What Is the Carnivore Diet? Benefits, Risks, Food List, and More

High-protein diets are all the rage, but one outdoes all the rest. It’s aptly named the carnivore diet, and it focuses on meat, just meat. If that sounds questionable from a health perspective, that’s because it is.

While some research backs up the benefits of more balanced high-protein diets, many experts are skeptical about the carnivore diet, in spite of endorsements from a small group of extreme athletes and celebrities including the podcaster Joe Rogan. In January 2022, Rogan announced on Instagram that in honor of World Carnivore Month, he would eat only meat and fruit (the latter is not officially part of the diet, but more on that below).

Judging by what science has determined about the nutrients necessary for human health, it’s more likely that people who try a meat-only diet for an extended period will end up like the singer James Blunt, who revealed that he had developed scurvy after attempting a carnivore diet. But with people like Rogan still following it, you may want to learn exactly what it entails and the potential risks. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about this animal-based eating pattern.

Common Questions & Answers

What do you eat on a carnivore diet?

On a carnivore diet, you can eat red meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. The diet excludes all produce, as well as grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Dairy is sometimes allowed.

What vegetables can you eat on the carnivore diet?

No vegetables of any kind are allowed on the carnivore diet, not even nonstarchy types that would otherwise fit into other diets, such as keto.

Do doctors recommend the carnivore diet?

This is more of a fad diet than one that would be recommended by nutrition experts and the medical community. If you’re interested in trying the diet, talk to your doctor about your existing health issues and concerns and you can determine together if this is right for you.

How long should you do the carnivore diet?

With no short- or long-term research on the effects of this diet, it is inadvisable to eat only meat for extended periods of time, because you’ll deprive yourself of essential nutrients.

Can you survive on a carnivore diet?

You can survive on a carnivore diet, but you’ll miss out on important nutrients, such as fiber and vitamins C and E. It is not safe for certain groups, including those with kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, or those with risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

What Is the Carnivore Diet Exactly, and How Does It Work?

Unlike other high-protein, low-carb diets, the carnivore diet allows zero carbs. It includes “only foods that either walked, swam, or flew,” says Kelly Schmidt, RD, a holistic dietitian in private practice in Columbus, Ohio. While it may be a trend, “eating only meat is not sexy,” she says. “It’s not colorful, and it’s not fun.” Most people who try the diet are motivated by a strong desire to lose weight or to address an autoimmune condition.

The carnivore diet is often a step people take after trying the paleo diet or the ketogenic diet, says Diana Rodgers, RD, of the Sustainable Dish, located in Concord, Massachusetts. Paleo (aka the “caveman” diet) focuses on fresh fruits, vegetables, grass-fed meats, and wild seafood, while eliminating added sugars, grains, dairy, and legumes.

The ketogenic diet — also called “keto” — is a very high fat, moderate protein, and very low carbohydrate diet. Not everyone enjoys eating the amount of fat required by a keto diet, and they may instead opt for a high-protein diet like carnivore, says Rodgers.

Carnivore Diet Food List: What to Eat and Avoid

A meat-only diet is pretty self-explanatory — you’re going to eat only meat. Nonetheless, as with all diets, there are a few gray areas.

Foods to Eat on the Carnivore Diet

Here’s what you’ll be eating: Red meat (beef, pork, lamb), with an emphasis on fattier cuts of meat so you’ll take in enough calories.

Other options include:

• Organ meats
• Poultry
• Fish
• Eggs
• Lard
• Bone marrow
• Butter
• Salt and pepper
• Water
• Bone broth
• Sauces or gravies, provided they are made only with meat drippings mixed with butter or ghee and no binders such as flour

Foods That May Be Okay on the Carnivore Diet

Foods that might be acceptable, as some people interpret the “comes from an animal” part of the carnivore diet, says Schmidt, include:

• Milk
• Yogurt
• Cheese
• Coffee and tea: These are plant-based, but some people keep these in the diet.

Foods Not Allowed on the Carnivore Diet

• Vegetables
• Fruit
• Seeds
• Nuts
• Legumes
• Bread
• Pasta
• Grains
• Alcohol

Anything else that isn’t meat, poultry, or fish, or derived from one of those, is not allowed on the carnivore diet.

Proposed Health Benefits of the Carnivore Diet: What Jordan Peterson and Mikhaila Peterson Say

Fans of the carnivore diet say it has a range of benefits from weight loss to higher testosterone levels, but there is no evidence for this. The carnivore diet has also gained some attention for its potential as an anti-inflammatory diet that may benefit people with autoimmune conditions. These claims were fueled by press coverage of the lifestyle guru Jordan Peterson and his daughter, Mikhaila Peterson, who have both publicly stated that a diet of beef, salt, and water relieved them of ailments including rheumatoid arthritis, depression, anxiety, gastric reflux, and psoriasis.

Again, no scientific evidence supports those claims, and anti-inflammatory diets traditionally tend to be plant-based, research shows.

The carnivore diet can be seen as an extreme form of an elimination diet, Schmidt says. Because people following this fad eat only a few different foods, they eliminate many of the items that commonly cause food sensitivities, like nuts, wheat, and soybeans. The carnivore diet is also popular with people who think it will result in weight loss, despite a lack of research on whether it is effective in that capacity.

Carnivore Diet Results: Will the Meal Plan Help With Weight Loss?

