A man who completely switched his diet to include only red meat and eggs has shared the effects it had on his body weight and general health.
Patrick’s life before the diet
Patrick Ensley and his wife, Caitlynn, made the decision to fully embrace a carnivorous diet last year, during a time when Patrick’s weight had reached around 300 pounds.
As a father of one and an HVAC technician in Milford, Nebraska, he was battling depression and often lacked the energy to spend time with his young son after work. However, everything changed when he altered the way he was fueling his body.
Speaking to Mail Online about that time, Patrick shared: “I woke up several times throughout the night. I’d wake up in the morning; even if I had 10 hours of sleep, I’d wake up just not wanting to get out of bed.”
He added that he would experience soreness and stiffness, with pain in his ankles, back, and knees, leaving him feeling miserable.
Patrick also mentioned struggling to catch his breath even after climbing a single flight of stairs and feeling like a “prisoner” in his own body due to being “so big, heavy, and unhealthy.”
How Patrick changed his diet
Wanting to make a change, the father decided to follow a diet that consisted of a 16-ounce steak, a pound of ground beef, and six eggs daily.
To avoid temptations, Patrick removed all non-carnivore foods from his home and created a meal plan to prevent excessive snacking.
If he did snack, his options included homemade meatballs, pork rinds, string cheese, beef jerky, salami, and pepperoni.
Patrick also wrote down his reason for changing his diet – to ensure he could see his son grow up.
“Post it somewhere. For me I put my wallpaper as my son on my phone so I saw it every day. Put it somewhere where you’re going to see it,” he advised.
He also took “before” pictures to monitor his progress, stating: “‘You’ll see how much weight you’ve lost and can track progress, like losing 20 inches off your belly. When the scale stalls, those photos and measurements will remind you that you’re still making progress, so you don’t lose motivation.”
What effects resulted from the carnivorous diet?
A year later, Patrick’s life has undergone a dramatic transformation. He has shed 140lbs and reduced his waistline by 19 inches, experiencing improved sleep quality and waking up feeling “refreshed, energized,” with no more pain.
“Even after the first month or two, I noticed a huge change in my mood, ambition, and positivity. I felt better mentally almost right away,” Patrick shared with the Mail.
“This experience has completely changed my life, and I’ve found my purpose again.”
Patrick is now able to climb four or five flights of stairs without feeling winded and enjoys much more energy throughout the day.
“Now I come home, and I’m able to throw around my two-year-old son on the couch and swing him upside down and play trucks and trains and all the fun stuff he likes to do and still have energy left over,” he explained.
In a YouTube video about his diet, Patrick mentioned that after losing 140lbs, he planned to reintroduce some plant-based foods, like organic strawberries, into his meals to observe how his body responded and to embrace a life with less “constant restriction.”
What opinions do professionals have regarding the carnivore diet?
Experts have varied opinions on the carnivore diet, with Harvard Health highlighting potential risks such as a higher intake of saturated fat from meat, which could increase the chances of developing kidney stones, gout, and osteoporosis.
Additionally, the diet’s high protein content could impair kidney function.
Liz Weinandy, a dietitian from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, mentioned in an interview with Everyday Health that there are several “downsides” to this diet, primarily due to its lack of nutrients.
“We have multiple food groups for a reason: They each provide us with a range of nutrients,” she explained.
By restricting oneself to only meat, there is a risk of deficiency in essential nutrients found in plants, such as vitamin C and vitamin E, according to the dietitian.
However, British cardiologist Dr. Aseem Malhotra emphasized the distinction between red meat and processed meat. He told the Mail, “I tell my patients, ‘I don’t care how much red meat you eat’, the evidence is only there for processed meat, not red meat.”
Before making any dietary changes, it is important to consult with a doctor to ensure the healthiest approach.
