Carnivore Diet Review: My Week-Long Challenge

DAY 1: The Challenge Begins

Determined to approach this challenge as authentically as possible, I ensured that I bought food that contained as few additives and artificial chemicals as possible. My initial food shop from Tesco consisted of steak, bacon, chicken wings and thighs, pork belly, eggs and butter, costing around £27 in total.

The initial excitement of the challenge kept me motivated throughout the first morning. However, my mood noticeably declined in the afternoon and I became irritable. Before dinner, I experienced some intense cravings, which I found very distracting to my work, but I managed to resist. After dinner, I still felt hungry and dissatisfied, but this was something that I had expected due to having eaten around 1000 fewer calories than in my usual diet. Despite this, I did not give in to the cravings and I managed to fall asleep quickly.

Breakfast: Medium iced black coffee

Lunch: 2 back bacon slices and 2 fried eggs

Dinner: 24 small chicken wings with grated parmesan  

Nutrition:

Ratings:

DAY 2: Clearer, Brighter and Energised

In the morning, I noticed a positive shift mentally and physically compared to the first day of the challenge. I felt much more clear-headed and more energetic. My mood had drastically improved from the lows I had experienced in the afternoon of the previous day. Despite eating far fewer calories than usual, I didn’t wake up as excessively hungry as I had anticipated. My body appeared to be adapting and I was able to move through the morning without the sluggishness that I typically experience at this time of day when following my regular diet.

As the day went on, I felt productive and focussed. I was able to complete all my work without any issues and I noticed that I sustained a deeper level of focus for longer than I typically do . Although I did feel slightly hungry in the night, the strong cravings from the previous day seemed to have gone. With this day being incredibly positive overall, I felt confident that I could sustain this diet comfortably for the whole week.

Breakfast: Large iced black coffee

Lunch: Three back bacon slices and one fried egg

Dinner: Sirloin steak, one slice of pork belly and two fried eggs

Nutrition :

Ratings:

DAY 3: Sustained Positivity

Upon waking up, I felt remarkably positive and more alert than I typically do in the mornings. My body seemed to be settling into this new carnivore routine and my energy levels felt a lot more consistent, as opposed to the stark highs and lows I often feel during the day.

In the afternoon, my energy levels remained stable and I didn’t experience any noticeable slump. This allowed me to work more efficiently for longer, without taking many breaks. For the first time since the challenge began, I did not experience any cravings at night, which meant I fell asleep quickly and found that I slept more deeply than in my usual day-to-day life.

Breakfast: Medium iced black coffee

Lunch: Three beef patties made from mince (20% fat), two back bacon rashers and one fried egg

Dinner: Five chicken thighs with crispy baked chicken skin

Nutrition :

Ratings:

DAY 4: My Body Starts to Fights Back

The fourth day of the challenge started similarly to the previous couple of days. I was clear-headed and very sharp mentally, but my body was starting to push back. Despite feeling switched on and productive, I started experiencing waves of nausea and uncomfortable stomach aches, which dampened my mood and was very distracting to my work throughout the day.

By the afternoon, I began to worry that this could be the start of the dreaded 'keto flu'. Keto flu comes in the form of different symptoms, such as headaches and fatigue, and can occur as the body adjusts to burning fat instead of carbs. In my research before starting the challenge, I discovered that it was a common issue that many who attempt this diet struggle in the early stages.

The digestive issues and nausea matched up with what I’d read before starting the challenge about the early adaptation phase, where electrolyte imbalances and a total withdrawal from carbohydrates can make you feel under the weather. Knowing that these symptoms are usually temporary was reassuring, but it was still massively inconvenient and made falling asleep particularly difficult.

Breakfast: Medium iced black coffee

Lunch: Two pork belly slices and two fried eggs

Dinner: 24 small chicken wings topped with butter

Nutrition :

Ratings:

DAY 5: Meat Fatigue Sets In

The fifth day of this carnivore challenge was the first day that I felt a slight feeling of dread at the prospect of eating my first meal of the day. I'd eaten so much meat and eggs during the week that the prospect of more felt a bit overwhelming. My stomach pain had settled down, but my nausea remained consistent from the previous day.

I decided to go back to Tesco to buy more food for the weekend. I made a conscious effort to buy mostly different items to what I had eaten during the week to combat this fatigue and add variety. I bought pork loins and ribs, prawn crevettes, chicken legs, steak, bacon and eggs, costing a total of £26.35.

Fortunately, throughout the day I had a tremendous amount of consistent energy and finished all the work I needed to. It felt like my body and mind were having completely different experiences. Despite a couple of the suspected keto flu symptoms persisting, I fell asleep fairly quickly, with little cravings.

Breakfast: Medium iced black coffee

Lunch: 5 streaky bacon rashers and 2 fried eggs

Dinner: Six baked pork ribs and six prawn crevettes tossed in butter

Nutrition :

Ratings:

DAY 6: Temptations

The penultimate day of this carnivore challenge was easily the hardest. When I woke up, I was craving a full English breakfast. This is what I usually eat as a treat on Saturday mornings and I very much felt deprived of this. It was by far the closest I came to giving in to my temptations all week. As I was contemplating leaving my house and heading to the cafe, I reminded myself that I would only be letting myself down and skewing the entire challenge. I resisted and went off to the kitchen to cook my carnivore breakfast.

