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Carnivore Hacks You Need to Know

Carnivore Hacks You Need To Know

Eating a meat-based diet is about as simple as you can get! Some people think this is a restrictive or boring way of eating. That is so not the case! But I suppose it depends on your perspective, your mindset, and if you really want true health and healing with a side of weight loss 😉 The way I see it, carnivore has simplified my life tremendously in so many ways! Today I’m sharing my favorite carnivore hacks that you need to know!

Plan Ahead

This one takes some initiative, but it’s so worth it. Whether you are just starting out or have been eating a meat-based diet for a long time, taking the time to plan will make your life easier and keep you from the temptation to grab other foods.

Once you have a basic carnivore food list it doesn’t take much time to create your plan. Meal prep is helpful, but really not necessary if you don’t have the time for it. As long as you have your favorite animal products stocked in your fridge, you’re good to go! If you need to pack a lunch for work, you can batch-cook to make life easier. You’ll just need to work that into your weekly schedule so you’re not scrambling or skipping meals unintentionally.

Buy In Bulk

It’s always best to support local farms and businesses, buying directly from farmers and butchers. You’ll have the peace of mind that comes with knowing exactly where the meat comes from, how the animals are cared for and raised, and strengthening your local economy.

Most areas have some sort of bulk retail store if buying directly from a farm or butcher isn’t an option. You can buy large quantities of meat and butter and freeze what you won’t use right away.

Make Money When You Shop

Not only can you save money when buying in bulk, but you can also earn money when you use an app like Fetch Rewards. With this app, you can scan your physical receipts, email receipts, and even Amazon purchases to earn points. Those points add up and can be redeemed for gift cards, including Amazon, Visa, Buffalo Wild Wings, and dozens of other retailers and restaurants! Follow the link HERE and enter referral code HP57TX to start earning.

Handy Dandy Appliances

It depends on your preferred cooking methods, so I can’t say you need all of these. Pick and choose the right appliances for your preferred methods that work with the cuts of meat and foods you love to eat. 

I love steak, wings, roasts, ground beef, ground chicken, carnivore chicken nuggets, and brisket. All of these can be cooked in my Ninja Foodi air fryer/pressure cooker/slow cooker. Having one appliance that can do all the things saves money and space! If you are looking for basic single-function appliances, here’s the list for easy carnivore cooking:

Ninja Foodi multi-function

(seriously this thing does everything but wash the dishes afterward!)

Ninja Foodi Smart Grill – set your protein and level of doneness you prefer and ta-daa…no more over-cooked steak or dry chicken!

Otto Wilde Grill – ok so this is high-end and not even remotely necessary…but it’s on my wish list! If you have the means, I highly recommend it 😉

BONUS TIP!

This blew my mind! How…WHY…did I never think of this in the first year+ of being a carnivore? I have two words for you, my friend. If you use an air fryer daily – or multiple times a day like I do – and you’re not already doing this, it’s absolutely going to change your life. PARCHMENT. PAPER. in your air fryer. That’s right! Line your air fryer with parchment paper to catch all the rendered fat, making clean-up just seconds of your time.

Of course, you can buy parchment paper anywhere, but here is a good Amazon option!

Find a Community That Suits You

This is super important. It doesn’t matter if you are brand new to carnivore, have been carnivore for years, or even if you’re a coach like me. It’s important to surround ourselves with like-minded people who are supportive and caring. People you can learn from, share with, and be of service to yourself. Yes, even if you’re new, you can help others by offering support, friendship, and asking questions. Check out the links below to join free or low-cost groups, or book one-on-one carnivore coaching sessions with me!

Beyond the Scale Facebook Group

Nutrition-Hackers Facebook Group

The Candid Carnivore Facebook Page

The Candid Carnivore on Instagram

Some links may be affiliate links in which case I may earn a small commission when a product is purchased, at NO EXTRA cost to you 🙂

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Carnivore Isn’t Working? Stop!

So you’ve jumped in but it seems like carnivore isn’t working. 

Now what?

My first piece of advice…stop. 

I don’t mean stop carnivore! You’re not getting off that easy! 

I mean stop comparing yourself to other people. Especially stop comparing yourself to those who are younger, fitter, have less to heal, and who have been doing this way longer than you. 

