When I came across a

study

that showed Cheerios and Lucky Charms got a “healthiness” score way above ground beef, milk, and eggs, it got me questioning a lot of things. How can highly-processed, sugary “breakfast desserts” be put on that rank, far past whole foods? How can Cheerios get a score of 95, while the good ol’ nutritious egg (fried in butter) score 29?

As the article states:

Called “Food Compass,” the new ranking system uses 54 different nutrient characteristics such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, lipids, phytochemicals etc. to score the “healthfulness” of specific foods, beverages, and mixed meals. They applied this ranking to 8032 common foods and beverages consumed by average Americans. The end result is a numbered ranking on a scale of 1 (worst) to 100 (best).

However, notable doctors are raising their eyebrows. As one particular doctor did a medical review of this study, Dr. Bret Scher, board-certified cardiologist and lipidologist in San Diego, USA, states, “The idea was to provide an objective, bias-free, clear, profiling system of healthy and unhealthy foods. Boy, did they miss the boat.” Simply, he believes that this study is “misleading, misrepresenting and clearly biased.” He concludes, “I think it’s clear there is a definite anti-animal food bias here.”

Related Story: How To Finish Strong This 2022

With the scandal that showed big food corporations paying nutritionists to favor their chemical-laden, highly processed products and dub them as “recommended” and “healthy”, it led me to spiral down the rabbit hole of food myths, misconceptions, and alas, the much talked about carnivore diet. With more and more advocates discussing their unbelievably positive health gains and progress publicly, it really got me hooked.

What is it, anyway? The carnivore diet consists of red meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. The diet excludes all produce, as well as grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Dairy can be moderately consumed, too. To simplify, you can eat animal parts from nose to tail, as well as their produce.

A local social media influencer and carnivore advocate, Anastazcia Gutierrez or Stacy as her friends and family call her, claims to have lost over 30 pounds on the animal-based diet, with mental clarity, skin glow, and appetite satiation as some of the many benefits she’s reaping.

Let’s dive deeper on the subject on this one-on-one interview.

What made you try the carnivore diet?

I saw a friend post his before and after weight loss photo giving credit to the carnivore diet. I got really intrigued because I couldn't have seen the post at a better time— it was when I was getting frustrated in my fitness journey because I hit a plateau, and I've been researching ways to improve my way of eating.

Stacy on a high-carb & sugar diet

Did you have any apprehensions trying it? Why?

Definitely. We have been programmed to believe that red meat is bad for us, that it is the primary cause of heart diseases, high cholesterol, an other sicknesses. So I was definitely apprehensive.

If you did have apprehensions at first, what made you change your mind?

I messaged my friend who posted his before and after photo. We chatted for a while about it, and then he gave me some resources online that I can study on my own. I love to geek out when I'm interested on something, and after hours of research, listening to podcasts, and watching informative videos from well known doctors and nutritionists in the carnivore community, I was convinced to try it on my own.

What was your goal when you tried carnivore diet?

My primary goal was really to improve my overall health and experience the benefits of the diet. According to my research, the benefits of going carnivore are: deep & quality sleep, increased energy levels, mental sharpness, and getting rid of my dreaded PMS and dysmenorrhea every month. The secondary goal was to lose more body fat and inflammation, plus, build muscle.

What adjustments did you go through?

Since I've been doing keto for 6 years before trying carnivore, there wasn’t much of an adjustment physically. Usually, going low carb or carb-free from a standard high-carb diet means going through the “keto flu,” but I didn’t experience that switching to carnivore from keto. The real adjustment was getting used to being this restrictive with what I eat.

Lost weight but plateauing on keto

What benefits/changes in your health did you notice?

I did experience all the benefits I mentioned. I felt energetic, I felt stronger in my workouts. I was also quite forgetful but on the carnivore diet I felt sharper, and even smarter (there are times when I'd be writing an e-mail and use a word I didn’t know was in my vocabulary)! I was more focused during work hours. my skin cleared and brightened. I didn’t feel hunger pangs in my stomach, despite only eating one meal a day. Mentally, I was put in such a positive state, I wasn’t quick to snap or lose my temper, and I became more patient in dealing with things. My mood swings vanished, and true enough, the PMS went away. From having cramps with a level 8/10 pain every month, the aches and pains drastically dropped to, I’d say, 3/10.

Aren't you scared of cholesterol levels increasing?

No. Since I’ve been 6 years on keto prior to trying carnivore, I already knew through research and experience that eating a high fat diet is not bad for us. Fat is only bad when consumed with sugar and carbs. Cholesterol has been vilified for decades, but high cholesterol isn’t bad for us. In fact, our bodies thrive on good cholesterol and it’s what feeds our cells and our brains.

