Don’t get me wrong, I love meat. I would gladly eat chicken wings every day, and steak twice a day, but the idea of eating ONLY meat is a bit alien to me. We have been told our whole life to have balanced meals, and to include all the macros on your plate, but now we have folks like Dr. Shawn Baker and Dr. Ken Berry, plus celebrities like Joe Rogan taking the caveman diet for a spin.

So what are the pros and cons of the diet? How can Dr. Baker and Dr. Berry promote the diet when we heard so many times that excess protein can cause cancer and problems with your kidney (which may not be the case)? And what about the veggies!? Has anyone tried this type of diet for the long term? And have there been any studies that looked at a protein and fat only diet?

As you can see, I have questions. So let’s dig in…

1. Have there been any studies done on this type of diet? And I am referring to peer reviewed, control group tested, studies. The short and long answer is no. No studies have been done on this type of diet by anyone. Dr. Ken Berry explains that studies like this must be sponsored by someone, and no one is willing to pony up the dough for this type of diet. Yet. If the diet gains some semblance of mass appeal, you may see studies being initiated by some daring young scientist.
2. Has anyone tried the meal lovers diet for the long term? Absolutely yes, and for quite some time. While the diet has never gained mass appeal, bodybuilders have been utilizing variations of this way of eating for decades. The idea of ketosis and the benefits of cutting carbs has been known in the bodybuilding and fitness sub-cultures for a long time. And more to the point, the reason why bodybuilders used this type of diet is because it works. These athletes work on the fringe of exercise science, and they are trying things out with nutrition and training (and yes, drugs) long before anyone in the mainstream has a clue. If it doesn’t work to build muscle and burn fat, it is discarded quickly.
3. But is it healthy. Bodybuilders are huge and impressive, but they are not always in the best health. Also, bodybuilders that pioneered this type of diet, like Vince Gironda and Mike Mentzer, used it to “cut up” for a competition. They did not use it all the time. So, even looking at the bodybuilding community, there is no long term example to draw on for this diet. All we have right now are anecdotal stories of people who have had success with eating nothing but meat, and the stories are plentiful, at least from an internet standpoint. For a sampling of these stories, go over to Dr. Baker’s Meat Rx site and read some for yourself.
4. What are the pros of the Meat Extreme WOE? First, it is simple. Depending on how strict you go, you could restrict what you eat to meat, salt, and water. I would prefer to spice things up a bit, but to each their own. Second, while the diet may not be suitable for everyone (further studies need to be done, again), the stories abound with folks that have renewed energy, increased happiness, and chronic health problems disappearing after eating this way. Third, if you have tried keto, and you still feel you need to restrict carbs further due to your sugar/carb addiction (this one is for me), then eliminating carbs entirely may be the answer.
5. And the cons: IT IS NOT TESTED! Really, that is the main downside. We have no idea what the long term effects will be on this type of diet. While it is all the rage right now within the Paleo/Keto community, it also may be a fad that needs to run its course. For me, I may utilize this diet the same way Vince Gironda did back in the 50’s, by going ‘protein extreme’ for a time, and then adding in veggies for a time. It really comes down to how your body responds to the diet. And always consult your doctor, and get your blood work done to consult and track how the fuel your putting into your body is affecting your machine.