Chapter 7: How to Start Carnivore and Why It Works

Chapter 7:

Introduction: My Carnivore Awakening

In early 2023, I found myself at a familiar crossroads. Despite my dedication to a ketogenic lifestyle, the scale had stopped moving, and my energy levels weren't what I'd hoped they would be. At 77 years old, I refused to accept the conventional wisdom that declining health was an inevitable part of aging. My journey to reverse my biological age had hit a plateau, and I needed something more powerful to break through.

That's when I discovered the carnivore diet combined with intermittent fasting—specifically, OMAD 5:2 (One Meal A Day, five days a week, with two fasting days). This approach, supported by groundbreaking research in longevity science, didn't just change my diet—it transformed my entire existence. I dropped from 180 pounds to 145 pounds within the first month, then steadily decreased to 130 pounds, achieving a weight I hadn't seen since high school. But the weight loss just started, and it became a complete transformation.

I experienced unprecedented mental clarity. I could suddenly access memories from early childhood. My energy levels soared to heights I hadn't felt in decades. People began mistaking me for someone 30 years younger. At 77, I began to feel like I was 17 again—not metaphorically, but in a tangible, cellular way that defied conventional understanding of aging.

This chapter details exactly how I implemented this lifestyle transformation, the science behind why it works so effectively, and how you can adapt these principles to your own journey toward optimal health and age reversal.

My Journey to Carnivore: Lessons from Past Experiments

Before diving into the carnivore protocol, I want to reflect on my experiences with low-carb approaches. In 2009, at 63, I embarked on the Atkins diet with impressive initial results. I shed 65 pounds in just three months, dropping from 245 to 180 pounds. My colleagues and friends expressed astonishment at my transformation, and I felt reinvigorated.

However, like many dieters, I eventually hit the dreaded plateau. The weight loss stalled completely, and despite maintaining strict adherence to the protocol, I battled constant hunger and saw diminishing returns. Over the following year, I regained 30 pounds, settling at around 210 pounds—better than my starting point, but far from my goal.

This experience taught me several crucial lessons that would later inform my carnivore journey:

Initial rapid weight loss doesn't guarantee sustained results.
Hunger signals can override willpower in the long term.
The body adapts to dietary changes, requiring periodic reassessment.
Mental clarity and energy are equally essential metrics as weight.
Sustainability must form the foundation of any successful dietary approach.

The Atkins approach had introduced me to the benefits of lower carbohydrate intake. Still, I now understand it didn't go far enough in eliminating the foods that triggered inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in my body. It also didn't incorporate the critical element of fasting, which I would later discover was the key to unlocking deeper levels of cellular repair.

When I revisited my health journey in early 2023, I approached it with these lessons in mind, determined to find a solution that would not only help me lose the excess weight I had regained but also address the fundamental processes of aging at the cellular level.

Step 1: Embracing the All-Meat Protocol

The carnivore diet represents the ultimate elimination diet—a return to the nutritional approach that sustained our ancestors for millennia before the agricultural revolution. In its purest form, it means consuming only animal products, primarily meat, with zero plant foods, carbohydrates, or processed ingredients.

I took a methodical and specific approach. I began in April 2023 with a simple rotation: I ate grass-fed beef five days a week and wild-caught salmon for the remaining two days. I didn't make this choice randomly but as a deliberate nutritional strategy designed to provide complete amino acid profiles, essential fatty acids, and vital micronutrients without the anti-nutrients and plant toxins in many vegetables and fruits.

I faced challenges during the transition. During the first two weeks, I experienced mild headaches and fatigue as my body shifted from burning glucose to efficiently utilizing ketones and fatty acids for fuel. I countered these symptoms by ensuring adequate salt intake and hydration. By week three, these symptoms had subsided entirely, replaced by a steady, sustained energy I hadn't experienced in decades.

The elimination of all plant foods profoundly affected my digestive system. Bloating, which I had previously accepted as usual, disappeared completely. My digestion became remarkably efficient, with less frequent bowel movements that felt more comfortable and complete. This revelation showed me I had experienced low-grade digestive distress for so long that I had forgotten what optimal digestion felt like.