There’s no arguing that all that protein is highly satiating, which could help curb calorie intake (as might the monotony of eating the same foods over and over). And as previously mentioned, there’s no snacking on this diet. It eliminates mindless eating, says Schmidt. “You don’t mindlessly eat chicken breasts. It’s a very palatable diet, but you don’t lick your plate,” she says.

You may also enter into a state of ketosis on the carnivore diet, says Schmidt. In that state, your body is burning fat for fuel rather than carbohydrates. That’s not a guarantee, though. It’s a misconception that all you need to do is to severely limit carbs to get to ketosis — protein matters, too. “In excess, protein can lead to an increase in blood sugar and insulin levels, and it can kick you out of ketosis,” says Schmidt. If ketosis is your goal, having some fat with your protein, for example with eggs, butter, and cheese, may help. Bear in mind that these additions may not have the greatest impact on your health in other ways.

What Are the Carnivore Diet Health Risks You Need to Know?

“There are a lot of downsides to the carnivore diet,” says Liz Weinandy, MPH, RDN, a dietitian at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. “We have multiple food groups for a reason: They each provide us with a range of nutrients.” Humans are omnivores, which means we derive nutrients from a variety of foods, both animal- and plant-based. Eating only one food group is a problem, no matter which one (even if it’s just vegetables). Limiting yourself to all meat can cause you to run low in certain nutrients that are abundant in plants, like vitamin C and vitamin E, Weinandy says.

Although some anecdotal reports suggest that constipation isn’t a problem on a carnivore diet, you are missing out on fiber, a nutrient important for colonic health, says Weinandy. Plus, a diet high in red and processed meats has been linked to an increased risk of gastric cancer.

(A meta-analysis of 42 studies reported that while case-control studies on red and processed meat consumption do show this association, cohort studies — a type of observational study — do not.)

Eating a large amount of meat protein can also put undue stress on kidneys.

Another consideration: Extreme restriction or labeling foods “good” or “bad” can also set off disordered-eating behaviors or full-blown eating disorders, Weinandy says.

What’s more, eating an abundance of fruits and vegetables has been scientifically linked to increased happiness, life satisfaction, and well-being.

What if You Opt for Lean Meats, Like Fish and Poultry?

Practically speaking, you’d have to eat a lot of lean protein to get enough calories in a day. Focusing on lean poultry or fish like chicken breast and cod may also prevent you from entering ketosis, which is a goal of many people who go on very low or zero-carb diets for weight loss. If you want to be in ketosis, you’ll need to opt for fattier meats rather than filling up on skinless chicken breasts, but again, there is limited research on how healthy this is overall.

Why Are Some Experts So Alarmed About a So-Called ‘All-Meat Diet’?

Many experts are worried about the risks of saturated fat from meats like fatty steaks and bacon, which is also one of the main concerns with a keto diet. While the risks of dietary saturated fat are being debated, an analysis that looked at more than 100 studies recommended that people replace sources of saturated fat with unsaturated fats in order to lower their risk of heart disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a healthy diet as one that includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains — all foods that are sources of carbohydrates — and prioritizes unsaturated fats, like fish and avocado, while limiting saturated fat from fatty meat and butter.

Metabolizing high amounts of protein can also put a lot of stress on the kidneys, and you’ll likely miss out on disease-fighting nutrients such as fiber and antioxidants like vitamins C and E, says Weinandy.

What About the Claim That Certain Tribes Subsist Only on Meat?

Some people who follow this diet, including its creators, point to human groups in history who survived only on certain foods. People talk about how the Inuit peoples of the Arctic traditionally eat mainly blubber and liver, but, as one news article pointed out, they also eat a variety of animal products, such whale skin, that contain vitamin C and unsaturated fat.

This is not how modern carnivore dieters are making their food choices.

Who Should Eat a Carnivore Diet? And Who Shouldn’t Eat a Carnivore Diet?

If you believe you have food intolerances, the carnivore diet can serve as a short-term elimination diet to uncover foods that potentially don’t agree with your system. You may try this diet for six weeks and then reintroduce new foods slowly (one potential intolerance at a time) to see what does or does not agree with you, says Schmidt.

But if you’re looking at an elimination diet of any sort, first consult a registered dietitian with knowledge of your health concerns and medical background. The carnivore diet is not the only way to do an elimination diet, says Weinandy. “There is a process and protocol to identify foods that people don’t tolerate. Everyone is different. We need to look at every individual and try to devise a plan that’s optimal for them,” she says. Often, this can be achieved by a less-restrictive means.

Because there is no research on the long-term safety or risks involved with following this kind of diet for an extended period of time, it is not wise to do so. If you’re prone to disordered eating, you should avoid this or any fad diet. Anyone who has a chronic disease, like diabetes or heart disease, should talk to their doctor before trying an extreme diet like this one. Lastly, do not follow the carnivore diet if you have any level of kidney disease.

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Lion Diet: How It Works, What to Eat, Risks, and More

Over the years, you may have heard of some pretty extreme diets. Cabbage soup diet or grapefruit diet, anyone? Now, a meat-only diet called the lion diet has become the new TikTok trend, according to the New York Post. As the outlet reported, one user, @roryskitchen, detailed his 30 days following the lion diet. His before-and-after video garnered 2.3 million views and counting alone. (He called it a carnivore diet in the video, but explains that he ate only meat, salt, and water, which is akin to the lion diet.)

