I'm 76 and began keto and now carnivore in 2019 when I was diagnosed with fatty liver disease. Since then, I have lost 50 pounds, cured my liver and begun exercising again resulting in significant muscle gain.
Outstanding ! You are giving this 56 yo kid with A fibrillation hope. I am back in the gym 3 times a week and doing carnivore twice a day depending on workouts.
Dr Chafee claims he gave up 🥬🥦 and quintupled his meat calories ( 5x) and lost 10 kg ( over 20 pounds ) in 10 days . What did you do wrong to get these medicore gains compared to the good Dr , or is the good Dr pants on 🔥 instead ? The above is easily verifiable on YT .
after two weeks on carnivore noticed that I no longer struggled ALL day to keep good posture, I struggled with this for years. Thats how fast my back muscles strengthened. after 3 weeks I can lift 3 bags of dog food to the car with no straining at all 😅
I've never put on muscle as easily as I do now. It's amazing. And with not that much effort. I did Atkins before on and off for 20 years and never put on muscle like this. No matter how much training I did. My metobilosm is finally functioning properly now. Thank you Dr Baker!
So have I, and I've only been doing it for about a month. I haven't changed my training routine, but I went from low carb OMAD to beef+eggs carnivore OMAD. I do not track my weight, but I already noticed bigger arms in the mirror compared to pre-carnivore. Can still lift the same weights as before. I think I hit a plateau, but switching to carnivore seems to have stimulated growth with all the pure protein I'm eating without the anti-nutrients. Can't wait to see how things will progress.
@@LuigiCG that's one I've never heard of. Looks like an intense bodyweight routine. I do kettlebell and bodyweight plans from StrongFirst. They have this antiglycolytic approach that's very good for what I need.
My lazy ass has build so much muscle doing precisely nothing on carnivore that my legs actually hurt for how freaking tight and lean they are from the sudden muscle gain. Besides, the idea that you need _carbohydrates_ to build muscle and not _protein_ which is made of muscle is fairly non-sensical
My personal trainer can't get his head around the fact that I have energy without carbs. We have an upcoming powerlifting competition and he wants me to eat carbs for energy. I will just have to show him you don't need no dang carbs!
He's used to working with athletes that need big bursts of quick energy, hope you do well might show that even athletes don't need to carb load for performance.
The old exercise low carb diets studies only lasted about 2 or 3 weeks. Which is the time needed to fully convert to ketones. Some people take a month. Which is why they think you need carbs.
Dr Chafee claims he gave up 🥬🥦 and quintupled his meat calories ( 5x) and lost 10 kg ( over 20 pounds ) in 10 days . What did you do wrong to get these medicore gains compared to the good Dr , or is the good Dr pants on 🔥 instead ? The above is easily verifiable on YT .
I'm 71, been on carnivore (mostly) for 2 years. I'm now able to do things I couldn't before. This morning I restacked a wood pile and repaired a fence, along with chasing goats! 2 years ago....No Way!
I'm 43. I train hard daily. I used to eat what I want and carbs just made my muscles look fuller. Now they just bloat me up ,and, makes me feel unathletic and tired. I used to be a personal trainer and never understood trainers who were out of shape, more so, how they ever got clients. Point being, if someone looks as good as you (regardless of age), I will listen. Let's see how this effects my training. I only 'accidentaly' started this because I forgot to buy rice and sweet potatoes! 😂
One thing I know for sure is plant based results in sarcopenia. Through carnivore I've been able to restore 75% to 80% of what I lost without weight gain.
60 years old - carnivore diet Today PB : Dead lift 280 lbs x 3 reps Day 109: Dead lift 185 lbs Day 111: Dead lift 200 lbs Day 114: Knee injury ACL (40 days off) Day 156: Dead lift 205 lbs Day 159: Dead lift 215 lbs Day 180: Dead lift 230 lbs Day 183: Dead lift 255 lbs Day 189: Dead lift 260 lbs Day 192: Dead lift 270 lbs Day 196: Dead lift 275 lbs Day 200: Dead lift 280 lbs
@@alainfreedom3159PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE IGNORANT TROLLS(PLEASE NOTE I AM THE ONE WHO PRAISED YOU) YOU SHOULD BE PROUD AT YOUR AGE THAT YOU ARE WORKING OUT & PROBABLY IN WAY BETTER HEALTH N SHAPE THAN MANY OF YOUR AGE OR EVEN YOUNGER. PLEAEE FO NOT GIVE UP👌💪👍🥩
I'm 45yo, I was fat b4 carnivore while working out daily, now I'm carnivore I barely work out but I'm lean and can see my viens and abs popping out,life's great 😊
I built muscle quicker with carbs, but I also over ate so I also put on fat, when I would lower calories, even only moderately those muscles would also shrink and were hard to retain. Same if I lowered the intensity of my training. With carnivore the muscle growth is slower but it’s adding lean mass. Not only that the muscles are much harder and denser and I have got much stronger, even with only moderate growth. My tendon strength has got substantially stronger, I arm wrestle and climb so it’s very noticeable. It’s also visible. More interestingly even if I fast, or take a break from training that muscle retains its size and its hardness. I don’t lose much strength and that strength comes back very quickly. Whereas before with carbs I had to build that strength back up slowly over months. My stamina and endurance is also better. I think if you want to get your muscles as big as you can carbs can help. But if you just want to get stronger, with harder muscles and tendons,that retain their size, with better stamina, it’s better without carbs. This is only an anecdotal case, but it’s very noticeable.
This is it ! I'm enjoying slow growth but noticed I'm just more stronger. And people forget on carnivore you are recovering wayyy faster too which a lot of people don't mention.
your experience is the same as mine. however id add, it’s not that the carbs are helping you put muscle on faster, it’s that they enable you to have my glycogen storage so u look and feel fuller with more water in your muscles, hence the fluctuations. real muscle fibres wouldn’t shrink unless ur in a catabolic state for a prolonged period. but the glycogen gives the illusion of more muscle being built. when eating carnivore, it’s purely new muslce tissue being added without the excess superficial mass
While I believe individuals can gain a certain amount of natural lean mass on a carnivore diet(with almost zero carbs), i cannot speak or vouch for it personally as i have been working out since age 13 & am now rapidly approaching 48 years young. As such, i can however say at a minimum i have had zero issues regaining previously built lean muscle(some of which i had lost during the covid plandemic). I am now a very lean 175-180lbs at 5’10”. The differences are now have the most consistent chiseled midsection year round & deep muscle separation/definition in my back, shoulders, arms & legs. So much so, that many people at my gym refuse to believe that I am natural(have been all my life), they believe that someone my age has to be on gear or TrT to look as jacked as i do to them. Very sad, that many people(especially younger people) just do not wanna believe that over 30 years of hitting the gym 6 days/week & prioritizing protein(especially with carnivore diet last 2 years) with proper rest n lifestyle has allowed me to build a decent natural physique at this stage of my life by God’s Grace. Continued thanx Dr Baker for your continued restless attempts to help humanity live optimally. Godspeed🥩💪👍🥩
Started carnivore last May. Since that time I gained over 15lbs and I am now close to 155lbs at 5'11". I was lean back then and I am lean now, although slightly less, so yes, I did put on at least 10lbs of pure muscle mass on 0 carbs. Just red meat and lots of workout
At 42 I can tell you keep doing it man. I'm 5'11 grew up on crap fast food. After mom got cancer started paying attention. All through junior high and highschool lean at 135lbs tiny. I'm running 199lbs now. Functional muscle still some fat, but working on it. Going carnivore. Stay strong and pay attention to pain and listen to instincts don't push because of pressure or influence. Hope you hit your goals!
@@BigHairyDwarf I'm a 6ft male, 188# and looking to get to at least 200#. How did you determine your caloric and macro intake? And, are you "strict" carnivore? Appreciate any insights
@@nymode Not strict carnivore. I try to pay attention to my body and how it reacts to anything. I'm no guru. I gained weight originally the hard way by just eating in my 20s till I gained weight and kind of hated food. Then I found it's harder to lose as I got older once you gain. Too much good info on the net now to do it that way. I stick to organic beef and eggs from Walmart or Krogers. I also eat off and on sweet potatoes, carrots, avocados. I don't fear veggies, but I don't make them the core of my intake. Once you stop buying all the junk food it's not as expensive as some think. Also filling up on meat keeps your appetite in control better anyway. I don't pay attention to amounts. When I started carnivore. I would fast most of the day then dinner I would eat 1lb of beef and like 6 eggs or just two pounds of beef. I didn't stay on that and made two meals out of it. Lunch and Dinner. I fast from 6 pm to 10 or 11 am. I use spices and try as much as possible to stick with organics. Some believe organic is a buzz word, but for me the taste is night and day. The cheaper meat and stuff is not an issue just try and use as healthy options as possible with what you can. Exercise: Athlean-X Jeff Cavaliere, RP with Dr. Mike Israetel, etc. I don't do T or Roids so my recovery won't match up to many of these fitness experts. I have to listen to when my body hurts. I do slow controlled reps and I don't worry about high counts. I have a 3-5-7-12 policy. I you are doing 12 with ease up the weight. If you want to just stay in a fixed body state stick to five or 7 and slow those reps as needed for resistance. All opinion and personal choice I am not an expert. If you have trouble with motivation find that one exercise you love, or even a couple and you can always come back to that to stay in motion. Get your rest day or days. On a side not I work two physical jobs. Custodian for a school and repair and lawn care for a storage place. These places are big so I do loads of walking. I'm just sharing that to put in perspective what off side exercise I get. If you have any other questions. Feel free to let me know. As stated I am not a pro, expert, or guru. I learned from my own choices and experiences. Best of luck to you and your goals. I've enjoyed my journey I hope you do as well.
I have found that strength gains are great on the carnivore diet. It's easy for me to feel a sort of positive aggression when I'm training. I also feel that positive aggression in the workplace. I feel like I don't get beat down by stress as easily and handle conflict reasonably. Before carnivore, I felt like I defaulted to panic mode.
I'm envious. My workouts are still abysmal one year in. No energy, little improvements. I can't delude myself that I'm just not fat adapted yet or anything like that. It just doesn't work that well for me. All the other benefits are great though so I will keep at it. Health gains > muscle gains.
@@Sylvinesame story for me, on long days of work + exercise I inevitably run into either what I assume is electrolyte issues or slow metabolism meaning I don't feel any real energy from what I eat I am also somehow more hungry in the morning on carnivore than if I had had carbs the night before.
Do not get sucked into a dogma. Some people do better with small amounts of sugar, even just 5g of sugar during workouts can be better for you. Tim Noakes showed that most of the times the "fatigue" is basically a sugar dip in the brain more than a muscle issue. If you've been in different diet for long carnivore will bring benefits but a full change may take very long.
Every body is different. Some tips will work for you, others not. You just have to find what works for you. I'm just 10 days in and I find that a small back of pork cracklins are very helpful in addition to electrolytes.
@@bthorn5035 Agree, also people underestimate how long it takes to completely transition to complete full carnivore. No one can expect to switch and be perfectly healthy in a short time after having abused food for decades. Healing takes time and effort.
38 years old, 6 months carnivore. blew past my personal bests on squat, deadlift and bench from my early 20s less than 2 months into the diet. oh, and i weigh 20 lbs less than i did back then.
The mechanism behind the notion that carbs make one bigger and stronger could be thru their tendency to increase water retention in the muscles. "Pumps" are better and because the joints are fuller, some lifts, especially the bench press can benefit. Creatine may work in a similar manner.
I started Carnivore in January this year and being 66 years and female I didn't think I would gain muscle strength but after 5years of having to climb stairs leading with my right leg as my left leg tended to collapse I can now walk up the stairs normally (alternate legs) frankly I am amazed at how much strength I've got in both legs and no wobbles. Carnivore has so many unexpected benefits.
