13 Shocking Carnivore Diet Mistakes That Stall Your Results

You’re cutting the bread, skipping the vegetables, and piling meat onto your plate. You expect the scale to go down and your energy to soar. But instead, the scale barely budges, your stomach feels funny, and you begin to wonder if something is wrong with the carnivore diet or if there’s something wrong with you.

Feeling stuck all the time is just so draining.

The fact is, the carnivore diet works extremely well for fat loss, recovery, and sustained energy when you set it up properly. You stick to mostly or only animal products, drop the carbohydrates significantly, and use simple meals as the bulk of your daily eating plan.

I see the same common “hidden” mistakes repeatedly being made by individuals who are on the carnivore diet (and I made many of these too). This article will take you through 13 of the most common shocking carnivore diet mistakes that could be hindering your success while still making you believe you’re doing everything correctly.

In addition, you’ll receive a simple carnivore diet food list, easy-to-use carnivore diet meal plans, a couple of basic carnivore diet recipes, and an easy method to use a calorie calculator to track your intake without creating a number-crunching nightmare. The idea is to provide you with what you need to lose fat, improve how you feel, and remain consistent long enough to achieve the results you want.

What the Carnivore Diet Is (And What You Really Want From It)

The Carnivore Diet is an extremely low-carb, high-animal food diet with almost all of its focus being on animal-based foods (meat, fish, eggs and animal fats). Dairy is sometimes included and sometimes not. The total amount of carbs in the diet is essentially none; plant matter is virtually non-existent.

Most of the reasons why people follow the Carnivore Diet are for weight-loss, improved digestive health, fewer cravings and clearer thinking. You’ll also find it easier to live a simpler lifestyle with fewer choices, fewer labels to read and fewer foods to be obsessive about.

While the concept may seem straightforward and uncomplicated, this simplicity doesn’t necessarily equate to ease. For example, a little mistake, such as a misbalance of fats or creeping-up portions, can slow your progress.

In my opinion, I would consider the Carnivore Diet as a basic structure you can tailor based upon your individual body needs. Within the subsequent sections you will learn how to prevent the most common pitfalls that could potentially prevent you from experiencing the benefits you were hoping for when you first began.

13 Carnivore Diet Mistakes That Quietly Kill Your Progress

Relying Only on Ribeye: Why Zero Variety Slows the Carnivore Diet

Ribeye is a delicious and easy cut of meat to eat, therefore it is appealing to consume it exclusively. However, the problem with consuming only one type of meat, is that you may become bored with the limited selection, be missing essential nutrients, and be unable to achieve sustainable fat loss.

Animal Foods Provide Different Proteins, Fats, Vitamins, and Minerals

Different types of animal food provide different forms of protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Cuts of beef and lamb are good sources of iron and B vitamins, eggs provide choline, fish provides omega-3 fats, and organs provide vitamin A and other important vitamins and minerals.

Ignoring Calories Because “Carbs Are the Only Problem”

The Ribeye is an enjoyable, convenient cut of beef making it easy to eat only this cut all the time. There are issues with this style of eating; after some time eating only one cut of beef (or in fact just one type of meat), you will become bored with what you are eating, you will lack the needed nutrients from other types of meat and may have trouble losing weight due to excess fat intake.

Animal based foods contain many different amino acids (protein), lipids (fats) and micronutrients (vitamins & minerals). Beef/lamb provide iron & B Vitamins, eggs provide Choline, fish provides Omega-3 fatty acids and Organ meats provide Vitamin A and others.

If you choose to implement a Carnivore Diet to create variety and ensure your diet includes enough protein/fat/vitamins/minerals, a sample list would be as follows:

Beef, Lamb, Pork, Chicken (with skin), Salmon, Sardines, Eggs, Small amount of Liver (Rotate different Cuts throughout the week to keep your body and taste buds happy.)

Eating Lean Meat Only and Never Getting Enough Fat

While eating little other than chicken breast and tuna will likely leave you feeling consistently hungry and experiencing such symptoms as shakiness, fatigue and mental fogginess; on a carnivore diet, fat is also an essential fuel source for your body – without sufficient fat intake, your body feels like it is starving.

You don’t have to slather everything in butter but you should be getting enough fat to stabilize your body and appetite.

Adding egg yolks, using fattier cuts of beef, adding fat to lower-fat ground meats, or taking a spoonful of tallow or ghee (fats) with leaner cuts can help put your fat intake into a more desirable range. When your fat intake is in this more desirable range, your hunger typically decreases, your energy becomes more stable and you are much less likely to go on a binge later.

