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This is the second in a series documenting my experimentation with what I have dubbed “Intermittent Carnivore Fasting”, or ICF. To read the first installment, click here.
What started as an experiment to see if I could get fitter and leaner by swinging as hard and far as I could from my previous vegan lifestyle (which was no good for me) has morphed into something pretty amazing.
It’s taken root.
I had been reading about the carnivore diet for a while and seeing all the success stories, so one day at the Whole Foods hot bar for lunch, I decided to load up on meatballs and see what happened.
Yes, I know meatballs are not entirely carnivorous, but for the majority of people out there, that’s an insane ratio of meat to everything else.
In short, I ate my pound or so of meatballs for lunch, then was not hungry for the entire rest of the day.
And that included a sweat-dripping workout, much time spent writing articles, time for personal development, etc.
Effectively, I spent a day at work, then came home and did more work until I went to bed. Feeling great. No lazing around in front of the TV expending no energy.
It was an energy filled day that encouraged me to keep going.
So I did.
Over the course of these last four weeks, I’ve stayed about 98 percent carnivore.
I’ve experimented with a little raw kefir here, a superfood drink there, and had one cheat meal that was delicious but immediately left me feeling bloated, fatigued, and frustrated.
I guess I still don’t know how to eat a Portillo’s beef sandwich without the delicious, au jus soaked bun, in a way that wouldn’t break some moral code built into the universe.
So, effectively, it was four weeks carnivore with the rare ingestion of something non-carnivorous, so I’d place it at about 98 percent, conservatively.
As for the “intermittent” portion, I have intermittent fasted for a while, usually about five days a week.
I’ll usually eat my first meal around 12:30 or so, with the aim of stopping by 8pm. Since eating carnivore, though, I’ve often brought that 8pm goal up to maybe 7pm or earlier, depending on how I feel.
If I need to eat earlier, I do. Again, I’m not restricting myself. Most of this is natural. If I’m starting to get hungry around 11am, I might push through until 12:30. But if I find myself really hungry at 8am, I may just eat breakfast.
Unless I have a specific reason for a longer fast, I’m usually just going with the flow and increasing my “fasting strength” each day.
This is all unique to me. What works for you may be very different.
Here’s what hasn’t happened over the course of these four weeks.
I haven’t felt fatigued.
I have rarely felt hungry after work.
I haven’t felt “foggy-minded”.
I haven’t gained any weight.
Here’s what has happened.
I have felt energized throughout the day.
I have felt completely satisfied (for the record, my food choices have been mainly beef and eggs with some fish – I have found chicken to be much less satisfying).
I have felt clarity of mind and focused.
And finally, the pies de resistance – I have easily lost weight without ever forcing myself to restrict food intake.
In fact, I am down from 185 pounds at the start to 169 pounds at the four week mark.
I know the 185 number is not a big one to start with, but this is a matter of leanness rather than weight. The sixteen pounds lost were not muscle, although I may add them back on as muscle if I feel that is my ideal size.
At this point, eating this way feels like such a superpower that I have no desire to change it significantly.
Refined carbs, outside of a special occasion or outing, are a thing of the past.
It feels very inspiring to be virtually assured that any excess body fat will melt away as I stay on this diet.
Now, to address the obvious objection, yes I am aware that weight loss can plateau. However, I have seen no evidence of that in this system and these results are unlike anything I have ever seen before.
Usually, quick and repetitive weight loss comes with some sort of intentional caloric reduction. But in this case, I have been eating plenty of calories (I never watch to make sure I stay under a certain amount) and I simply eat until I’m full (or stuffed in some cases).
More or less, if I’m hungry, I eat. No different than before I started this system.
That is why I have a different level of confidence in this system.
A system, which I must note, is not necessarily for everybody. This is just my experience and it is a system that I am open to modifying.
But you can bet that modification will not include a return to refined carbs.
Those suckers are gone.
I’ll have another update in the future, likely in about another four weeks. Until then, remember to stay away from added sugar and those refined carbs and thanks for being here today!
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Reference: https://www.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/ajpendo.1992.262.5.E631
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