What To Do Instead

Let’s think about this logically. Carnivore truly is the proper human diet. There’s just too much scientific and anecdotal evidence to ignore. Carnivore, in any form, is far superior to any standard dietary guidelines. The exact right way to carnivore for you specifically may be different than it is for your favorite carnivore expert or influencer. 

This is no fad. Rather the information is being shared with greater ease thanks to the internet and social media, making that information more easily accessible. Sadly, that means it can also get a little confusing with so many versions and opinions out there. 

I’ll Keep Saying It Until You Hear Me

Bioindividuality matters. You’ll often hear some carnivores say that all we need to do is eat fatty meat and drink water. Simple. How I wish that were true for me. See, I’m a complicated being. Just ask my family. This was #1 on my list of 5 Things I Learned as a Carnivore. “Just eat meat” is as frustrating as the old standard “eat less and move more” for those of us with significant damage that we need to heal. 

On the flip side, to say that carnivore doesn’t work is like throwing up your hands and abandoning your home because a lightbulb burned out. That’s ridiculous. Of course it works. You just can’t force your body to do what it’s not ready to do. You can’t do what someone half your age is doing. You can’t heal decades of damage in 90 days. 

Healing Factors

If you’re older, it’s going to take longer.

If you have a lot to heal, it’s going to take longer. 

Don’t compare yourself to a 20-something with a few years of damage if you’re over 40 and/or have several years or a lifetime of damage to heal. 

You also simply cannot compare yourself to someone who started carnivore several years ago or who didn’t have as many years of damage or severity of illness. 

Think about this. If a 5-year-old falls and scrapes a knee, and you fall and break a hip, who will heal faster? 

Or this: if you fall down the stairs at age 40 but have no health issues and lean muscle mass, and your 40-year-old friend falls down the stairs but has brittle bones, little muscle, and inflammation, who’s going to heal faster?

Unfair Comparison

The only person you can compare yourself to is the version of you prior to starting carnivore. And if you’ve been eating this way for less than 6 months, don’t even compare yourself to yourself!

Your body will prioritize healing and we can’t always observe that in the mirror or on the scale. You may also lose some weight if that is your goal. But if you stall, or if it’s not happening as quickly as you want, you may need to change some ratios, and look at your calorie intake to make sure you are eating enough and getting enough fat and protein. What you can’t do is simply give up and walk away from a future healthy you that you just can’t see yet. Give it time. Take note of every improvement. 

Keep the faith, my friend. You are loved and you are worth the work and time it will take to get there. 

If you need help, I got you covered.

Looking for one-on-one coaching? Click here!

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Navigate Holidays with a Carnivore Coach

Navigating Holidays – a Carnivore Coach Can Help 

Always on the lookout for inspiring content, I happened upon Dr. Lisa Weiderman’s latest video last week. CarnivoreDoctor, as she is known on YouTube and Instagram, takes us on a beach walk with her as she talks about what she calls ‘the excuse trifecta’ and how it’s so important to have a plan to navigate holidays with a carnivore coach or other support. You can check out her video here!

Holidays are Hard!

We all know trying to stay away from carbs and sugar during the holidays can take a toll on us especially if we are coming from food addiction or disordered eating. It’s a well-known fact that holidays are just really hard when trying to stick to a particular way of eating that excludes traditional foods. I won’t call them treats anymore, because poisoning yourself should never be considered a treat! Like my t-shirt says, ‘Eating sugar and calling it a treat is like getting punched in the face and calling it a gift’. (You can find that and other carnivore merchandise in my shop here)

Dr. Weiderman made an excellent point in her video – the time to plan for those holiday temptations is NOW. Halloween candy is out in stores. Thanksgiving and Christmas won’t be far behind. Then you’ll start seeing all the weight loss gimmicks making their way into your life to ‘help you’ with your New Year’s resolution. 

Have a Plan!

Excuse season is upon us! Make your plan now to deal with those things when they come up! There are lots of free Facebook Groups and various levels of paid groups on other platforms. You can watch carnivore YouTube channels and listen to carnivore books and podcasts, or enlist the expertise of a carnivore coach to help you one-on-one or in a small group setting.

When you have a group of people with similar goals and challenges, your strength is multiplied by them. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals in a place you feel safe to share, ask questions, give and receive support. Yes, even if you are just starting out, you can lend support to others. Your experience and your struggle, or just being there for someone to lean on, is valid and important. In turn, when you lend support, you strengthen your own resolve.