What do you think about people saying it's unhealthy or unsustainable?

Unfortunately, it’s already expected, since the “standard balanced” diet convinces people to use carb as the main source of energy for their bodies. I think this is outdated thinking, since there are hundreds of research that have already debunked the myth about the bad effects of eating meat and fat, but I can’t blame them since many medical professionals still push the high carb diet A.K.A. the balanced diet as the “healthy” diet.

How are your carvings on this diet?

I am a self-confessed sugar addict, I can finish a whole box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts in one sitting. At 230 pounds (my heaviest), I remember days when eating spoonfuls of Nutella was a typical snack for me. Going carnivore has helped me manage my sugar addiction and after 2 weeks on the diet, the cravings have completely disappeared.

Left: 6 years on keto | Right: 4 months on carnivore

Why are you so vocal about the carnivore diet in your social media accounts?

I want to let people know that this path to wellness exists and it’s possible to thrive on it. I used to believe that I could eat everything in moderation, but I would always fail. It turns out, there are 2 types of people — people who can do moderation, and people who are better off abstaining, and I am obviously the latter. When I forced myself to “moderately eat” the junk food and the sweets, I would always end up failing and binging, and I found out that in a sense, it wasn’t my fault. These highly processed “foods” were created to hijack the brain so we would get addicted. And the main reason why food companies do this is because ultimately, they’re not after the well-being of consumers—they want customers who would constantly buy their products. I want people to see the bigger picture behind big food corporations, and how the systems are all linked together. At the end of the day, these giants in different industries only care about making money off the masses.

Do you get opposition from this unconventional way of eating?

Of course. Especially from registered dietitians, doctors, and fitness enthusiasts who think they know the “science” behind wellness. It’s sad that they wouldn’t study high fat or protein-rich diets further to expand their knowledge about this alternative way of eating. But what they don’t understand is there is more to diets and getting fit than counting macros or calories—I wish they’d look into the bioavailability of foods to see that meat is very nutrient dense for humans, look beyond the calories and discuss the *actual* quality of foods, and assess the effects of carbs and sugar to overall gut and mental health.

Have any of your followers tried this? What are their feedback?

Surprisingly, yes. There are quite a number of my followers who have lessened their carb and sugar consumption, and others even went as far as trying carnivore as well! And like me, they love it. A few weeks ago I just got a message from a follower who lost 80 pounds going zero carb. They all feel the benefits of going keto or carnivore, and I’m just ecstatic for all of them!

Stacy then and now

FUN BITS:

Favorite carnivore snack: Chicken skin, fried cheese, nachoron (chicharon nachos)

What to eat when outside the house: My go-tos are roast chicken, lechon, or burger patties

Favorite carni-advocates & doctors and why:

Dr. Ken Berry, author of Lies My Doctor Told Me. He’s a medical doctor for more than 2 decades and is a very prominent advocate of the carnivore diet. I love his humility in admitting that he was wrong for going along with the mainstream wellness narrative. He’s very down-to-earth and sincere.

Bella Ma, also known as Steak & Butter Gal on YouTube. She’s a former vegan turned carnivore and her vlogs and carnivore recipes have helped me a lot in my own journey. I love her meatball and egg drop soup recipe! It’s a regular dish in my weekly menu.

Dr. Shawn Baker. He’s a 60-year-old athlete (weight-lifter) and a world record-holder for 500-meter rowing. He’s one of the first doctors who have studied and advocated the carnivore diet, and is a major voice in debunking myths about carb-heavy diets.

How to start the carnivore diet for those who want to try:

Like I always say to my followers, you have to understand for yourself why this is worth pursuing, so start by educating yourself. Watch documentaries, listen to podcasts, do your own research and study the harmful effects of refined grains and sugar to the body. Unlearn the programming from mainstream sources about diet and nutrition. You need a deeper reason to change your lifestyle than losing weight. Know the benefits of the diet, and listen to other people’s testimonies. When you have a solid reason why you should try carnivore, you’ll be able to commit to trying it.

Follow Stacy’s carnivore lifestyle on Instagram @anastazcia

***

With more and more misleading and controlled information on diet and nutrition, it’s only crucial and apt to question things. It’s good to know that some people are going beyond the mainstream, and carving their own path towards health and wellness. They go through the hard road (with all the stigma that comes with it), experience the benefits, and encourage others to do the same. Yes, it’s true, to each his own, but perhaps there are better, unpopular alternatives to check out, and not just take what’s being fed to us. All I know is humans have been consuming meat since time began, and there weren’t this many variants of diseases back then. Perhaps it’s time to fuel our bodies with the gift of food animals provide, and see the power of health it brings. I know I will.

Consult your medical provider before trying any new diet program.