Overeating Dairy and Processed “Carnivore Snacks”

A lot of individuals are technically still eating “carnivore” (animal foods) and consuming around 50% of their daily calories from cheese, heavy creams, and processed meat sticks. This does qualify as an animal-based food source; however, once you begin consuming large amounts of these items, weight loss slows down, and bloating occurs.

Dairy is often salty and fun to over-consume. Similar to dairy, many processed meats have added fillers which provide no nutritional value to your body. Eating small amounts of a slice of meat or a drizzle of cream is perfectly fine; however, if you consume an entire block of cheese and a pint of cream per day, it will impede your ability to achieve your goals.

It may be beneficial to remove dairy for two weeks and observe how your body responds. Removing dairy has been known to result in reduced bloating, smoother digestive processes, and weight loss in many people after returning to dairy consumption.

Forgetting About Salt, Electrolytes, and Hydration

The speed at which your body loses both water and electrolytes when you stop consuming carbohydrates is rapid enough to cause a number of problems — including headaches, dizziness, low energy and muscle cramping. When this happens, it can make the process of transitioning to a carnivorous diet seem like the diet is “breaking” you down (when in reality, your body may simply be out of its supply of minerals).

To help prevent some of these issues, you should generally try to salt your food as much as you want, and drink plenty of water throughout the day. A few people report feeling better by adding an electrolyte supplement that has sodium, potassium and magnesium into their routine.

In general, if you feel terrible in the first week or two after making this transition, it is possible that your body is experiencing the loss of salt and fluid as opposed to the actual effects of the diet.

Changing Everything Overnight and Shocking Your System

When you go from fast food and sugar to a full-on carnivore diet overnight, it can have some serious side effects. Your digestive system could be in disarray (or even totally shut down), you’ll likely experience extreme changes in how often you use the restroom, and your energy levels will probably take a huge hit. And because this is such an extreme change for most people, they are able to stick with the diet long enough to see its benefits.

I recommend taking at least a week or two to gradually reduce your carb intake as opposed to making a drastic change all at once. First, eliminate the junk and sugary foods. Next, limit your consumption of breads and pastas and increase your consumption of meats and eggs. By the time you make the transition to a fully carnivorous diet, your body will already be somewhat adapted to a lifestyle of eating like this, and therefore you won’t feel the shock that most people do when making such a drastic change.

Never Tracking Portions or Using a Simple Calorie Calculator Check‑in

You may never have to weigh every gram again; however, many people still have little or no idea how much they are eating on their Carnivore Diet. Over time plates tend to grow larger and those “fatty” extras we all love to sneak into our meals begin to appear.

At that point, it is likely that your progress has come to an abrupt halt.

Use a basic calorie calculator to determine a close approximation of your daily Maintenance Calories. From there, try to create a small daily caloric deficit (i.e., less than 100-200 calories) without starving.

You will only be required to perform this calculation occasionally.

If you find yourself stuck at the same weight for three weeks or so, use a simple 3 to 5 day food diary combined with a quick calculator check to see if you have inadvertently added some extra calories.

Eating Only Two Giant Meals When Your Body Wants Smaller Ones

For many, two large carnivore meals per day will work. However, for some people, consuming such a large amount of food within a short time frame can cause nausea, bloating or midnight raids on the refrigerator.

The timing of your meals should be seen as a tool, not a hard and fast rule. If you find it easier to keep your hunger, mood and digestive health stable by eating three smaller meals, then you may choose to do so.

Try them both! Eat two meals for one week and then eat three meals for another week. Notice which meal timing pattern causes you to feel calm rather than desperate.

Forcing Fasting Too Early and Pushing Through Extreme Hunger

You can lose fat and improve your health by fasting, however if you push yourself into long fasting periods early on during your first few weeks of eating a Carnivore diet, it usually backfires. You become so hungry that you want to eat everything in site, your anxiety level goes up, and you may end up feeling very stressed and possibly even depressed.

First, focus on consuming your normal, daily, consistent, carnivore-based meals. Allow your hunger levels to stabilize; once you feel satisfied between meals, and your energy levels have improved, you can then attempt an extended overnight fast or skip a meal if you’re not hungry.

If you experience the symptoms of shakiness, anger, obsessive thoughts about food, etc., you’ve pushed yourself too hard with this type of fast at your current state.

Skipping Organ Meats and Key Nutrients for Too Long

The Carnivore Diet does not require you to consume organ meats; however, for many, adding at least some may make them feel even better. The reason behind this is simple – liver, heart, and kidneys contain essential vitamins and minerals lacking in other forms of meat (muscle).