After fighting off the morning cravings, my mood was upbeat. However, as the day progressed, I felt a dip in both my mental clarity and my energy levels. Thankfully, I chose this day to have a break from all work, so it didn't impact anything of too much importance. I found it incredibly frustrating to not have shaken off these symptoms with only one more day to go. However, I took pride in my resilience to finish the challenge and felt motivated going in to the final day.

Breakfast: Medium iced black coffee

Lunch: Four back bacon rashers and two fried eggs

Dinner: Sirloin steak, two pork loins topped with fresh mozzarella and one back bacon rasher

Nutrition :

Ratings:

DAY 7: The End

I woke up on the final day of the challenge feeling full of energy and in a very positive mood. I decided not to eat anything for lunch to save my appetite for a special carnivore Sunday dinner. This felt like a perfect way to mark the end of a demanding but incredibly eye-opening week. While I was preparing what would be the challenge's final meal, I couldn’t help but feel an enormous sense of pride for sticking with it.

Throughout the day, I carried a sense of accomplishment which kept me feeling motivated to reach the challenge's conclusion. In the afternoon, I kept myself distracted with work and found great pleasure in cooking the special meal. As the clock struck midnight and I realised the challenge was officially over, I found myself thinking about what my diet might look like going forward. This week has changed the way I view food and my own capabilities to resist temptation to achieve a goal.

Breakfast: Medium iced black coffee

Lunch: None

Dinner: Whole spatchcock poussin, sirloin steak and three pork sausages

Nutrition :

Ratings:

OPINION: The Benefits of the Carnivore Diet

After completing my challenge, I spoke with author and nutritionist, Severine Menem.

Menem, who is a member of the British Association of Nutritional Therapists, shared some of her beliefs in the benefits of an animal-based diet, as well as practical advice for anyone considering this way of eating.

While nutritionists are conflicted as to whether such a seemingly unbalanced diet is healthy, Menem believes this diet can help improve both the mind and the body for those who switch to it.

Menem said: "One of the most surprising benefits people often report is the dramatic improvement in mental clarity and mood.

"The carnivore diet often reduces brain fog, anxiety, and even symptoms of depression - something many don’t expect when they change the way they eat."

One of the main criticisms of the carnivore diet is that it doesn't provide the body with the range of nutrients it requires and therefore, it is unsustainable in the long-term.

Despite the carnivore diet not being endorsed by the NHS, Menem said: “I do believe that the carnivore diet can be sustainable long-term, both nutritionally and psychologically, but with a few important nuances.

"If someone is eating a well-rounded carnivore diet that includes a variety of animal foods, like muscle meat, organ meats, bone broth, eggs, and seafood, it can absolutely meet the body’s essential needs.

"Psychologically, sustainability is a bit more individual."

For people who wanted to attempt the diet for themselves, Menem offered some advice to ensure a smoother transition.

She said: " Fat is your friend on carnivore, especially during the transition as it helps keep your energy up and makes meals more filling.

"You must stay hydrated and mind your electrolytes because, without carbs, your body flushes out more water and sodium, which can lead to the dreaded low-carb flu.

"You should when you’re hungry as your body might be adjusting and it’s perfectly okay to eat larger portions than usual, especially in the beginning."

Someone who agrees with Menem's views based on their own personal experience is Benjamin Craig.

The 23-year-old videographer started the carnivore diet in January 2024, after he made a New Years Resolution to drop five kilos.

Despite achieving that goal in the space of just a few short weeks, Craig has stuck with the diet ever since and has claimed to reap many benefits from doing so.

Craig said: "The first few weeks were the worst especially, I felt pretty rough and almost quit about a half dozen times.

"Once I hit the month mark, it felt like my body just completely forgot that carbs and sugar even existed and it became so much easier.

"After 18 months on the diet, I feel the most physically fit I have ever been and the clarity it has given me mentally has helped me in so many aspects of my life."

Craig admitted however that the diet is not for everyone and some may not be able to handle it long-term.

He noted that this diet is particularly difficult for those who have an active social life.

"It made things like going out for dinner with the family or having a few drinks with my mates really tough."

"But for me, the positives massively outweigh the negatives and I can say it's definitely changed my life for the better," he said.

The Dangers of the Carnivore Diet: NHS Advice

Despite some bold claims surrounding its potential benefits, it is important to note that this diet is not endorsed by the NHS.

According to NHS advice, eating too much red meat and processed meat high in saturated fats can lead to a variety of health problems. Most concerningly, these issues include an increased risk of bowel cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure.

The health service recommends that the daily intake for red meat and processed meat should not exceed 70g. On the carnivore diet, the usual daily intake greatly exceeds this recommendation.

NHS Doctor, Jameel Saidel, said: "The NHS recommends a balanced and varied diet that includes fats and fruit/vegetables.

"This is what I would recommend everyone eats over the long term."

By excluding all plant-based foods, the carnivore diet can result in deficiencies in key nutrients, such as vitamins, fibre and antioxidants. All of these are incredibly important for gut health and overall wellbeing.

The NHS also warns that an excessively high meat diet is especially unsuitable for certain groups, such as pregnant women, the elderly and those suffering from kidney conditions.