How to Start a Carnivore Diet? When Should I Start? [Expert Guide]

What Is the Carnivore Diet?

A Carnivore diet is a meat eater’s way of life. It’s a simple and delicious diet to follow as it won’t make you eat lots and lots of foods. You only need to consume animal products and leave out all plant-based products.

Here are the most important things you need to know about a Carnivore diet.

• Carnivores believe it’s a suitable diet for our body and digestive system as our ancestors were meat eaters, and we’ve evolved similarly.
• You only need to consume animal products, including meat, poultry, seafood, animal fat, and some dairy products (cheese, butter, heavy cream).
• You can gain the most important nutrients from animal-based foods, and supplements can help you cover all your nutritional needs without consuming plant-based foods.
• A Carnivore diet can boost weight loss, increase energy, and improve mental clarity.

Now, the question is why someone should go on a Carnivore diet and, actually, who can benefit from this animal-based diet? Scroll to find out how to start a Carnivore diet.

Learn more about the Carnivore Diet: What Is The Carnivore Diet? Myth vs Fact‍

How to Start a Carnivore Diet?

Starting a Carnivore diet is easy, but you need to take all the steps carefully to avoid possible health problems and maximize the results.

Here are the eight easy steps you need to take to start a healthy Carnivore diet. The explanations for each step will follow the list of steps.

• Step 01: Go for a Checkup.
• Step 02: Choose a Type of Carnivore Diet.
• Step 03: Prepare Yourself Mentally.
• Step 04: Prepare a 30-Day Plan.
• Step 05: Make a Food List.
• Step 06: Make Yummy Carnivore-Friendly Foods.
• Step 07: Join a Carnivore Diet Community.
• Step 08: Make a Carnivore-Friendly Environment to Easily Stick to the Diet.

Step 01: Go for a Checkup

The first step before going on a Carnivore diet is to consult a healthcare professional and go for a checkup. The doctor or dietitian will check your health status to make sure going on a Carnivore diet will not negatively impact your situation.

When you get the results and everything is fine, the healthcare professional will give you the green light to continue to the next step.

Step 02: Choose a Type of Carnivore Diet

The Carnivore diet has different versions, including the following:

• Standard Carnivore Diet: Focused only on animal products, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy (if tolerated). No plant-based foods are included.
• Dairy-Inclusive Carnivore Diet: This version of the Carnivore diet can include full-fat milk, cheese, butter, and other dairy items.
• Zero Carb Carnivore Diet: Strictly avoiding carbohydrates, including those found in dairy products. Only animal-based sources of protein and fat
• Ketogenic Carnivore (Ketovore) Diet: A combination of the Carnivore and Ketogenic diets, which includes high-fat, moderate protein and minimized carbohydrates to promote ketosis
• Paleolithic Carnivore Diet: Paleolithic, aka Paleo Carnivore diet, comprises animal products, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and some non-starchy vegetables.
• Fish-Only Carnivore Diet: This version of the Carnivore diet is usually short-term and focuses on different seafood, especially sardines, which is also known as sardine fasting.

Step 03: Prepare Yourself Mentally

Let’s face it, changing your eating habits from carbohydrates to animal products is a big step, and if you’re not mentally ready for it, you may get cold feet or don’t stay loyal to the diet.

To solve this problem, you need to prepare yourself mentally using the following tips. The important point is to break the process into small steps as the more you have to decide, the poorer choices you're likely to make (source).

Set Clear Goals

Decide what you want from the diet and set the exact weight loss or health goals, as it will give you a sense of purpose and motivation you can rely on.

Educate Yourself

Learn about the rules, benefits, challenges, and potential side effects of the version of the Carnivore diet you want to follow. Ensure you know all about the foods to eat and avoid, restrictions and guidelines to make informed decisions.

Gradual Transition

Remember that change takes time, and the speed of change depends on many factors, and gradual change is more sustainable. So, be patient and let your body adapt to the new eating style to avoid health problems.

