Expert Q&A

What made you start carnivore on a low-carb or ketogenic diet

My Personal Low-Carb Journey and the Plateau That Changed Everything

After decades of failed diets, I turned to a low-carb ketogenic diet in my late 40s. It helped me drop 35 pounds initially by slashing processed carbs and focusing on healthy fats. Blood sugar stabilized, which was critical since I manage type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Yet after 18 months, progress halted. The scale wouldn't budge despite strict macros. Hormonal shifts common in perimenopause made fat loss feel impossible. Joint pain in my knees worsened during any movement, making exercise daunting. I felt overwhelmed by conflicting advice and embarrassed seeking help for obesity.

What Prompted the Switch to Carnivore: Simplifying for Real Results

Reading my own book, The CFP Weight Loss Method, I realized the next level required radical simplification. A carnivore diet—eating only animal foods like beef, eggs, and fatty fish—eliminated plant-based irritants that may fuel inflammation. Within three weeks of transitioning from keto, my joint pain decreased by 70%. Energy soared without the need for complex meal plans. This approach aligns perfectly for middle-income adults with busy schedules: no tracking apps, no expensive ingredients, just simple, satiating meals that fit insurance-limited budgets.

Key Benefits I Experienced: From Keto to Full Carnivore

The carnivore phase amplified keto's wins. My A1C dropped from 7.2 to 5.4 in four months. Blood pressure normalized without extra meds. Unlike typical keto, carnivore removed even low-carb vegetables that triggered bloating for me. Beginners often fear nutrient gaps, but organ meats like liver provide dense vitamins—three ounces of beef liver delivers over 500% daily vitamin B12. I ate two meals daily: ribeye for lunch and ground beef patties for dinner, totaling around 2,000 calories yet never hungry due to high satiety from protein and fat.

Practical Tips for Beginners Facing Your Same Struggles

Start with a 30-day carnivore trial after stabilizing on keto. Focus on fatty cuts to maintain ketosis—aim for 70% calories from fat. For joint pain, incorporate bone broth daily for collagen. Track only how you feel, not every gram. In The CFP Weight Loss Method, I detail this exact progression because it works when every other plan has failed. Many in their 50s report losing 50+ pounds while reversing metabolic issues. You don't need gym hours; a daily 20-minute walk suffices once inflammation drops. This isn't another restrictive fad—it's a return to ancestral eating that respects your body's changing needs.

💬 What the Community Says

The community shows strong interest in transitioning from low-carb or ketogenic diets to carnivore, particularly among adults 45-55 dealing with stubborn weight, joint issues, and hormonal imbalances. Many share success stories of reduced inflammation and simpler routines after keto plateaus, with reports of 30-60 pound losses. A common theme is relief at ditching vegetable-heavy keto meals that caused digestive problems. However, some express concerns about long-term sustainability and nutrient variety, leading to debates on including organ meats versus sticking to muscle meat only. Beginners often discuss affordability, noting that bulk ground beef and eggs fit tight budgets better than specialty keto products. A vocal minority warns of initial adaptation fatigue but most practitioners find the simplicity empowering after years of complicated plans. Insurance barriers and past diet failures frequently surface in threads, with users encouraging one another to view carnivore as an elimination protocol rather than forever restriction.
Cite this answer
Clark, R. (2026). What made you start carnivore on a low-carb or ketogenic diet. *CFP Weight Loss*. https://ask.cfpweightloss.com/ask/what-made-you-start-carnivore-on-a-low-carb-or-ketogenic-diet
Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, FNP-C, APRN
About the Author

Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, is the founder of CFP Weight Loss in Nashville and CFP Fit Now telehealth. Over 35 years in healthcare — Army Nurse Reserves, Level 1 trauma ER, hospitalist — he developed a 30-week protocol integrating real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 30–90 pounds. He and his wife Anne-Marie lost a combined 275 pounds using the same protocol.

