Can eating like a lion trigger easy weight loss and roaring good health? Devotees of the carnivore diet say it can — and they’ve got so many people curious, the meat-centric approach has gone viral on TikTok. So far, #carnivorediet boasts more than a billion views and interest in the diet on social media has risen significantly since the start of the year. And it’s helping women over 50 lose big when other diets fall. Keep reading to learn more about science behind the trend, then get ready to be inspired by carnivore diet before and after photos of women who found amazing success.
How the carnivore diet works
The carnivore diet is an offshoot of the carb-cutting keto diet, but it’s a good deal simpler: The key is to eliminate all plant foods and eat only animal foods. So you’ll enjoy options like eggs, butter, bacon, cheese, fish, poultry, pork and beef until you’re comfortably full. And since carnivore staples are naturally zero-carb or quite low in carbs, you don’t have to measure, count or track anything.
In many ways, carnivore works exactly like keto. By replacing most of the carbs you eat with protein and fat, your body no longer makes enough blood sugar to fuel itself. “This triggers your body to naturally begin turning excess fat into an alternate fuel called ketones,” explains Tennessee-based keto expert Ken Berry, MD, author of Lies My Doctor Told Me. The result? Your body can burn a lot more fat.
Why carnivore may work better than keto
“A basic keto diet is great for many people. But if it’s not working for you or you want those next-level results, that’s when you try carnivore,” Dr. Berry says. That’s because the fewer carbs you eat, the more ketones you make. And studies show boosting ketone production speeds weight loss by up to 1,150%. On top of that, carnivore guarantees carb intake stays very low, “which leads to remarkable hunger control,” the doc says. “Some people only eat one or two meals a day because it’s all they want.” (Click through for more on how the carnivore diet for weight loss may be more effective than keto.)
Another potential carnivore advantage: “You’re eliminating a lot of foods that…