Day 29

      I pulled the plug today. Last night we had my grandson and his wife over for dinner and although what I ate was carnivore, I had a rich and creamy chocolate desert with whipped cream. I think that officially ends it. Except for February on a leap year, there are no months with 29 days, but that is close enough to a month.  

    The evaluation: It was more difficult that I thought it would be. 

                              No question, the weight loss happened and I am better for it. 

                              My appetite was definitely decreasing as the days went by, but then that might be why I always felt like I was running on an empty tank. Perhaps not enough fat. 

                             The metabolic highs and lows (glucose levels) were most certainly leveled out. No strong desire for that afternoon nap.

                             Strength felt diminished somewhat. Often a bit shaky in the legs. 

                             Definitely a fiber shortage and the accompanying problems with little fiber in the diet,. 

                            The lack of variety is a big problem, however I will never tire of one of those amazing steaks that I learned to perfect. I am done with greasy bacon and eggs for some time to come. 

                            The diverticulosis is completely gone. We will see how long it takes to return, if indeed it will. 

                           General aches and pains decreased to a very tolerable level. 

                           Itch on upper body and arms is getting worse by the day. Don't know if it is related, but will find out as I ease back into a 'normal' diet. 

                           The Viking's disease that I thought was in remission was feeling better for a few days but I attribute that now to a change in the weather. It is a type of arthritis and as such is susceptible to changes in atmospheric pressure.  

                          My biggest worry, the gout and kidney stones, was never an issue other than that little scare one day when I woke to what I thought was a pain in my right kidney. It left and never came back. 

      Would I do it again? Yes, if my body required it. Going forward, I will attempt to cut back on the carbs and for sure the sugar. This morning I had toast and coffee for breakfast, but for lunch the same old chicken broth with meat in it, and two boiled eggs. I am looking forward to those Cosmic Crisp apples once again. 

      Would I recommend it? I suppose it depends a lot on what sort of health issues one might have, but, yes, it is worth a try for anyone. Stick to it or you will never really know what it can do for you. 

     Thanks for joining me on this little adventure. 

     Check back for more topics. It seems a lot of people are enjoying my little anecdotes and perceptions of life. I have had around 300,000 views so far, 750 just this month. Thanks for looking. 

Day 26 & 27

      You know you have lost weight when you loosen your belt and your pants fall down without unbuttoning and unzipping. Happened to me today changing after my gym workout. Then we went to Costco and as we were walking the isles, I felt as though my pants were falling down. I turned my back to the crowd of shoppers and tried to pull my belt tighter, to the next notch. I was having trouble and looked down only to realize that there were no more notches. I was on the last one. 

     The last time I was this light was when I was first married. And that was around the time I started loading up on carbs. I went from 155 to 175 in a matter of weeks after my new wife, you know, the one I still have, started cooking for me. From there I crept up to the high 100's and have been there ever since, topping out at 220 a few months ago. This is the same, but in reverse. 

     I have three days to go. I am pretty sure that I will be changing from strictly carnivore to a more varied diet but with less carbs and for sure less sugar that what I was eating a month ago. Now that I have seen and felt the benefits of ketosis, I will strive for a moderation of food intake to keep my body on a fat burning mission. Not to lose more weight, but to experience the great feeling of less inflammation in my body. I will probably know that I have achieved this if my diverticulosis stays away. 

Day 25

      I had no breakfast today. I was not hungry and a friend was coming here for coffee. So, I ate nothing from 6pm last night to noon today. I only had one cup of coffee and nothing to eat. That is a good long fat burning fast. I will weigh in tomorrow and see what is what. 

     My usual winter itch is getting worse. Don't really know why. I do not have dry skin, never have had. My arms, neck and back are the worst. Thanks for the genes, father. This was one of the things I was hoping to get rid of. One thing for certain eliminates it totally and for the rest of the spring, summer, and fall, and that is vacation down south and tropical sun for two weeks. I have tested this method many times it is guaranteed. But is it the sun (UV) or is it the hot moist tropical air? 

     Time for a big, thick, juicy strip loin steak tomorrow. 

Day 24

     I hung in there for another day. There are no pains in the kidney today and that is a great thing. I feel pretty good but by my sleep is not as good as it was a week ago. That could be due to other factors. I felt stronger in the gym today, like I did pre-carnivore diet. 

    I went for community coffee time in our amenities room this afternoon. Of course, there is always coffee but there is always a sweet desert too. Today there was a big plate of ooey gooey brownies. I glanced at them and walked by. Dare I say that they did not appeal to me? At least they did not tempt me to the degree they would have a week ago. 

