Leah had a dream pregnancy and reduced systemic inflammation on a carnivore lifestyle

Leah’s Carnivore Journey

Leah has always enjoyed meat and mostly avoided sugar. She followed a ketogenic diet ten years ago after noticing she felt better when she limited carbohydrates.

She transitioned to a carnivore diet just over two years ago through a trial-and-error approach to food and paying attention to what her body needs. She’s enjoyed a healthy pregnancy, and she and her husband look forward to welcoming their son in just a few days!

Experimenting with Different Diets

“‘I’ve always been interested in cause and effect relationships my whole life. I like to experiment with different foods, and I’ve always been on the healthier side,” Leah shares. “For me, it’s been more about controlling what I eat to feel my best and less about body image.”

Leah is fascinated by human metabolism and is constantly learning what works best for her body, especially during her pregnancy. “Over the years, I’ve whittled out the foods that don’t serve me well.”

From Ketogenic to Carnivore

In her teen years, Leah was a track athlete and learned that a low-carb breakfast served her better and kept her full throughout a busy day. “I was running cross-country at the time,” she recalls, “I noticed after eating a huge plate of scrambled eggs I felt phenomenal all day and could go up to eight hours without thinking about food.”

After a brief foray into veganism, Leah switched over to a ketogenic diet for the next decade.

A Flexible Approach to Carnivore

On her 30th birthday, Leah and her husband were away for the week, and she decided to experiment with a meat-only diet. “We went to some of the most exquisite restaurants and had the most sumptuous steaks,” she remembers. “I knew I could eat this way all the time!”

This kickstarted Leah’s carnivore journey, and she continues fine-tuning her strategy. “I do a cyclic approach to carnivore,” she explains. “I believe metabolic flexibility is key rather than being entrenched in one fuel source.” Leah sticks to meat 90% of the time, and one or two days a week, she might include berries, dark chocolate, or some other small serving of carbohydrates.

This flexible approach helps her determine the impact of different foods. “If you don’t have an awareness of how your body reacts to different foods, you won’t have any reason to change your eating habits.”

Thriving on a Meat-Only Diet

Leah continues to thrive on a carnivore diet, and she reports having a relatively easy pregnancy with no morning sickness, no food aversions, and very little fatigue. She enjoys cheese, eggs, and butter alongside a variety of meats. Since eliminating fiber from her diet, her digestion is “perfect,” and she no longer experiences bloating.

Coaching Others to Challenge their Eating Habits

“I think it’s important for people to challenge their perception of what eating is,” Leah notes, explaining her coaching strategy. Leah looks forward to completing her coaching certificate and spreading the message that food should be a tool rather than an obsession.

“There is not one dogmatic approach to this way of eating. Notice cause and effect with what you’re consuming, and use that awareness to be your own scientist.”