Good to read this. I'm 9 days in, and still feeling quite flu'ish and adapting to the virtual lack of carbs. Did you feel sort of feverish and a bit weak to start? And do you find it hard to eat enough? 😲
Ladynipchick2 you feel off colour when you hit ketosis for the first time. Your brain craves the carbs. When I started Carnivore I too felt hungry and had to eat more I aimed to get 40% of my food in before 3pm. But within 5 weeks I had adapted then I started losing the weight. I make Brown butter bites ( recipes on YT) which really helps upping the fat content so removing the craving. I do struggle getting adequate fat as I am not a fan of eggs. I now just eat one meal a day.
@@Ladynipchick2 Hello, Start the transition slowly, don't eliminate all carbohydrates together, and eat a variety of meats, preferably ruminant red meat Seek as much information as possible At the beginning of the diet, take electrolytes, magnesium and potassium help a lot, add a little more salt when preparing the meat, and after it's ready add a little more salt, these minerals help a lot Don't start straight with meat, remove industrialized carbohydrates as soon as possible, as they are hurting your internal organs, Carbohydrates when you have cravings, take magnesium when you feel like eating sweets etc... or eat meat to eliminate these vices, in my case I would add eggs, and when you eat carbohydrates don't blame yourself so much, just go back to the beginning of the game , It's part of winning with some losses at the beginning of the diet, below is an interesting text I hope I helped after 3 months for your question Below is a list of interesting information Hello!!! Most human beings spend years eating wrong, practically their entire lives and want to solve the entire problem in a few days or months. It won't be like this, there is a price to pay, each body is a universe, of inflammation and illnesses to correct. Time is the king of everything on earth, Wait and continue on the meat and fat diet, increase your animal fat, eat more fat than protein, eat a variety of red meat, if you can avoid pork!!! Do not give up!!! When your body starts to feel good, it will lose weight naturally. Detail: If you lose weight too quickly you may become flabby, so allow your body to make adjustments in each part. You will heal Just a matter of time!!! I was in severe deep depression, I am cured thanks to red beef, preferably Hope this helps!!!
For me, being 57, it is really about maintenance of muscle, being lean and burning fat. Vascularity over size is my preferance..I found carnivore diet with a bit of fruit (berries, avocado) perfect for my goals.
To make a long story short. I had nonclinical Cushing’s Syndrome that made me lose muscle mass. After feeling that my metabolic dyscrasia, through surgical intervention, was responding in a positive way I noted in my journal my thoughts back in September. Protein and fat should be consumed depending on the epigenetic goal you’re trying to evoke. If the carbs stay the same then it would seem to come down to types of proteins and fats. Soon I plan to increase my protein to hopefully increase my muscle mass. I did and am amazed it worked extremely well. At 67 I am putting on muscle with simple resistance exercises and walking. I know this isn’t in my head because others have noticed. I believe keeping muscle mass can be a hormonal issue too. My mainly carnivore diet allowed me to see the path in the forest.
Excellent explanation!!! I believe that muscle gain on the carnivore diet together with the ketogenic diet remains much better, muscle building on the carbohydrate diet does not last long, muscle loss is very fast, on the carnivore diet with ketogenic the gain is much more sustainable, Muscle loss on a carbohydrate diet is much greater, On the carnivore and ketogenic diet, the pleasure of training is something that makes all the difference Recovery from training is a pleasant sensation and not painful, when training on a carbohydrate diet after training it feels like rubbish Gratitude Dr. Shawn Baker
Carbohydrates also leads to the body storing more water, so they get a pumped/puffy or "jacked" look during and after workout. That isn't translating to muscle-building or actual strength gains. I have built way more muscle on carnivore/ketovore than I ever did with carbs, with the added benefit of having leaner abs, waist, and no puffiness around my face. Heck, even when I have been bad and stayed out of the gym for weeks, I didn't get a sloppy/fat look on carnivore; can't do that with carbs. You will get fat in a hurry eating carbs and not working out.
I'm 52 and strict carnivore for 13 months. Lost 34 pounds early on and trying to gain muscle now. I've been lifting consistently for about 8 months, yet struggling to gain muscle. I see a physical change, but it's slow going. I was hoping for better results, but I'm sure my age has a lot to do with it.
Hello, Thank you for the great work, keep going Some ideas below Sharing my opinion after 2 years on the Carnivora and ketogenic diet (2 years between dietary transition (removing complex carbohydrates (Natural) as I removed the industrialized ones on the first day of the dietary change) 1. Changing foods requires time for the body to begin adapting to new food consumption in this case (Protein and Fat) the body requires time to change its source of burning energy, When we are eating carbohydrates our body is always in total despair. This can happen on a carnivorous or ketogenic diet, but in an intelligent way. 2. Every Body has a health problem to correct (No one is the same when it comes to health problems, even if they have the same disease) 3. Losing fat or gaining muscle can be an easier task for some people, this is due to their body, which may have a problem in a certain organ. (Which was not diagnosed by laboratory tests) due to several factors 4. The beginning of the diet is very delicate, as we want to heal quickly, at least overnight, (We can start the improvement process when we change our diet on the first day, but we will not be cured overnight. It is not possible to cure years of a wrong diet in just a few days or even months or years, it depends on one body to another) Total transition I believe in around 5 years, For those who are only on the carnival diet along with the ketogenic diet, interspersing the two in the same period 5. Observing your evolution is very important, be it in the physical or mental aspect (Mental Energy, Relaxation in your daily activities, patience, emotional control, concentration, among others. Your physical energy, Desire to do some exercises, among others) even if it is moderate, the simple fact of walking, I don't do running exercise, I don't think it's healthy. due to several factors, one of which is that research has shown that most athletes who run and play football or do all the exercises that use the heart more have more heart attacks, perhaps because of the carbohydrates, etc... 6. The most important of all (Follow your Ancestral Food instinct, which was taken from humans) Which ? (When you want to eat more protein, eat, when you want to eat more fat, eat. When you don't want to eat, don't eat) Do you want to gain weight? Exercise with moderate weight I hope I contributed in some way
The Doc proves you can build muscle on Carnivore, and lots of it, but my experience is different (because individuals are different). I lost a lot of weight doing low carb high meat and I got very healthy. My weight and health have been stable for years and when I retired recently I had time to work out a lot more so I set about putting on muscle via more workouts with higher intensity. What happened was I actually started losing more weight and not putting on muscle. I tried eating even more meat and eggs but no dice. I even went pure Carnivore for a while and only saw a bit of difficulty with my bowel movements as a result. Finally about 1 1/2 years ago I experimented with adding more carbs to my diet, primarily potatoes, sprouted brown rice and sprouted whole grain bread, and bingo! I've put on just shy of 10 lbs of muscle on since then. At 60 I'm very happy with this result and am stronger yet leaner than I've been since my 20s. Human variation is very broad so your mileage may vary, and most likely *will* vary.
I’ve only been training at the gym for a few years. I’ve been on the carnivore diet for just over six months. Initially, I lost some weight on carnivore diet, but iwas mostly fat, only had a small amount to lose. I’ve gained back my weight (on a caloric surplus) and it’s all muscle! After fat adaptation (which takes time) I feel like I have way more energy at the gym and I feel invincible at the gym. I always go to failure on every set! Energy and gains are incredible on carnivore! PS I’m 45 years old. And I’m in the best physical shape of my life! Carnivore has also help me with minor and major health issues! I feel completely healed, and amazing, and super human! I feel like I’m 25 years old!
I am gaining muscle all over on carnivore I do eat avocado 🥑 and salsa and sometimes Brussels sprouts 5 pieces of pecans a day and 5 ounces of meat which is a small portion and I am 50 and still gained already muscle all over in just 5 months I have been exercising. My body looks already better than 90 percent of my younger coworkers .
Great points. I'm 61 been training since 14. I, too, continue to add muscle, but slowly. So peop,e don't misunderstand. The slow gains are not because of age but because of the length of time training. A pound or two a year of quality muscle is awesome at this stage of the game. Keep hitting it doc.👍
I immediately could tell carnivore was building muscle. I noticed in my calves first. Larger and more defined then you could see it all over. Even in my stomach and sides. Arms now since I have been lifting weights. You can’t build muscle on a plant diet, even if you eat little meat. It’s gotta be carnivore or very low plant carb keto.
I've been skinny all my life and only discovered the carnivore diet late last year. Lost more weight. So I guess I need to increase my fat intake a bit and eat bigger portions. Also need to start lifting harder in the gym. At almost 51 years old, I am tired of being a skinny dude.
I'm female & I've lost 33.25 kg of body fat, reducing my BMI by 5.6 & gained 18.29 kg of 😅lean body mass in 60 days! I have not lifted weights but just moving my body & doing work around the house. I wanted to see what would happen to my body composition with only dietary change before I add resistance bands, to isolate what carnivore alone can do. 😉 I've regained my balance & strength too. Most people I know have to sit down or hold onto a chair in order to put their legs into their pants & put their pants on... I can stand on one foot and do it without any wobbling or joint pain. ❤ If I can heal, get stronger & healthier so can anyone else!
I don't want to all negative about your great progress, but even a male body builder with Mr.olympia genetics, and juiced to the gills with all sort of steroids can not put in 18kg of lean muscle in that amount of time. It would take them many cycles and likely a couple years. Either way, sounds like your doing great
I’m 122 days in on carnivore and I lost 5 pounds of fat and then put on 3 to 4 pounds of muscle. The muscle building is going great but I am working out 6 days a week
I have put on 18 lbs in 6 months, including over an inch on my arms, neck and calves, and over two inches on my legs and chest, without any gains to my waist. I am actually leaning than when I started, more vascular with more visible striations. Strength has more than double in that time. I am 56 years old.
Hey Dr. Baker. I’m about 40 days in with just meat salt and water. I haven’t noticed much growth or loss but I’m fairly early in. Thank you for your videos and insight.
Don't worry it will come. Takes time to undo damages we have done. Took my around 6 months to realize oh wow I'm having great bowel movements now. No stomach pain. Never hungry. The energy increase was enough for me to start working out
Some ideas below Hello, Thank you for the great work, keep going Sharing my opinion after 2 years on the Carnivora and ketogenic diet (2 years between dietary transition (removing complex carbohydrates (Natural) as I removed the industrialized ones on the first day of the dietary change) 1. Changing foods requires time for the body to begin adapting to new food consumption in this case (Protein and Fat) the body requires time to change its source of burning energy, When we are eating carbohydrates our body is always in total despair. This can happen on a carnivorous or ketogenic diet, but in an intelligent way. 2. Every Body has a health problem to correct (No one is the same when it comes to health problems, even if they have the same disease) 3. Losing fat or gaining muscle can be an easier task for some people, this is due to their body, which may have a problem in a certain organ. (Which was not diagnosed by laboratory tests) due to several factors 4. The beginning of the diet is very delicate, as we want to heal quickly, at least overnight, (We can start the improvement process when we change our diet on the first day, but we will not be cured overnight. It is not possible to cure years of a wrong diet in just a few days or even months or years, it depends on one body to another) Total transition I believe in around 5 years, For those who are only on the carnival diet along with the ketogenic diet, interspersing the two in the same period 5. Observing your evolution is very important, be it in the physical or mental aspect (Mental Energy, Relaxation in your daily activities, patience, emotional control, concentration, among others. Your physical energy, Desire to do some exercises, among others) even if it is moderate, the simple fact of walking, I don't do running exercise, I don't think it's healthy. due to several factors, one of which is that research has shown that most athletes who run and play football or do all the exercises that use the heart more have more heart attacks, perhaps because of the carbohydrates, etc... 6. The most important of all (Follow your Ancestral Food instinct, which was taken from humans) Which ? (When you want to eat more protein, eat, when you want to eat more fat, eat. When you don't want to eat, don't eat) Do you want to gain weight? Exercise with moderate weight I hope I contributed in some way
Love carnivore, keeps me angry and strong. No other diet has ever been able to bring out so much of my animalistic behavior. From "nerd" to beast mood. Live it. Finally able to go to the gym with energy and pissed off at the world. Finally able to break new PRs.