     Confession time. Yesterday busylizzy baked a big batch of homemade buns. No, not for me, but for others. I had not had enough Salmon for dinner and I had an empty spot. It was either a fresh homemade bun with butter and blackberry jelly, or a honey garlic peperoni stick. You guessed it. There was no bolt of lightening, no heavy duty guilt pangs, no severe stomach ache, no gaining an instant 5 lbs., only pure pleasure and shear joy. I honestly am beginning to believe that my body type absolutely needs carbs. Maybe not as many as I was used to, but it sure ran better for the rest of the evening. 

    We went for our customary 3.5 mile walk this afternoon. It went well except for the cold wind. 

     I think I will make it to the end of the month. 

 

Day 23

    

      The fork in the road, as portrayed in the above image, is where I am right now. Straight ahead represents carrying on with the carnivore diet. The left turn represents going back to my old eating habits. The right turn represents a Keto diet which is the next best thing to what I am doing now, cutting carbs and sugar, but introducing other foods into the diet. 

      At this point I am not even sure if I should tough out the whole 30 days, something I promised myself I would do. Why do I say that? When I first considered this carnivore thing, I was hesitant because I used to get gout and Uric acid kidney stones. After many very painful attacks of both kinds, including a traumatic emergency surgery, I was told that I could either take a drug to  prohibit the uric acid build up in my system, or I could eliminate red meat from my diet. I chose the 'no meat' option and stuck faithfully to it for more than 10 years, having only the occasional mild gout attack. 

     To go from that, to eating nothing but meat, was making me very hesitant. I researched as much as I was able and came to the conclusion that although the chance of aggravating the situation was remote, it has happened in the rare instance. Obviously, I was willing to take the chance. 

     Early this morning, at around 3 am, I awoke with a mild ache in my kidney area. This was higher than, and on the opposite side of, my usual lower back pain, which has greatly improved in the last few weeks. Needless to say, I panicked a bit and prayed that it was not the harbinger of a full blown attack. By mid-morning the feeling subsided. Was it my kidney? It felt like it. 

     As I lay awake until morning, I did a mental assessment of where I was at with the pros and cons of the diet. There a few issues that will disappear if I go off the diet. Hopefully, the kidney stone issue. I definitely need more fiber to move things along, and I sometimes wonder if my continual cravings are my body type telling me that I am missing something that my blood type or body type need to operate optimally. The final issue that I am struggling with, I have mentioned here before. That is the lack of energy and strength. It is like I have suddenly aged a few years, because it came on quite quickly after about 4-5 days of the diet. I have noticed lately that I have been cold. I am rarely cold, especially not my legs or feet. Again, it is probably because I am not eating enough fat. 

     So here I sit tonight, at a crossroad. I had salmon tonight as it is not red meat, so I have not yet thrown in the towel. Often sleeping on problem or decision brings fresh insight in the morning. Stay tuned.  
 

Day 21 and 22

      "They" say it only takes a few times to form a habit. This is the third time I am combining two days into one with my daily reports. Too busy eating all that meat, I guess. 

      I have passed the three week mark on my road to improving my health, through what I think is a rather extreme diet. Hitting the one month mark, I will take stock, review my experience, and then decide to abandon the effort, continue, or slowly transition to a sort of Keto diet. That would be a high fat and low carbohydrate way of eating. Anything to get some variety and some fiber into my diet. Right now I am eating basically zero carbs. 

      The most difficult thing for me is the lack of variety and the fact that I have always been repulsed by fatty foods. Frying eggs in the tallow from yesterdays steak is tasty, but the grease goes against me. And yet, I need that for it is my new energy source. 

      Speaking of energy, I should have more by now, but seem not to. Just before I started this diet, I climbed 5 flights of stairs with someone 25 years younger than me. My legs were not burning and I was not winded, only breathing a bit more heavy that usual. Same as my younger companion.  Now, I feel, after 3 flights, the way I felt after 5 flights. The strength and stamina is just not there. I don't like that feeling. It makes me feel old. Old people plod along and have no spring in their step. I am supposed to be feeling younger, stronger, and have more energy and stamina. Maybe my body type or blood type is not cut out for this. 

     Time will tell. 

Day 19 and 20

 

     The photo is supposed to represent 'Steady as she goes'.  Steering the carnivore ship through the turbulent waters of temptation. Again, running out of time on day 19 so here is the amalgamation of two days of meat eating. 