Plus, according to MetroUK, there’s been a rise in female “meatfluencers” on social media who share their love for meat while forgoing plants.

But can this diet actually be healthy? We asked experts for their take on one of the newest “it” diets.

Common Questions & Answers

What is the lion diet?

The lion diet is a restrictive elimination diet that focuses on eating meat from ruminant animals.

Why does the lion diet work?

The lion diet was designed as an elimination diet focused on purportedly healing leaky gut and reducing symptoms of autoimmune disease. There is no scientific evidence proving the lion diet works.

What does a lion diet consist of?

On the lion diet, you will only eat meat from ruminant animals (e.g., cows, deer, moose, sheep), along with salt and water. A later stage of the diet is the reintroduction phase, which involves slowly re-adding foods, such as mackerel, honey, and parsnips.

How long should you stay on the lion diet?

This question assumes you should try this diet at all, which most dietitians wouldn’t recommend. But the creator of the lion diet recommends staying on the diet for at least three months. Then, if your symptoms subside, you can begin to reintroduce foods slowly. Still, it’s recommended that you avoid grains, dairy, sugar, and legumes permanently.

Is the lion diet safe?

No. Health experts agree that the lion diet isn’t safe. Following a severe elimination diet the recommended length (at least three months) can lead to nutritional deficiencies and unpleasant side effects.

What Is the Lion Diet?

The lion diet is billed as a “healing elimination diet,” according to the website. Its purported purpose is to heal a leaky gut caused by eating a standard American diet, consuming medications, or having an unbalanced gut microbiome. The target audience for the diet are people who have autoimmune disease.

On the diet, you will eat only ruminant meat, salt, and water, per the website’s Get Started page. Ruminant meat consists of meat from animals that have a rumen, which is a chamber of their stomach that ferments the grass they eat, as the website’s FAQ notes. This means you can eat meat from cows, bison, deer, moose, sheep, and goat.

The creator of the diet says you have to be extremely restrictive to remove any food that may cause inflammation. In later stages of the elimination diet, you will slowly re-add other foods, per the diet website’s Get Started page.

Who Is Mikhaila Peterson? And What Is Her Role in the Popularity of the Lion Diet?

Mikhaila Peterson is the creator of the lion diet. On the My Experience page on the website, she details the health struggles she encountered since she was a young girl, including juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue, and severe depression. After years of restricting inflammatory foods from her diet, she eventually settled on eating only meat, which became the lion diet, something she says healed her autoimmune diseases.

How Does the Lion Diet Work?

For three months, you will eat only ruminant meat, salt, and water, according to the website’s Get Started page. During the reintroduction phase, per the website’s FAQ, you will open up your diet a bit. At that point, you can eat salmon, mackerel, tuna, and honey; followed by peeled and cooked-in-broth apples, pears, carrots, parsnips, beets, and turnips, as well as coconut, duck, and pasture-raised chicken.

It’s also possible to start a lion diet by slowly easing in from a high-carb diet by removing grains, dairy, soy, and legumes over a two-month span, and then moving to a lion diet if still needed.

Is the Lion Diet Good for You?

“No dietitian or health professional would ever use the lion diet as an elimination diet,” says Tuscaloosa, Alabama–based Carolyn Williams, PhD, RD, owner of Meals That Heal and host of the Happy Eating Podcast. While elimination diets are used to identify food triggers, they “generally don’t require cutting out everything but meat,” she says. “This goes way beyond what’s needed.”

What concerns Williams is that gut health is dependent on consuming both prebiotic- and probiotic-rich foods. (Probiotics are found in fermented foods, while prebiotics, which act as food for probiotics, are found in foods like oats, bananas, blueberries, asparagus, onions, flax seeds, among others, according to UMass Chan Medical School. ) “I don’t see how the gut can heal or improve without those things. Eliminating irritants is needed, but so is rebuilding the gut,” she says.

Ultimately, keep in mind that this is extreme. “Anything that seems extreme probably isn’t healthy. We want an answer when it comes to diet, but needs differ so much between individuals,” adds Williams.

Is It Safe to Follow the Lion Diet?

No. The lion diet eliminates fruits and vegetables, which provide antioxidants, fiber, and phytonutrients, and relies only on meat for an extended period of time, which can lead to vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, says Amy Burkhart, MD, RD, a physician who specializes in gut health in Napa, California. Because the diet targets those with autoimmune conditions, who may already be at risk for nutrient deficiencies, this diet could make those worse, she says.

The biggest red flag is that someone with no medical training created the lion diet, says Dr. Burkhart. The diet is based on her anecdotal experience and does not take into account the diverse health needs of people. This can be dangerous in general, but especially for those taking medication, children, and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. “The risks far outweigh the potential benefits.”

You will exceed the saturated fat recommendations set forth by the American Heart Association (AHA) on this diet. The organization recommends limiting your diet to 5 to 6 percent of calories from saturated fat, as excess can increase your risk for heart disease. It’s important to keep in mind that we don’t have the research that suggests what happens if you eat excess saturated fat on an all-meat diet. “All we know are the effects of eating above the recommended range,” says Williams.

Compared with meat, plant-based foods contain more potassium, and because potassium plays a key role in blood pressure regulation, Williams also sees blood pressure being a potential issue.

