What If You Only Eat Meat for 30 Days

Here's exactly what your body will go through if you only eat meat for 30 days. The carnivore diet continues to grow in popularity. Discover the benefits of the carnivore diet as well as the cons.

What if you only ate meat for 30 days. Would you gain muscle and burn a lot of fat by avoiding carbohydrates and processed foods or would you suffer from nutrition deficiencies? Restricting yourself to only eating meat does sound extreme, yet it's exactly what a diet plan that continues to grow in popularity known as the carnivore diet recommends you do for better health, better body composition, and more energy. While the idea may seem radical, it's gained quite a large following over the last few years, including from some well-known individuals like Jordan Peterson who claims that it can provide various health benefits. But what does the science actually say about what happens to your body if you only eat meat?

Well, first there are some immediate physiological changes that you'll experience. This is because when you switch to a meat-only diet, your body will undergo a significant metabolic shift. Carbohydrates found in foods like fruits, vegetables, and grains are the body's default source of energy that gets broken down and stored in the form of glucose and glycogen. When you eliminate carbs and in turn glucose from your diet, your body has to look for alternative fuel sources. That's where ketosis comes into play. Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body burns fat and ketones for energy instead of carbohydrates. Ketones and ketoacids are alternative fuel sources for your body that are made when glucose is in short supply. They're produced in the liver from the breakdown of fats when there’s not enough sugar or glucose to supply the body's fuel needs. Within a few days of starting a meat-only diet, you'll likely enter ketosis, but this can take up two weeks.

Ketosis is linked to benefits like making it easier to lose weight. For example, research shows that you’ll feel less hungry and more full when in ketosis. The high protein and high-fat content of meat is also associated with appetite suppression and feeling more satiated, which is why a carnivore diet often leads to weight loss automatically without having to count calories (1). Also since the carnivore diet is so highly restrictive it automatically eliminates many high-calorie foods like grains, sugars, and processed snacks. This reduction in caloric intake is very likely to lead to fat loss on its own. Another reason why you're likely to lose a substantial amount of body fat over the course of 30 days is that protein has a higher thermic effect of food (TEF) compared to carbohydrates and fats, meaning it requires more energy to digest. This can potentially increase metabolism, helping with weight and fat loss.

You might also have an easier time building muscle, especially if you’re currently eating very little meat or no meat at all. That’s because research links eating meat to building more muscle. For example, we have a study that found that in older men, combining resistance training with a diet that included meat led to greater increases in muscle growth compared to lifting weights without eating meat. (2) Of course this was based on older men and more importantly many people don't get enough protein per day as it is, so just by raising the amount of protein you take in per day will help you build more muscle if you're currently not taking in enough. Meat itself is likely not any more special of a protein source for gaining muscle than things like chicken, fish, or eggs, but it is likely better at building muscle than vegan protein sources like tofu, beans, and seitan. For example in another study, scientists concluded that "a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower muscle mass index than an omnivorous diet even at the same protein intake level." (3)

Another benefit that you can experience as the days go by is relief from food sensitivities or allergies if you happen to be allergic or sensitive to certain foods. It's believed that plants have developed defense mechanisms over thousands of years to prevent them from being eaten so they can grow undisturbed. For example, lectins are proteins found in various plant foods like beans, legumes, and certain grains, and some people believe they can cause digestive discomfort and inflammation. By excluding all plant-based foods containing lectins, the carnivore diet potentially provides relief to individuals who have these sensitivities. Also, eating a meat-based diet eliminates potential allergens like gluten, commonly found in wheat, barley, and rye, which can also cause digestive upset and other negative symptoms like fatigue and headaches. Moving beyond gluten and lectins, some people have allergies or sensitivities to specific plant compounds or proteins. For example, people with....

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References
1. You’ll feel less hungry and more full when in ketosis, which is why it ofen causes weight loss automatically without having to count calories

2. Older men, combining resistance training with a diet that included meat led to greater increases in muscle growth compared to lifting weights without eating meat.

3. "A vegetarian diet is associated with a lower muscle mass index than is an omnivorous diet at the same protein intake."

4. “LDL cholesterol was significantly higher after consuming the red meat and white meat diets, compared with the non-meat diet.”