     The changes are subtle. It is like one day waking up after the Christmas and New Years celebrations and realizing that you are now ten pounds heavier than you were in October. How did that happen?! Is the mirror working properly or did it warp in the cold winter weather and that view of the rolls and bulges are a result of  distorted light? The bathroom scale will not lie unless you cheat, and there are many ways to cheat at bathroom scaling. 

     I continue down the spiral staircase to skinniness. I have now dropped 15 lbs. in total. I am beginning to look different and not just feel different. I like it, except it still feels like I am running on a half empty tank. I am waiting for the spring in my step to return. I felt OK on our long walk today, but had to sit down after, not feeling so much exhausted as just a little rubbery in the knees. For dinner, I doused my fatty steak in plenty of ghee, not only for flavor, but for additional fat.  My fuel is no longer sugar and carbs, but fat, so if I am running out of fuel, I am running out of fat in my diet. I don't care at all for greasy foods but I must eat it. 

    I succumbed to a snack food that, all my life, I thought was the most awful thing you could put in your body, health wise. Pork rinds. Not as disgusting as it sounds. I needed a different texture in my mouth. I can only eat a few at a time, but the taste is fine. I remember, probably 40 years ago, trying one and thinking they were delicious, but vowed to never succumb to the allure of the bacony crunch and satisfying flavor. I also discovered honey garlic pepperoni sticks. It is really not easy to find variety with this diet. 

    Following some advice from a friend, after my initial month, I will try having some other food on occasion, like going out for dinner, invited to a pot luck, travelling, et. He tells me that it has zero effect on him and as long he did not cheat for weeks on end, the benefits of carnivore never left him. Maybe one calls this a keto diet, simply removing as much sugar and carbs from you diet as you feel you can handle. I guess you could see carnivore as kickstarting a Keto diet. 

     But, for now, I am staying the course. 

Day 17 and 18

      I ran out of time yesterday so I am combining two days in one post today. The big question is, have I turned the corner? For the first time in two weeks I felt strong and energetic in the gym, just like old times. I only did two things differently. I left the cheese out of my omelet, and I waited more than an hour after breakfast before going to the gym. I did not go today, but will be back tomorrow and we will see if the energy issue is resolved. If so, it will be a big step forward. 

      The weight loss seems to have leveled off for now. In the last 3-4 days I have only gone down 1 lb. I eat so very little and am rarely hungry, so I do not know why I am not still losing weight. My friend and carnivore mentor told me that the weight loss is sporadic, but overall, in the long term, I will continue to lose weight. He also encouraged me to enjoy some other food once in a while. It made no difference in his experience, but, continued 'cheating' say for a week or more, and the old maladies start coming back. Someone else said that after 6 months on the diet, it took almost a year to completely obliterate all the good it had done. 

      I am learning more as I go along, and am finding that talking to people who are experienced is more helpful that reading articles and watching videos. 

Day 16

     I almost gave up today. Maybe I am being impatient but it almost feels like I am not doing so well on this diet. I conjured up all the reasons to quit, and there were many. Then I considered the benefits so far. Just today, after a two week deterioration of my consistently good blood pressure, I seem to be back on track with a 120/68. I was getting worried.  

    One day at a time. 
 

Day 15

          I cheated last night. Sort of. I took communion at church. A tiny bit of sugar and a tiny bit of carb, both plant based. So what was I supposed to do? Cheat on the diet or miss a most important sacrament? This is a bit tongue in cheek. I did not hesitate because in the grand scheme of using this diet, it will not make a difference. 

         I was sorely tempted this morning, at, of all places, church. (We took communion at the Saturday night service) We were on coffee duty in the overflow area called Center Court. In order to entice people to attend this area, there is a small break in the service and home baked cookies are served with the coffee that Lis and I had made this morning. There were three large trays of those chocolate chip cookies right under my nose at our coffee station, waiting to be brought into Center Court when the time was right. Lordy, Lordy, they smelled so good. At one  point I had to simply walk away. Pride is a sin, but I was proud that I did not sneak one, when it would have been so easy to do so. 

      I am trying to find some levity in the situation as I am not having fun. I guess I never realized or appreciated before the pleasure of variety in foods, not only in flavors, but in textures and smells. 

     I pan fried some beautiful salmon for dinner tonight. It was almost perfect (ever so slightly overcooked) and was delicious. But the sides! Where were the sides?! Alas, no sides. I used ghee in the pan tonight and it was great. It has a high smoke point so the smoke alarm did not go off as it did for the steak. 

