Expert Q&A

When you guys are doing carnivore are you really eating butter and stuff?? Like if I were to eat 1lb ground beef and 1 ribeye a day is that enough? I’m 6’2 315lbs trying to drop weight — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend?

Understanding the Carnivore Approach for Real Weight Loss

As the lead coach at CFP Weight Loss, I've guided hundreds of men in their late 40s and early 50s who carry over 300 pounds and battle insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and joint pain. The carnivore diet can be an effective elimination protocol that cuts out inflammatory plant foods, but success depends on creating a consistent calorie deficit while preserving muscle. Simply eating meat isn't magic—your total intake, fat-to-protein ratio, and meal timing matter most.

For a 6'2", 315-pound man, basal metabolic rate often exceeds 2,500 calories daily. Dropping to 1lb of 80/20 ground beef (roughly 1,150 calories) plus one 16oz ribeye (about 1,200 calories) totals around 2,350 calories before added fats. That may maintain weight rather than accelerate loss. In my book The CFP Reset Protocol, we teach calculating true energy needs and aiming for a 500-750 calorie daily deficit to lose 1-2 pounds per week without crashing metabolism.

Do You Really Need Butter and Added Fats?

Many new carnivore dieters ask about butter, tallow, or ghee. On a true animal-based diet, these are optional but useful tools. If your chosen cuts are leaner (like 90/10 ground beef or sirloin), adding 1-2 tablespoons of butter daily helps meet satiety and supports hormone production—especially important during midlife hormonal changes when testosterone often declines. However, if you're already eating fatty ribeyes, extra butter can push calories too high and stall fat loss. I recommend starting without added fats, then adding 1 tablespoon only if hunger persists after 3-4 days. This keeps you in the 1.8-2.2g protein per kg of ideal body weight range (around 180-220g daily for you) while allowing body fat to fuel the rest.

Recommended Daily Intake and Adjustments for Your Stats

For your height and weight, I suggest 1.5-2lbs total ruminant meat split into 2-3 meals. Example day: 10oz 80/20 ground beef for breakfast (750 cal, 55g protein), 14oz ribeye for dinner (1,000 cal, 90g protein), and 6oz beef liver or heart twice weekly for micronutrients. This lands near 1,900-2,200 calories—enough for steady loss while managing diabetes and blood pressure markers. Drink 4-5 liters of water, add electrolytes (sodium 5-7g, potassium 3-4g from meat or lite salt), and walk 8,000 steps daily. Joint pain often improves within 14 days as inflammation drops. Track waist circumference weekly rather than scale weight to monitor true fat loss.

Coaching Strategies That Beat Previous Diet Failures

Most clients who failed every diet before succeed here because we remove decision fatigue—no complex meal plans, no tracking apps. Eat until comfortably full, stop when satisfied. If progress stalls after 3 weeks, reduce portion by 4oz or add 20-minute post-meal walks. This approach addresses the overwhelm of conflicting nutrition advice and fits busy middle-income schedules. Many see blood sugar stabilize in 10 days and joint pain decrease enough to make movement enjoyable again. The key is consistency over perfection—results compound when you stop yo-yo dieting and focus on metabolic repair.

💬 What the Community Says

The community shows strong interest in carnivore for stubborn weight loss but remains split on implementation details. Many 40- and 50-something men report trying 1-1.5lbs of beef and ribeye daily and losing 15-25lbs in the first month, especially those with joint pain who appreciate the simplicity and lack of vegetables. A vocal group debates butter and added fats heavily—some insist extra tallow or butter is essential for satiety and hormones, while others warn it halts fat loss and recommend sticking to fattier cuts only. Beginners frequently ask if their portions are "enough" and share frustration with previous diet failures and insurance coverage issues. Most practitioners find electrolyte supplementation critical in week one to avoid fatigue. Overall sentiment is cautiously optimistic, with lived experiences highlighting rapid improvements in blood pressure and energy but calling for personalization based on activity level and metabolic health.
Cite this answer
Clark, R. (2026). When you guys are doing carnivore are you really eating butter and stuff?? Like . *CFP Weight Loss*. https://ask.cfpweightloss.com/ask/when-you-guys-are-doing-carnivore-are-you-really-eating-butter-and-stuff-like-if-i-were-to-eat-1lb-ground-beef-and-1-ribeye-a-day-is-that-enough-i-m-6-2-315lbs-trying-to-drop-weight-what-do-certified-
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.

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