I am 48 and use to be quite muscular in my 20s and 30s, weighing 85 - 90 kgs. At about 35-36 I started doing triathlons and changed to a vegetarian diet and my weight dropped to 74kgs. My first 6 months on carnivore May 2023 - Oct 2023 I put on 11 kgs just sprinting 3 days a week and mountain biking 2-3 times a week. I had no idea that happened until I had to weigh myself to go in a helicopter. I was totally shocked and happy but the funny thing was I never noticed the changes, I thought I looked the same, but I suppose I never looked at myself in the mirror. I will start lifting weights again sometime in the near future to see if I gain more weight and muscle. I still weigh 85kgs
Thanks for addressing the PED question... I got that pushback (i.e. "was he on steroids?") when giving your videos as an example of results of the carnivore diet.
@HumansAreCarnivoresNotCows lmao I ain't trying to cause no shit. I love Dr Baker and I am a recent carnivore convert. But I thought I read somewhere he was on TRT which I don't even care because many older dudes are on TRT. If he ain't on it, then I'm super impressed, but it doesn't matter
@@jerseyjim9092His past bloodwork showed extremely low T, this is indicative that he may have used PEDs and stopped before the test. I wanna see his LH and FSH levels.
I’m 23 years old 5’4 struggled gaining weight my whole life my healthy weight sits around 145-150 but this past year I’ve dropped down to 125. Trying to just eat pasta. Not getting enough protein in and then feel like absolute shit all the time from the carbs. I feel so much better whenever I’m eating just meat. Gonna give this carnivore diet a shot and see how it goes.
Even within the first month of a carnivore diet I felt like I had equal energy during workouts, and significantly faster recovery between workouts, allowing me to achieve greater weekly volume, and faster overall strength and muscle progress. But it definitely takes more effort to eat a surplus of energy; it's so easy to just shed the fat on a low carb diet. Just keep training and tweaking your diet and you can accomplish amazing things!
Well I'm a 66 next month yr old grandma who lost 95 pounds went from a size 22 to a 8 and I'm seeing definition in my arms . They were big flabby mess now they are small still flabby but smaller and the muscles are showing. I don't use heavy weights but even though I'm seeing a diffrence. I❤ 🥩🥓🧀🍗🥩🥩🥩🥩 and a little bit of ☕
Excellent!!! For best results, start removing the coffee little by little, reduce the amount of powder until the coffee reaches zero!!! Coffee blocks absorption of some minerals!!! it deceives you on the one hand and harms you on the other!!! Detail: Remove gradually, removing everything on the same day may cause headaches I've been without coffee for 1 year and I feel much better I hope I helped you
I’ve been carnivore since 1st of the year. I’ve done other ways of eating before and nothing compares this. I am a wrestling coach fought in a train Bjj and have never felt better and have been building muscle as well. 36 yrs old 5”7 went from 170.8 to 156.2 pounds . I’m a lot stronger healthier better endurance and more built . It’s definitely hands down the way to go.
i spent many years on a high fat low carb diet. not keto or carnivore but still lower carb and higher fat. i didnt notice any drop off in performance or strength from being low carb/high fat. i built my squat to 250kg and deadlift to 310kg @ 80kg body weight and measured around 7-8% body fat. what i did notice though is my body didnt change a great deal. i built muscle to a point but then it didnt matter how much food i ate, at the time i was eating between 5000-5500 cals a day, my weight wouldnt budge and i didnt buid any muslce or drop any fat. i just maintained. im also not an ectomorph in any way. i used to be near 40% body fat. i dont struggle to gain weight. it wasnt until i chaged the macros to being lower fat/higher carb, and dropped the calories that my body changed a lot more. i have found with myself and many of my clients that yes you can obviously buld muscle on any diet, as you say, it comes down to training. however, it is more efficient doing it with higher carbs. not saying its a rule. its just something i have observed in hundreds of clients over 20 years of working with people. i personally dont feel any different on either diet. a lot of people prefer how they feel on high fat. it never affected me. i prefer a higher carb diet for dieting down because i get less blood sugar drops from being on no carbs. on the other end i prefer being on higher fat diet when im not dieting down because i get to eat more food without holding a lot of excess fluid. yes that fluid is great for pumps but its not that noticable and i dont like how it makes me look. like i say to everyone, try it, measure it and find what works for you.
Carbs are key to maximizing increases in muscle mass, strength, & athletic performance. It may even be that restricting carbs damages your bones according to very recent research which demonstrates that when carb restriction is maintained for 8 - 12 weeks, alterations in anabolic signaling of protein synthesis and myogenesis probably contribute to limited hypertrophic responses to weight training; that is, the keto diet decreases medium-term muscle gain... But that's not the only study that proves it. In another research conducted on bodybuilders who were given two different maintenance diets, one with a keto diet and one with moderate carbohydrate intake, scientists made a very important dietary adjustment: they matched protein intake in both groups by ingesting 2.5 grams per kg of body weight of protein, which is high. This was crucial as protein is the macronutrient most related to muscle mass gain of all. At the end of the 8-week study, those who followed the carbohydrate diet gained significantly more muscle mass compared to the group that followed the keto diet. The difference was brutal, specifically MORE THAN 4 TIMES the muscle difference, specifically 2.2 kg versus 0.5 kg of muscle. That's too much! Its worth noting that the keto diet group also experienced a significant decrease of 11% in testosterone and 15% in IGF-1, both key anabolic hormones in muscle development: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37132326/ pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37057671/ pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33530512/
I am 3 weeks into a heavy 6 days per week PPL program before which I was only going for walks and I am 9 months carnivore. I am seeing what I consider incredible gains.
Calorie surplus and adequate protein intake. What's the problem? The issue is people not being fat adapted anymore this day and age. Most gym goers can't push themselves to cause sufficient muscle breakdown and lack of energy from carb addiction and going off them makes it harder hence they think they can't build muscle.
middle age and been lifting weights since i was a teen doing a lot of carbo loading pre and post workout. went full carnivore zero carb cold turkey about 6 months ago, i have to admit im having a hard time gaining muscle mass because half of the time i feel like i dont have the energy and i eat fatty meat until im full. i dont wanna have to force feed myself to gain weight thats not the lifestyle i want. it doesnt help that im a true ectomorph too. on the positive side my blood pressure went from 128/84 average to 114/71. my facial skin looks younger dryness and wrinkles gone, and my abs got shredded in the first month and i havent seen my abs since iu was a teen. i sleep much sounder, and i think clearer able to see solutions clearer, my decision making is better im more calm i dont panic as much even under pressure . the intermittent weakness is the only downside i can see. i tried experimenting lately tho if i eat a few carbs like one cup of rice it will give me tons of energy to workout for the next 2 days. but i decided not to continue this coz i wanna maintain the zero carb diet. maybe a year from now if my energy levels still dont improve ill eat a cup of rice every 2 days.
I am 70 years old. After going ketovore/carnivore 3 years ago i have lost fat, and gained muscle, and doubled the weights I use. I always work out fasted
57 yrs old, in the past 18 months have lost 125lbs while gaining muscle. Consider myself ketovore, only eating between 0 and 20 total carbs daily. Struggled in gym for energy at first but fought through it and like Shawn Baker said in video eventually became fat adapted and started having much better energy during workouts. This lifestyle now has me eating to live instead of living to eat. Benefits are too numerous to list.
How long was it before you had your energy breakthrough? 1 month in and get pretty fatiqued sometimes. Overall pain is much improved (reason I am trying this). It's actually quite miraculous.
The anti inflammatory benefits are great. I had both knee and severe back pain and know exactly what you are talking about. Getting fat adapted so the energy improved in the gym was a process. Definitely did not occur quickly. Went through a couple months where workouts were really a struggle but just rested between sets, didnt get into a hurry and grinded it out. After a while noticed was ready for another set much quicker and then eventually started adding even more excercises to end of workout because felt so good I knew I had more in me. I think a huge key is not to break at all and give in to giving your body carbs. It's as if your body fights you for a while but then realizes your not going to break switches to a fat burner. If weight loss is a huge goal for you learn as much as you can about insulin resistance. Ben Bikman really got me started going down the rabbit hole that lead to much of my success. Just a suggestion that influenced me. Dont let stalls deter you, just part of it. Good luck and keep grinding!
My experience has been that carbs aren't required, except when I'm doing g a very high frequency and intense phase. During this phase a carb meal once every 3or 4 days is magical. The carbs feel like rocket fuel. I've put it down to the training frequency and intensity being very high and GNG can not keep up with the demands of this traing frequency. For me injesting carbs is a tool that can be used for an outcome not a requirement for sustaining life.
I've been doing carnivore for 6 weeks and I've seen more progress in that time than previous YEARS worth of workouts. It's absurd to even suggest that building muscle will be hard/impossible when you're eating 120g< of protein.
If your calories are low enough, it is absolutely not absurd to suggest you can’t build muscle. If you’re a fatty or a newbie, the same rules don’t apply. But for any of us that are in reasonably good shape and have regularly trained, you need the requisite calories to go along with it. Protein alone is not enough. That’s still possible on this type of diet of course, but it can be an issue for some folks to get enough calories when the foods they eat are so satiating already
Been on a keto for about 2 months. No gym just pressups at home. The quality of the energy seems to impact muscle power and resistance better. Pressups have never been so easy and they keep me looking good without the gym.
Those who have trouble building muscle on carnivore, can be for several reasons - too much fasting, very low body fat (bulking helps), they have issues in their metabolic system or hormones / basically they are broken in some way, they are not trying hard enough/ lack of proper stimulus / lack of intensity, lack of sleep (supports growth hormone), too much life stress and yes lack of protein. Eat ! Then eat some more!
A lot of people have said it's more difficult to eat enough than overeat, lol. I had that initially where I was physically incapable of eating for a while
@@Mallchad Yes. I have patients that have had bariatric surgery, almost impossible for them to eat 3 pounds of meat/ eggs, they had to resort to some other items to get in enough food to build muscle after their weight loss phase. Yes also some of my general patients say they are full so they had to pull back on the fat for more leaner cuts to reach their protein for the day. For me, I just eat a little all day, no problem. Many of my powerlifter patients wake up in the middle of the night to eat. Sounds funny but they are a different group. Everyone is slightly different. Everyone is broken in a different way. Everyone in a different phase from healing to building to the downhill slide.
@@PrimalEater Sure, but on average you lose muscle as you age, and adding muscle gets much harder the older you get for various reasons. So this is impressive.
My thing is I don’t very much like chewing steak… at least not all day everyday. My question is would it be sufficient enough to go with a lot of ground beef and eggs and butter and such? I’ve never tried strict carnivore but would love to. I’m just hesitant about it as someone who’s had four kids, I’m breastfeeding and trying to train and build muscle at the same time -and fixing some health hurdles I’ve been really wanting to rid of …
6'1" 182 lbs at 59 been on carnivore for 13 months, started at 182lbs. The difference is less fat and I am stronger. I lived the majority of my adult life over 230lbs, i'm good now.
Thank you for all you do Mr. Baker. Has anyone seen 'Cereal Killers' 1&2 documentaries on athletes on a keto diet? Part 2 shows two (husband and wife) who want to prove to the world that they can run on fat as athletes. They rowed nonstop across the Pacific Ocean from California to Hawaii, with nothing but Keto rations in their small ass rowboat! I am really feeling duped by Amerikkka's shams....Carnivore/Keto IS a species appropriate diet. My doctors have no clue and don't want to most of the time I try to talk about any of this, so I'll keep feeling incredible to myself I guess lol. I'll be 50 in April, and Carnivore keeps me lean and strong w/less joint pain issues (I have arthritis in my spine) and I heal quicker. My bp stays around 115/70ish throughout my day, I am clear headed and more positive mentally. I don't bing eat (have no desire so I drink h20 all day) like my coworkers, keeping my blood glucose nice and low all day. I haven't been constipated or had diarrhea yet (2-3 months experimenting now). I don't fart at all hardly anymore, and it doesn't stink if I do. lol And I am more muscular, all the while dropping my daily protein shake and only eating twice a day w/a snack at lunch now. I no longer take Post workout supplements, only creatine. And I'm not sick and tired of eating the same things, I work out and then I am ravenous like an animal to eat. My dog knows too. He's right next to me when I eat meat and wants it all for himself!
