The carnivore diet is not a low carb diet? (and not necessarily ketogenic) Dr Gabrielle Lyon

[Meerkatsandy]

How much meat did you eat before the 3lb of meat shift?

[mtncntrykid]

That’s exactly what happened to me after 2 years of strict keto on a 50 lb weight loss I went carnivore and added 8 lbs my first month. I stayed the same until the 6-month mark when I listened to one of the 12-year veterans and I started eating almost 3 lb of meat a day. Within 6 weeks I had dropped 10 lb. I also take levothyroxine for thyroid. Be aware that when you go zero carb you won’t have the fiber to absorb your medication like it did before so you’ll need to get back to your doctor every three months and get your thyroid levels checked. You may need to adjust your medication quickly. Oh we don’t chase ketones eating this way, Your body may be more efficiently using them in the absence of plants

I would like to learn more about your journey as I mirrored your past experience and ultimately went back to veggies and Keto. I loved the carnivore way of eating but was just gaining weight. I wasn’t eating 3 lbs of meat though. I would have no problem with that though. Are you still following the 3 lb rule and is it still working? I would like to learn more and possible return to that WOE but am worried about gaining more weight. (I already put on 25lbs from carnivore that I am trying to lose again)

[Elizedge]

I was eating about 2 lb and I stayed on the 3 lb for probably 6 months I do find since I’ve dropped back down to 2 lbs that I haven’t lost any weight in the last year and a half however I have gone down a full pant size and lost 3 in off my waist. I am gearing up when we get past this crisis to increase again and see what happens

[Elizedge]

Average 2lbs

[Meerkatsandy]

Impressive, I can’t imagine eating 1.5kg of meat

[Elizedge]

I eat two meals a day mostly sometimes three

[ai9966]

Elizabeth thank you so much for your reply! Our stories are almost identical. I too lost 50 and there I’ve stayed until this journey into carnivore. I take a bio identical compounded hormones. My meds have dropped drastically on the keto lifestyle. I am on a 90 day testing protocol already. So eat more I guess. I thought 1 pound was plenty. How did you increase your intake? I am OMAD but will adjust to eating twice. How tall are you Elizabeth, does that make a difference to how much to consume? I ask because I am 6 feet tall. My current weight is 209 with a 5 pound increase recently. Any guidance or help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Elizedge]

I’m 5’8 and weigh 190 something. I’m also in a size 14 which I have not worn in 40 years. I’m 63 almost 64 and I sit at a desk in an office. I do not work out or exercise. So I’ve got 40 years of metabolic damage that needs to be healed, and I get extensive blood work every 6 months and my body is very happily repairing itself slowly but surely. 1 lb of meat a day is a starvation diet. You need to eat and eat and eat until your body is convinced that you’re not starving it. I would starve on a pound of meat a day

[ai9966]

Thank you so much. Eat more is my take away. Maybe I divide 3 pounds over 2 times a day. Thank you.

[amwassil]

I’m posting this link here now, as it is apropos, and I think addresses most if not all the issues raised in this discussion. I may post it elsewhere as well. But this most recent chapter from Amber OHearn’s Facultative Carnivore is like rolling over a stone in the forest and seeing all the interesting stuff scurry about in the light. Enjoy.

https://facultativecarnivore.com/carbohydrate-restriction-too-much-or-too-little/

[CandyLindTX]

like rolling over a stone in the forest and seeing all the interesting stuff scurry about in the light.

How poetic! I’m off to read.

[atomicspacebunny]

I tend to have a really hard time maintaining my weight in the summer and I also experience more hair loss, fatigue, irritability, and weight gain if I spend a lot of time outside in the heat.

Sounds more like hypothyroidism than cortisol?

Those are the exact symptoms?

If that is the case you may need to eat more protein and more often if not feeling satiated[1], if you wanted to remain carnivore and heal the thyroid and thus metabolism?

References:

[1] Carnivore Diet for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: What is it & Does it Work? - Dr. Westin Childs

[jennasaurus]

Thanks @atomicspacebunny! I actually thought that too at one point and got tested for hypothyroidism. I just looked back at the results and TSH level was 1.68 mIU/L which is in the normal range. I also got a comprehensive metabolic panel and everything was pretty much right in the middle of normal. The only thing that was on the low end of the normal range was Alkaline phosphatase. Mine was 36 U/L and it said the normal range was 33-115.

[atomicspacebunny]

just looked back at the results and TSH level was 1.68 mIU/L which is in the normal range.

Important Caveat: I see that all the time and it looks “normal” on the surface but if you look at it on a deeper level other factors might be involved when “testing/analyzing” and you might find out it is not “normal?”

How to Properly Test Thyroid Function with Labs

Thyroid and Liver needs insulin (you may not be producing enough?) to function properly? Maybe eating more protein might help in one meal?

Cortisol’s Role in this is depicted in this Infographic (notice “expanded blood profiles are required to assess and address thyroid gland?”):

All of the above is why I add resistant starch to my diet! Avoid problems by striking it at the root?

The main reason the thyroid malfunctions is because of a visceral fatty liver and pancreas (inside the tissues of both not just the outside) and then the thyroid cannot store iodine. In which case I would eat more eggs to get more choline/lecithin in my diet.

[atomicspacebunny]

There are probably a good number of people walking around out their that have a thyroid condition (“tests are normal”) and don’t even know it?

[Momof5]

I am wondering if I have a thyroid condition. I have had blood work (a bunch of times) that says it is normal; however, I have the symptoms and you can see my heart beat in my neck and I feel that my thyroid gland is swollen (doctor said could be lymph glands swollen on that side, it is the right side of my neck.

[Elizedge]

Get a full panel tsh tpo, t3 t4 rt3 rt4 watch this too https://youtu.be/cDH-PvB42pM

[Momof5]

As long as it is covered by our health care, I will ask the doctor when he lets me see him --he is not seeing anyone unless dire emergencies for now -I have had 3 phone appointments so far – got my asthma meds renewed, got a prescription for a yeast infection under my breasts and a prescription for pink eye so far, all without seeing him --I told him I am concerned and he said after all this is over, I can make an appointment for a physical-- and I am going to ask for a Mamogram appointment too. Thank you for the ideas. I wrote it down on a paper what to ask for! Hopefully it is covered; eitherwise, well I will have to wait =).

[Polly1]

Fingers crossed you can get to see your primary care physician soon. It is almost as though Covid-19 is the only condition in the world at the moment.

I am sure my thyroid is out of whack. I was having regular blood tests for it 12 years ago, but put it into remission by dropping wheat and then all grains from my diet. However my skin is really dry and I feel really cold first thing when the kitchen door is open to let the dog out. My heart rate has not slowed but I have put on a few pounds and I am finding it a real grind to shake them off again.

Yesterday I was boring my husband rigid with it and wishing we could get a doctors’ appointment sometime soon in this part of the world.

[Elizedge]

Actually if you listen to Dr Ben bickman he believes that what you’re calling excess protein gets wasted. He says at best the body can only turn about 10% of the protein into glucose.