From Chronic Health Struggles to Ultra-Marathon Success
At 64, Jenny lives a vibrant life in rural New South Wales, Australia, competing in ultra-marathons and enjoying optimal health. But her journey wasn’t always smooth. For decades, she struggled with weight fluctuations, chronic fatigue, back issues, and various health complications that limited her active lifestyle.
“I had several sets of clothes in different sizes. I just was aware that it was probably going to come,” Jenny says about her weight fluctuations throughout adulthood. “I did go on some diets. I did lose weight, but they never lasted.”
The Breaking Point
The turning point came after completing a marathon during the first year of COVID. Despite training diligently, Jenny found herself getting “stiffer and stiffer through the whole race” while consuming sugar for energy. By the end, she could barely walk to her car.
This experience led her to question her diet. She discovered a two-week food test online designed to identify insulin resistance. The results were enlightening—and challenging.
“It brought up some really amazing withdrawal symptoms. I had nausea, fatigue, brain fog, the whole list,” Jenny recalls. “And then after about 8 days, it cleared. And suddenly, I felt great.”
The Ketogenic Transition
This initial test convinced Jenny to adopt a ketogenic diet. Over ten months, she lost approximately 14 kilos (about 30 pounds) effortlessly. Her weight dropped from 76 to 62 kilos without any special effort.
However, she still experienced occasional cravings and unpredictable good and bad days that seemed triggered by certain foods she couldn’t identify. This uncertainty led her to consider an even more radical approach.
Embracing the Carnivore Lifestyle
The transition to carnivore wasn’t easy. Jenny experienced more intense withdrawal symptoms than when she started keto—nausea, brain fog, and an itchy rash with lumps under her skin on her back. But again, after 8-9 days, most symptoms cleared.
“I just felt wonderful,” she says. “And again, I decided, well, if that’s carnivore, I’m going to stay on carnivore.”
Her weight continued to drop to 56 kilos—the lightest she’d been since before her teens. Eventually, her weight stabilized, and she gained about 3 kilos of lean muscle.
Unexpected Health Improvements
The benefits extended far beyond weight loss. Jenny’s joint pain disappeared, her nerve damage from hereditary neuropathy improved significantly, and her recovery time after intense physical activities shortened dramatically. Her skin cleared up, her nails grew faster and stronger, and even her eyesight improved.
“I don’t have the joint aches and pains. Even after I do 100-kilometre long races now, I do maybe 3 or 4 a year. And I just recover so quickly from the racing,” she explains.
Perhaps most significant was the freedom from food obsession. “The cravings and the thinking about food, planning food, not wanting to eat it, wanting to eat it—it’s just so time-consuming in your life. And when I’m on carnivore, that’s gone.”
Simplicity in Food and Life
Jenny’s daily nutrition is refreshingly straightforward. She eats twice daily—around 9 AM before training and again at 4 or 5 PM. Her diet consists primarily of grass-fed lamb (abundant in her region), beef, eggs, and occasional seafood.
Despite her background as a chef, she appreciates the simplicity of carnivore cooking. “The beauty of carnivore is that it’s simple,” she says. “Life is so much simpler, and so our food is simple.”
Defying Age with Optimized Nutrition
Now, Jenny competes at an elite level in her age group in ultra-marathon races, including the prestigious UTMB series in France. She and her husband regularly complete 100-kilometer races, demonstrating the sustained energy and endurance possible on a primarily meat-based diet.
Her 88-year-old mother has also adopted a ketogenic-carnivore approach with remarkable results—losing excess weight, gaining energy, and maintaining a more positive outlook.
“I’d just like to say to anyone listening who’s older or female like myself that it’s never too late to go carnivore, and it will bring you such a much better life, however old you are,” Jenny says.
Her message is clear: the carnivore lifestyle isn’t just for young athletes. It’s a viable option for anyone seeking improved health, regardless of age or current fitness level.