A 7-Day Sample Menu for the Lion Diet

In general, you will estimate how much meat and calories you need per day, according to the FAQ. For example, Mikhaila says she’s 5 feet 6 inches tall and eats 1.5 pounds (lbs) of meat per day. She adds that a 6-foot-tall man should eat 2.5 lbs of meat per day, though you’d adjust based on your hunger level. At the outset, if eating a lot of fattier cuts of meat is unpleasant, she recommends eating lean cuts of meat.

In the FAQ, Mikhaila says she ate two ribeye steaks per day for the first months of the diet and now eats mostly lamb, though you do not have to do the same. Your choices are based on what makes you feel the best. Purchase the highest quality meat you can afford, though she says that beef patties (make sure there’s no pepper) from fast food restaurants are just fine.

Below is a sampling of what types of meats you might eat on the lion diet on a day-to-day basis, though the specific type of meat, number of meals or snacks, what time you eat, and how much is up to you (that is, the diet doesn’t detail portion size recommendations). The most important thing is that you’re eating only the allowed meats. Again, though, experts do not recommend following this eating plan.

Day 1

Breakfast One ribeye steak, air-fried

Dinner One ribeye steak, air-fried

Day 2

Breakfast One ribeye steak, air-fried

Dinner One ribeye steak, air-fried

Day 3

Breakfast One ribeye steak fried in tallow (rendered beef fat)

Dinner One ribeye steak, air-fried

Day 4

Breakfast Hamburger patties

Dinner Hamburger patties

Day 5

Breakfast Lamb and beef sausage

Snack Homemade plain beef jerky

Dinner One ribeye steak

Day 6

Breakfast One ribeye steak

Dinner Hamburger patties

Day 7

Breakfast Lamb

Snack Beef jerky

Dinner One ribeye steak

Other Versions of the Lion Diet

The lion diet is one of a kind. However, it is similar to the carnivore diet because it is an extreme elimination diet that calls for eating a meat-heavy diet and poses the risk for nutrient deficiencies.

On the carnivore diet, though, you will be eating any animal food, including meat, seafood, dairy, and eggs. In that regard, the carnivore diet provides more food options.

Ultimately, the purposes of these diets are different. While the lion diet claims to heal the gut and treat autoimmune issues, the carnivore diet’s aim is to promote weight loss and blood sugar regulation, according to Cleveland Clinic.

It’s worth mentioning that, like the lion diet, health experts don’t recommend the carnivore diet. Its health risks include strain on the heart due to excess saturated fat, nutrient deficiencies because it excludes key food groups and is inherently imbalanced, and stress on the kidneys due to the high intake of protein involved.

A Final Word on the Lion Diet

“I would not recommend this diet to anyone,” says Burkhart. “While there may be anecdotal evidence of some people improving, any scientific proof is absent, and it carries risk. If you’re looking to improve your health, focus on a plant-forward, whole-foods diet; if you think you could benefit from an elimination-type diet, talk to your healthcare practitioner and seek out a specialist, such as a registered dietitian who works with clients on elimination diets.

“While we may not have all the answers as to how diet affects health, particularly autoimmunity, I don’t think the answer lies in the feeds of TikTok from a person with no medical training,” Burkhart says.

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“Carnivorous diet”: what will happen to the body if you eat only animal food

• Lifestyle

Man is a hunter and predator by nature, he does not need vegetables and grain. You can only eat meat, lard and eggs, say the followers of the carnivorous diet. But it is possible that the diet will simply “kill” your kidneys.

20 March 2021

Source:

Getty Images

This diet in Russian interpretation is called “carnivore diet”, “predator diet” or all meat diet. To date, there is a global community of followers of this way of eating – this is the World Carnivore Tribe (translated as “World Tribe of Carnivores”). There are thousands of posts on Facebook (an extremist organization banned in Russia) and Instagram (an extremist organization banned in Russia) under the hashtag #meatheals or #myasolechit.

Followers of the “meat” movement claim that a diet that includes only meat and certain animal products, supplemented with clean drinking water, can solve many health problems. But doctors are not so optimistic, since such a sharp bias in nutrition towards proteins and fats is extremely dangerous. “Doctor Peter” talked about the features of such a diet and its risks, problems with gastroenterologist Vera Samsonova.

Meat, meat and more meat

Adherents of the carnivorous diet in its ideal form consume about 500 grams of beef per day. The meat is cooked in animal fat or in its own juice, consumed raw and in any possible way – but without any vegetable additives! In addition, salt and spices are not used. Drinking water complements the meat (some special followers add whiskey and other alcohol). Some diet experts call this “diet” extreme testosterone keto.

See also

Allowed and prohibited foods

This is truly an amazing list. Among the allowed products are:

• Fatty meat – beef, elk, venison, lamb, goat meat, antelope meat.

• Processed meats – sausage, bacon, deli meats.

• Poultry egg (chicken, goose, ostrich, quail, etc.).

• Dairy products (if tolerated).

• Lard, animal fat, melted butter.

• Hard cheese.

• Heavy cream.

• Drinking plenty of water is also recommended.

What this “diet” lacks is absolutely no vegetables and fruits, berries, garden greens, lettuce, legumes, seeds, nuts, seasonings, vegetable oils and spices.