If you need extra help, or if groups get to be too noisy for you, maybe you just want to focus on your own goals and challenges, then navigating the holidays with a carnivore coach may be a better fit for you. A carnivore coach will understand your struggles and work with you to develop strategies for success. Working with a coach will give you the confidence to say no to foods that may sabotage your progress while still enjoying gatherings with family and friends. You’ll have a tailored plan to combat cravings and temptation that fits your life.

Find the Right Support Tools

You can do all the things – large groups, support groups, one-on-one carnivore coaching, podcasts, videos, books…it’s all about resolving to only put the right things into your body and into your brain.

These things will help keep you on track, giving you a suit of armor for the holidays that assault us with sugar and carbs.

Follow the links below!

Facebook Group: Beyond the Scale

Why We Get Sick by Dr Ben Bikman

One-on-one coaching

Join now to inoculate yourself from the temptations, and have a personalized plan!

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5 Things I Learned as a Carnivore

My healing mission looks different today than it did 20 months ago – it’s changed even in the last six months. Hell, I’ve changed things up in the last two months! Here are some key items I’ve learned along the way. 

Slowwwww and Steady

5. It’s ok to make gradual changes. We always hear about how people just want instant gratification these days. Let me tell ya, when you add that societal trend to my life-long glaring lack of patience, I get a bit frustrated. I’ve learned that our bodies just can’t keep up if we change too much all at once. Aside from potential adverse effects, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what worked and what made no difference at all. If you change too much all at once how do you know what is helping or hurting your progress? Wanting instant gratification gets in the way of that.

I know my clients get frustrated when I tell them that I have several suggestions for them, but only give them one or two at a time. It’s not that I’m trying to stretch out their time with me. I want to take the one or two things that are likely to make the biggest impact and have them work on them for one or two weeks. Then we can gauge their progress and adjust as needed. 

Addiction Began in Childhood

4. Sugar and carb addiction is just as real as any other addiction. Maybe it doesn’t damage relationships or cost you your home or your job, but it does destroy your physical and mental health. I had this revelation somewhere around 1992. Man, that was a long time ago! I was sitting in my apartment, just 20 years old, fighting a mental battle no one else knew about. This unyielding urge to scrape up what change I could find to go to the store and buy whatever cakes and candy I could get. Not just once, not just some days. This was every damn day. It always felt like I was possessed. I remember talking to my mom about it and she was sympathetic, if not a little confused, but had no solution for me. I had no idea what to do about it.

A solution didn’t come for a few more years. Though the solution I chose out of desperation ended up being more disordered eating and I was still addicted. Rather than being obsessed with consuming these foods, I became obsessed with counting and tracking fat grams. Low fat was all the rage at the time. I became very thin but I was only eating carbs and sugar, very few calories. No fat or protein, no nutrition at all. I began developing arrhythmia, urinary problems, I was sick all the time, and lost my period. My moods were horrendous and I could barely function. 

Binging on Carnivore Foods

3. Binging absolutely can still happen on carnivore. I’ve heard so many influencers say that you can’t overeat on carnivore. That’s a dangerous claim for a binger. I’m trying to get used to smaller meals since people in the high-profile carnivore communities have been telling us to just eat as much meat as we want because it absolutely did trigger my binge eating disorder. It gave me the freedom to binge without guilt. Yes, I needed to actually nourish my body and not fear weight gain so I can begin to heal. But it also gave me permission to continue the disordered eating habit of binging.

I’ve heard some say it’s not possible to overeat fat. Somewhere in my subconscious, my brain said, “Challenge accepted! Hold my steak and watch this!” This was not a conscious decision. In some circles, it’s believed that the concept of priming is supposed to break the binging habit. That was not the case for me. The act of eating is a comfort for me. Doesn’t matter what the food is. The feeling of fullness equates to love, dopamine, and a really nice high. 

High Fat and Gut Health

2. High-fat carnivore may be the ideal approach for you – but you may need to heal some gut issues first. If you are not seeing results, or if your blood glucose increases dramatically when taking the ‘eat all the meats’/high-protein approach, you may need to adjust. If your body is converting more protein to glucose for energy, it’s fighting against what you’re attempting to do.

