I have a Facebook group called, “The Low Carb Spectrum”. There are a few key reason why I wanted to start this type of group, the first of which is to bring a new voice to the Keto/Carnivore space which isn’t so full of dogma and black and white thinking about diet.

As I dipped my toe into the ocean of information that is Keto, I peeked at the carnivore folks from time to time. Like I said, it was crazy. The people advocating this way of eating were saying things that were the complete opposite of everything I have been told my whole life.

I decided not to go full carni-crazy, but to continue my low carb-high fat journey with the understanding that I needed to avoid carbs and sugar. I thought that this shouldn’t be a problem as Dr. Bernstein’s plan allowed very few fruits, tons of veggies and a good amount of meat and fat. The problem was that I absolutely hate vegetables. When I eat them my wife will laugh because I subconsciously make a face every time I have to chew the weeds.

So, I thought, that is fine. I can eat only the veggies that don’t turn my stomach then, right? Nope, because the only veggies I like are the carb-y ones, which aren’t allowed. So my solution was to stop eating veggies altogether. So that left me with berry’s, meat and fat. Oh, and one little thing that is also allowed on Keto type plans: Fake sugars.

Mmmm, the fake sugars. The god-send of the sugar addict. We can have our cake and eat it too, literally. Of course, fake sugars are simply a lie. They may not spike my blood sugar but they do make me crave more sweet stuff. And they also make you crave more carbs. And so I made fat bombs and drank the diet soda (still do to my shame) and wondered why I keep on falling off the wagon and digging in to that can of pringles! The reason is I’m not a moderater. I need to abstain.

Judy Cho has written a must read book called “The Carnivore Cure”. It is the best deep dive into this elimination diet and is well written. Judy is the first one I know of that used the terms moderator and abstainer. You have to know which one you are to progress on any diet if you are a sugar addict. If I start eating cookies, I will keep on eating them. I cannot moderate! I need to abstain.

I was listening to a podcast with Judy and Laura Spath where they brought up these terms and I feel like that was one of the final pieces I needed to go towards a more animal based way of eating. I knew I couldn’t moderate, so I cut out all fake sugars (reducing my zero sugar sodo as well).

During this time I had been listening to many podcasts on low carb diets and the carnivore diet would always come up. One of the guys I greatly respect, Dr. Shawn Baker, challenges folks to go full carnivore in January. The idea is to try eating just meat for 30 days and see how you feel. Well, I decided to go for it, and six months later, I am still doing it. At this point, I don’t see a reason not to continue eating meat. My A1C in March was 5.9%. That is down from 9%. I have lost 30 pounds and for the first time in 30 years I am under 200 lbs. But even more importantly, I feel great!

This journey has not been easy, but I feel I am on a path that is right for me at this time. And that feels good!