From Workplace Injury to Athletic Competition: A Carnivore Diet Success Story
Will never imagined he would be preparing for an international athletic competition after a devastating workplace accident in 2014 left him with crushed vertebrae from C4 to T1. The injury resulted in partial loss of function on his right side, including significant nerve pain and mobility issues that severely impacted his quality of life. Following emergency surgery, he spent six weeks bedridden and faced a challenging recovery that seemed insurmountable despite his dedication to physical therapy.
The Plant-Based Experiment That Failed
Like many people seeking health solutions, Will first explored a vegan diet. While he lost weight, dropping from 220 to 183 pounds, he felt constantly hungry and weak. Despite following the protocol precisely, including a stint as a fruitarian, he could never achieve satiety or regain his strength. He found himself eating continuously throughout the day, yet never feeling satisfied. His attempt at raw veganism and fruitarianism left him perpetually hungry and increasingly weak. The breaking point came when he caught the scent of a neighbor’s barbecue – his body’s natural instincts were telling him something important. After nine months of strict adherence to plant-based eating, one taste of grilled meat ended his vegan journey.
A Life-Changing Discovery
After years of struggling with chronic pain and limited mobility, Will discovered the carnivore diet through online research. Having nothing left to lose, he decided to give it a try. The results were remarkable and swift – by day three, his persistent flu-like symptoms had vanished. Within weeks, he progressed from barely managing a one-mile walk to completing challenging hikes. Initially, he experimented with various types of meat, but naturally gravitated toward red meat as he found it made him feel best. For the first six months, he craved and consumed organ meats regularly, until one day the craving simply disappeared – as if his body had received all the nutrients it needed.
Physical Transformation and Pain Relief
The improvements continued steadily. Will’s chronic nerve pain disappeared completely, and he no longer requires any pain medication – not even over-the-counter pain relievers. His sleep quality improved dramatically, and he found himself naturally tired by 8 PM and sleeping soundly through the night – something he hadn’t experienced since his teenage years. His blood pressure normalized without medication, and his right-side mobility significantly improved. He went from barely being able to lift a one-pound weight with his affected arm to managing ten pounds, far surpassing what a year of intensive physical therapy had achieved.
From Disability to Athletic Achievement
Today, Will trains 2-3 hours daily and is preparing for an international adaptive CrossFit-style competition in San Antonio. He qualified among the top 10 out of 200 competitors worldwide in his division. His workouts include full-body resistance training and specialized exercises adapted to his capabilities. He’s also training to complete a challenging 26-mile hike through the Tetons – a feat that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. While he still experiences some limitations, such as drop foot that prevents running, his overall functional capacity has improved beyond what he thought possible.
Sustainable and Simple
Will maintains his active lifestyle on approximately two pounds of meat daily, primarily ground beef from whole cows he purchases. This approach has proven both economically and nutritionally efficient. He’s currently on his third whole cow purchase, converting the entire animal to ground beef for convenience. At 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, he’s achieved a healthy weight while building strength and endurance. His food costs average $5-8 per day, significantly less than his previous dietary approaches, and he rarely eats at restaurants anymore, preferring his home-cooked meals.
A New Lease on Life
The contrast between Will’s former and current life is stark. From believing his active days were over and accepting a future of disability, he has transformed into someone who trains daily and competes athletically. His mental clarity has improved significantly, and he no longer experiences the headaches that once plagued him. Perhaps most surprisingly, he often forgets to eat because he’s so engaged in activities – a dramatic change from his days of constant hunger on a plant-based diet.
His transformation extends beyond physical changes. He handles stress better now, maintaining a more positive outlook even through challenging life events. Despite living in a small town where his dietary choices are considered unusual, Will remains committed to his carnivore lifestyle, having experienced such profound improvements in his quality of life. While he occasionally experiments with different approaches, such as his current exploration of raw meat consumption, he has no plans to return to his former way of eating. His story demonstrates how dietary changes can sometimes lead to unexpected and profound improvements in health and capability, transforming what seemed like a permanent disability into a new chapter of active living.