Some adherents remove even milk from the diet, do not take any dietary supplements – one solid meat.

What effect is expected?

Followers claim that the diet helps to lose weight, improve the condition of the heart and blood vessels, clarifies the brain and eliminates the aggression of the immune system. In addition, it promises cleansing of the skin from acne, spider veins, redness and black spots, pustules and peeling. The abundance of meat, according to followers, helps fight depression and reduce anxiety.

But gastroenterologists and nutritionists often criticize such nutrition – it is dangerous for health and can threaten with serious consequences. Especially with diseased kidneys or liver.

See also

Eskimo roots

This style of eating is not new. For the first time in the literature, it is described as a forced measure by Arctic explorers in 1928. As an experiment, two scientists lived for a year among the Eskimo peoples, eating exclusively meat.

They described both weight loss and discomfort – nausea, diarrhea, constipation, a strange craving for calf brains. But by the end of the year, the body still adapted to such food. Also, no signs of vitamin deficiency and high blood pressure were described, but there were two test subjects and they were both young.

In addition, they did not take any tests. Already in our century, in 2017, a doctor in the United States was deprived of his license for promoting this style of nutrition, since his recommendations were recognized as “not competent enough.”

Following the example of their ancestors

Adherents of such a “diet” emphasize that our ancestors were carnivores and ate meat. But it is important to understand that in the Stone Age and today meat is different, and radically . Wild buffaloes and mammoths, in comparison with modern cows, goats, sheep, are completely different in terms of meat structure. Plus, our ancient ancestors did not eat processed meat – sausage, sausages, etc.

And, of course, our ancient ancestors did not end up on plant foods — they ate roots, fruits, raw vegetables, grains. And adherents of the carnivore diet refuse any plant products, citing the fact that phytic acid, gluten (grain gluten) and lectins from plant sources are poison to the human body. Allegedly, they provoke inflammation, autoimmune reactions and weight gain.

Meanwhile, not a single scientific confirmation of these words was found in international scientific databases. This is nothing more than horror stories. Yes, approximately 0.5-1% of the population is at risk of developing celiac disease, gluten intolerance, but they can safely eat any non-gluten plant foods.

Ancestors didn’t live up to our problems

Why can’t we try on our ancestors’ food, including this diet, for ourselves? First of all, ancient people needed to consume up to 4000 kcal per day to warm the body, run after mammoths and dig roots, fight off predators. That is, people were practically in constant motion.

The second nuance, and perhaps even more important than the previous one, was that life expectancy was different. At 30, ancient people were very old. Their diet did not lead to atherosclerosis and heart attacks, because they simply did not live up to them.

Why doctors are against

An excess of protein, in fact, like any other substances in the body, will not do any good. If the kidneys are sick, there may be a sharp deterioration in their work , up to insufficiency. No less dangerous is protein overload for the intestines and liver. There is a high risk of constipation, nausea, extremely unpleasant breath, sweat and skin odor.

Excess protein increases the level of uric acid , which can cause damage to the joints, skin and kidneys. In addition, fried meat is rich in carcinogens, which have been linked to cancer risk. The more often deep-fried meat with a dark crust is consumed, the risk is correspondingly higher.

Meat contains iron and B vitamins, zinc, but little calcium and no fiber at all. Therefore, the vitamin-mineral balance will also suffer . Of course, problems will not appear immediately, but after a few months or years.

Text author:Alena Paretskaya

Meat diet for weight loss: menus, reviews and results

The meat diet is attractive with a varied menu and rapid disappearance of excess fat. Learn her basic rules, choose one of 8 diets and lose up to 6 kg in 10 days without hunger and training!

ContentHide

• Basic rules of the meat diet
• Benefits
• Contraindications
• Meat diet menu
• For 3 days
• For 5 days 9000 4
• 7 days
• 10 days
• 14 days
• Diet options
• Fruit and meat
• Vegetable and meat
• Milk and meat
• Recipes
• Reviews and results of those who lost weight on a meat diet

Author: Kristina Lobanovskaya, doctor, practicing nutritionist

Article updated: 02/04/2023

The meat diet is classified as a protein diet, which guarantees excellent results when losing weight, and therefore is so popular among those who want to lose a couple of kilograms. Is it possible to lose 6 kg in 10 days? Really, if you practice the meat menu. The features of this technique will be discussed right now.

Basic rules for a meat diet

1. During the meat diet, it is allowed to eat any lean meat, but the daily portion should not exceed 0.5 kg.
2. Vegetables are an excellent addition to a steak or other meat dish, but the consumption of starchy foods (potatoes, carrots) should be limited. Vegetables are best boiled or steamed.
3. It is not forbidden to eat eggs.
4. The use of sweets, starchy foods and alcohol should be avoided.
5. Do not eat cereals and sweet fruits.
6. Use olive oil for frying and salad dressing.
7. Avoid salt.
8. For effect, the fat burning program can be supplemented with physical activity, body wraps and massages.
9. Last meal – no later than 8 pm.

Benefits

Many of those who were on a meat diet say that during the event they were not tormented by bouts of hunger and the days flew by very quickly. It is not surprising, because the product contains the necessary minerals and vitamins, therefore, with such a diet, not only kilograms go away, but the body is also saturated with useful substances.