I think this happens a lot in those of us who are severely damaged metabolically. I put my body through hell with a lifetime of a very high-carb diet, chronic dieting, eating disorders (binging, restricting, bulimia, and a brief bout of anorexia), Hashimoto’s, sugar and carb addiction. So when my body takes in protein, it improvises so that it can comfortably continue to do what it’s always done by using glucose for fuel. While I’m healing, I’m not utilizing stored fat for energy. I argue this with my body every day, but we speak two different languages. So it’s my job to try to communicate what I want my body to do.

When I began doing this high fat/moderate protein version of carnivore, my body rebelled in a not-so-pleasant way. We’ll call it gastric distress. After weeks of making 6 – 8 trips per day to the bathroom with this ‘gastric distress’, I also caught some stomach virus – I think. I couldn’t stand the thought of eating any fat. My only nourishment for more than a week was eggs, plain gelatin flavored with electrolytes, and plain full-fat greek yogurt that I also flavored with electrolytes. I’m not recommending this tactic, but I think these foods helped heal and balance my gut microbiome. Now I can eat very high fat and not have any bowel issues at all. Yay for stomach viruses!

I’m joking, of course. It was not fun, I do not recommend it. But it caused an unintentional experiment and I learned something. I didn’t lose any weight at all during my illness, despite the amount of time I was on the toilet and despite the limited intake of food. I think it’s fascinating though! So, if you are feeling that you need to try the higher fat version of carnivore but your digestion is uncooperative, you may be able to add some gelatin and/or yogurt for a short time to balance things out so that you are able to process fats. Start reintroducing fat at a 50/50 fat to protein ratio of your calories and slowly increase the fat from there.

Individuality Matters

‘Just eat meat’ is becoming the new ‘eat less move more’ mantra.

1 . The number one most important this I’ve learned is this: Not everyone can carnivore the same way. Huge companies in the diet industry have been selling diets, supplements, pre-packaged ‘foods’, and the promise of looking good in a bikini for decades. These days, there are some big influencers promoting a one size fits all approach even when it comes to keto or carnivore. Maybe those plans work for the majority, but making a blanket statement urging people to just eat meat could be doing more harm than good. While ‘just eat meat’ is excellent advice, and will absolutely help kickstart the healing process, it’s not always just that simple. The carnivore community stands to lose people that way when they don’t get the same results. Each health mission is different, each body is different.

I wholeheartedly agree that it shouldn’t be overcomplicated – but it’s potentially detrimental to over-simplify as well. Particularly so if the person has an autoimmune issue, eating disorder, insulin resistance, or gut issues. It’s so important to take your own health issues into consideration, do your research, and work one-on-one with a coach if you have some specific challenges to navigate. Groups are wonderful for their support and camaraderie! Even small groups are great for coaching. But please take what you hear in large groups – or even what I write here! – with a grain of salt and use it as a launching point for your own mission. And if you’d like some one-on-one advice tailored specifically to your challenges and goals, you can reach me HERE!

thecandidcarnivore@gmail.com
Email me!

thecandidcarnivore@gmail.com

https://www.instagram.com/thecandidcarnivore/
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Food Addiction: Abstainer vs Moderator

food addiction abstainer vs moderator

Food addiction….is and always will be a bitch. 

You must eat to live so you can’t just simply not eat in the same way an alcoholic or drug addict would avoid situations that include drugs or alcohol. My original post on that can be found HERE

Why Food Addiction Matters

So in abstaining vs moderating, I’m referring to specific foods that trigger binge eating. No one, in my experience, has an issue with binging on celery or chicken breast. The problem occurs in those processed foods, sugar, and high-carb foods. These foods are designed to ‘light up’ the same part of our brains that causes substance addiction, sex addiction, gambling, and other behaviors that consume us and disrupt our lives. When food is an addiction, it interferes with our health, causes chronic diseases, and contributes to mental decline. While it might not sound like a big deal to be addicted to sweets – it seems harmless to some – those foods are causing our quality of life to spiral out of control, keeping us sick and dependent on pharmaceutical symptom management. 

Abstainers vs Moderators

Something I heard this week really resonated with me. I wish I could give credit to the person who said it, but I’m drawing a blank. Maybe Amy Bellinger? Emily Penton? I feel like it was one of those two lovely ladies. Anyway… ‘Addicts must be abstainers’.

