Hannah grew up in a low-income family, so many meals “came from a box.” Hannah says her mom would make a roast or something homemade on Sundays, but she ate ramen noodles, boxed macaroni and cheese, or spaghetti every other day of the week. Hannah gained weight as a child and teen and developed migraines in the sixth grade. Through multiple doctors and testing, it was determined Hannah had developed a pseudotumor (fatty tumor) behind her eye, most likely caused by excess weight.
Hannah was put on multiple medications and was told by a nutritionist to eat lean meats and whole grains to combat her tumor. Hannah also developed cystic acne, particularly on her legs, which she said was painful and often looked like boils. Additionally, Hannah had pain from inflammation in her knees and other joints, and at just nineteen years old, she had her gallbladder removed.
Hannah tried to follow the advice her nutritionist gave her. However, Hannah says her diet of mostly chicken breast and whole grain bread did little to help her body heal, nor was it sustainable. One day she heard Jordan and Mikhaila Peterson share their testimonies of the carnivore diet on the Joe Rogan podcast. Hannah says she was intrigued by their success and wondered if the carnivore diet could also help her heal her body.
Hannah first dabbled with the carnivore way of eating in November 2018. She says she picked a horrible time to start as she headed into the holidays; however, she committed in January 2019 to follow the carnivore diet for thirty days. Hannah says she felt so good after those thirty days, three years later, she still follows the carnivore diet.
Hannah says she was shocked that she had very few transitional issues when she first started the carnivore diet– especially since she does not have a gallbladder. Hannah also says the first improvement she noticed on the diet was her mood; she felt incredibly happy. Hannah says her energy also increased very quickly with the diet. However, Hannah’s most significant achievement has been her incredible weight loss. Hannah lost one hundred pounds with minimal exercise within eighteen months on the diet.
Today Hannah tries to work out more, though she says she isn’t consistent with it. Hannah says she has always followed a one-meal-a-day schedule on her carnivore journey. Hannah also says when she first started following the carnivore way of eating, she ate a lot of eggs. Unfortunately, she noticed that eggs made her feel bloated, so she eventually eliminated them from her diet. Today Hannah says she eats a lot of steaks (particularly ribeyes) and ground beef. Hannah also drinks coffee, sometimes with lactose-free half and half and a dash of cinnamon for a treat.
Hannah’s carnivore journey has also been a bit of a family affair. Her husband was a strict carnivore diet follower for three months with her and noticed his acid reflux had disappeared. Since then, he has added a few foods, like potatoes, back in, and Hannah says she can see some of his symptoms returning. Hannah also has a stepson who has lost twenty pounds on the carnivore diet.
Hannah says her advice for anyone wanted to begin their journey with the carnivore way of eating is to do a lot of research. She says following carnivore advocates online and listening to success stories helped her. Hannah also says to “give the diet thirty days.” Hannah knows anyone can see success with the carnivore way of eating, just like she did.
