Nicole, a single mother of 5 children, shares her inspiring story of how she reclaimed her health from years of food addiction and lost 100 pounds (and counting!) on a carnivore diet.
Overcoming food addiction and trauma to reclaim her health
Nicole grew up during the height of the low-fat mantra of the 1970s and 1980s, and battled with her weight on and off into adulthood. “It wasn’t until after my husband passed away of a brain injury 5 years ago that I very rapidly gained weight, and my food addiction spiraled due to the trauma.” Her desire to restore her health so that she could be more present for her family led her to a ketogenic diet. “I failed miserably at keto,” Nicole confesses, “because I could not overcome the food addiction while trying to make ‘keto versions’ of my favorite dishes.”
Discovering the carnivore diet as a sustainable path to health
Nicole saw Dr. Jordan Peterson’s now famous interview on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, and was inspired to try the carnivore diet. “I thought, for thirty days? I can do anything!” and she fully committed herself for the next month. “So the thirty days came and went, and I had felt better than I had in my entire life,” she explains. “I knew I had finally discovered the way to my healthy future and the way to me becoming the best mom and person I can be.”
Nicole’s inspiring weight loss journey on the carnivore diet
Nicole went full steam ahead for about five months and rarely wavered in her commitment to the carnivore lifestyle. She was fortunate to find a keto-affirming doctor who had endorsed the keto and carnivore diets for his patients. “He was fascinated by the carnivore diet, and he did all my testing and confirmed that my results were amazing. I follow up with him every few months now.”
Navigating social challenges and confidently defending her way of eating
Choosing “not to be a slave to a number on a scale,” Nicole is pleased to report that she’s lost over a hundred pounds. At 50 years old, she is more active than ever, and is able to maintain a job that requires her to stand for her shift. “I don’t do a ton of exercise, but I am thrilled with my mental clarity. I was also suffering from anxiety and bouts of strong depression, but that’s completely gone now. I’m a better human being because of carnivore!”
Nicole has successfully navigated some of the common social challenges that may accompany an animal-based diet. “I am very unapologetic for my way of eating. I have a lot of acquaintances who are vegan and vegetarian, and working at Starbucks, I see a lot of people who are into different alternative lifestyles. I’ve studied this way of eating for over a year now, and I’m very confident and comfortable in my defense of how I follow the guidance from Dr. Baker and others.”
Celebrating non-food wins and embracing battle scars as a symbol of accomplishment
Nicole’s confidence in the science behind the carnivore diet has made it easier for her to stick to the foods she knows are best for her body and her health. She also knows how to celebrate life’s wins without food. Now at one year and one month into her carnivore journey, she’ll treat herself to a designer handbag instead of a sugary treat. Putting into perspective some of the physical signs of significant weight loss, Nicole has an empowering outlook: “I’m sure there will be extra skin when I’m done losing weight, but it will be my battle scars for what I have done and all that I have accomplished.”