Contraindications

Meat is considered a rough food and takes a long time to digest. That is why there is a risk of problems with the stomach and stool (often constipation occurs with such a diet). The minimum intake of carbohydrates with such a diet often provokes the appearance of headaches, feelings of fatigue, apathy.

Not suitable for persons under 18 years of age, pregnant women and the elderly. In the presence of chronic diseases, it is also desirable to abandon the idea of ​​​​losing weight on a protein diet.

It is not recommended to practice the program for more than 10 days, it is fraught with deterioration of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.

In any case, before changing the usual menu, consult a specialist!

Meat diet menu

Meat weight loss program can be of different duration. The shortest diet option is designed for 3 days. But for those who want to get a greater effect and at the same time have excellent endurance and a great desire to lose weight, the two-week technique may appeal to you. Let’s talk about each of them in more detail.

For 3 days

A 3-day diet is also called a fast diet. During this time, it takes up to 2-3 kilograms. To some, this plumb line will seem insufficient, but given that you do not have to starve, this is a pretty good result. There are several options for the three-day technique.

First

During the day, you need to eat 400 grams of unsalted boiled lean pork, dividing the meat into 5 meals. It is allowed to use boiled cabbage and / or beets as a side dish. You also need to drink a lot – in addition to green unsweetened green or herbal tea, which is required to complete meals, you need to drink another 1.5-2 liters of plain water.

Second option

The daily ration of this meat diet option should include a quarter kilogram of stewed lean pork, turkey or chicken, a salad of tomatoes and boiled eggs, flavored with olive oil and lemon juice. It is recommended to quench thirst with a rosehip decoction. Please note that it contains substances that destroy tooth enamel, so the decoction should be drunk through a straw, and then rinsed out. In addition to it, you will have to drink at least one and a half liters of water without gas.

For 5 days

The menu offered for 3 days is not forbidden to practice for 5 days. In this case, you will be able to throw off 4-7 kg. In one of the meals, meat can be replaced with eggs. Do not forget to observe the drinking regimen. The advantage of the technique is that even in such a short period of time the body gets used to the proper nutrition system, so in the future you will be able to get rid of the addiction to overeat.

For 7 days

A week-long marathon is not as difficult as it might seem, since the diet is quite balanced. An excellent incentive is the fact that in 7 days you can lose up to 8 kg. The result depends on the individual characteristics of the organism, as well as on the number of extra kilos.

Sample menu for the week

Monday

• Breakfast: green salad; 100 gr. boiled pork.
• Lunch: egg; homemade sausage (recipe will be given below).
• Lunch: 100 gr. boiled white meat.
• Snack: boiled beets.
• Dinner: 100 g grilled fish.

Tuesday

• Breakfast: 100 gr. boiled beef.
• Lunch: tomato or cucumber.
• Lunch: 100 g grilled veal; tomato.
• Snack: sausage.
• Dinner: small boiled chicken breast.

Wednesday

• Breakfast: 100 g cod stew.
• Lunch: soft-boiled egg; sausage.
• Lunch: 100 gr. boiled lean pork.
• Snack: vegetable salad.
• Dinner: 5-6 boiled shrimp.

Thursday

• Breakfast: 100 gr. red meat; green salad.
• Lunch: sausage; tomato.
• Lunch: 100 gr. turkeys.
• Snack: 2 quail eggs; cucumber salad.
• Dinner: 100 gr. chicken breast.

Friday

• Breakfast: 100 gr. boiled pork.
• Lunch: coleslaw.
• Lunch: 100 g steamed fish.
• Snack: boiled or steamed beets.
• Dinner: homemade sausage.

Saturday

• Breakfast: 50 gr. boiled turkey; lettuce leaves.
• Lunch: egg; tomato.
• Lunch: cucumber. 100 gr. boiled chicken fillet;
• Afternoon snack: shredded cabbage drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice.
• Dinner: 6-7 boiled shrimp.

Sunday

• Breakfast: 100 gr. fish steamed or baked in foil.
• Lunch: soft-boiled egg; cucumber.
• Lunch: 200g piece of boiled pork.
• Snack: tomato and greens salad.
• Dinner: 100 g chicken.

For 10 days

The optimal time for a meat marathon to lose 5-7 kg is 10 days. The basic principles of the event are similar to those we have already discussed above. It is allowed to eat meat in any form, however, it is still advisable to limit the consumption of fried foods, drink plenty of fluids and exercise, then you will not have to wait long to achieve your goal.

The menu for the day is as follows:

8:00:

• 100 gr. beef, chicken, pork or turkey;
• 100 gr. dill, parsley, spinach or other leafy vegetables.

10:30:

• soft-boiled chicken egg;
• lettuce leaves.

13:00:

• the same as the first meal, but the portion should be doubled.

16:00:

• vegetable salad drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil.

18:30-19:00:

• 100 gr. grilled fish or boiled meat;
• fresh or steamed vegetables.

Green tea or black coffee without sugar is allowed to supplement meals. Every day it is also necessary to drink 1.5-2 liters of mineral water or rosehip broth.

For 14 days

Nutritionists do not recommend practicing a protein weight loss program for more than 10 days, since a carbohydrate deficiency threatens to disrupt the functioning of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. However, if you revise the diet of the meat diet and add cereals and some dairy products to it, then it can last 2 weeks.