📖 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — Get the Book →
Get Personalized Guidance From the Author
Every weight loss journey is different. Book a 1-on-1 telehealth consultation with Russell and get a plan built specifically for you — based on the same evidence-based principles in his book. Available to patients in all 50 states.
Book Your Consultation →
Have a follow-up question?
More Questions 200 answered
▸ LDN is changing my life, will this last: best practices and common mistakes to avoid: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ How do you handle social settings and conversations with other people — what does the research actually say on a low-carb or ketogenic diet? ▸ What actually helps with the dryness when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ Omnipod. Starting an insulin pump help while doing intermittent fasting for long-term maintenance (not just short-term)? ▸ Tips for maintenance: what’s yours for long-term maintenance (not just short-term): best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ Can chicken and beef tallow replace beef for people with insulin resistance: what to track and how to measure progress? 📖 Smart Cycling — The strategic alternating of medication doses with planned 'off' periods to prevent receptor desensitization and ensure … ▸ Has anyone ever tried low-grain instead of grain free — evidence-based answer for CFP patients for long-term maintenance (not just short-term)? ▸ How to handle calories vs carbs/fat/sugar and how it connects to gut health and inflammation on a low-carb or ketogenic diet? ▸ What to do if you have to eat late dinners?? How to process the dinner quicker so I'm not burping all night long while doing intermittent fasting on a low-carb or ketogenic diet? 📖 Nutrient Density — Prioritizing foods that provide maximum vitamins and minerals per calorie to satisfy the brain and end the cycle of hidd… 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ If a random dance partner app existed .. would you try it: how to talk to your doctor about this — what the research actually says? ▸ Should I be worried yet, been sitting for 5 days no movement while doing intermittent fasting: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ How do you stop the "I already messed up today" spiral and the role of cortisol and stress hormones — what certified coaches recommend? 📖 CICO (Calories In, Calories Out) — An outdated model of weight loss that ignores the role of hormones; we challenge this by focusing on food quality and ho… ▸ What is the Russell Clark One Box Protocol and how do terms like Smart Cycling and Hormonal Chaos define his 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset specifically for women over 40? ▸ Do yall ever daydream of who you were before your diagnosis when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ IBD + antidepressants + impossible weight loss… advice when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ What are the wegovy doses in order on a low-carb or ketogenic diet when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ Testosterone how long does it take to work while doing intermittent fasting if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? 📖 Strategic Fat Loading — A critical 48-hour phase at the start of the reset where we prime the body with healthy fats to trigger the transition f… ▸ Should I be worried yet, been sitting for 5 days no movement while doing intermittent fasting if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ My weight loss progress so far as a 23 year male who stared eating less unhealthy and does little to moderate exercise. Am I doing well — evidence-based answer for CFP patients for people with insulin resistance? ▸ Do yall ever daydream of who you were before your diagnosis when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ If a random dance partner app existed .. would you try it: how to talk to your doctor about this: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ Exercise — when and what kind while fasting, and does it enhance autophagy — how a functional medicine approach differs and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? ▸ How long does it take to Is Autophagy? 8 Amazing Benefits Of Fasting That Will Save Your Life: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ Traveling with IBS-D to a 5-day conference in San Diego: how do you manage food — what most people get wrong about this during the weight loss plateau phase? 📖 Gut Microbiome Repair — The restoration of healthy intestinal bacteria through the removal of lectins and grains, essential for long-term weight… ▸ Omnipod. Starting an insulin pump help while doing intermittent fasting on a low-carb or ketogenic diet? ▸ What can I ask for if estrodiol cream remains in shortage? Newly prescribed-should I even start if I can't refill next month — how a functional medicine approach differs — what the research actually says? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ Is it normal to lose 6 kg in one week during the weight loss plateau phase for long-term maintenance (not just short-term)? ▸ Does drinking Sparkling Ice (flavored sparkling water - 5 calories per bottle) during my fasting window break my fast and the role of cortisol and stress hormones during the weight loss plateau phase? ▸ What do you eat grain/carb wise, and why — how a functional medicine approach differs for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? 📖 GLP-1 Receptor Agonist — A class of medication that mimics natural hormones to improve insulin secretion and slow gastric emptying, used strategi… ▸ How does a 16 hour daily fast induce autophagy for men for long-term maintenance (not just short-term)? ▸ Is anyone else worried about judgment from others for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ I sometimes feel like people only talk about the obvious symptoms like irregular periods or weight gain, but the fatigue can be just as overwhelming. Has anyone else felt completely drained even: how to talk to your doctor about this: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ Is compounded semaglutide with B12 worth choosing over B6 or plain: best practices and common mistakes to avoid — what certified coaches recommend? ▸ What to do if you have to eat late dinners?? How to process the dinner quicker so I'm not burping all night long while doing intermittent fasting: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ Why is almost all the focus in treating PCOS on fertility: what to track and how to measure progress while doing intermittent fasting? 📖 Visceral Fat — The dangerous 'hidden' fat stored around internal organs that drives chronic disease and is specifically targeted by our… 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ What are the wegovy doses in order on a low-carb or ketogenic diet if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ When period stopped did you feel like the worst pmdd of all time daily or — what does the research actually say: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ Can autophagy regenerate muscle during physically active prolonged fast and how it connects to gut health and inflammation and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? ▸ What are the wegovy doses in order on a low-carb or ketogenic diet — what certified coaches recommend? ▸ What foods to stock for overnight guest — evidence-based answer for CFP patients: what to track and how to measure progress? 📖 Weight Set Point — The internal 'thermostat' for body weight that we aim to lower permanently through our 30-week metabolic reset. ▸ What exactly am I supposed to feel when on mounjaro and how do I know if it's working specifically for women over 40 while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ Making me super tired and in a dreamy, chill, ready for a nap state for most of the day and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels for long-term maintenance (not just short-term)? ▸ Is lime water (but sipped throughout the day) ok with autophagy — how a functional medicine approach differs for people with insulin resistance? 📖 Anti-Inflammatory Protocol — A way of eating that prioritizes whole foods and eliminates triggers to quiet the internal 'fire' that prevents fat cell… 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ Tesamorelin - conflicting information online- can I keep powder vials in freezer? Can I keep reconstituted vials in fridge — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend for people with insulin resistance? ▸ When the fatigue is real: how to talk to your doctor about this for people with insulin resistance? ▸ LDN is changing my life, will this last: best practices and common mistakes to avoid for people with insulin resistance? ▸ Are people who get no effect just using bad product for people with insulin resistance when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ Is compounded semaglutide with B12 worth choosing over B6 or plain: best practices and common mistakes to avoid specifically for women over 40? ▸ If a random dance partner app existed .. would you try it: how to talk to your doctor about this and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? ▸ What are the wegovy doses in order on a low-carb or ketogenic diet for people with insulin resistance?