Beyond the immediate physical benefits, the carnivore approach's simplicity eliminated the decision fatigue that accompanies most dietary protocols. I no longer spent hours planning meals or calculating macronutrients. I streamlined my food shopping, minimized meal preparation, and transformed my relationship with eating from one of complex rules to intuitive simplicity.

By June 2023, just two months into the carnivore protocol, I observed significant changes in my body composition. The stubborn visceral fat around my midsection—often the most resistant to dietary changes—began to melt away. My skin became tauter, my joints more flexible, and I recovered from physical exertion noticeably quicker.

The absence of dietary carbohydrates made my body metabolically flexible, enabling me to efficiently utilize stored fat for energy. This metabolic shift particularly benefits those of us in our later years, as it addresses one of the fundamental hallmarks of aging: compromised energy metabolism.

Anyone considering this approach should start with a two-week commitment. This timeframe allows your body to adapt to the new fuel source while giving you enough time to assess how your unique physiology responds to the protocol. Maintain consistency during this initial phase—even a tiny amount of plant foods or carbohydrates can interrupt the adaptation process and delay the benefits.

Step 2: Implementing OMAD 5:2 Fasting Protocol

While the carnivore diet formed the foundation of my nutritional approach, I amplified its benefits exponentially by integrating strategic fasting. The OMAD 5:2 protocol—consuming One Meal A Day for five days of the week, combined with two full fasting days—created a powerful synergy that accelerated my transformation.

I structured my fasting schedule for maximum efficiency. I consumed a single, nutrient-dense meal Monday through Friday, typically in the early evening around 5 PM. This meal contained approximately 1.5-2 pounds of meat, providing ample protein, fat, and micronutrients to sustain me for 24 hours. On Saturdays and Sundays, I abstained from food altogether, consuming only water and supplementing with electrolytes to maintain proper mineral balance.

This approach might sound extreme to those accustomed to the conventional wisdom of eating multiple small meals throughout the day. However, the scientific rationale behind it compels consideration. Extended periods without food trigger multiple longevity pathways in the body, including:

Enhanced Autophagy: Without the constant influx of nutrients, your cells begin to recycle damaged components and eliminate dysfunctional organelles.
Reduced Insulin Levels: Fasting periods allow insulin levels to drop significantly, facilitating access to stored fat reserves and reducing systemic inflammation.
Increased Growth Hormone: Fasting naturally boosts growth hormone production, aiding fat metabolism and muscle preservation—particularly important for older adults.
Stem Cell Activation: Extended fasts trigger stem cell rejuvenation, potentially replacing damaged cells with newly generated ones.
Metabolic Flexibility: Alternating between fed and fasted states trains the body to efficiently switch between different fuel sources, enhancing overall metabolic health.

During the summer of 2023, I maintained this protocol with unwavering consistency, and my body composition changed dramatically. By July, I had dropped from 180 pounds to 130 pounds—a weight I hadn't seen since my junior year of high school. But more remarkable than the number on the scale was how my body felt and functioned.

The persistent aches in my joints vanished. My movement patterns became more fluid and coordinated. I recovered from physical activity tremendously faster. Even my posture improved as the reduced inflammation and strengthened core muscles more effectively supported my spine.

Many people worry about muscle loss during fasting, especially at advanced ages. My experience directly contradicted this concern. As the excess fat disappeared, my muscle definition became increasingly visible. Despite eating less frequently, I maintained and even increased my strength in many respects. This counterintuitive outcome aligns with research showing that properly implemented fasting protocols can preserve lean muscle mass while preferentially burning fat tissue.

I didn't adapt to this eating pattern immediately. During the first three weeks, I experienced hunger during fasting and occasionally awoke at night. However, by week four, my body had adjusted remarkably. My hunger signals recalibrated, and I experienced true hunger only when approaching my designated meal time. My sleep deepened, and I began waking naturally after 7-8 hours of uninterrupted rest, feeling genuinely refreshed—a stark contrast to the fragmented sleep I had previously accepted as normal for someone my age.

