Mark's Carnivore Experiment

Week 2 Summary

• 26th September - 2nd October, 2019

The week started with nerve pain down the backs of my legs lasting for about three days. I thought it might be vitamin or mineral deficiency so I ordered grass-fed beef liver capsules and increased my oily fish intake. It cleared up after that so not sure if coincidence or not. I already have more energy and I'm sleeping slightly less and waking up early ready to go. Loving this part.

Kettlebell training started this week and I've done three sessions now. I have a kettlebell shred programme which is about half an hour 4 days a week. I can easily fit that in. IT HURTS! I am taking 5g of creatine monohydrate daily to help build muscle and lose fat.

I haven't really seen any noticeable results in my body yet. Same waist size, body fat percent. The number of calories I'm eating on average is lower than what I used to eat and I'm not hungry, even when training. That surprised me a lot. My weight has stabilised this week, but I'm suspecting my bathroom scales are not accurate because they give a different reading when I move them around the bathroom. Ordered new ones.

Ketones have been high, and I noticed they went very high after an extended fasting period. I am aiming for one meal a day (OMAD) at some point when it feels right. Doesn't feel right yet. Currently eating two meals a day without hunger.

See below for details of diet and photos of everything I've eaten.

I didn't think I'd say this but I'm really enjoying this, from a nerdy point of view, and the knowledge that I'm going to get fit and healthy. I also love recording it on the immutable BSV block-chain!

There might be some value in this weird carnivore movement (not a cult, cough).

Charts

26th September 2019

Woke up with quite painful ache in lower back and down backs of legs, also tenderness in tendons at top of legs. This persisted through the day but eased off a bit later. In case it's some kind of vitamin or mineral deficiency, I have ordered some grass-fed beef liver capsules.

Breakfast

Treated myself to a fancy coffee house breakfast in Bloomsbury, London.

• 4 rashers streaky bacon
• 2 English pork sausages
• 2 fried eggs

Dinner

• 2 Rib eye steaks with mushrooms

27th September

I still have pain running from my lower back right down the backs of both legs, found it hard to get to sleep. Paracetamol helped. Not sure if this is related to the diet or not. I'm suspecting it's my nerves, but I'm not a doctor, so could be wrong. Slightly over ate at dinner, I felt full after 1.5 rib eyes, but I ate all of them. Maybe I should have stopped as planned.

Breakfast

• 4 rashers streaky bacon
• 2 English pork sausages
• 2 fried eggs
• Fried mushrooms

Dinner

• 2 Rib eye steaks (600g)
• 300g of sardines in chilli, coriander

28th September

I still have pain running from my lower back right down the backs of both legs, but it's starting to ease off. Planned all my food and calories for the day today before preparing any of it.

Beef liver supplements arrived today, so I'm now taking 5 capsules of beef liver per day from absolutelypure.com.

Breakfast

• 4 rashers streaky bacon
• 2 English pork sausages
• 2 fried eggs
• 30g smoked salmon

Dinner

• 1 Rib eye steak (350g)
• 250g of home-made burgers (20% fat beef mince)

I was full after eating one burger and the one rib eye, so I didn't eat the second burger. Trying to listen to my body.

29th September

The nerve pain running down the backs of my legs has eased right off but is still there very slightly. Wondering if the beef liver capsules helped.

Kettlebell training day 1 started today. Started with a small weight (6kg) to ease myself in, as I haven't exercised with weights for ten years. In two weeks I intend to double it to 12kg, if all goes well.

Breakfast

• 4 rashers streaky bacon
• 4 large eggs, scrambled
• 30g smoked salmon

Dinner

• 1 Rib eye steak (330g)
• Sardines (105g)

Dinner was perfectly measured, I ate until full, which was the whole meal.

I took my "before" photos today, but won't be showing them until I'm in shape. Don't worry, you're not missing anything. 😂

30th September

The nerve pain running down the backs of my legs has now disappeared, to be replaced with muscle pain from the first day of light weight training. Wondering if the beef liver capsules helped, might be coincidental, not sure.

Kettlebell day 2. Still using the 6kg light weight to get me into it. On the last round, I moved up to 12 kg for the squats.

I ordered some creatine monohydrate, and started taking 5mg today and will repeat throughout the experiment. Creatine has been shown to improve recovery times from training and increase the rate of muscle build and reduce fat.

Breakfast

• 4 rashers streaky bacon
• 3 large eggs, poached
• 30g smoked salmon
• 2 English pork sausages

Dinner

• Pork belly slices, roasted (510g)

1st October

Legs were like jelly today, burning, walking up stairs was painful. Luckily today is a rest day from the kettlebell training.

I started getting hungry by 2pm but was out in London and decided to wait until later to eat.

Breakfast

• 2 rashers streaky bacon
• 2 large eggs, poached
• 2 English pork sausages
• Mushrooms

Dinner

• 2 Sirloin steaks (426g)
• 2 Fried eggs

After eating ribeyes for a week, the sirloin steaks weren't that great. Slightly chewy in comparison despite being cooked medium and a bit grisly on the fat. I would like to try grilling them, but winter is coming in the UK, and I'm not sure it's worth it. Any ideas from anyone here? Is it worth investing in a gas barbie for use over winter?

2nd October

Legs are STILL hurting from training 2 days ago. Not that hungry when I woke up, so delayed breakfast until mid morning. Today I have switched from using vegetable oils for frying to beef dripping.

Kettlebell workout #3 was done today which exercised upper body, but also some squats. I upped the weight from 6kg to 12kg on the second round. I want to keep the weight at a point where it really hurts at the end of a 30-second rep. Might order a 16kg next week. Strength seems to be increasing quite quickly.

Breakfast

• 4 rashers streaky bacon
• 4 large eggs, scrambled
• 2 English pork sausages
• Slice of smoked salmon

Dinner

• Sirloin steak (216g)
• 2 Smash Burgers 20% fat (250g)

My Stats

Start of week:

• Weight: 84.1 kg (185 pounds)
• Waist: 99 cm (39 in.)
• Body fat: 21%
• Blood sugar level: 2.5 mmol/L
• Ketones: 8.0 mmol/L (Large)

End of week:

• Weight: 83.9 kg (185 pounds)
• Waist: 99 cm (39 in.)
• Body fat: 22%
• Blood sugar level: 6.0 mmol/L
• Ketones: 8.0 mmol/L (Large)