Addicts MUST be abstainers. I believe this to be true of any addict, no matter the substance or source of addiction. Getting to the point of abstinence, however, may look different from person to person. Some addicts, or some addictions, can take a quit-it-an-forget-it approach. Rip off that bandaid and carry on. That can cause more severe adaptation or withdrawal symptoms, but the goal is typically accomplished more quickly. Others may require a step-down approach. This may drag out the process, but adaptation or withdrawal may be less severe and therefore more easily managed. In either approach, the goal and hopefully the result is the same.

Abstaining is Key for Most Addicts

Choosing which method is best for the addict is very personal and requires a great deal of being honest with themselves. My own battle with food addiction is ongoing. It’s been years in the making. I can confidently say my sugar and carb addiction is in remission at this point. Yet I still use food for comfort and that is hindering my progress to some degree. Am I still healing inside? I have no idea. I think so.

So while I do still ‘stress eat’ from time to time, I do not consume sugar or carbs and I do not eat with obsessive, uncontrollable action. I simply eat when I’m not truly hungry. It’s a problem and I’m still working on that. I believe I know what caused it but I’ll leave that for another time. I’m angry with those who suggested a specific practice without knowing my personal issues and angry with myself for thinking I could expect a different result. This is why there should be no specific program for everyone to follow. It’s dangerous and irresponsible. Unethical, even. 

Anyway, my point is that any program should be highly individualized, especially where addiction is involved. 

What About Moderation?

What about the moderation aspect? I don’t think this is possible for an addict. Maybe you have heard of an alcoholic who can just have a drink on special occasions without going on a bender, but I haven’t. Perhaps you know of a drug addict who can partake now and then without spiraling, but I don’t. 

If there is a substance or activity, even if you feel it’s healthy, but it consumes you…I’m sorry to say but that is an addiction. So this applies to anything that has become a source of comfort or a coping mechanism, but it harms you either immediately or in the long run, it’s an addiction. 

Comfort or Self-Sabotage?

If it brings you comfort but it’s contributing to your illness or hindering your progress, is that really comfort? Or is it self-sabotage? Moderating, or attempting to be a moderator, is not helping your progress. So, no. I do not believe in moderation when it comes to addictive behaviors. It doesn’t matter if that behavior is binging on donuts, running, smoking, or any other addiction. 

I know in my heart and soul I cannot ever have cake and ice cream. It will open up an old wound that I have worked far too hard for far too long to heal. It will not serve me in a positive way and I only have room for good and positive in my life. I will not go backward for a few moments of perceived bliss that will potentially drag me back to the hell that was my miserable failing health. Dramatic? Nope. Not at all. Food addiction is real and it ruins lives. 

Help is Here!

If you need help, please feel free to reach out. I can point you in the right direction or I can coach you one-on-one.

thecandidcarnivore@gmail.com
Email me!
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Book a session!

In the meantime, I wish you all the good things!

XOXO

The Candid Carnivore

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Going Carnivore – What Is Your Why

What is your why for going carnivore? My why is a pretty big one. It’s deep. This question could be applied to any new habit we start or goal we put in place. What is your why for…exercising, quitting smoking, cutting out caffeine, or dieting? Most of the time there is a very simple answer. You want to get healthy, you want to lessen your cancer risk, you want to fit into a dress or look better for an occasion, or you want better sleep.

Dig Deep, Make It Stick

In order to make your new habit stick, you’re going to need to come up with something better than any of those. Dig a little deeper. Keep asking yourself why with each answer.

Let’s say you have decided to try a carnivore diet. You might say your ‘why’ is because you want to lose weight. Ok, why do you want to lose weight? Maybe you feel uncomfortable or you no longer fit into your clothes. Losing weight may make you feel better and you may fit into your clothes again. But what other benefits would you gain? Maybe your knees won’t hurt anymore. What would you be able to do? Maybe you would reverse your type 2 diabetes and your doctor would reduce your meds. Would your autoimmune issues resolve? Perhaps infertility would no longer be part of your story.

My Why Has Changed, and That’s a Good Thing

For me, my why initially was my weight. It became so much more than that. I noticed my cognitive function had improved, my energy improved, and my muscle and joint pain improved. All of that happened before the weight loss started. So if I really break it down, my why is living.