I have been working out forever - I'm 78 now. I wanted to put on some muscle mass that I lost over the years, and found it necessary to eat substantial protein (I eat 95% carnivore with some fruit) along with good regulat lifting. It is difficult most of the time to eat enough at my age. I'm 185 and try to eat 175 - 200 g per day.
I think it’s pretty clear that in terms of marathons and multi wads, carnivore is undoubtedly superior. This has been shown too many times to ignore. In terms of strength training it matches a mix diet. In terms of hypertrophy carbs appear to give a slight edge, but a good portion of that is purely inflammation and water retention giving the appearance of a more “full” muscle. The only way I see carbs being a major advantage is for athletes needing to gain a lot of weight. Or build extreme mass. Carbs will definitely help, with the added effect of increasing hunger. But it will come at the cost of health. Then again extreme athletes generally aren’t living a “healthy” lifestyle.
There's a difference between big muscles and strong muscles. I think carnivore diet provides stronger muscles for the same size. Am I wrong? Would love to hear Dr.Baker on that.
Once I learned about the Cori cycle, everything made sense. I'd been told over and over again that you need carbs for glycogen resynthesis after exercise. You don't. But you do need FAT to run the Cori cycle and convert lactate, produced by muscular contractions, back into glucose. Also, once I stopped eating carbs, I (surprisingly) didn't have a transitional phase where my workouts sucked for a while until I got "adapted." If anything, I felt stronger immediately, and could train harder, heavier and more often, in my 40's.
I am not fully on the Carnivore Diet, but my best workouts come right before the end of a fast of 40 hours or more, so no carbs are involved, other than the ones produced by my liver! Eating meat is the best way to break a fast, in my experience, and sometimes the last meal I eat before fasting is also all meat. I do eat carbohydrates sometimes. I don't think they are necessary or even helpful for a workout, though maybe they do help to puff up your muscles a little bit afterwards, and they definitely help you take a nice nap!
I've put on muscle, not sure the exact figure though. I use some of the workout machines at my apartments gym the past month and half and I've gone up at least 15-20 lbs of weight on several of the machines.
Even for this guy as with Chaffe and others that say this, their physique was built on carbs, training for 45 years, last 8 carnivore, that means 37 years of another diet…not BUILT on carnivore.
First of all, at say 6 months into being on a Carnivore, I WANTED to work out. We joined a gym that not only had great equipment but also a red light therapy & body vibration technology unit. I'm upping my weights on the machines I'm using with both legs & arms. My triceps are coming along, but my biceps at 68 are impressive. For me, it's not only something I want to do, but it's easy to do it!
Very little carbs over the past few years and I've lost fat and gained muscle. I am 50+ years old. Consistent resistance training has helped me and I don't go overboard with it so I could probably gain more muscle with more focus.
I have T1D LADA and can definitely confirm that on Carnivore you DEFINITELY make or in my case need insuline. So hereby the claim that you need carbs for insuline is debunked. Have a good one everyone ❤
I do believe after over 3 years of keto and over one year of carnivore that for me the low carb model works better for building muscle and also keeping the stress low on my body (stress caused previously by high carb diet). To optimize further my health and body composition, I gave up on coffee, now being purely carnivore. I will monitor my health closely on my next 6-12 months, but I have no doubt that will work better for me being on pure carnivore and having no coffee.
I am building muscle 56 yrs old. I am not bulked up but tone. I have to flex to show muscle. Some people notice and make comments, that is when you know your building muscle .
8 months into strict carnivore for reasons. Lost tons of strength and muscle, but I started at a high level. It seems to really sap maximal strength and explosive power, and not just for me. Let's put it this way.. the people who make gazillions of dollars or win Olympic medals are not doing carnivore or keto diets. Their performance is the most important to them right now and what do they eat.. carbs. I don't know if it's ATP or what mechanism is affected, maybe leverage on the cellular level due to water and glycogen. Carnivore seems to work like anything else. If you're untrained, overweight, etc any diet and any workout.. literally anything.. will help you gain muscle and lose fat and get stronger. But if you're lean and strong and have been training for a lifetime, a lot of people lose a lot of explosive power, maximal strength, and muscle size. And can't gain it back.
As someone who climbs, cycles and swims on occasion, whenever I go strict carnivore I just lose will to do "extra work", whether it's because I'm not fully adapted or not eating the right ratios I can't tell. But if I'm fully rested I can still perform on max, it just seems like I need a full day of complete rest in those scenarios to go back to baseline.
Ahaha, gotta love that one, can refer back to… Layman& Norton around 2010, breaks it down nicely, btw Leucine directly activates MPS, no added benefit of carb.
I haven't gained any weight on carnivore and it's tough to maintain weight. I was in the gym before carnivore and I definitely don't look as strong and I'm actually not as strong on carnivore. Maybe I should eat more.
@@ZippyG6 months later, still treading water in the gym. About to go off the diet a while and do a bulk. When I come back to carnivore I'm sure it will be from joint pain.
Ineed carnvore to work out because carbs make me so tired so i dont get how carbs is better for running lol. I legit shift down a couple of gears if im on carbs for running. 7 months on carnivore now but still trying to gain weight. I upped my fat to 230grams Ghee, lard, beef tallow, sometimes grass fed butter. Eat 3 meals a day. Still around 135lbs 5'11 i know its too skinny but I was a marathon runner for awhile and played hockey so i was always in a calorie deficit.
Look at any big cat and the amount of muscle they have. If you can't build muscle without carbs, they would never get that big, or would just waste away.
I lost all my size and strength on carnivore I was a solid 225 and now 195 and feel skinny. I cant even incline 185 anymore. I could get that ten times easy before. I'm doing everything possible to gain knowledge on building pure muscle on carnivire and nothing sems to work. . I'm tempted to add some carbs back. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. My deadlift is a joke now too. Increased my protein intake which made my urea Bun make go out of range on my blood test because of too much nitrogen produced in my kidneys. WTF am I doing wrong????
Because carbs turn into sugar and sugar destroys everything in ur very body no matter how good it tastes it degenerates organs and your overall health remember folks our ancestors didnt survive on carbohydrates they lived through meat through all the nomadic era humans were carnivores because nobody could grow plants or bread back than so thats why their only way of getting all their necessary nutrients was through a meat based diet perhaps the folk complaining is eating too much lean meat and missing on other important saturated fats @@colejames423
@@GoneCarnivore there might be a handful out there I guess, but I don’t think you’ll find many (if any) serious athletes/lifters that don’t eat carbs. In fact, they prioritize carbs just as much as protein and fat (ie - a balanced diet :o) If you’re old, or in terrible shape and suddenly cut all the junk and maybe lift a couple times a week at a leisurely clip, yeah, carnivore might get it done for you and you’ll feel a TON better by virtue of cutting junk and losing fat. But if you seriously push yourself in the gym, carbs are your friend.
Love you bro. Would love to see pressing 90lb bags of sakrete like I carry around job sites and carry for 20-30 yds regularly. After 30 years of construction muscle bound types I've seen a lot of big guys (only) unable to do the job having a hard time in the real construction world. I'm not 25 yr old strong but can still whip all my buddies asses in my 50's on carnivore.
I am 62 and on carnivore diet for a year. I work an extremely physical job and last year I was thinking of retiring becuase I was extremely weak and getting weaker. I don’t go to the gym, I just walk a lot and lift my clients. Now my job seems so easy and I am able to work like I did when I was twenty. I can lift huge buckets of water too without any issue. My arms have muscle definition. Carnivore builds muscle I am living proof of that. Also I am supposedly no longer able to build muscle at 62 and this is just not true. Meat and fat equals strength. Can you address the farmers strike that is happening in Europe and now Canada. The powers that be seem to want to make local farming and animal agriculture a thing of the past. We need to get involved for our healths sake.
I'd be interested in a deeper dive on this topic. Muscle is heavy and requires being sustained which may be counter productive in evolutionary survival situations. Strength is more important to me and we know muscle mass and strength don't have a 1:1 relationship but are related. I'm curious if people find they get stronger on carnivore without putting on heaps of muscle.
At 53 , I entirely rebuilt an atrophied right leg I couldn't use for 15 years. I did about a 2 blocks worth of uphill sprints this morning. Does that count as building muscle?
I'm 76 and began keto and now carnivore in 2019 when I was diagnosed with fatty liver disease. Since then, I have lost 50 pounds, cured my liver and begun exercising again resulting in significant muscle gain.
😮That is great at that age.
50 pounds lost is amazing at 76. You probably added a few years to your life.
Outstanding ! You are giving this 56 yo kid with A fibrillation hope. I am back in the gym 3 times a week and doing carnivore twice a day depending on workouts.
@@howardryburn9646 I have been in full timer AFib since April 4, 2018. Losing the weight and exercising turned everything around for me.
Dr Chafee claims he gave up 🥬🥦 and quintupled his meat calories ( 5x) and lost 10 kg ( over 20 pounds ) in 10 days .
What did you do wrong to get these medicore gains compared to the good Dr , or is the good Dr pants on 🔥 instead ?
The above is easily verifiable on YT .
after two weeks on carnivore noticed that I no longer struggled ALL day to keep good posture, I struggled with this for years. Thats how fast my back muscles strengthened.
after 3 weeks I can lift 3 bags of dog food to the car with no straining at all 😅
I've never put on muscle as easily as I do now. It's amazing. And with not that much effort. I did Atkins before on and off for 20 years and never put on muscle like this. No matter how much training I did. My metobilosm is finally functioning properly now. Thank you Dr Baker!
I've had better luck building muscle on carnivore/ketovore than any diet i've tried before.
So have I, and I've only been doing it for about a month. I haven't changed my training routine, but I went from low carb OMAD to beef+eggs carnivore OMAD. I do not track my weight, but I already noticed bigger arms in the mirror compared to pre-carnivore. Can still lift the same weights as before. I think I hit a plateau, but switching to carnivore seems to have stimulated growth with all the pure protein I'm eating without the anti-nutrients. Can't wait to see how things will progress.
@@kirillstp Same here, and all I do is the Saitama Workout routine.
@@LuigiCG that's one I've never heard of. Looks like an intense bodyweight routine.
I do kettlebell and bodyweight plans from StrongFirst. They have this antiglycolytic approach that's very good for what I need.
My lazy ass has build so much muscle doing precisely nothing on carnivore that my legs actually hurt for how freaking tight and lean they are from the sudden muscle gain. Besides, the idea that you need _carbohydrates_ to build muscle and not _protein_ which is made of muscle is fairly non-sensical
@@MallchadI wonder if that's why I've been experiencing stiff muscles and cramps in my legs, lol.
My personal trainer can't get his head around the fact that I have energy without carbs. We have an upcoming powerlifting competition and he wants me to eat carbs for energy. I will just have to show him you don't need no dang carbs!
Does your trainer know about gluconeogenesis?
If he doesn't, why is he your trainer?
@@ajs3994 he knows how to power lift which is what I am training for. Carnivore diet is very rare to find people doing.
He's used to working with athletes that need big bursts of quick energy, hope you do well might show that even athletes don't need to carb load for performance.
The old exercise low carb diets studies only lasted about 2 or 3 weeks. Which is the time needed to fully convert to ketones. Some people take a month.
Which is why they think you need carbs.
Dr Chafee claims he gave up 🥬🥦 and quintupled his meat calories ( 5x) and lost 10 kg ( over 20 pounds ) in 10 days .
What did you do wrong to get these medicore gains compared to the good Dr , or is the good Dr pants on 🔥 instead ?
The above is easily verifiable on YT .
I'm 71, been on carnivore (mostly) for 2 years. I'm now able to do things I couldn't before. This morning I restacked a wood pile and repaired a fence, along with chasing goats! 2 years ago....No Way!
