A fitness model talks about the significant changes in her life that resulted from following a “carnivore” diet for a month.
To aid with her stoma output, 41-year-old Petrina Barber, who lives in Dubai and London, opted to completely take up all processed meals and carbs.
The mother-of-one needed a stoma bag nine years ago during her treatment for cervical cancer, so she started her own business, Beyond The Stoma, and became an awareness activist.
Instead of focusing just on losing weight, Petrina changed her diet to consist only of meat, fish, eggs, and small amounts of cheese. Her goal was to increase her energy and athletic performance.
Petrina loved rice, sourdough, jam doughnuts, and chocolate before she started the diet. The first few days were difficult as she got used to not having her favorite treats.
Petrina before (left) and after (right) embarking on a four-week carnivorous diet that consisted only of meat, eggs, and small amounts of cheese. Petrina was showered with praises from friends and family at the end of the month, and her husband even mentioned how much her health had improved.
After four weeks on the carnivorous diet, here is how Petrina looked. She had considerably brighter skin, and two individuals commented on how radiant her complexion was.
But after only one week, Petrina reported that she had dropped weight, her snack cravings had vanished, her sleep had improved, and others had commented on how much better she looked.
Weekly, she explores the challenges and benefits of the diet in her writing for FEMAIL.
First week
During the first week of the diet, I had immediate difficulties.
My kid and I were playing a game all day on the first day, with the constant lure of hamburgers and french fries. My regular diet focused mostly on healthy carbohydrates, therefore I hadn’t prepared myself well enough for this diet shift.
Consequently, I soon realized that I needed to consume more calories and high-quality protein. Those first few days were difficult; I was unprepared, didn’t plan my meals, and had trouble coming up with recipes. I also got a terrible headache and an overall sense of exhaustion.
I became aware of my snacking habits quickly. I had to consider my alternatives because I used to nearly always have a jam doughnut or a slice of toast, but both were no longer available. It didn’t seem like a good idea to snack on meat at first, but I soon realized that it was crucial to eat enough at each meal.
When Petrina dined out, she had beef carpaccio (on the left), but steak and eggs was the usual lunch fare (on the right).
As a snack, Petrina would choose Gwyneth Paltrow’s bone broth (above), a favorite among health influencers.
My cravings disappeared within the first few days, as did the energy slumps that would frequently coincide with my former eating habits. After a time, I realized that I was never hungry when on the carnivorous diet since I was always satisfied and full.
I dropped two kilograms in the first four days, and even though I lost four kilograms in the end, my weight stabilized.
I changed my attention to maintaining my weight because I hadn’t intended to lose it. For me, this was a natural development, and I had no desire to drop more weight than my body would have naturally accommodated.
During the first week, I felt horrible. I was worn out; I had assumed that this would last for a few days, but not for as long as it did. My head was still pounding, and my recollection was still hazy.
But I knew full well that your body requires a week or two to adjust to the new diet since it has to rewire its glucose-obtaining pathways due to the change in fuel sources.
Even though I was exhausted, I was still working out at the same intensity as before, therefore I didn’t notice any difference in my training performance.
Day five involved blood tests and doses of vitamin B12 and D. I choose injections since my body has trouble absorbing vitamins orally because of health problems and pelvic radiation illness.
Since some people have trouble metabolizing fiber, particularly those who have had bowel resections, I stopped eating fruits and vegetables around two years ago.
The notion of a “healthy” diet is always subjective because it is usual for some medical issues to worsen their symptoms.
As long as I continue to receive my B12 and VitD injections, frequent blood tests have revealed no problems, despite a widespread misconception that suggests possible nutritional shortages. I think it’s quite possible to omit them from a diet and be healthy. Simply put, each person is unique.
The diet was really difficult the first weekend. I wanted to indulge in the typical weekend fare that I associate with family time—especially doughnuts.
I also had the option to choose better at lunch because the options were too low in fat. It was fun, but I battled with not feeling full after because the chicken and egg whites didn’t fill me up as much.
After that, I wanted to have some avocado toast that I had to cook for my son. I adore the flavor of carbohydrates and avocado. I was exhausted and had little energy when we came home, and I found it difficult to resist eating a jam doughnut. It was more a matter of habit and exhaustion than a true desire.
We had supper out later, and it was amazing. I overindulged in steak and beef carpaccio, which made me feel quite content and full.
Occasionally, Petrina would eat three eggs and beef mince with cheese for lunch (left), but when she had to spend longer than anticipated away from home, she had to settle for McDonald’s burgers (right).
Second Week
I had less trouble falling and staying asleep in the second week. I could already see the difference in how my clothing fit. I had more defined muscles and looked thinner.