Join the 5MB Community

Join the 5MB Community, as the 5MinuteBody community is the hub for Carnivore dieters to seek support, make friends, ask questions, share experiences, get encouragement, learn more about the diet, and progress as a community.

Mindful Eating

Pay attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues and the taste, texture, and satisfaction you receive from the meals.

Stay Positive

Focus on your progress and maintain a positive mindset to avoid focusing on setbacks and handle challenges successfully.

Celebrate Milestones

Keep a detailed record of your progress and celebrate your achievements to increase your confidence and motivation.

Take Professional Courses

Take professionally made courses to get pro guidelines and support.

Step 04: Prepare a 30-Day Plan

The next step to go on a Carnivore diet is to make a 30-day plan. You may face lots of challenges in this step, as you need to know enough about the Carnivore diet to be able to make the 4-week plan.

The good news is that we have you covered, and you don’t need to spend hours crawling the net looking for a suitable 30-day Carnivore diet plan. Let me brief you about this Ultimate 4-Week Fat Loss Course.

It includes 61 lessons over 30 days and helps you program belly fat loss, build lean muscles and improve your health. It also teaches you a simple rule to lose weight quickly, using meal plans, recipes, and more.

This course is detailed enough to help you learn why Carnivore can be a great option for fat loss, what foods you need to eat and how to set portions, how to reduce cravings and remove triggers, how to lose weight quickly, how to create a healthy lifestyle, and more!

Step 05: Make a Food List

After preparing the 30-day plan, you need to make a proper food list to know what exactly you can include in your meals, what you need to avoid, and what foods are up to you to include or not.

Here is all you need to know about the Free Ultimate Carnivore Diet Food List.

Step 06: Make Yummy Carnivore-Friendly Foods

The next step is to make Carnivore-friendly foods based on the food list you have. So, you need Carnivore diet recipes to help you make the foods.

The good thing about these recipes is that they’re all simple and quick, and you don’t need to have cooking experience to make them. Even if it’s your first time around the kitchen, you can make yummy Carnivore-friendly meals.

Step 07: Join a Carnivore Diet Community

One of the main steps that enable us to stay motivated, get encouragement, share experiences, get help and support, and continue the diet is joining a Carnivore diet community.

But how can we choose a proper community that offers all the above? Well, it’s your lucky day as you can join the 5MinuteBody community with different kinds of memberships to get all the mentioned help, plus the possibility to join the challenges and pick up a weight loss lifestyle.

In the 5MB Community, you’ll get various classes with Carnivore experts and physicians, access troubleshooting sessions, be offered a new 4-week challenge every month, and gain guidance (on protein and fat macros) and support from 500 OG Carnivores.

Yes, it’s an all-in-one community to ease you into the Carnivore diet! 

Step 08: Make a Carnivore-Friendly Environment to Easily Stick to the Diet

The final step to help you stay a true Carnivore is to get rid of the triggers and create an environment that lets you stick to the diet hassle-free. Here are what you can do to create a Carnivore-supportive environment.

• Remind yourself of your health and fitness goals.
• Create a positive eating environment and enjoy your meals, which is easy thanks to yummy Carnivore foods.
• Get support from coaches, community members, friends, and loved ones.
• Track your positive changes and reward yourself for them.
• Don’t get too hard on yourself in the early stages.
• Make Carnivore friends.
• Use Carnivore-friendly foods for your gatherings.
• Introduce the Carnivore diet, especially its recipes, to your friends. They love them!

Tips to Get Started on The Carnivore Diet

• Drink lots of water and stay hydrated.
• Eat until full.
• Solve your Carnivore diet constipation problem.
• Solve Carnivore diet diarrhea.
• Eat one to three meals a day (based on your appetite and activity).
• Eat at least one meal every day to provide enough energy and nutrients.
• Exercise every day.
• Choose high-quality, grass-fed meat.
• Bring variety to your meals by including different kinds of meat, poultry, and seafood.
• Get Vitamin C on a Carnivore diet using nutrient-dense foods.
• Black coffee with butter can be a good drink.
• An air fryer can be a good cooking utensil.