The chasing the goats is the best part! 😂😂
Keep the good work Sir!! Blessings
I'm 43. I train hard daily. I used to eat what I want and carbs just made my muscles look fuller. Now they just bloat me up ,and, makes me feel unathletic and tired. I used to be a personal trainer and never understood trainers who were out of shape, more so, how they ever got clients. Point being, if someone looks as good as you (regardless of age), I will listen. Let's see how this effects my training. I only 'accidentaly' started this because I forgot to buy rice and sweet potatoes! 😂
Agreed, I miss the full look as well
One thing I know for sure is plant based results in sarcopenia. Through carnivore I've been able to restore 75% to 80% of what I lost without weight gain.
60 years old - carnivore diet
Today PB : Dead lift 280 lbs x 3 reps
Day 109: Dead lift 185 lbs
Day 111: Dead lift 200 lbs
Day 114: Knee injury ACL (40 days off)
Day 156: Dead lift 205 lbs
Day 159: Dead lift 215 lbs
Day 180: Dead lift 230 lbs
Day 183: Dead lift 255 lbs
Day 189: Dead lift 260 lbs
Day 192: Dead lift 270 lbs
Day 196: Dead lift 275 lbs
Day 200: Dead lift 280 lbs
ATTA BOY NEVER GIVE UP👌👍💪🥩
I've seen plant powered strongmen do way better .
Why isn't meat making you as strong as them ?
Tell us about your blood work and your own health.
I got healthy eating only fatty red meat.@@julienfroidevaux1143
@@julienfroidevaux1143 I just start training, from years of not training. Your argument is so bullshit
@@alainfreedom3159PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE IGNORANT TROLLS(PLEASE NOTE I AM THE ONE WHO PRAISED YOU) YOU SHOULD BE PROUD AT YOUR AGE THAT YOU ARE WORKING OUT & PROBABLY IN WAY BETTER HEALTH N SHAPE THAN MANY OF YOUR AGE OR EVEN YOUNGER. PLEAEE FO NOT GIVE UP👌💪👍🥩
I'm 45yo, I was fat b4 carnivore while working out daily, now I'm carnivore I barely work out but I'm lean and can see my viens and abs popping out,life's great 😊
That’s young
Why i dont have the abs 😂
Explain more
I’m a 100 lb petite lady. I’ve never had muscles until I started Carnivore diet !
I am, as well.
That is encouraging as I am just in the 2nd month of carnivore.😊
I built muscle quicker with carbs, but I also over ate so I also put on fat, when I would lower calories, even only moderately those muscles would also shrink and were hard to retain. Same if I lowered the intensity of my training. With carnivore the muscle growth is slower but it’s adding lean mass. Not only that the muscles are much harder and denser and I have got much stronger, even with only moderate growth. My tendon strength has got substantially stronger, I arm wrestle and climb so it’s very noticeable. It’s also visible. More interestingly even if I fast, or take a break from training that muscle retains its size and its hardness. I don’t lose much strength and that strength comes back very quickly. Whereas before with carbs I had to build that strength back up slowly over months. My stamina and endurance is also better. I think if you want to get your muscles as big as you can carbs can help. But if you just want to get stronger, with harder muscles and tendons,that retain their size, with better stamina, it’s better without carbs. This is only an anecdotal case, but it’s very noticeable.
This is it ! I'm enjoying slow growth but noticed I'm just more stronger. And people forget on carnivore you are recovering wayyy faster too which a lot of people don't mention.
Agreed from personal experience
your experience is the same as mine. however id add, it’s not that the carbs are helping you put muscle on faster, it’s that they enable you to have my glycogen storage so u look and feel fuller with more water in your muscles, hence the fluctuations. real muscle fibres wouldn’t shrink unless ur in a catabolic state for a prolonged period. but the glycogen gives the illusion of more muscle being built. when eating carnivore, it’s purely new muslce tissue being added without the excess superficial mass
I love the BBQ smoke in the back ground as the smell of ribeyes waft by ;)
A great way to multitask! Cooking Rib-Eyes while recording a video!
Where can i buy ribeye cologne 😂
@@EggplantOven It's usually right next to the bacon cologne at the drugstore.
While I believe individuals can gain a certain amount of natural lean mass on a carnivore diet(with almost zero carbs), i cannot speak or vouch for it personally as i have been working out since age 13 & am now rapidly approaching 48 years young. As such, i can however say at a minimum i have had zero issues regaining previously built lean muscle(some of which i had lost during the covid plandemic). I am now a very lean 175-180lbs at 5’10”. The differences are now have the most consistent chiseled midsection year round & deep muscle separation/definition in my back, shoulders, arms & legs. So much so, that many people at my gym refuse to believe that I am natural(have been all my life), they believe that someone my age has to be on gear or TrT to look as jacked as i do to them. Very sad, that many people(especially younger people) just do not wanna believe that over 30 years of hitting the gym 6 days/week & prioritizing protein(especially with carnivore diet last 2 years) with proper rest n lifestyle has allowed me to build a decent natural physique at this stage of my life by God’s Grace. Continued thanx Dr Baker for your continued restless attempts to help humanity live optimally. Godspeed🥩💪👍🥩
God's grace!!
I'm 48 5'11 175 pounds. I'm sort of cut but trying harder.
With good genetics and hard work, anything is possible body wise
Started carnivore last May. Since that time I gained over 15lbs and I am now close to 155lbs at 5'11". I was lean back then and I am lean now, although slightly less, so yes, I did put on at least 10lbs of pure muscle mass on 0 carbs. Just red meat and lots of workout
At 42 I can tell you keep doing it man. I'm 5'11 grew up on crap fast food. After mom got cancer started paying attention.
All through junior high and highschool lean at 135lbs tiny. I'm running 199lbs now. Functional muscle still some fat, but working on it. Going carnivore.
Stay strong and pay attention to pain and listen to instincts don't push because of pressure or influence. Hope you hit your goals!
@@BigHairyDwarf I'm a 6ft male, 188# and looking to get to at least 200#. How did you determine your caloric and macro intake? And, are you "strict" carnivore? Appreciate any insights
@@nymode Not strict carnivore. I try to pay attention to my body and how it reacts to anything.
I'm no guru. I gained weight originally the hard way by just eating in my 20s till I gained weight and kind of hated food. Then I found it's harder to lose as I got older once you gain. Too much good info on the net now to do it that way.
I stick to organic beef and eggs from Walmart or Krogers. I also eat off and on sweet potatoes, carrots, avocados. I don't fear veggies, but I don't make them the core of my intake. Once you stop buying all the junk food it's not as expensive as some think. Also filling up on meat keeps your appetite in control better anyway.
I don't pay attention to amounts. When I started carnivore. I would fast most of the day then dinner I would eat 1lb of beef and like 6 eggs or just two pounds of beef. I didn't stay on that and made two meals out of it. Lunch and Dinner. I fast from 6 pm to 10 or 11 am.
I use spices and try as much as possible to stick with organics. Some believe organic is a buzz word, but for me the taste is night and day. The cheaper meat and stuff is not an issue just try and use as healthy options as possible with what you can.
Exercise: Athlean-X Jeff Cavaliere, RP with Dr. Mike Israetel, etc. I don't do T or Roids so my recovery won't match up to many of these fitness experts. I have to listen to when my body hurts. I do slow controlled reps and I don't worry about high counts. I have a 3-5-7-12 policy. I you are doing 12 with ease up the weight. If you want to just stay in a fixed body state stick to five or 7 and slow those reps as needed for resistance. All opinion and personal choice I am not an expert.
If you have trouble with motivation find that one exercise you love, or even a couple and you can always come back to that to stay in motion. Get your rest day or days.
On a side not I work two physical jobs. Custodian for a school and repair and lawn care for a storage place. These places are big so I do loads of walking. I'm just sharing that to put in perspective what off side exercise I get.
If you have any other questions. Feel free to let me know. As stated I am not a pro, expert, or guru. I learned from my own choices and experiences. Best of luck to you and your goals. I've enjoyed my journey I hope you do as well.
I have found that strength gains are great on the carnivore diet. It's easy for me to feel a sort of positive aggression when I'm training. I also feel that positive aggression in the workplace. I feel like I don't get beat down by stress as easily and handle conflict reasonably. Before carnivore, I felt like I defaulted to panic mode.
I'm envious. My workouts are still abysmal one year in. No energy, little improvements. I can't delude myself that I'm just not fat adapted yet or anything like that. It just doesn't work that well for me.
All the other benefits are great though so I will keep at it. Health gains > muscle gains.
@@Sylvinesame story for me, on long days of work + exercise I inevitably run into either what I assume is electrolyte issues or slow metabolism meaning I don't feel any real energy from what I eat I am also somehow more hungry in the morning on carnivore than if I had had carbs the night before.
Do not get sucked into a dogma. Some people do better with small amounts of sugar, even just 5g of sugar during workouts can be better for you. Tim Noakes showed that most of the times the "fatigue" is basically a sugar dip in the brain more than a muscle issue. If you've been in different diet for long carnivore will bring benefits but a full change may take very long.
Every body is different. Some tips will work for you, others not. You just have to find what works for you. I'm just 10 days in and I find that a small back of pork cracklins are very helpful in addition to electrolytes.
@@bthorn5035 Agree, also people underestimate how long it takes to completely transition to complete full carnivore. No one can expect to switch and be perfectly healthy in a short time after having abused food for decades. Healing takes time and effort.
Have been a carnivore almost 2 years .. lost 55 lbs, have gained 15 lbs back in muscle 💪.. love it ❤
38 years old, 6 months carnivore. blew past my personal bests on squat, deadlift and bench from my early 20s less than 2 months into the diet. oh, and i weigh 20 lbs less than i did back then.
The mechanism behind the notion that carbs make one bigger and stronger could be thru their tendency to increase water retention in the muscles. "Pumps" are better and because the joints are fuller, some lifts, especially the bench press can benefit. Creatine may work in a similar manner.
I started Carnivore in January this year and being 66 years and female I didn't think I would gain muscle strength but after 5years of having to climb stairs leading with my right leg as my left leg tended to collapse I can now walk up the stairs normally (alternate legs) frankly I am amazed at how much strength I've got in both legs and no wobbles. Carnivore has so many unexpected benefits.
Good to read this. I'm 9 days in, and still feeling quite flu'ish and adapting to the virtual lack of carbs. Did you feel sort of feverish and a bit weak to start? And do you find it hard to eat enough? 😲
Ladynipchick2 you feel off colour when you hit ketosis for the first time. Your brain craves the carbs. When I started Carnivore I too felt hungry and had to eat more I aimed to get 40% of my food in before 3pm. But within 5 weeks I had adapted then I started losing the weight. I make Brown butter bites ( recipes on YT) which really helps upping the fat content so removing the craving. I do struggle getting adequate fat as I am not a fan of eggs. I now just eat one meal a day.
@@enidcronin9704 Thankyou very much!
@@Ladynipchick2 Hello, Start the transition slowly, don't eliminate all carbohydrates together, and eat a variety of meats, preferably ruminant red meat
Seek as much information as possible
At the beginning of the diet, take electrolytes, magnesium and potassium help a lot, add a little more salt when preparing the meat, and after it's ready add a little more salt, these minerals help a lot
Don't start straight with meat, remove industrialized carbohydrates as soon as possible, as they are hurting your internal organs,
Carbohydrates when you have cravings, take magnesium when you feel like eating sweets etc... or eat meat to eliminate these vices, in my case I would add eggs, and when you eat carbohydrates don't blame yourself so much, just go back to the beginning of the game ,
It's part of winning with some losses at the beginning of the diet, below is an interesting text
I hope I helped after 3 months for your question
Below is a list of interesting information
Hello!!!
Most human beings spend years eating wrong, practically their entire lives and want to solve the entire problem in a few days or months.
It won't be like this, there is a price to pay, each body is a universe, of inflammation and illnesses to correct.