A lot of the advice I read suggested exercising every day while on the diet. In contrast, though, I reduced the amount of time I spent working out in order to save energy, but I also raised the intensity of my workouts and substituted more active rest and recuperation periods.
Knowing that I wasn’t pushing myself too hard during the early stages of the diet made it easier for me to follow the plan and endure the exhaustion. I trained with weights three times a week and did one aerobic session. My exercises were intense.
I went out to lunch with a bunch of people to socialize, and choosing food wasn’t difficult without making it seem like I had to eat a specific thing.
I only changed up a few appetizers and had a big steak for lunch. I didn’t appear or feel outcast in the community. That was really advantageous. I received additional compliments on my appearance after lunch.
Unlike how I typically feel, I didn’t feel the need for dessert or anything sweet after lunch. My spouse was full after lunch, but I felt like I could eat more. I thus had some easy-to-cook hamburgers.
Even though she didn’t plan to lose weight, Petrina saw a 4 kg reduction in total weight and a lighter complexion.
Petrina kept up her workout routine, averaging three sessions of weight training (left) and one cardio session per week. She became aware that her clothing were fitting her differently by the second week; she seemed thinner and had more defined muscles.
Week three
I found it easier to keep to the diet this week by preparing ahead, buying the food in advance, and knowing what I’m going to eat.
However, I was astounded by how simple it is to undereat. I’m happy I tracked my food when I first started the diet because it made me realize how wrong I was.
At first, I wasn’t choosing the correct meals. I’m not on the diet to lose weight; rather, I’m on it for stoma output and because I think it will have an impact on my general health.
However, because cutting out all manufactured foods and carbohydrates makes it extremely difficult to overeat, anyone converting to a carnivore diet would see a noticeable drop in weight. It’s heartening that I’ve reached stability since I was afraid I might lose too much weight.
I adore the cuisine. Since protein is my favorite meal type, eating it all day, every day, seemed quite easy for me.
Week four
Everyone I was in close proximity to during my last week was really complimentary. I had two comments on my face from folks who saw how much brighter my skin looked. My spouse commented that I appear healthier.
By the end of the month, I am engaging in three high-intensity strength training sessions per week and am generally active. I stopped doing cardio. That is no longer a problem because I have a lot of energy, but I do not want to shed any more weight.
The fitness model stressed how important it is to make your own meals if you’re following a carnivorous diet. Petrina made her own cheeseburgers for lunch as an example of this.
Given how important meal preparation was to the carnivorous diet, Petrina doubts you could survive a day, much less a week, if you’re not ready to put in the time in the kitchen.
I no longer have those times of hunger or the urge to nibble. After eating breakfast, I used to crave something, usually another piece of toast. Alternatively, I would have supper and then crave something sweet.
Surprisingly, given that my diet consisted mostly of rice, sourdough, jam doughnuts, and some chocolate, I haven’t experienced any cravings. By now, I should be crumbling beneath the weight of my want for a jam doughnut, but I’m holding up rather well.
I now understand how meticulous you must be while following this diet. When it comes to food, I am normally highly organized, but you are not going to survive for even a day, much less a week, if you don’t plan and prepare. Food is not readily available on this diet in an emergency. Sandwiches aren’t simply for picking up and eating the filling.
It’s likely that you already have some deeply ingrained behaviors that will be challenging to overcome, just as with any diet. It was particularly tough for me since I equate eating with my family and there was a lot of it during the weekends.
Given the difficulties of the first few weeks and the adverse effects, the carnivore diet is not to be taken lightly. I can see why a lot of people give up on diets or find them to be too difficult.
However, I considered it a great success all around, and I will continue the diet going forward.
Petrina’s weekly carnivore diet plan
Monday
Breakfast – Steak & Eggs & Cheese
Lunch – Burgers & Cheese
Dinner – Chicken wrapped in Bacon
Tuesday
Breakfast – Burgers & Eggs
Lunch – Pork Mince Balls & cheese
Snack – Bone Broth
Dinner – Roasted Chicken & chicken broth
Wednesday
Breakfast – Roast Chicken & Eggs & Cheese
Lunch – Steak & Eggs
Dinner – Beef Mince Balls
Thursday
Breakfast – Steak & Eggs & Cheese
Lunch – Tuna & Hard Boiled Eggs & Cheese
Dinner – Burgers & Cheese
Friday
Breakfast – Beef & Pork Mince Balls & Eggs & Cheese
Lunch – Burgers & Cheese
Dinner – Chicken wrapped in Bacon
Saturday
Breakfast – Bacon & Eggs
Lunch – Chicken Tenders with Bone Broth
Dinner – Steak & Eggs
Sunday
Breakfast – Steak & Eggs & Cheese
Lunch – Burgers & Bacon
Dinner – Chicken & Pork Balls wrapped in Bacon