Why Get Started on The Carnivore Diet?

The Carnivore diet can be useful for a wide range of individuals, depending on their status, needs, and goals. Here are the groups of individuals who can benefit from a Carnivore diet.

• Those Seeking Fat Melt and Weight Loss: One of the most common usages of the Carnivore diet is for people who look for quick fat melt and weight loss.
• Individuals with Certain Health Conditions: Individuals dealing with autoimmune disorders or gastrointestinal issues can use the Carnivore diet to alleviate symptoms if their healthcare professionals approve (source). A Carnivore diet is also said to help patients with Psoriasis and Diabetes. Additionally, those who need to increase their animal-based nutrients for medical reasons can benefit from a Carnivore diet. It can also decrease inflammation, which is the cause of numerous deaths each year (source).
• Individuals with Food Intolerances or Sensitivities: People with gluten or lactose intolerance may benefit from a Carnivore diet as it excludes plant-based foods causing intolerances and sensitivities.
• Simplicity and Yumminess: A Carnivore diet is simple to follow and has no complicated rules. Also, the Carnivore diet recipes as simple enough for everybody to follow. Additionally, Carnivore-friendly foods are mouth-watering, and many people will enjoy them. You can even make various snacks and desserts on a Carnivore diet.

So, imagine you’re going on a Carnivore diet. What changes can you see in the first month, and what happens to your body? Let’s see!

What Happens in the First Month on a Carnivore Diet?

It’s no secret that different bodies have different situations and respond differently to diets. So, you can’t compare your status and diet experience with others going on the same diet.

However, give and take, here are the things that can happen in the first month of the Carnivore diet. Needless to say, you need to consult a healthcare professional before making significant changes in your eating habits.

Week 1:

• The first week is when your body starts to adjust and adapt to dietary changes.
• Your digestion tries to transition from a carbohydrate diet into a fat and protein one.
• You may feel cravings for sweets or other foods you were used to.
• Also, cutting back on a fibre-rich diet may cause constipation or diarrhea, which is perfectly normal, as it’s part of the adaptation process.
• Your energy levels may fluctuate as your body tries to burn fat as its main source of energy, a process called ketosis.

Week 2:

• The first week is the time of confusion, but by the second week, your body is doing better to adapt to changes.
• Some individuals start to experience increased mental clarity and improved focus during the second week of the Carnivore diet.
• You may also experience changes in your appetite and satiety signals, as many dieters face longer satiety and less hunger and eat fewer meals during the second week.
• Decreasing or minimising carbohydrates can result in some initial water weight loss during the second week of the Carnivore diet.

Week 3:

• The third week is when your body shows more efficiency at using fat to produce energy, i.e., the ketosis starts to really work.
• This week is famous for individual reports about more energy and better endurance during physical activities.
• You must consume enough protein and fat to provide the necessary nutrients and energy during this week to support your body's needs.
• Also, some dieters experience better digestion and relief from digestive issues during the third week of the Carnivore diet.

Week 4:

• When you reach the fourth week, you’ll notice more changes in your body composition.
• You can actually start experiencing weight loss and fat melt, which is again highly dependent on your body and status before starting the diet.
• Energy levels keep stabilising, and you’ll have more consistent energy throughout the day.
• You can also experience reduced food cravings as your body becomes more adapted to the Carnivore diet eating habits.

Now that you know what can happen during the first month of the diet, we need to find out how to start a Carnivore diet. The following section will have us covered!

Summary

How to start a Carnivore diet is the question many people are asking these days. To become a Carnivore dieter, you need to know about the diet’s general rules first, then take the necessary steps to start the diet with a complete plan to avoid health issues and maximise the results.