Approximate menu

In the first week of the diet for breakfast, you should drink a cup of tea or black coffee without sugar. In the second week, breakfast drinks should be alternated, that is, on Monday – tea, on Tuesday – coffee, etc. 2 hours before bedtime, you can drink a glass of tomato juice, green tea or kefir.

First day

• Lunch: boiled egg; cabbage salad.
• Lunch: 100 gr. boiled white meat; the same portion of brown rice.
• Snack: 200 gr. defatted cottage cheese.
• Dinner: 100 gr. steamed pollock or tuna; vegetable salad.

Second day

• Lunch: 150 g coleslaw and canned peas; cracker.
• Lunch: 150 gr. boiled fish; 100 g of rice.
• Snack: vegetable salad.
• Dinner: 200g steamed beef.

Third day

• Lunch: egg; green apple or a couple of kiwi.
• Lunch: egg; carrot salad flavored with olive oil.
• Snack: cabbage, carrot and pepper salad.
• Dinner: 100 gr. steamed chicken breast.

Fourth day

• Lunch: 3 slices of hard cheese; egg.
• Lunch: 100 gr. lean meat; so many zucchini on the grill.
• Snack: grapefruit.
• Dinner: 2 cucumbers.

Fifth day

• Lunch: 150 gr. vegetable salad.
• Lunch: 150 gr. steamed fish; 50 g of rice.
• Snack: carrot salad.
• Dinner: an apple.

Sixth day

• Lunch: same as on the first day.
• Lunch: menu of the second day.
• Snack: same as yesterday.
• Dinner: egg; 150 gr. dressed with olive oil carrot salad.

Seventh day

• Lunch: green apple or citrus.
• Lunch: 200 gr. beef.
• Snack: 7 tablespoons low-fat cottage cheese.
• Dinner: 200 g sliced ​​vegetables.

Eighth day

• Lunch: an apple.
• Lunch: the size of portions is the same as on the second day, only instead of fish – chicken, instead of rice – buckwheat.
• Snack: 3 slices of cheese.
• Dinner: vegetable mix.

Ninth day

• Lunch: a serving of coleslaw.
• Lunch: 150 gr. Chicken; 50 g of rice.
• Snack: a serving of carrot salad.
• Dinner: a couple of eggs; a piece of bread.

Tenth day

• Lunch: same as yesterday.
• Lunch: yesterday’s portion of rice, but fish instead of chicken.
• Snack: a glass of tomato juice.
• Dinner: grapefruit.

Eleventh day

• Lunch: egg.
• Lunch: cut vegetables.
• Afternoon snack: a couple of slices of cheese.
• Dinner: an apple, a couple of kiwis or an orange.

Twelfth day

• Lunch: an apple.
• Lunch: 150 gr. boiled beef; rice.
• Snack: coleslaw.
• Dinner: 4-5 quail eggs.

Thirteenth day

• Lunch: yesterday afternoon tea.
• Lunch: yesterday’s portion of beef; for garnish – oatmeal.
• Snack: fresh orange juice.
• Dinner: 150 gr. steamed fish; 50 g of rice.

Last fourteenth day

• Lunch: 7 tablespoons of cottage cheese.
• Lunch: same menu as last night.
• Snack: vegetables.
• Dinner: a couple of eggs; a piece of bread.

Diet options

If the proposed methods do not suit you for weight loss for any reason, you may find the meat diet option that is right for you from those that will be presented below.

Fruit and Meat

It may seem to many that the combination of meat and fruit is not harmonious, but if you alternate foods correctly, you will get real pleasure from eating and at the same time will be happy to lose weight. By the way, many of those who practiced such a system lost about 5 kilos in a week (and the duration of the program is exactly that).

Sample menu for the day:

• 8:00 am: a cup of green tea, it is not forbidden to add a spoonful of natural honey to it;
• 12:00: 200 g boiled meat or fish;
• 15:00 and 18:00: favorite fruits (it is better to refuse bananas) in an amount of no more than a kilogram.

Drink water and/or unsweetened tea in unlimited quantities between meals.

Vegetable and Meat

A diet of vegetables and meat is considered to be fairly balanced. A weight loss program with such a menu is designed for 5 days and allows you to get rid of 3-4 kg.

The main rule is to give up potatoes, alcoholic and carbonated drinks.

Meal plan

First day

• You have to eat fresh and boiled vegetables, eat a couple of slices of Borodino bread and drink 8 glasses of tomato juice.

Subsequent two days

• 8:00 am: unsweetened tea, whole grain toast, 20 g butter;
• 12:00: chicken broth with a piece of meat, a portion of boiled beans, a slice of bread;
• 03:00 pm: a cup of tea with a spoonful of honey;
• 18:30: a couple of eggs, 200 g of meat (it is allowed to replace the same portion of cottage cheese).

Last two days

• 8:00 am: 150 g cottage cheese, cucumber or tomato;
• 12:30: vegetable soup, slice of bread, favorite fruit;
• 18:00: sliced ​​vegetables, bread, morning portion of fermented milk product.

Milk and meat

This method of losing weight can also be called protein-meat, because the diet is based on proteins contained in the products consumed. You will have to refrain from it in case of individual lactose intolerance.

From Monday to Thursday, you can eat as usual, just change your breakfast and reduce portions. The main plummet is noted in the last 3 days of the diet, so on Friday, Saturday and Sunday you need to pay special attention to nutrition and completely revise your diet.