Time is the king of everything on earth,
Wait and continue on the meat and fat diet, increase your animal fat, eat more fat than protein, eat a variety of red meat, if you can avoid pork!!!
Do not give up!!!
When your body starts to feel good, it will lose weight naturally.
Detail: If you lose weight too quickly you may become flabby, so allow your body to make adjustments in each part.
You will heal
Just a matter of time!!!
I was in severe deep depression, I am cured thanks to red beef, preferably
Hope this helps!!!
Gaining more muscle on carnivore diet then when I did carbs. Gained more fat then muscle on carbs.
carnivorians cannot spell "than" 😂😂😂
Your muscle needs to retain water tho
@@nekoMilligram And you can't spell "carnivore" 😂😂😂
@@nekoMilligramvegans can't stay on vegan channels 😂😂😂craving meat much😂huh?
@@sdmfp333Yeah, it does that just fine on its own with adequete nutrition, of which carbohydrates is not a part of
For me, being 57, it is really about maintenance of muscle, being lean and burning fat. Vascularity over size is my preferance..I found carnivore diet with a bit of fruit (berries, avocado) perfect for my goals.
To make a long story short. I had nonclinical Cushing’s Syndrome that made me lose muscle mass. After feeling that my metabolic dyscrasia, through surgical intervention, was responding in a positive way I noted in my journal my thoughts back in September.
Protein and fat should be consumed depending on the epigenetic goal you’re trying to evoke. If the carbs stay the same then it would seem to come down to types of proteins and fats. Soon I plan to increase my protein to hopefully increase my muscle mass.
I did and am amazed it worked extremely well. At 67 I am putting on muscle with simple resistance exercises and walking. I know this isn’t in my head because others have noticed.
I believe keeping muscle mass can be a hormonal issue too. My mainly carnivore diet allowed me to see the path in the forest.
Excellent explanation!!! I believe that muscle gain on the carnivore diet together with the ketogenic diet remains much better, muscle building on the carbohydrate diet does not last long, muscle loss is very fast, on the carnivore diet with ketogenic the gain is much more sustainable,
Muscle loss on a carbohydrate diet is much greater,
On the carnivore and ketogenic diet, the pleasure of training is something that makes all the difference
Recovery from training is a pleasant sensation and not painful, when training on a carbohydrate diet after training it feels like rubbish
Gratitude Dr. Shawn Baker
Carbohydrates also leads to the body storing more water, so they get a pumped/puffy or "jacked" look during and after workout. That isn't translating to muscle-building or actual strength gains. I have built way more muscle on carnivore/ketovore than I ever did with carbs, with the added benefit of having leaner abs, waist, and no puffiness around my face. Heck, even when I have been bad and stayed out of the gym for weeks, I didn't get a sloppy/fat look on carnivore; can't do that with carbs. You will get fat in a hurry eating carbs and not working out.
People should get fully adapted to carnivore first. Then train hard.
Thanks for all you do Dr Baker you are a legend!
I'm 52 and strict carnivore for 13 months. Lost 34 pounds early on and trying to gain muscle now. I've been lifting consistently for about 8 months, yet struggling to gain muscle. I see a physical change, but it's slow going. I was hoping for better results, but I'm sure my age has a lot to do with it.
53 im in same boat as you.
Try adding organic fresh fruits for carbs in ur diet.
sorry i been a diabetic for thirteen years If i eat fruits ill be back on insulin shortly. that is not an option.@@Ohwowamazing
@@Otingocni ahh my bad, never mind then lol
Hello,
Thank you for the great work, keep going
Some ideas below
Sharing my opinion after 2 years on the Carnivora and ketogenic diet
(2 years between dietary transition (removing complex carbohydrates (Natural) as I removed the industrialized ones on the first day of the dietary change)
1. Changing foods requires time for the body to begin adapting to new food consumption in this case (Protein and Fat) the body requires time to change its source of burning energy,
When we are eating carbohydrates our body is always in total despair.
This can happen on a carnivorous or ketogenic diet, but in an intelligent way.
2. Every Body has a health problem to correct
(No one is the same when it comes to health problems, even if they have the same disease)
3. Losing fat or gaining muscle can be an easier task for some people, this is due to their body, which may have a problem in a certain organ.
(Which was not diagnosed by laboratory tests) due to several factors
4. The beginning of the diet is very delicate, as we want to heal quickly, at least overnight,
(We can start the improvement process when we change our diet on the first day, but we will not be cured overnight. It is not possible to cure years of a wrong diet in just a few days or even months or years, it depends on one body to another)
Total transition I believe in around 5 years,
For those who are only on the carnival diet along with the ketogenic diet, interspersing the two in the same period
5. Observing your evolution is very important, be it in the physical or mental aspect (Mental Energy, Relaxation in your daily activities, patience, emotional control, concentration, among others.
Your physical energy, Desire to do some exercises, among others) even if it is moderate, the simple fact of walking, I don't do running exercise, I don't think it's healthy. due to several factors, one of which is that research has shown that most athletes who run and play football or do all the exercises that use the heart more have more heart attacks, perhaps because of the carbohydrates, etc...
6. The most important of all
(Follow your Ancestral Food instinct, which was taken from humans)
Which ?
(When you want to eat more protein, eat, when you want to eat more fat, eat. When you don't want to eat, don't eat) Do you want to gain weight?
Exercise with moderate weight
I hope I contributed in some way
The Doc proves you can build muscle on Carnivore, and lots of it, but my experience is different (because individuals are different).
I lost a lot of weight doing low carb high meat and I got very healthy. My weight and health have been stable for years and when I retired recently I had time to work out a lot more so I set about putting on muscle via more workouts with higher intensity.
What happened was I actually started losing more weight and not putting on muscle. I tried eating even more meat and eggs but no dice. I even went pure Carnivore for a while and only saw a bit of difficulty with my bowel movements as a result.
Finally about 1 1/2 years ago I experimented with adding more carbs to my diet, primarily potatoes, sprouted brown rice and sprouted whole grain bread, and bingo! I've put on just shy of 10 lbs of muscle on since then.
At 60 I'm very happy with this result and am stronger yet leaner than I've been since my 20s. Human variation is very broad so your mileage may vary, and most likely *will* vary.
I’ve only been training at the gym for a few years. I’ve been on the carnivore diet for just over six months. Initially, I lost some weight on carnivore diet, but iwas mostly fat, only had a small amount to lose. I’ve gained back my weight (on a caloric surplus) and it’s all muscle! After fat adaptation (which takes time) I feel like I have way more energy at the gym and I feel invincible at the gym. I always go to failure on every set! Energy and gains are incredible on carnivore! PS I’m 45 years old. And I’m in the best physical shape of my life! Carnivore has also help me with minor and major health issues! I feel completely healed, and amazing, and super human! I feel like I’m 25 years old!
I am gaining muscle all over on carnivore I do eat avocado 🥑 and salsa and sometimes Brussels sprouts 5 pieces of pecans a day and 5 ounces of meat which is a small portion and I am 50 and still gained already muscle all over in just 5 months I have been exercising. My body looks already better than 90 percent of my younger coworkers .
Great points. I'm 61 been training since 14. I, too, continue to add muscle, but slowly. So peop,e don't misunderstand. The slow gains are not because of age but because of the length of time training. A pound or two a year of quality muscle is awesome at this stage of the game.
Keep hitting it doc.👍
I immediately could tell carnivore was building muscle. I noticed in my calves first. Larger and more defined then you could see it all over. Even in my stomach and sides. Arms now since I have been lifting weights. You can’t build muscle on a plant diet, even if you eat little meat. It’s gotta be carnivore or very low plant carb keto.
I've been skinny all my life and only discovered the carnivore diet late last year. Lost more weight. So I guess I need to increase my fat intake a bit and eat bigger portions. Also need to start lifting harder in the gym. At almost 51 years old, I am tired of being a skinny dude.
Protein intake not fat 👍
Yeah, if I don't eat the fat and just eat 2lbs of meat, I waste away 😂
@@meatynutrients fat is only for energy, protein for building.
@@josephbarker6608 We were talking about losing too much weight
Make sure you are in calorie surplus
I'm female & I've lost 33.25 kg of body fat, reducing my BMI by 5.6 & gained 18.29 kg of 😅lean body mass in 60 days! I have not lifted weights but just moving my body & doing work around the house. I wanted to see what would happen to my body composition with only dietary change before I add resistance bands, to isolate what carnivore alone can do. 😉 I've regained my balance & strength too. Most people I know have to sit down or hold onto a chair in order to put their legs into their pants & put their pants on... I can stand on one foot and do it without any wobbling or joint pain. ❤ If I can heal, get stronger & healthier so can anyone else!
That's very encouraging to me. Is it ok if I ask how old you are? No worries if you don't want to reveal that 😁
I don't want to all negative about your great progress, but even a male body builder with Mr.olympia genetics, and juiced to the gills with all sort of steroids can not put in 18kg of lean muscle in that amount of time. It would take them many cycles and likely a couple years. Either way, sounds like your doing great
18 kilos of lean muscle in 60 days? Didn't notice that... 🤔
Exacto, Great
How old are you?
I’m 122 days in on carnivore and I lost 5 pounds of fat and then put on 3 to 4 pounds of muscle. The muscle building is going great but I am working out 6 days a week
I have put on 18 lbs in 6 months, including over an inch on my arms, neck and calves, and over two inches on my legs and chest, without any gains to my waist. I am actually leaning than when I started, more vascular with more visible striations. Strength has more than double in that time. I am 56 years old.
Hey Dr. Baker. I’m about 40 days in with just meat salt and water. I haven’t noticed much growth or loss but I’m fairly early in.
Thank you for your videos and insight.
Don't worry it will come. Takes time to undo damages we have done. Took my around 6 months to realize oh wow I'm having great bowel movements now. No stomach pain. Never hungry. The energy increase was enough for me to start working out
@@jakecarroll5 thanks for sharing!!
Some ideas below
Hello,
Thank you for the great work, keep going
Sharing my opinion after 2 years on the Carnivora and ketogenic diet
(2 years between dietary transition (removing complex carbohydrates (Natural) as I removed the industrialized ones on the first day of the dietary change)
1. Changing foods requires time for the body to begin adapting to new food consumption in this case (Protein and Fat) the body requires time to change its source of burning energy,
When we are eating carbohydrates our body is always in total despair.
This can happen on a carnivorous or ketogenic diet, but in an intelligent way.
2. Every Body has a health problem to correct
(No one is the same when it comes to health problems, even if they have the same disease)
3. Losing fat or gaining muscle can be an easier task for some people, this is due to their body, which may have a problem in a certain organ.
(Which was not diagnosed by laboratory tests) due to several factors
4. The beginning of the diet is very delicate, as we want to heal quickly, at least overnight,
(We can start the improvement process when we change our diet on the first day, but we will not be cured overnight. It is not possible to cure years of a wrong diet in just a few days or even months or years, it depends on one body to another)
Total transition I believe in around 5 years,
For those who are only on the carnival diet along with the ketogenic diet, interspersing the two in the same period
5. Observing your evolution is very important, be it in the physical or mental aspect (Mental Energy, Relaxation in your daily activities, patience, emotional control, concentration, among others.
Your physical energy, Desire to do some exercises, among others) even if it is moderate, the simple fact of walking, I don't do running exercise, I don't think it's healthy. due to several factors, one of which is that research has shown that most athletes who run and play football or do all the exercises that use the heart more have more heart attacks, perhaps because of the carbohydrates, etc...
6. The most important of all
(Follow your Ancestral Food instinct, which was taken from humans)
Which ?
(When you want to eat more protein, eat, when you want to eat more fat, eat. When you don't want to eat, don't eat) Do you want to gain weight?
Exercise with moderate weight
I hope I contributed in some way
Love carnivore, keeps me angry and strong. No other diet has ever been able to bring out so much of my animalistic behavior. From "nerd" to beast mood. Live it. Finally able to go to the gym with energy and pissed off at the world. Finally able to break new PRs.
I have zero energy over a long period eating just meat. I’ve found the right balance when I add vegetables and grains. Huge energy boost.
