

Dont weigh every day, i do and i have learned so much about my body and how food and the seasons matter. Just try it and track it so you can go back and see how your are trending and what changes you need to make. Weighing every day is a tool. You will see a lot of these videos about weight loss and carnivore diet are a lot of baloney. Its about views here. Just try weighing evry day for 6 months to a year

[@powerguiller]

It is really contextual. You can gain the muscle weight and lose the fat weight.

[@djmagnitize]

Burn through the fruit? How much fruit are we talking? Doesn't matter because no one is metabolically sick from solely too much fruit.

[@toms9902]

HEY DOC, MAYBE IT'S TIME YOU WASH YOUR SHIRT!! 😂😂

[@JennifertxCarnivore]

Weight gain is due to gaining muscle mass and bone mass!

[@maeilive]

Only ate meat, gained 40 punds. Took me two years to lose it by doing a high carbohydrate diet😢

[@lindarobb3868]

That makes no sense at all

[@scoobydadog246]

@@lindarobb3868 I don't know. In my brief experience with carnivore, about a year; it made me gain weight (unwanted). I had been a steady weight as an adult that I was happy with eating my mixed diet. I think limiting sugar and processed food is good for everyone. I have had to incorporate carbs to get the unwanted weight off, then might try a more middle of the road low carb diet or ketogenic diet. I don't know, figuring out what works for me. :)

[@defeqel6537]

@@lindarobb3868 given some other comments here, it seems vegans have started trolling carnivore videos with made up issues. I don't know if it applies to this one, but something to keep in mind.

[@kathycallahan6810]

800 hundred calories a day for me means being miserable

[@molotulo8808]

I am losing body fat and building muscle from my weightlifting. Muscle is heavy, but at 65, i think I'm looking good.

[@kaweka260]

At the end of the day, calories DO matter!

[@jazzk4072]

…from Steak and Butter Girl: cheese will make me put on weight. 😊