    I am now past the first two weeks. My initial goal was one month. I am still waiting to report some more dramatic changes in my body and the way it works. So far, I am having, on the down side, episodes of weakness and lack of energy. I hear that that will change in the next few weeks. I feel better overall, apart from the sometimes shaky legs. I have also, at times, had a bit of brain fog. On the up side, the aches and pains are diminishing, I have less of an appetite, and I have lost weight. I am being told to be patient. So I will be.
 

Day 14

      The weigh-in this morning saw another pound dropped. From 205 14 days ago, to 192 today. I am still struggling a bit with my new eating habits. It is not easy to change lifelong habits. 

     One bright light is the beautiful steak I made last night. I ordered a few small boxes of meat from Neufeld Farms as a result of a band fund raiser for my grandson. In the package was 6 strip loin steaks. Being rather expensive. I researched a good cooking method and did I hit the jackpot! It was probably the best tasting, juiciest, and tender steak I have ever had. I have had steak at the Keg and was never impressed. I have not eaten a lot of steak in my time because I just didn't get what all the hype was about. This steak was a game changer. 

      This morning I had some of their precooked bacon strips with my egg omelet. Now that is good bacon! Because it is very thin and somewhat precooked, it finishes off nicely in the pan along with eggs in the same amount of time as the eggs. It is just the right blend of smokey and salty, and it can be made soggy, like some like, or crispy, the way I like it. 

     I can't wait to try the pork chops and the salmon fillets. Like I said, things are looking up. 

     BTW, there is no "Day 13" so don't bother looking for it. I just ran out of time on Day 13 and it has nothing to do with superstition. 

     

Day 12

 

     Here I am at Day 12. It is a bit of a milestone and today I had what I would call a minor victory. A milestone because I was determined to do this 3 days at a time, and every third day I was encouraged that I had stuck it out so far and that encouraged me to go for the next three days. 

    And a victory because tonight was the big potluck and I was firm in my resolve. I need distraction to take my mind off of what might be....a plate piled with a variety of foods, mostly loaded with carbs and a mini smorgasbord of desserts, all loaded with sugar. I sat across from someone who was interested in what I was doing and as long as I could explain it to him. I was not tempted. He was eager to eat my portion of the desserts, and I made him happy, while I was crying inside. Yes, the cravings are still real. 

     What did I eat? A glass of water, and later a cup of coffee, and in between, two slices of meatloaf and some roasted chicken. OK, now I am just feeling sorry for myself. It makes me a bit sad, but also a bit proud that I have the discipline I have exhibited in other areas of my life. 

     

      My menu for today was a 2 egg bacon and cheese omelet for breakfast, a cup 'a chicken broth with a good dose of chicken meat in it, plus a can of salmon, and the potluck.   

     Time for a weigh-in tomorrow. It's not only my ring that is getting loose. 

Day 11

  

        Today, as I was working on my bike, I heard a metallic clang on the concrete floor. I thought a loose nut or bolt had fallen off. After a quick search, I found my wedding band. After I retired we had the ring resized larger. I did not wear a wedding band at work for safety reasons and over the years my fingers had fattened and thickened. Now, being on this diet, I am slimming down again and the ring hangs loose on my finger. I will have to be careful.

      The craving hit me again after dinner tonight. How many times did I have a piece of apple pie and ice-cream and take it for granted? I am beginning to doubt that these cravings will ever leave me. Fortunately, there was a Canucks game on SportsNet and we were winning, a good temporary distraction. 

      I was thinking of a little road trip to the interior and how I could accommodate my diet for a day or two. Not easily, I decided. Maybe when the weather warms a bit. Wish me luck at the pot luck we are attending tomorrow evening. 
 

Day 10

     Eating this diet has forced me to become more self aware. I am constantly monitoring my bodily systems and how things are feeling and functioning. I am beginning to have an overall  sense of well being, in other words, feeling better. There are four things that I am sure are a result of eating this way, mainly because nothing else in my life has changed. 

    The first thing is the weight loss. I started at 205 and am now at 193. That is significant for only 10 days. 

    The next thing is better sleep. What I thought might be a 'one off' has now become consistent. It is a luxuriant feeling to wake in the morning and not be forced to get up because of some urgent need or some ach or pain that needs some movement for relief. I can roll over and sleep deeply for another hour or two. It's a good thing I am retired or the necessity of a job would force me out of bed regardless. 

    The third thing is a decrease in overall aches and pains. I will not yet use the word 'eliminated' but there is definitely a decrease. Walking, climbing stairs, bending over, getting out of bed, kneeling down, or whatever old people have trouble with, have become easier and less painful. 