I recommend a gradual approach for those interested in implementing a similar protocol. Begin by consolidating your eating window to 8 hours, then 6, then 4, before attempting a full OMAD schedule. Similarly, start with shorter fasting periods before attempting full-day fasts. This methodical progression allows your body to adapt while minimizing potential discomfort.

Step 3: Listening to Your Body and Recognizing Transformation

The most profound aspect of this journey involved learning to listen to my body's signals rather than imposing external rules and expectations. Our bodies possess an innate wisdom that modern lifestyles have often trained us to ignore. Reconnecting with these internal cues transformed me as much as the dietary protocol itself.

It took approximately six weeks of consistent carnivore eating and fasting before I began experiencing the full spectrum of benefits. The transition progressed not linearly but instead as a series of thresholds that, once crossed, unveiled new dimensions of well-being.

The first dramatic shift occurred in my mental clarity. Around week six, I noticed an unprecedented sharpness in my cognitive function. Complex problems that would have previously required deliberate analysis became intuitively clear. My recall improved dramatically—not just for recent events but for memories dating back to early childhood. I could suddenly remember vividly the experiences from when I was as young as two years old, complete with sensory impressions and emotional contexts that had been inaccessible for decades.

My creative output surged as well. Writing projects that had previously required laborious effort now flowed effortlessly. Ideas connected in novel ways, and I could sustain focused attention from 30-minute sessions to 3-4 hours of deep work without fatigue or diminished quality.

The physical transformations extended beyond mere weight loss or improved energy. My skin texture changed noticeably, becoming firmer and more elastic. Age spots that had accumulated over decades began to fade. My hair, which had been thinning predictably with age, regained some of its former thickness and luster.

One particularly memorable moment occurred during a church service in August 2023. A young woman in her early thirties began conversing with me, and to my surprise, exhibited clear signs of flirtation. My physiological response was more surprising than her behavior—I felt a surge of vitality and youthful energy I hadn't experienced in decades. Every cell in my body seemed to awaken and respond in a way that overwhelmed me with intensity. In that moment, I realized I wasn't just looking or feeling younger; my body responded as if it were actually younger at a fundamental level.

My sleep patterns transformed dramatically as well. My entire life, I had slept restlessly, rarely managing more than 5-6 hours of fragmented rest. I consistently achieved 7-8 hours of deep, restorative sleep by month three of carnivore and fasting. My dreams became more vivid and coherent, and I began waking naturally without an alarm, feeling genuinely refreshed rather than merely functional.

Throughout this process, I've learned to distinguish between the discomfort of adaptation—temporary and ultimately productive—and accurate signals that something needs adjustment. This nuanced awareness has allowed me to continuously refine my approach, making subtle modifications based on how my unique physiology responds rather than adhering rigidly to someone else's formula.

For those embarking on a similar journey, I encourage patience and attentiveness. The most profound benefits often emerge after the initial adjustment period, and many people abandon promising approaches before reaching these thresholds. Keep a detailed journal of your experiences, noting not just obvious metrics like weight and energy levels but also cognitive function, emotional states, sleep quality, and even subjective sensations that might initially seem unrelated to your dietary changes.

The Science Behind It: Addressing the Hallmarks of Aging

The remarkable results I experienced were not mere coincidence or placebo effect but are firmly grounded in cutting-edge research on aging and longevity. The scientific understanding of aging has evolved dramatically in recent years, with the 2023 updates to the Hallmarks of Aging framework providing a comprehensive map of the biological processes that drive senescence.

