I was a semi-active individual in the 190 lbs to 210 lbs range for thirty-five years. I sporadically went to the gym, played basketball, and did weekend backpacking trips. Nothing spectacular.
Ballooning Up To 232lb: The Wake-Up Call
I ate pretty “healthy” about 70% of the time. I worked in kitchens for the first 15 years; most of the food I consumed was cooked from scratch and only consisted of the finest ingredients.
All organic, of course, when possible. Dishes as simple and refreshing as fattoush salad to dishes as rich and delectable as smoked gouda mac & cheese with black forest bacon, topped with a buttered parmesan sourdough crust.
Of course, I occasionally ate fast food and ordered pizzas. The refrigerator usually had a six-pack of some cleverly named craft beer.
Refusing Statins And Going Paleo: The First Steps
I married in 2015, had a baby on the way, and ballooned up to 232 lbs. The first two years blaze by. It’s 2017. We’re going to have another (our second and final) baby. I’m not feeling so hot, tired all the time, pissing all the time, then my kidneys start hurting. My wife says get your ass to the Doctor, NOW.
Lo and behold, I am a full-blown diabetic. My cholesterol is so horrible the Doc says, “You need statins now.” I declined and said, “I’ll find my own solution.” He couldn’t believe I refused to take any of the drugs he offered.
Instantly I go on a strict paleo diet. Dropped 22 lbs in three months. Symptoms were barely noticeable. Started doing Couch to 5k and 7 Minute workouts. It felt like someone was taking a cheese grater to my knees and shoulders, but I kept going. Winter blows in. I guess I’ll have some craft beers and pumpkin pie; I guess I’ll have a little more.
Discovering The Power Of The Ketogenic Diet
It’s 2018, and the symptoms are buzzing in my ear again. But so is Joe Rogan and this Doctor who only eats meat, and he got fired for suggesting a diet that was high fat and low carb to his patients instead of invasive surgery. Over the years, I’ve seen, heard, and participated in my fair share of craziness.
Don’t forget, I grew up in kitchens. But this blew my mind. I know about nutrition; this doesn’t make any sense. It’s like making a grilled cheese with mayonnaise instead of butter.
Screw it; I’m open-minded and have believed in the power of food and nature my entire life. I’ll try the ketogenic first. I will wait and see what happens to this crazy Doctor first. Damn, I feel amazing.
It doesn’t hurt when I run or do push-ups. That extra Holiday weight melted off, like those delicious turkey drippings. This was something special. Got down to 196 lbs, and my symptoms were completely gone. My new daughter was born.
The Summer is ending, and Shawn Baker has a podcast with some skinny guy. He’s doing great, and the guy he just talked to has been only eating meat for ten years and is running marathons without drinking water. Ok, he was right about the ketogenic diet. I’m going for it.
So I only consumed meat, butter, cheese, bone broth, coffee, salt, and spices for 30 days.
Week 1
I felt amazing. My energy was through the roof. I had to go to the gym and lift weights to get rid of it!
Week 2
I started the same as week one and ended on a bad note. I let myself get a little dehydrated. But then I got hydrated and still felt awful. I had to sleep a few extra hours over the weekend. Didn’t feel sick like a cold or sore like I was working out. It felt like 20 years of bad decisions were being expunged from my body.
Week 3
Did my insides just molt? I feel like a brand new person. My torso is a V shape, is it 1999?
Week 4
My thoughts are more concise than they’ve ever been. I’m putting up more weight in the gym than I have in my entire life. My body recovers extremely fast from workouts I haven’t been able to do in twenty years. Bloating that I didn’t even know I had for the past 37 years was gone. I weigh 180 lbs, and it’s not 1999; it’s 1997.
I will go get some labs done, say hi to my Doctor, and ask for a print-up of my results. Then I’m going to let the world know.
2 thoughts on “Nathan improved diabetes and body composition on a carnivore diet”
Thank you for all this information. WE, the public, need help like this to be brave enough to listen to our bodies instead of the doctors.
Karen
Great story. Love the way your wrote it up. I’m on a similar but more jagged story. On and off keto before I decided to go carni. I’m 3 weeks in with some minor cheats. No cheats last night though. I swear the not a minor cheat just firmed me up as I slept. I’m down 10#s in 3 weeks with the minor cheats and some alcohol abuse thrown in. Alcohol has gotta go! I think the next 3 weeks will bring me firmly into the carni camp and I’ll drop another 5#s. I started at your same weight around 233 at 5’8″. I’m headed to 170 bro! Ain’t no stopping me, ain’t no falling off the wagon, ain’t no turning back —- well except the hands of time! I’m 60, I’ll be 45 in a year.