Willie had always struggled to keep extra weight off while following what he thought was a healthy diet of vegetables, rice, beans, and lentils. “I didn’t have any health conditions prior to starting a carnivore diet, but I basically was just eating lean meat and vegetables and kept putting on weight and taking it off, and continuing that cycle.” He often experienced bloating from the high amount of fiber in his diet.
While his wife had been following a keto diet, Willie came across Dr. Shawn Baker’s interview with popular podcaster Joe Rogan featuring the ins and outs of a carnivore diet. Wilie was intrigued, so he decided to see what other information he could find about whether it would be safe to try. “One day, I just decided to go for it,” Willie shares. “I jumped right in and committed to carnivore for a month. I felt better than ever, and I haven’t looked back since!”
By his third day, Willie was already pleased with his initial results. He jumped into whatever resources he could find, including helpful tips to get started from Dr. Paul Saladino. “The first thing I noticed was on day three, the bloating in my stomach had gone down, and I didn’t seem to have any inflammation. I was surprised, because I had been dieting and hitting the gym since forever, and never had I felt this tight, slim, and not bloated.”
“Right off the bat, I found I was actually looking forward to my meals,” Willie recalls. “When I was eating a diet of lean meats and vegetables, I would never look forward to meal time. I just waited for the next cheat day and was only doing it because I thought it was healthy for me.” Willie also noticed that his cravings went away very quickly, and he was happy to eat his meat-based meals and didn’t feel he was missing out.
Willie’s meals are simple and easy for him to prepare in advance. “I keep it pretty simple during the week,” he explains. “I eat a lot of hamburger patties and different cuts of steak. I stick to 90% red meat, as I find chicken and other meats just aren’t as satisfying for me.” Willie limits his dairy intake and only uses salt to season his meat, and finds this yields the best results for him.
As a busy dad of three children, Willie appreciates how much more energy and stamina he has throughout his day. At 30 years old, he no longer has any joint or back pain. “It’s been great to not have those midday energy dips and crashes,” he says. “When I get home, that’s where the real work starts, so it helps to have consistent energy now.” He incorporates fasting into his carnivore lifestyle, and finds it is a huge boost to his mental clarity.
Willie looks forward to connecting with others who want to re-think what they know about health and nutrition. “The platform is a great tool to provide data and help people have an open mind about food. It’s important to find community with other people and recognize that we’re on this ride together.”