The carnivore diet, combined with strategic fasting, directly addresses several of these hallmarks:

Compromised Autophagy: Perhaps the most significant benefit of both carnivore and fasting comes from the enhancement of autophagy. This cellular cleaning process removes damaged components and recycles them for new construction. The 2023 Harvard-MIT-UMaine study demonstrated that periods of protein cycling and complete caloric restriction can increase autophagy markers by up to 300% in older adults, potentially removing the cellular debris that accumulates with age.
Epigenetic Alterations: Our dietary choices directly influence how our genes express themselves through epigenetic modifications. The elimination of plant toxins and antinutrients, combined with the nutrient density of animal foods, has been shown to optimize methylation patterns—essentially helping to reset the epigenetic markers that control which genes are active. This may explain the profound reversal of age-related symptoms many carnivore practitioners experience.
Cellular Senescence: As we age, increasing numbers of cells enter a state of senescence—they neither function properly nor die to make way for new cells. Extended fasting periods have been demonstrated to trigger apoptosis (programmed cell death) in many of these senescent cells while sparing healthy cells, clearing out the cellular "zombie" population contributing to inflammation and tissue dysfunction.
Altered Intercellular Communication: The inflammatory compounds produced by certain plant foods can disrupt the signaling between cells, leading to systemic inflammation and impaired tissue function. Eliminating these compounds on a carnivore diet, coupled with the anti-inflammatory effects of ketosis, helps restore proper cellular communication networks.
Deregulated Nutrient Sensing: Our bodies contain sophisticated systems for detecting nutrient availability and adjusting metabolism accordingly. Years of constant food availability and high carbohydrate consumption can desensitize these systems. The alternating feeding and fasting periods in the OMAD 5:2 protocol help restore sensitivity to insulin, leptin, and other critical signaling molecules.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction: The powerhouses of our cells, mitochondria, tend to become less efficient with age. Both ketogenic metabolism and fasting have been shown to trigger mitochondrial biogenesis (the creation of new mitochondria) and improve the function of existing ones, potentially reversing one of the most fundamental aspects of cellular aging.

The profound rejuvenation I experienced—from weight loss and improved energy to enhanced cognitive function and youthful vitality—represents the integrated improvement across these biological pathways. By simultaneously addressing multiple hallmarks of aging, the carnivore-fasting approach created a synergistic effect that exceeded what could be achieved by targeting any single aspect of aging in isolation.

Modern research continues to validate what my personal experience demonstrated so dramatically: the food we eat (and when we choose not to eat) may be the most potent intervention available for reclaiming our youthful vitality and extending our health significantly beyond conventional expectations.

The Road Ahead

As transformative as my carnivore journey has been thus far, it represents just one chapter in my ongoing exploration of age reversal. The profound physical and cognitive rejuvenation I've experienced has opened doors to new possibilities and questions about the limits of human potential in later life.

In Chapter 8: "The Aging Cascade - When My Body Crashed and How I Rebuilt It," I'll share the dramatic story of how a momentary lapse in my protocol led to an unexpected health crisis—and how I used that experience to deepen my understanding of the aging process and develop even more targeted interventions.

You'll discover how specific cellular repair mechanisms can be activated through carefully timed nutritional strategies, how the concept of hormesis (beneficial stress) can be harnessed to strengthen rather than deplete our bodies, and how the latest research in epigenetic reprogramming might allow us to reset our biological clocks in ways previously thought impossible.

I'll also address the common challenges and questions that arise as one progresses: How do you maintain social connections while following an unconventional eating pattern? What adjustments might be necessary for different age groups or health conditions? How do you integrate exercise and other lifestyle factors for optimal results?

Most importantly, I'll share the systematic approach I've developed for tracking and quantifying biological age across multiple biomarkers—creating a personalized dashboard that allows precise adjustments to my protocol based on objective measurements rather than subjective feelings alone.

The journey toward radical life extension and optimal vitality continues to evolve as rapidly as the science behind it. I invite you to join me as we explore these frontiers together, challenging assumptions about what's possible in our later years and redefining the concept of aging itself.

For ongoing updates and more detailed resources, visit my main blog at https://agereversaljourney.blogspot.com. I share weekly insights, respond to reader questions, and provide deeper insights into the scientific literature supporting this approach.

The body you've always wanted—vibrant, energetic, and biologically young—isn't just a distant memory or an unattainable ideal. As my experience demonstrates, it may be waiting just on the other side of the right nutritional strategy, ready to emerge when you provide the proper cellular renewal and regeneration conditions.