Starting to stock up for our 30-Day Carnivore Challenge. This is how you kick off 2019!

I’m so happy 2018 is over. It was a rough year for me. I felt pulled in too many directions and started stress eating again. Also, as the number on the scale started climbing, I just couldn’t find the motivation to stick to keto.

But that was last year. Today is a new day (and year). And, most importantly, my motivation mojo is back.

No, it has nothing to do with New Year’s Resolutions. I don’t believe in making them. But I do enjoy the freshness of a new year and all the possibilities that come with it.

For the first time in nearly a year I’m shaking up my diet, at least for the month of January. Yep, it’s my new 30-Day Challenge – I’m going pure carnivore for 1 month.

Right in time for World Carnivore Month.

Awesome!

Why The Carnivore Diet?
So many reasons! First, I love trying new diets that directly attack my insulin resistance. Which begs the question: why not try the ultimate keto diet? I’m conducting my own personal experiment, with me as the lab rat. As a veggie lover, can I give up all my wonderful greens and go meat only? Will I get an energy boost? How will my hormones respond (especially my nemesis: cortisol!)?

Second, I’m looking to kick some bad habits – snacking and drinking wine, primarily. When you eat a big juicy 16-ounce rib eye for breakfast, there is no need or desire for snacking. Or so they say. And as for the wine, the carnivore diet doesn’t allow for alcohol. So, in a way, I’m also doing a 30-Day No Alcohol Challenge, too.

Third, I just need to shake things up. The scale was going in the wrong direction for months. Thanks to the wine and not staying strictly-keto all the time, I started having sugar cravings again—something I thought left behind all those years ago when I began this journey. As for the stress eating, I’m testing a new mindfulness app that seems to help me relax and not worry so much (more on that in a later post).

There’s another reason (so many good reasons): I’m helping my husband out. He’s using this challenge as part of an elimination diet. My husband has serious IBS issues and he had a medical scare in November. Everything turned out fine, but he was a very sick and weak puppy for about four days.

With the version of carnivore we’re doing, the following items are forbidden:

• Pork, chicken, seafood (we’re red meat only)
• Vegetables or fruits
• Dairy or cheese
• Coffee or tea
• Eggs
• Sauces, and nearly all seasonings and spices

After the challenge, my husband is going to slowly add things back into his diet to see how he does.

There are a couple of exceptions:

• For the first few of days, we are drinking half-caffs to help wean us off of coffee.
• Heavy cream is allowed only for the half caffs
• We can use salt for seasoning (zero carbs!)
• I’m going to use black pepper.

When he is strict keto, the husband’s health improves about 90%. We’re testing to see if his remaining IBS symptoms finally disappear with carnivore.

Today we’re taking our measurements and hitting the scale before our first steak of the day. I’ll post those tomorrow. I’m curious to see what changes we’ll see in 30 days.

I’ve been watching videos by Dr. Shawn Baker, who’s sort of a big name in Carnivore right now, and I plan to get his book. If you’re curious about the diet, check out his videos on YouTube, or read the book with me: The Carnivore Diet.

Happy New Year to all!