I want to live. Allow me to clarify – I want to LIVE. I don’t want to simply exist. Surviving isn’t good enough. I want to soak up every moment, drenched in joy and gratitude. Every day that my health improves makes this kind of living possible. I have a pain-free life. I’m not ruled by carb addiction and sugar addiction. Binge eating is part of my past. My thinking is clear. My energy is high and steady. My anxiety has decreased. I am at a healthy, sustainable weight. Hair no longer falls out by the handful. In fact, my hair is growing back! I feel hope and gratitude every day. My body and mind are truly healing.

That Feeling of Zen

The physical changes are many. The changes to my mind and my spirit, however, are what keep me in this space ready to help others achieve the same blissful existence. Those physical changes allowed me to focus on something bigger than myself and my small world. With that, came the beginning of mental and emotional healing. Have you heard of the term ‘carnivore zen’ or ‘low carb zen’? It’s that stress-less, love more, gratitude, and peace that comes with true healing. When you realize you are no longer suffering and want to share this new-found appreciation for life with anyone who will listen.

I actually used to think it was a little hokey when I heard people talk about how your why needs to be something really big. Like dropping 50 pounds isn’t big? To my surprise, it’s not. It’s not everything. It’s not even the most important thing. Weight loss is often a happy side-effect of the crazy health benefits of being meat-based, animal-based, carnivore, high-fat carnivore (Fativore!), or keto. It’s the disease reversal, the giddiness of symptom relief, the gratitude you are able to feel, and then the weight.

Are You Ready?

If you need help finding your ‘why’, drop me a line! I’m happy to do a free consultation to help you decide how to approach your healing. You can email me, message me on any of my social accounts, or jump right in and book a coaching session.

thecandidcarnivore@gmail.com
book a coaching session

XOXO

~ The Candid Carnivore

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Carnivore Cooking: Best Ribeye Cooking Method

Carnivore cooking, as I say, never has to be boring. But there is something to be said for the potential simplicity of it. Cooking a carnivore meal doesn’t need to be a complicated recipe with a dozen steps and ingredients. No need to figure out what to have as a side dish.

The same cut of meat cooked in a slightly different way is often all that is needed to add variety! 99% of the time, I air fry my steak – and every other meat, honestly. It’s just so fast, easy, and mess-free. This time, however, I added a little sizzle by searing my steak in bacon fat. The crisp outer layer, flavored with that delicious bacon added more depth to the flavor and more interest to the texture.

Check out more of my Instagram posts!

https://www.instagram.com/thecandidcarnivore/

XOXO

~ The Candid Carnivore

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Carnivore Cooking: the Grilled Burrito!

The Carnivore Grilled Burrito! Carnivore may be a well-known elimination diet, but it’s far from being restrictive. I have some carnivore recipes to share to help add some spice to your meal time!

I saw someone post a similar video on Instagram – I think. But hers turned out perfectly! Not sure what I did wrong, but it still tasted amazing! And it can be customized based on your taste, preference, goals, and sensitivities if you have any.

Carnivore cooking is really very adaptable. Here, I just used some local ground beef, Slap Ya Mama seasoning, Tapatio Hot Sauce (our favorite!), EggLife Wraps, and a little shredded cheese. But you could add sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, whatever! If you are just focused on gluten-free, this is a great option and you can add any veggies you like. If you’re keto, it works beautifully. And if you’re a carnivore, like me, it’s a nice treat! I have to be careful with dairy and seasonings, so I wouldn’t do this every day. But it adds a really nice variety to my menu. Check out my post on Carnivore Tacos here!

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more kitchen shenanigans! If you are curious about how a low carb or zero carb life can help you in your health goals, reach out to me on my socials, email me, or book a coaching session. I’ll help you come up with a plan that fits your life and your health needs.

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XOXO

~ The Candid Carnivore

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Stop Dieting! Why Traditional Dieting Doesn’t Work

Stop Dieting! Why Traditional Dieting Doesn't Work

Dieting in the traditional way is not sustainable. Why traditional dieting doesn’t work, and what do I mean by that? When you go on a diet it’s a temporary solution to a problem that returns when you stop utilizing said solution. Usually, this is some combination of tracking calories, restricting calories, low fat, lots of veggies, fruit, and fiber, and increasing exercise. 

Calorie Restriction Doesn’t Work

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but, candidly speaking, calorie restriction for weight loss is bullshit. It’s not sustainable. Any weight lost will be gained back when you go back to eating ‘normally’. You can’t lose weight to become healthy. You must become healthy to lose weight. Weight gain is a metabolic disorder that can be reversed. 