I am 48 and use to be quite muscular in my 20s and 30s, weighing 85 - 90 kgs. At about 35-36 I started doing triathlons and changed to a vegetarian diet and my weight dropped to 74kgs. My first 6 months on carnivore May 2023 - Oct 2023 I put on 11 kgs just sprinting 3 days a week and mountain biking 2-3 times a week. I had no idea that happened until I had to weigh myself to go in a helicopter. I was totally shocked and happy but the funny thing was I never noticed the changes, I thought I looked the same, but I suppose I never looked at myself in the mirror. I will start lifting weights again sometime in the near future to see if I gain more weight and muscle. I still weigh 85kgs
3 months in on carnivore diet, down 15 pounds, shrunk 2 sizes and making gains in the gym.
Thanks for addressing the PED question... I got that pushback (i.e. "was he on steroids?") when giving your videos as an example of results of the carnivore diet.
He has none of the typical signs of being on PEDs.
I thought he was on TRT. I could have sworn I've seen somewhere that he was.
@@jerseyjim9092 many people don't have those yet they use
everything's a spectrum, it's not like you get those always and regardless of the doses/time
@HumansAreCarnivoresNotCows lmao I ain't trying to cause no shit. I love Dr Baker and I am a recent carnivore convert. But I thought I read somewhere he was on TRT which I don't even care because many older dudes are on TRT. If he ain't on it, then I'm super impressed, but it doesn't matter
@@jerseyjim9092His past bloodwork showed extremely low T, this is indicative that he may have used PEDs and stopped before the test.
I wanna see his LH and FSH levels.
I wish you would post links to any article you reference in the description. That would be helpful. Keep up the good work.
Just saying stuff is good enough .
Tell us about your own health Jules..... come on.... Tell us about your own health and your blood work. @@julienfroidevaux1143
I’m 23 years old 5’4 struggled gaining weight my whole life my healthy weight sits around 145-150 but this past year I’ve dropped down to 125. Trying to just eat pasta. Not getting enough protein in and then feel like absolute shit all the time from the carbs. I feel so much better whenever I’m eating just meat. Gonna give this carnivore diet a shot and see how it goes.
Even within the first month of a carnivore diet I felt like I had equal energy during workouts, and significantly faster recovery between workouts, allowing me to achieve greater weekly volume, and faster overall strength and muscle progress. But it definitely takes more effort to eat a surplus of energy; it's so easy to just shed the fat on a low carb diet. Just keep training and tweaking your diet and you can accomplish amazing things!
Holy cow 270??? You must be a GIANT!
I'm only 125 but I'm 5'2!!!
And I'm a guy...
Well I'm a 66 next month yr old grandma who lost 95 pounds went from a size 22 to a 8 and I'm seeing definition in my arms . They were big flabby mess now they are small still flabby but smaller and the muscles are showing. I don't use heavy weights but even though I'm seeing a diffrence. I❤ 🥩🥓🧀🍗🥩🥩🥩🥩 and a little bit of ☕
Congrats! What an achievement for 66. Keep going you're an inspiration to many!
@@jakecarroll5 thank you 😊
Excellent!!! For best results, start removing the coffee little by little, reduce the amount of powder until the coffee reaches zero!!!
Coffee blocks absorption of some minerals!!! it deceives you on the one hand and harms you on the other!!!
Detail: Remove gradually, removing everything on the same day may cause headaches
I've been without coffee for 1 year and I feel much better
I hope I helped you
Is this also with decaf ? Or is it the cafeine ?@@intelligenthumanhealth1580
Thanks for sharing this clear, straightforward explanation, sir!
💯🔥🥩💪🏾
I’ve been carnivore since 1st of the year. I’ve done other ways of eating before and nothing compares this. I am a wrestling coach fought in a train Bjj and have never felt better and have been building muscle as well. 36 yrs old 5”7 went from 170.8 to 156.2 pounds . I’m a lot stronger healthier better endurance and more built . It’s definitely hands down the way to go.
i spent many years on a high fat low carb diet. not keto or carnivore but still lower carb and higher fat. i didnt notice any drop off in performance or strength from being low carb/high fat. i built my squat to 250kg and deadlift to 310kg @ 80kg body weight and measured around 7-8% body fat.
what i did notice though is my body didnt change a great deal. i built muscle to a point but then it didnt matter how much food i ate, at the time i was eating between 5000-5500 cals a day, my weight wouldnt budge and i didnt buid any muslce or drop any fat. i just maintained. im also not an ectomorph in any way. i used to be near 40% body fat. i dont struggle to gain weight.
it wasnt until i chaged the macros to being lower fat/higher carb, and dropped the calories that my body changed a lot more.
i have found with myself and many of my clients that yes you can obviously buld muscle on any diet, as you say, it comes down to training. however, it is more efficient doing it with higher carbs. not saying its a rule. its just something i have observed in hundreds of clients over 20 years of working with people.
i personally dont feel any different on either diet. a lot of people prefer how they feel on high fat. it never affected me.
i prefer a higher carb diet for dieting down because i get less blood sugar drops from being on no carbs. on the other end i prefer being on higher fat diet when im not dieting down because i get to eat more food without holding a lot of excess fluid. yes that fluid is great for pumps but its not that noticable and i dont like how it makes me look.
like i say to everyone, try it, measure it and find what works for you.
Maybe should have upped your protein to maximize insulin spikes.
@@supercal333 was on plenty of protein. more than every expert and formula would ever recommend
Carbs are key to maximizing increases in muscle mass, strength, & athletic performance. It may even be that restricting carbs damages your bones according to very recent research which demonstrates that when carb restriction is maintained for 8 - 12 weeks, alterations in anabolic signaling of protein synthesis and myogenesis probably contribute to limited hypertrophic responses to weight training; that is, the keto diet decreases medium-term muscle gain... But that's not the only study that proves it. In another research conducted on bodybuilders who were given two different maintenance diets, one with a keto diet and one with moderate carbohydrate intake, scientists made a very important dietary adjustment: they matched protein intake in both groups by ingesting 2.5 grams per kg of body weight of protein, which is high. This was crucial as protein is the macronutrient most related to muscle mass gain of all. At the end of the 8-week study, those who followed the carbohydrate diet gained significantly more muscle mass compared to the group that followed the keto diet. The difference was brutal, specifically MORE THAN 4 TIMES the muscle difference, specifically 2.2 kg versus 0.5 kg of muscle. That's too much! Its worth noting that the keto diet group also experienced a significant decrease of 11% in testosterone and 15% in IGF-1, both key anabolic hormones in muscle development:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37132326/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37057671/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33530512/
I am 3 weeks into a heavy 6 days per week PPL program before which I was only going for walks and I am 9 months carnivore. I am seeing what I consider incredible gains.
I hardly work out at all anymore and I’m doing just fine. Last time I did lift it was more weight and I’m 20lbs down in body weight.
Love the info doc.
Calorie surplus and adequate protein intake. What's the problem? The issue is people not being fat adapted anymore this day and age. Most gym goers can't push themselves to cause sufficient muscle breakdown and lack of energy from carb addiction and going off them makes it harder hence they think they can't build muscle.
Its called diabetes. Like asburgers, it has a spectrum. Prediabetes is enough to mess with you.
middle age and been lifting weights since i was a teen doing a lot of carbo loading pre and post workout. went full carnivore zero carb cold turkey about 6 months ago, i have to admit im having a hard time gaining muscle mass because half of the time i feel like i dont have the energy and i eat fatty meat until im full. i dont wanna have to force feed myself to gain weight thats not the lifestyle i want. it doesnt help that im a true ectomorph too. on the positive side my blood pressure went from 128/84 average to 114/71. my facial skin looks younger dryness and wrinkles gone, and my abs got shredded in the first month and i havent seen my abs since iu was a teen. i sleep much sounder, and i think clearer able to see solutions clearer, my decision making is better im more calm i dont panic as much even under pressure . the intermittent weakness is the only downside i can see. i tried experimenting lately tho if i eat a few carbs like one cup of rice it will give me tons of energy to workout for the next 2 days. but i decided not to continue this coz i wanna maintain the zero carb diet. maybe a year from now if my energy levels still dont improve ill eat a cup of rice every 2 days.
I am 70 years old. After going ketovore/carnivore 3 years ago i have lost fat, and gained muscle, and doubled the weights I use. I always work out fasted
57 yrs old, in the past 18 months have lost 125lbs while gaining muscle. Consider myself ketovore, only eating between 0 and 20 total carbs daily. Struggled in gym for energy at first but fought through it and like Shawn Baker said in video eventually became fat adapted and started having much better energy during workouts.
This lifestyle now has me eating to live instead of living to eat. Benefits are too numerous to list.
How long was it before you had your energy breakthrough? 1 month in and get pretty fatiqued sometimes. Overall pain is much improved (reason I am trying this). It's actually quite miraculous.
The anti inflammatory benefits are great. I had both knee and severe back pain and know exactly what you are talking about.
Getting fat adapted so the energy improved in the gym was a process. Definitely did not occur quickly. Went through a couple months where workouts were really a struggle but just rested between sets, didnt get into a hurry and grinded it out. After a while noticed was ready for another set much quicker and then eventually started adding even more excercises to end of workout because felt so good I knew I had more in me.
I think a huge key is not to break at all and give in to giving your body carbs. It's as if your body fights you for a while but then realizes your not going to break switches to a fat burner.
If weight loss is a huge goal for you learn as much as you can about insulin resistance. Ben Bikman really got me started going down the rabbit hole that lead to much of my success. Just a suggestion that influenced me. Dont let stalls deter you, just part of it.
Good luck and keep grinding!
My experience has been that carbs aren't required, except when I'm doing g a very high frequency and intense phase. During this phase a carb meal once every 3or 4 days is magical. The carbs feel like rocket fuel. I've put it down to the training frequency and intensity being very high and GNG can not keep up with the demands of this traing frequency. For me injesting carbs is a tool that can be used for an outcome not a requirement for sustaining life.
I've been doing carnivore for 6 weeks and I've seen more progress in that time than previous YEARS worth of workouts. It's absurd to even suggest that building muscle will be hard/impossible when you're eating 120g< of protein.
If your calories are low enough, it is absolutely not absurd to suggest you can’t build muscle.
If you’re a fatty or a newbie, the same rules don’t apply. But for any of us that are in reasonably good shape and have regularly trained, you need the requisite calories to go along with it. Protein alone is not enough.
That’s still possible on this type of diet of course, but it can be an issue for some folks to get enough calories when the foods they eat are so satiating already
I've always eaten enough protein. I'm weaker without carbs and muscles shrinking. I'm lifting, I've been lifting and I will never stop.
I am 65 on conavor for 3 years lost 85 pounds started weight lifting and in just 2 months have gained so much mussel and lost fat I love it
have put on alot muscle doing carnivore diet . ground meat, chuck roust plus taking preworkout supplements
Been on a keto for about 2 months. No gym just pressups at home. The quality of the energy seems to impact muscle power and resistance better.
Pressups have never been so easy and they keep me looking good without the gym.
Those who have trouble building muscle on carnivore, can be for several reasons - too much fasting, very low body fat (bulking helps), they have issues in their metabolic system or hormones / basically they are broken in some way, they are not trying hard enough/ lack of proper stimulus / lack of intensity, lack of sleep (supports growth hormone), too much life stress and yes lack of protein. Eat ! Then eat some more!
A lot of people have said it's more difficult to eat enough than overeat, lol. I had that initially where I was physically incapable of eating for a while
@@Mallchad Yes. I have patients that have had bariatric surgery, almost impossible for them to eat 3 pounds of meat/ eggs, they had to resort to some other items to get in enough food to build muscle after their weight loss phase. Yes also some of my general patients say they are full so they had to pull back on the fat for more leaner cuts to reach their protein for the day. For me, I just eat a little all day, no problem. Many of my powerlifter patients wake up in the middle of the night to eat. Sounds funny but they are a different group. Everyone is slightly different. Everyone is broken in a different way. Everyone in a different phase from healing to building to the downhill slide.