     And fourth, my diverticulosis issues are non-existent. The constant low grade pain and pressure is gone. This is surprising because the remedy for this condition is more fiber. There is no fiber in my diet. Go figure. The only thing I can think of, logically, is that most of the pain and pressure is due to the inflammation and because I have removed the source of inflammation, sugar, white flour, and processed foods, the inflammation is gone. Hopefully, this will also eliminate any flareups, which can be dangerous and require anti-biotics. 

     Bottom line, I will keep on keeping on. 

    
 

Day 9

           I am now well into the carnivore diet. There are pluses and minuses for sure. This morning I noticed a marked diminishment of the aches and pains that accompany crawling out of bed and getting the morning going. I am not at 100% normal, but closer to that goal, certainly, than I was even a few days ago. 

         I have also noticed that the pain and lack of flexibility in my hands (Viking's Disease) is greatly reduced. Is this my imagination or is it a change in the weather? There are certain tests I do with my hands to track the progression of the disease, and now I am doing those same tests to mark the diminishment of the disease. This is unexpected because at best I would have liked the disease to stop progressing and the pain to  go away. I will watch this closely. 

        The minuses are the boredom, and still the cravings, although they are not as strong as before. It has gone from "I want it...I need it" to "wouldn't it be nice to have it". 

       Completed my walk today without running out of gas. It felt more normal. I am surprised that I am never really hungry, nor do I feel full after a meal. Still waiting for the additional strength and endurance that is promised, as well as the improved mental acuity. I g

Googled 'old men and carnivore diet' today and the results show that age is not a factor. It helps anybody at any age. So now I do not have any excuses. As they say, "do or die". 

Day 8

   

     I have to admit, I am struggling a bit. Getting a good night's rest, you would think, would put me in a good frame of mind to start the day. I even felt pretty good as I crawled out of bed and got my day underway. What I am struggling with is a distinct lack of strength and stamina, and a craving to have an orange or a piece of toast with my omelet. 

     I dragged myself to the gym today and went through my 40 minute routine. I was expecting that going on this diet would increase my strength and stamina as fat turned to muscle, but my usual weights were barely manageable and I considered decreasing either the weight or the amount of reps. I used to conjure up a bit of reserve as I pulled the last of the reps on the heavy weight, but now it is all I can do to get past the count. There is not that burst of reserve energy that there used to be. I am told that this will change. Will it? 

     My weigh-in indicated that I am down to 193. From 205 to 193 in one week is impressive and is the bit of encouragement I need to stay the course. Some 'carnivore crisps' are coming out of the oven as I write. A change of flavor and texture is what I need. I just hope they taste good. 

    (30 minutes later)  Cottage cheese, eggs, and cheddar blended and placed on a baking sheet in small rounds, and baked for 20 minutes. Not as crispy as I had hoped. We will maybe bake them again to crisp them up a bit, but they taste alright. I have never liked eating greasy things and it seems everything on the carnivore diet is greasy. 

     I had to cut our walk short this afternoon. My legs were rubbery and I was 'dragging my butt', so to speak. Only a week ago, I had a spring in my step and enough endurance to walk the almost 4 miles. I had 4 chicken drumsticks for dinner and they had a spatter of shake 'n bake on them. Cheating? If so, just a tiny bit. 

     Looking forward to what tomorrow will bring, being week 2. 
 

Day 7

     Tonight completes my first week on the Carnivore diet. Tomorrow will be another weigh-in and, so far, the main benefit has been the weight loss. Breakfast consisted of a cheese omelet, and a hamburger patty with cheese. The bacon I recently purchased because it had the fewest additives, turned out to be extremely salty and so we fried it up and cut it up into bacon bits for flavoring various dishes in the future. I felt no hunger all day on so little food. I am amazed. But at times I feel like I am running on empty, legs feeling a little weak and shaky. 

     "Dinner" was a bowl of chicken broth loaded with chicken meat, and a small helping of cottage cheese, which I love. I was grieving over the fact that I had no fruit with it, one of my favourite things to eat. 

     I have been looking for some result that might encourage me to go on. I am, day by day, discovering that my sleep is better. My diverticulosis seems to bother me most in the mornings so when I wake up I am too uncomfortable to roll over and go back to sleep. This morning I felt almost nothing and that is why I was going to get up at 7 but ended up sleeping 'til 9. This is highly unusual for me but it almost feels like I am catching up on lost sleep. 

     I think my joints are feeling better too. I test them not only in the gym everyday, but I always take the stairs down to the car park so I know on any given day how my knees are. I do not want to be premature, but there are small indicators that the diet is doing what it is supposed to do. I am waiting for the carb and sugar craving to go away, not just lessen.