Dieting Doesn’t Make You Healthy

I’m currently reading Dr. Ben Bikman’s book, Why We Get Sick. It’s really fascinating and confirms a lot of my suspicions and answers a lot of my questions about insulin and insulin resistance. I’ll share more insight from what I learn from him in future posts. If you’d like to read it for yourself, you can find it on Amazon

Dr. Bikman is a professor and metabolic scientist whose work really speaks to me. An analogy I recently heard Dr. Ben Bikman use went something like this: He asked his students to imagine he had invited them to a huge buffet celebration dinner. It would include all of their favorite foods. A smorgasbord of palatable delights. Now if you want to make sure you are good and hungry so that you can enjoy all of this food I’m providing, he asked, how would you prepare for that? How would you ensure you’re hungry enough to sample all that food?

The majority of his students explained that they would eat less for a couple of days. Some also said they would exercise a bit more. This was sure to make their bodies able to indulge in everything they wanted. Dr. Bikman’s reply? But isn’t that exactly what you do when you’re trying to diet? Therefore, the strategy of reducing calories or food intake and exercising more innately sets you up for failure because your body naturally then wants MORE. If you deprive your body of nutrition and then use up its energy stores by exercising more….guess what? You are going to be hungrier than usual! A great strategy for preparing to binge, but not great if you want to lose weight.

Extended restriction of calories initiates a change, slowing your metabolism. This may then trigger you to overeat and the cycle continues. Maybe you are able to attain weight loss in time for whatever event you’re dieting for and when that is over you go back to your old habits. Well…of course you do, you’ve been starving your body, your hormones, and your brain! You may very well be malnourished even when you’re eating whatever you like and overeating. This is what causes some of us to overeat in the first place. Your stomach is often full, and yet you always have a notion to eat. I mean, there’s always room for ice cream or a few more chips, right? Why? Lack of actual nutrition that is bioavailable to your body. See my blog post here on this topic – Obese and Malnourished/Stuffed but Starving. 

Love Yourself By Healing Yourself

Now, let me set the record straight once again – this is not about punishing yourself for not being a certain size or weight. Yes, you should love your body at any size – but love your body enough to nourish it and move it. That’s not self-loathing. THAT is loving the body you have and wanting it to function optimally so that you can live a long, beautiful, and fulfilling life as God intended. Not to be sick and miserable, putting on a brave face and telling yourself it’s ok to be this way. Stop abusing your body with nutrient-void, addictive garbage. This is not about a beauty standard. It’s about health. Physical, mental, and metabolic health. 

It’s also not immediately about weight loss. It’s about healing. Even if you don’t have a medical diagnosis and you have a waist-to-height ratio greater than 45-50%, you have metabolic issues to correct. This can be done with diet. Autoimmune disorders, diabetes, arthritis, insulin resistance, and many MANY health concerns can potentially be reversed by following a species (human) appropriate way of eating.

How Is That Possible?

Stop dieting! So how, exactly, do I propose you nourish your body and prevent or even reverse chronic disease without calorie restriction and exercise? The answer, my friend, is simple. That’s not to say it’s easy, but it is very simple. Eat what we as humans were designed to eat, and don’t eat what was not meant for us. Hint: there’s a reason every parent fights to get their kids to eat vegetables. 

My 2 rules for starting your mission to better health:

  1. Eat meat and other animal products (eggs, butter, etc.)
  2. Do NOT eat processed “foods” (if it comes in a box or has ingredients you wouldn’t recognize in nature ditch it)

This may be a slow, measured process or you might dive right in. I’ll help you decide which method is best for you! Feel free to email me at thecandidcarnivore@gmail.com if you would like more information on healing your body or losing weight; message me on my social media pages linked below, or click here to find out more about my virtual coaching sessions. I love helping people all over the world feel their best without buying some plan, program, special foods, or having to count or track anything! 

If you’re ready to feel your best, heal your body, get great sleep, and lose weight in the process, what are you waiting for? Contact me!

XOXO

~ The Candid Carnivore

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Tallow Skin and Hair Care Products

Buffalo Gal Grassfed Beauty Product Review

What are the best, most natural skin and hair care products on the market today?