How can you speak for all people? Insane.
Adding muscle in your 50’s without gear is really impressive.
Agreed, but very possible. The right training regiment/diet along with disciple and consistency will yield results. Oh, staying injury free as well.
You can add muscle at any age.
@@PrimalEater Sure, but on average you lose muscle as you age, and adding muscle gets much harder the older you get for various reasons. So this is impressive.
It's not impressive with the proper human diet and correct training.
You lose muscle mass when you get older because you are getting lazier...
My thing is I don’t very much like chewing steak… at least not all day everyday. My question is would it be sufficient enough to go with a lot of ground beef and eggs and butter and such? I’ve never tried strict carnivore but would love to. I’m just hesitant about it as someone who’s had four kids, I’m breastfeeding and trying to train and build muscle at the same time -and fixing some health hurdles I’ve been really wanting to rid of …
6'1" 182 lbs at 59 been on carnivore for 13 months, started at 182lbs. The difference is less fat and I am stronger. I lived the majority of my adult life over 230lbs, i'm good now.
Thanx doc Baker ...
I'm over 50. Regained so muscle on Caro and keto better than a carb rich diet.
What is caro ?
Thank you for all you do Mr. Baker. Has anyone seen 'Cereal Killers' 1&2 documentaries on athletes on a keto diet? Part 2 shows two (husband and wife) who want to prove to the world that they can run on fat as athletes. They rowed nonstop across the Pacific Ocean from California to Hawaii, with nothing but Keto rations in their small ass rowboat! I am really feeling duped by Amerikkka's shams....Carnivore/Keto IS a species appropriate diet. My doctors have no clue and don't want to most of the time I try to talk about any of this, so I'll keep feeling incredible to myself I guess lol. I'll be 50 in April, and Carnivore keeps me lean and strong w/less joint pain issues (I have arthritis in my spine) and I heal quicker. My bp stays around 115/70ish throughout my day, I am clear headed and more positive mentally. I don't bing eat (have no desire so I drink h20 all day) like my coworkers, keeping my blood glucose nice and low all day. I haven't been constipated or had diarrhea yet (2-3 months experimenting now). I don't fart at all hardly anymore, and it doesn't stink if I do. lol And I am more muscular, all the while dropping my daily protein shake and only eating twice a day w/a snack at lunch now. I no longer take Post workout supplements, only creatine. And I'm not sick and tired of eating the same things, I work out and then I am ravenous like an animal to eat. My dog knows too. He's right next to me when I eat meat and wants it all for himself!
Carbs are definitely the most fun way to build muscle, cycling them in on the weekends.
I have been working out forever - I'm 78 now. I wanted to put on some muscle mass that I lost over the years, and found it necessary to eat substantial protein (I eat 95% carnivore with some fruit) along with good regulat lifting. It is difficult most of the time to eat enough at my age. I'm 185 and try to eat 175 - 200 g per day.
I think it’s pretty clear that in terms of marathons and multi wads, carnivore is undoubtedly superior. This has been shown too many times to ignore.
In terms of strength training it matches a mix diet.
In terms of hypertrophy carbs appear to give a slight edge, but a good portion of that is purely inflammation and water retention giving the appearance of a more “full” muscle.
The only way I see carbs being a major advantage is for athletes needing to gain a lot of weight. Or build extreme mass. Carbs will definitely help, with the added effect of increasing hunger.
But it will come at the cost of health. Then again extreme athletes generally aren’t living a “healthy” lifestyle.
There's a difference between big muscles and strong muscles. I think carnivore diet provides stronger muscles for the same size. Am I wrong? Would love to hear Dr.Baker on that.
Once I learned about the Cori cycle, everything made sense. I'd been told over and over again that you need carbs for glycogen resynthesis after exercise. You don't. But you do need FAT to run the Cori cycle and convert lactate, produced by muscular contractions, back into glucose. Also, once I stopped eating carbs, I (surprisingly) didn't have a transitional phase where my workouts sucked for a while until I got "adapted." If anything, I felt stronger immediately, and could train harder, heavier and more often, in my 40's.
I am not fully on the Carnivore Diet, but my best workouts come right before the end of a fast of 40 hours or more, so no carbs are involved, other than the ones produced by my liver! Eating meat is the best way to break a fast, in my experience, and sometimes the last meal I eat before fasting is also all meat. I do eat carbohydrates sometimes. I don't think they are necessary or even helpful for a workout, though maybe they do help to puff up your muscles a little bit afterwards, and they definitely help you take a nice nap!
I've put on muscle, not sure the exact figure though. I use some of the workout machines at my apartments gym the past month and half and I've gone up at least 15-20 lbs of weight on several of the machines.
Even for this guy as with Chaffe and others that say this, their physique was built on carbs, training for 45 years, last 8 carnivore, that means 37 years of another diet…not BUILT on carnivore.
At 63, I have to fast periodically, maintain training during, to cut muscle bulk. Don't want to get big. Ketovore,
Exacto!!! Great
First of all, at say 6 months into being on a Carnivore, I WANTED to work out. We joined a gym that not only had great equipment but also a red light therapy & body vibration technology unit. I'm upping my weights on the machines I'm using with both legs & arms. My triceps are coming along, but my biceps at 68 are impressive. For me, it's not only something I want to do, but it's easy to do it!
Very little carbs over the past few years and I've lost fat and gained muscle. I am 50+ years old. Consistent resistance training has helped me and I don't go overboard with it so I could probably gain more muscle with more focus.
I have T1D LADA and can definitely confirm that on Carnivore you DEFINITELY make or in my case need insuline.
So hereby the claim that you need carbs for insuline is debunked.
Have a good one everyone ❤
I do believe after over 3 years of keto and over one year of carnivore that for me the low carb model works better for building muscle and also keeping the stress low on my body (stress caused previously by high carb diet). To optimize further my health and body composition, I gave up on coffee, now being purely carnivore. I will monitor my health closely on my next 6-12 months, but I have no doubt that will work better for me being on pure carnivore and having no coffee.
I am building muscle 56 yrs old. I am not bulked up but tone. I have to flex to show muscle. Some people notice and make comments, that is when you know your building muscle .
8 months into strict carnivore for reasons. Lost tons of strength and muscle, but I started at a high level. It seems to really sap maximal strength and explosive power, and not just for me. Let's put it this way.. the people who make gazillions of dollars or win Olympic medals are not doing carnivore or keto diets. Their performance is the most important to them right now and what do they eat.. carbs.
I don't know if it's ATP or what mechanism is affected, maybe leverage on the cellular level due to water and glycogen.
Carnivore seems to work like anything else. If you're untrained, overweight, etc any diet and any workout.. literally anything.. will help you gain muscle and lose fat and get stronger.
But if you're lean and strong and have been training for a lifetime, a lot of people lose a lot of explosive power, maximal strength, and muscle size. And can't gain it back.
As someone who climbs, cycles and swims on occasion, whenever I go strict carnivore I just lose will to do "extra work", whether it's because I'm not fully adapted or not eating the right ratios I can't tell. But if I'm fully rested I can still perform on max, it just seems like I need a full day of complete rest in those scenarios to go back to baseline.
So you mean if we are lean and trained for a long time and go in carnivore, we will lose power and muscle?
@@hosseinpershing6305 Depends how much muscle and strength you have already and what kind of diet it took to get there.
Same here. I'm just added a bit of fruit like dates and watermelon either some roasted buckwheat groats on a training days to back on the track
Ahaha, gotta love that one, can refer back to… Layman& Norton around 2010, breaks it down nicely, btw Leucine directly activates MPS, no added benefit of carb.
72 y/o and one year carnavore. I've been strength training mostly at home, but I have put on a lot of muscle all over my body.
4 years in, works fine, apparently! 😜💪🏼
Hiya slaphead..... You still juicing ?
I haven't gained any weight on carnivore and it's tough to maintain weight. I was in the gym before carnivore and I definitely don't look as strong and I'm actually not as strong on carnivore. Maybe I should eat more.
Eat way more even drink calories if you have to or you gotta have low amount of carbs like potatoes
@@ZippyG6 months later, still treading water in the gym. About to go off the diet a while and do a bulk. When I come back to carnivore I'm sure it will be from joint pain.
Woah dude,57 years old! You should see the shock on my face! Gg my dude!
Ineed carnvore to work out because carbs make me so tired so i dont get how carbs is better for running lol. I legit shift down a couple of gears if im on carbs for running. 7 months on carnivore now but still trying to gain weight. I upped my fat to 230grams Ghee, lard, beef tallow, sometimes grass fed butter. Eat 3 meals a day. Still around 135lbs 5'11 i know its too skinny but I was a marathon runner for awhile and played hockey so i was always in a calorie deficit.
i just have one question, how do you guys avoid painful poops? I guess many are secretly eating fibre along with meats.
Look at any big cat and the amount of muscle they have. If you can't build muscle without carbs, they would never get that big, or would just waste away.
I lost all my size and strength on carnivore I was a solid 225 and now 195 and feel skinny. I cant even incline 185 anymore. I could get that ten times easy before. I'm doing everything possible to gain knowledge on building pure muscle on carnivire and nothing sems to work. . I'm tempted to add some carbs back. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. My deadlift is a joke now too. Increased my protein intake which made my urea Bun make go out of range on my blood test because of too much nitrogen produced in my kidneys. WTF am I doing wrong????
Why are you afraid of carbs? If you feel and perform better eating carbs, then eat the dang carbs
@@colejames423 your right
Because carbs turn into sugar and sugar destroys everything in ur very body no matter how good it tastes it degenerates organs and your overall health remember folks our ancestors didnt survive on carbohydrates they lived through meat through all the nomadic era humans were carnivores because nobody could grow plants or bread back than so thats why their only way of getting all their necessary nutrients was through a meat based diet perhaps the folk complaining is eating too much lean meat and missing on other important saturated fats @@colejames423
I've never seen gains even going lower carb. I'm talking about strength gains.
@@GoneCarnivore there might be a handful out there I guess, but I don’t think you’ll find many (if any) serious athletes/lifters that don’t eat carbs. In fact, they prioritize carbs just as much as protein and fat (ie - a balanced diet :o)
If you’re old, or in terrible shape and suddenly cut all the junk and maybe lift a couple times a week at a leisurely clip, yeah, carnivore might get it done for you and you’ll feel a TON better by virtue of cutting junk and losing fat. But if you seriously push yourself in the gym, carbs are your friend.
Love you bro. Would love to see pressing 90lb bags of sakrete like I carry around job sites and carry for 20-30 yds regularly. After 30 years of construction muscle bound types I've seen a lot of big guys (only) unable to do the job having a hard time in the real construction world. I'm not 25 yr old strong but can still whip all my buddies asses in my 50's on carnivore.
I am 62 and on carnivore diet for a year. I work an extremely physical job and last year I was thinking of retiring becuase I was extremely weak and getting weaker. I don’t go to the gym, I just walk a lot and lift my clients. Now my job seems so easy and I am able to work like I did when I was twenty. I can lift huge buckets of water too without any issue. My arms have muscle definition. Carnivore builds muscle I am living proof of that. Also I am supposedly no longer able to build muscle at 62 and this is just not true. Meat and fat equals strength. Can you address the farmers strike that is happening in Europe and now Canada. The powers that be seem to want to make local farming and animal agriculture a thing of the past. We need to get involved for our healths sake.
I'd be interested in a deeper dive on this topic. Muscle is heavy and requires being sustained which may be counter productive in evolutionary survival situations. Strength is more important to me and we know muscle mass and strength don't have a 1:1 relationship but are related. I'm curious if people find they get stronger on carnivore without putting on heaps of muscle.
At 53 , I entirely rebuilt an atrophied right leg I couldn't use for 15 years. I did about a 2 blocks worth of uphill sprints this morning. Does that count as building muscle?
Down 15lbs after 2 weeks while getting stronger 🤷🏽♂️ people can hate all they want I just laugh