[hanscoumans]

3 years carnivore. The best ever... health perfect.. 176cm, 82 kg, 8% Body fat.. 46 years old. Never been so fit and i tried everything

[codinginflow]

Eating meat on the carnivore diet is like drinking water when you're thirsty. When you're hungry, it's delicious. Once your full, you're full for good. There is no danger of overeating.

[Watts]

I'm 3.5 months on Carnivore and I'm getting shredded and building muscle. My diet before consisted of meat and tons of fruits/veg - little carbs. I now lift more and run further. No more gas - like none. No bloating. No sudden urges to go. No stomach bubbles. Very small 1per day bowel moments with a fraction of the smell. Basically the best digestion experience ever. My skin cleared up and I hit my target of losing 18lbs within the first 50 days. I feel mentally pumped. The real reason I tried this tho, was for the claims ppl made that Carnivore eliminates joint pain / inflammation - they were right! My joints have NEVER been this good!! I dropped physiotherapy 2weeks in. That's why my 30 day challenge has turned into 3+ months.

[dean]

ive been on carnivore diet for 3 years now. last year I finally got off medication for my crohns disease. meat heals!!

[antonrehling]

I have been carnivore for 2 1/2 years. Now 5'10" 175lbs. When I started 210 sluggish and weak. Now I am strong with defined muscles. I'll never leave the carnivore life style.

[lost_code]

As an Asian, not eating rice for a day, let along 30 feels like a crime

But sacrifices must be made

[Dirk_van_Tonder]

Only meat is technically what's known as the Lion diet. Carnivore diet allows for things like eggs, cheeses, kefir/yoghurt, heavy cream, tallow, fish - those things cover whatever 'deficiencies' like vitamin E.
Been carnivore for 5 months, never felt better, best shape of my life and experienced no negatives whatsoever. I don't take any vitamins

[Only-Meats]

5 months on Carnivore, down 40 lbs. Vitals are near perfect, lipid panel near perfect except for one liver fat for being overweight for years. Simple. Also, I include simple dairy products in my diet.
It works!

[castielvargastv]

I did keto for years and now i am carnivore. Best descision of my life

[paulthescorpio]

Avoid the "Keto Flu" by replenishing the electrolytes you will lose when flushing water weight. High quality salts will also help with that.

[melissakampers]

I have lost 20 pounds in the first month of carnivore alone. I have cured my IBS, insomnia and I feel great.

[sandeepmenon]

Good to see unbiased videos that help consumers make an informed decision.

[SelyChangampally]

I have been carnivore for 1 1/2 years. I never felt better. All the negatives you mentioned actually got better for me. I dont know about the long-term issues. But i prefer to stay on this diet. ✌🏽

[trueconspiracies]

I lost 45 lb. on the carnivore diet... I love it.

[JackTheRabbitMusic]

My diet consists of ground beef (for the higher collagen content), chicken, kefir, honey, greek yogurt, cheese, cured meats, eggs, milk (grass-milk is preferred), whey protein powder, a collagen protein supplement, digestive enzymes, and a multivitamin.
Basically, if it comes from an animal source, I will eat it; The less processed, the better.

[chadbyrd]

Do more investigation on high cholesterol. When you have a high carb diet, you will have small dense particle cholesterol which is dangerous for heart disease and clots. If you eat meat, the cholesterol you get with it is large fluffy cholesterol which is not dangerous. There is a blood test you can take to know your numbers. If you have low triglycerides and you have good levels of HDL cholesterol, most likely you will have the large fluffy cholesterol but it takes time for triglycerides to lower if you have been on a high carb diet. Fish oil can lower triglycerides and raise HDL if you're in a rush or eat salmon, sardines and other fish high in omega 3's will also do the same.

[noluck]

We have been lied to all our lives about what a "healthy diet" is! Simple stop eating Carbs, all Sugars, all Plants, and Processed Foods! I just whish I had billions of dollars so I could afford to sue everyone for all the lies throughout my life. I am 72 and have been lied to all my life, the people that spread the BS should all be in jail or worse for all the lies about health and nutrition!

[brookss]

The graphics and B roll on this channel are amazing.

[lunpcgt]

Even though I'm old, I'm also the only one in my family who literally never gets sick. I do a variation of this alternating between (Carnivore Diet Day + Light Cardio workout) and (Healthy Carbs Day with Proteins + Weight Workout ending with Sprints). Feel better than ever. Most important for me is adequate sleep and learning to rest when needed to avoid injuries and prevent getting sick. Great video! Thanks