QUICK START
5-Step Starter Guide
STEP
1
Choose a Keto or Carnivore Diet.
STEP
2
Make a weekly grocery food list.
STEP
3
Prepare Yummy meals using “The Skinny Cookbook.
STEP
4
Remove unhealthy foods from your pantry.
STEP
5
Keto and Carnivore is always easier with a partner for support.
What to Eat
Meat: Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey.
Fish: Salmon, trout, sardines, mackerel, cod liver.
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Seafood: Shrimp, oysters, lobster, crab.
Eggs: Pastured eggs are a good source of nutrients.
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Dairy: High-fat options like butter, hard cheese, and heavy cream are sometimes included.
Other: Bone marrow, bone broth, lard, and tallow can be part of the diet.
Prioritize Fatty Cuts
Choose fatty cuts of meat like ribeye, chuck roast, and ground beef to ensure you're getting enough calories and essential fats.
What to Avoid
All fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.
Processed meats, though some may be included in moderation.
Sugary drinks and other beverages made from plants.
Considerations & Tips
Hydration
Drink plenty of water and consider adding electrolytes such as Sugar Free Liquid IV to help with hydration, especially during the initial transition.
Listen to Your Body
Pay attention to how your body responds to the diet and adjust your intake accordingly.
Consult a Professional
It's always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.
Tips to Get Started on a Keto / Carnivore Diet
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Drink lots of water and stay hydrated.
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Eat until full.
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Eat one to three meals a day (based on your appetite and activity).
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Exercise every day i.e. walking, biking, weight lifting
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Avoid processed foods and opt for whole foods
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Bring variety to your meals by including different kinds of meat, poultry, and seafood.
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Get Vitamin C from nutrient-dense foods like organs
KETO / CARNIVORE STUDIES
In spring of 2024, Stanford psychiatrist and obesity specialist Shebani Sethi, MD, led a pilot study of 21 adults with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia who also had some kind of metabolic disorder and were prescribed antipsychotic medications. After four months on the ketogenic diet, most of the patients showed significant improvement in their psychiatric symptoms, a reduction in weight gain from their medications, and relief from their metabolic disorders.
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Around the 1870s, Italian physician Arnaldo Cantani used a meat-only diet (Carnivore) to treat diabetic patients. Human studies have demonstrated a reduction of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease symptoms in participants following a clinical ketogenic diet. These improved symptoms included cognitive as well as motor symptoms and overall disease ratings. Therapeutic ketogenic diets have also been studied by IFM educator Terry Wahls, MD, IFMCP, with the specific aim of reversing the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
Downsides to Keto / Carnivore Diet
Keto Flu
When shifting to a low-carb, high-protein diet, you might experience carbohydrate withdrawal symptoms known as “keto flu.” This phase can include fatigue, irritability, and digestive issues, as your body adapts to using fat for fuel instead of carbs. Increase salt intake to help ease symptoms. Your body is not accustomed to using ketones regularly, so when you make the switch, you tend to feel unwell. Thankfully, this effect is temporary, usually lasting up to a week.
Constipation
If you're not careful about your diet choices when going keto feeling backed can become a regular concern. Since you're cutting out whole grains and fruit (two of the most common sources of fiber), people on keto/carnivore should up increase their fatty meat intake or consider a fiber supplement.
Nutrient Deficiencies
As with any super-restrictive regimen, when you're limiting certain types of food, there's a good chance you'll be missing something big. Here's what you need to keep an eye open for.
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Sodium: Believe it or not, depending on your diet, you may be low on salt. When carb intake is low and insulin isn't being excreted, the kidneys absorb less sodium and potassium and excrete more as waste, leaving you feeling dizzy, fatigued and grumpy. Rather than reaching for more processed food, try seasoning your food a little more liberally with sea salt.
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Potassium: With the approved list of foods being so brief, you might not get enough fruits and veggies on keto and none on carnivore. One of the biggest impacts? A potassium deficiency—and all of the lovely constipation and muscle cramps that accompany it. Aim to up your intake of organ meats, fatty fish (like salmon and mackerel), and even beef are good sources of this essential mineral.
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Vitamin C: Most of our vitamin C intake comes from a nice array of fruits, so if you're cutting all of that out, you'll have to make sure you're sourcing vitamin C from organ meats: liver, kidneys, and thymus as well as some seafoods such as shellfish and fish roe.
Who Shouldn't Do the Keto / Carnivore Diet Plan
Before starting any new diet, you should always first clear it with your health care provider. This is particularly true for certain groups for whom the keto / carnivore diet may not be a healthy idea. These include (but are not limited to):
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People with gallbladder or pancreatic issues: Fat is more difficult than other macronutrients for the body to digest, so this may be a strain for those with gallbladder or pancreatic disease.
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Pregnant and breastfeeding women: Some of the metabolic changes that occur during ketosis may impact fetal growth and extreme weight loss may reduce milk supply and stunt infant growth.