Cosmetic and skin care companies would like you to think the best products are the ones they created in a lab that cost way too much money and often don’t deliver on the promises they make. 

So let’s think about this…if protein and fat give us such great results in our diet, healing us from the inside out, wouldn’t it make sense to use the same type of nourishing ingredients on the outside? Tallow products for skin and hair!

Ethical Skin Care and Hair Care Products – for real

I recently found a company online that DELIVERS on its claims. Buffalo Gal Grassfed Beauty. The company’s founder, Shalley, eats a meat-based diet herself, so she gets it! Everything they do is so thoughtfully done – from every single product, the descriptions, the clearly stated ingredients, and their take on ethical and green beauty. See their blog post on this topic here! It’s brilliant! They also have how-to posts and a very interesting outlook on pro-aging vs. anti-aging. 

I was looking around online for a tallow lip balm. I had purchased from another company previously and it was ok, but very expensive. That’s when I found Buffalo Gal Grassfed Beauty and was immediately impressed with the number of products they offer. Tallow shampoo bars and conditioner bars, tallow soaps, tallow deodorant, tallow moisturizer bars…SO. MANY. THINGS. 

What I Ordered and My Thoughts

Tallow Lip Balm: Creamy solid, not waxy. Long-lasting. Very moisturizing. Luxurious feel on the lips. This is my new BFF. I have dozens of various balms, sticks, and ointments. They are all going in the trash today. I don’t need them! Why hang on to something that ends up drying my lips out even more when the perfect, nourishing, natural lip balm is right here?

Tallow Shampoo Bar: I’ve never used a solid shampoo bar on my hair, so this was a new concept for me and I was a little intimidated. Lather it on your hands to use on your hair and section your hair to use it on your scalp – easy peasy! My hair and scalp don’t feel dried out and itchy like with some bottled shampoos. My hair feels and smells amazing!

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse: Admittedly, I was a bit worried that I’d smell like vinegar after using this product. I’m happy to say I was worried over nothing! This made my scalp feel so fresh and clean. The scent does not hang around in your hair at all. It left my hair super soft!

Hyaluronic Conditioner Bar: You don’t need a lot! Use long strokes on your hair, then rinse it out or leave it in for soft, healthy hair that feels stronger right away.

Free Curated Sample Set: Yeah, free sample set! No one does that anymore – but Buffalo Gal does! I received samples based on my specific skin needs. 

Here’s what I got in my sample set:

Cleansing Balm: I know I have said this about the other products, but this is so luxurious and nourishing. I have never used a cleanser that felt like this before. So buttery-smooth and luscious!

Toning Mist: I’m a believer! This gave my skin the boost I didn’t know it needed!

Tallow Face Balm and Tallow Night Repair Balm: These are the first tallow-based face products I have used that did NOT cause my skin to break out. More luxury, more lusciousness, my skin is very happy! I look forward to using these every morning and every night.

My Overall Review:

Happy 50-year-old hair and skin! Normal indoor lighting, no light ring, no filter, minimal makeup (just concealer between and under my eyes, cream blush, and eye makeup).
Taken just minutes after the indoor photo, outdoor lighting, no filter, and the same minimal makeup (just concealer between and under my eyes, cream blush, and eye makeup).

If you haven’t guessed by now, on a scale of 0 – 10, I give all of these products, the company, and the founder, Shalley, a 100 out of 10! 

I cannot recommend this company and the products enough. Coming from a super-skeptical person like me who hates to be ‘sold’ on things, that’s saying a lot. The products speak for themselves and the values of the company are authentic. I cannot wait to try more products! If you’re looking for natural, truly ethical green, sustainable beauty products for your whole body, you have to check our Buffalo Gal Grassfed Beauty. I’ve just ordered more face balm along with the deodorant, soap, and body butter bar to try next! These are really fine products from a small business with truly caring people.

Take a look at Buffalo Gal Grassfed Beauty and use code candidcarni10 at checkout for 10% off!

Thanks for checking out my review! I hope you are having a wonderful day and that you can take a minute to check out these incredible products. Your body will thank you! To learn how fat helps us on the inside, check out my last post: Fat and Brain Health: why we need fat to function.

XOXO

~ The Candid Carnivore

I purchased these items on my own prior to becoming an affiliate partner. Any purchase you make using the links here may earn me a small commission. I have not been paid for this review and it is not sponsored. The opinions expressed here are my own.