Jeff’s Journey: From Fast Food To Carnivore Diet
As a busy Division 1 basketball referee from the Midwest, Jeff was no stranger to fast food, processed carbs, and quick fixes for hunger. After adopting a carnivore diet almost two years ago, he has finally resolved his cravings and maintained a 60-pound weight loss.
Struggling With Keto
Jeff was an athlete from a young age and described himself as a guy who was constantly eating or thinking about his next meal. “If there was a bag of Doritos or a supersize large fry, there’s a real chance I was on the business end of that!” he jokes.
“I had a real desire to eat a lot of food without even a thought of if it was good for me or not. I had a difficult time even judging whether or not I was full.” For years, Jeff was governed by his desire to eat more and more, and he eventually got up to 260 pounds at six feet tall.
After turning 50, Jeff started to reflect on his legacy and became concerned that his eating habits were setting him up for health issues in the near future. A friend and fellow basketball referee shared with him about how he had found success on a low-carb diet, and Jeff decided to look into it for himself.
“We checked into the hotel, and I saw Denny’s restaurant across the street. I figured it was a perfect time to start with steak and eggs. So that cold night in January, I ordered dinner and pretty much never looked back!”
Carnivore Diet Resolves Sugar Cravings
Jeff went full steam ahead into a ketogenic diet and was able to get down to 200 pounds. However, he struggled with the pressure to measure ketones and track macros and found these two aspects of his approach to keto were getting in the way of his success.
“On the keto diet, I was ‘skinny fat.’ You could tell I had lost weight, but I didn’t feel strong or fit.” Jeff continued to educate himself on low-carb diets and eventually stumbled upon Dr. Shawn Baker’s interview on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. As someone who grew up enjoying meat, he knew he had to give this way of eating a try.
A carnivore lifestyle finally gave Jeff freedom from the sugar cravings he had struggled with his whole life. In a personal exchange online with Dr. Baker, Jeff remembers asking his opinion of low-carb snack bars. Dr. Baker’s simple reply stuck with him: “They’re less than optimal.”
This phrase became a mantra of sorts for Jeff as he evaluated food choices before him, and the longer he stuck with carnivore, the further away he was from craving other kinds of food.
Simplifying Meal Time With a Meat-Based Diet
Eating a meat-based diet gave Jeff fewer things to worry about and made mealtime so much easier. He only eats when hungry and doesn’t set a schedule for meals. He no longer worries about ketones, macros, or how much fat he’s burning. He enjoys ribeye steak, quarter-pounder beef patties, eggs, pork, and game meat.
The Benefits Of Daily Exercise And Healthy Eating
For Jeff, a 15-minute walk and pushups, situps, and chair dips every day are “non-negotiable” and, along with his diet, have helped him lose 60 pounds and gain more muscle. Now a coach, Jeff reminds his clients that “What you’re doing on a daily basis is worth every painful sacrifice you’re making. Do the hard things!”