Breakfast from Monday to Thursday

• 250 gr. cheese;
• 200 ml natural yoghurt with minimum fat content;
• lemon-honey drink (in 200 ml of water, dissolve a teaspoon of honey and the same amount of lemon juice).

Friday

• Drink 100 ml of hot water immediately after waking up.
• Breakfast: a cup of hot chocolate.
• Lunch: grapefruit or orange, a liter of water.
• Lunch: 150g steak. or boiled white meat.
• Snack: natural yoghurt.
• Dinner: unsalted vegetable broth, 500 gr. boiled vegetables.
• Before going to bed: yogurt.

Saturday

• There is no breakfast as such, instead you should drink 1.5 liters of water within two hours.
• Lunch: 500 ml broth, hot chocolate, a glass of grapefruit juice.
• Snack: yogurt.
• Dinner: oven baked trout, vinaigrette.
• Before going to bed: yogurt.

Sunday

• Breakfast: 2 glasses of water, a glass of grapefruit juice, hot chocolate.
• After breakfast, drink a liter of water within two hours.
• Lunch: foil-wrapped chicken or turkey (200 grams), or equivalent fish with sliced ​​vegetables.
• Dinner: baked potatoes.
• Before going to bed: yogurt.

Recipes

Baked Trout

You will need:

• Trout;
• lemon;
• greens;
• spices.

Cooking method:

1. Rub the cleaned fish carcass with spices (it is better to refuse salt) and pour over with lemon juice.
2. Stuff with your favorite herbs and spread on foil. Put the rest of the greens on top.
3. We form an envelope from foil and send it to the oven.
4. Bake for half an hour at 180 degrees.
5. Put on a plate.

Vegetable soup

You will need:

• cauliflower – 1 head;
• tomatoes – 2 pieces;
• carrots – 1 piece;
• onion – 1 piece;
• potatoes – 1 piece;
• salt – minimum;
• greens – to taste;
• water – 2.5 liters.

Cooking method:

1. Dip diced potatoes into boiling water.
2. Divide the cabbage into inflorescences.
3. Grate the carrots on a medium grater.
4. We chop the onion.
5. Cut the tomatoes into small pieces.
6. We send all the vegetables to the potatoes as soon as the water boils again.
7. Add spices.
8. Boil potatoes until done.
9. Serve to the table, sprinkled with herbs.

Chicken sausages

You will need:

• chicken drumsticks – 4 pcs.;
• legs – 4 pcs.;
• chicken breast – 1 piece;
• milk – 1 glass;
• garlic – 2 cloves;
• spices (salt, black pepper, paprika) – to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Prepare the meat, separate it from the bones.
2. Peel the garlic. We pass through the press.
3. Fill the prepared fillet with milk.
4. Add garlic.
5. Put it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
6. After the specified time, grind the meat in a blender at maximum speed or pass it through a meat grinder several times.
7. We put spices in minced meat. We mix.
8. Put a small amount of minced meat on cling film and form a sausage by wrapping it in several layers and tying the edges. In this way, we deal with all the minced meat.
9. Store the product in the refrigerator. Before serving, they should be boiled for 20 minutes in boiling water without removing the film (do not forget to remove it before use!).

Hot chocolate

The milk-meat diet allows hot chocolate. For its preparation you will need:

• a glass of milk;
• a teaspoon of quality cocoa;
• teaspoon of natural honey.

Preparation:

1. Bring the milk to a boil.
2. Pour in cocoa, stirring constantly, until it is almost completely dissolved.
3. Remove from heat, wait until cool and add honey. Attention: adding honey to a hot drink makes it not only sweeter, but also more dangerous, because under the influence of high temperatures, the bee product acquires carcinogenic properties.

Reviews and results of those who lost weight on a meat diet

The effect of losing weight on a meat diet depends on many factors – this is the chosen method, and its duration, and the presence / absence of physical training, and even your initial weight. On average, it takes up to 4 in 3 days, up to 6 in 5 days, and about 8 kilograms in 2 weeks.

Natalia, 30 years old

After the New Year holidays, I gained about 6 kg and began to weigh 66 kilos with my height of 166 cm. I panicked and immediately went to the Internet to look for a suitable weight loss system. And here it is my dream – a meat diet. I kept it for 10 days, during which time the excess weight was gone. To be honest, the first 3 days were pretty hard, but then I got used to it and even began to like it so much that I thought about extending the marathon for another week or two, but the contraindications scared me. I turned to this program for the second time before the beach season, during the same period I became 5 kg lighter and, finally, got into my favorite dress.

Anna, 29 years old

Excess weight is a problem that I have been trying to deal with since my youth. I tried a lot of diets, some did not give the desired effect, others were completely so tough that I could not stand them. I came across one of the forums for meat, thought that there was nothing to lose and decided to try it. The most difficult thing for me was to drink 2 liters of water, because I am not a water drinker. However, when after 10 days I got on the scales and saw a plumb line of 5 kg, I realized that the efforts were not in vain.

Svetlana, 25 years old

Many people gain weight after childbirth, and I got fat when my husband and I started planning a child, because the first thing I decided to do was quit smoking. In a couple of months I gained 9 kilograms, because every time I wanted to have a smoke break, I had a snack and ate cookies, cakes, sweets. But this could not continue, then a friend told me about the meat diet.