Adding a small serving of liver to your diet (1-2 times a week) can provide additional support to your intake of Vitamin A, B Vitamins, and Iron. You don’t have to enjoy the taste. You can add very small portions to ground beef to mask the flavor, or take a small portion as if it’s a supplement.

If you are completely unable to consume organs, then High Quality Supplements will provide support, but in most cases, consuming food is better than consuming supplements.

Ignoring Sleep, Stress, and Simple Movement

If you follow the perfect (carnivore) diet but don’t get enough rest or are always stressed out and never physically active then you will likely stall. The high levels of stress hormones and short amount of time spent sleeping in bed tell your body to hold onto excess fat.

I’ve personally seen individuals lose weight after a long period of no progress when they corrected their sleep first, without making any changes to what they were eating.

You should try to go to bed at the same time each day and create an environment that is as dark as possible while avoiding screens later in the evening.

Try adding some gentle physical activity such as walking during the day and/or very light strength training. There does not need to be a heavy workout. You simply want to create a consistent habit of moving your body throughout the week so your body knows it is safe to release the stored fat.

Expecting Instant Fat Loss and Giving Up Too Soon

Your body will lose a lot of water (the “water weight”) quickly during the first week; after this time, the rate of weight loss will slow down. It also takes weeks and even months for real fat loss and recovery to happen-not days.

Don’t let one or two or three random days of weighing yourself tell you whether the carnivore diet has failed you. Track what happens over a period of 4-6 weeks-not every single weigh-in.

You may notice a difference in how your clothing fits, your level of energy, and your mood, which can occur long before the numbers reflect any change.

Trying to Eat “Perfect” and Quitting After One Slip

The All-or-Nothing (AON) Mentality Ruins More Carnivore Diet Efforts Than Any Food Item. Once you eat something that does not follow your Plan, then you think to yourself “I messed up, I am going to ruin my whole progress” and therefore remain off of your Carnivore Diet Plan for many Days or Weeks.

You cannot allow one meal to wipe away all your Progress. Damage occurs when you decide what you will do Next. Therefore, create an easy rule like “My next Meal is Back On Track.”

Long-term Consistency Wins Every Time. Perfection Is Not A Goal.

Copying Internet Gurus Instead of Listening to Your Own Body

It’s simple to emulate someone who lost 100 pounds on the Carnivore Diet; you may be eating at similar time frames, consuming the same cuts of meat, and utilizing the same fasting periods, yet your life is likely nothing like theirs.

Carnivore should be viewed by you as a “framework” which you can modify as needed and not as some type of “prison.” Your age, sex, employment, level of stress, and overall health will influence what works for you.

Observe how hungry you are, what your energy levels are, how you digest food, and how you feel mentally. Rather than adhering to another person’s diet plan, utilize this information to modify your fat content, serving portions and meal timing as needed.

Simple Carnivore Diet Food List, Meal Ideas, and Recipes You Can Stick To

Now that you know how to avoid things, you’ll want some simplicity in your life to follow each day.

I personally enjoy keeping a short list of “go-to” meals for this reason so that when it’s time to cook for the week, I don’t overthink anything.

That’s why I find a list of common foods from a basic carnivore diet food list, simple meal plans for the carnivore diet, and some simple recipes for the carnivore diet helpful to help with consistency.

Basic Carnivore Diet Food List You Can Build Around

Begin by using fatty beef cuts such as ribeye, chuck roast and higher-fat ground beef. Use lamb chops or ground lamb to add variety to your diet. Use pork chops and pork shoulder, as well as use bacon in moderation.

Have some chicken thighs and drumsticks that have their skins intact available for quick meals and keep eggs around for additional meal options. Choose fatty fish (salmon, sardines) and other fatty fish three to four times weekly for your seafood choices.

Use butter, ghee and beef tallow as your primary fats to cook with; use small amounts of heavy cream or hard cheese only if they are not causing bloating or cravings. Rotate through your food groups so you can avoid feeling repetitive throughout your week.

Easy Carnivore Diet Meal Plans for Busy Weeks

A structured meal plan is not required; however, having some general structure will help in planning out meals throughout the week. Consider an egg with bacon or leftover steak to begin each day.

Next, use leftover hamburger patties with a slice of cheese or add a couple of fried eggs on top. Lastly, attempt using a salmon fillet with butter as one of your final meals, or a chuck roast that has been cooking low and slow.

When life gets hectic, cook a large quantity of ground beef or chicken thighs, and when there is no time to prepare a meal, utilize the leftovers from previous meals to create something quickly, rather than reaching for random junk food. The simplicity of knowing what you are going to eat for the next three days takes away the stress and lessens the chances of saying “I had no idea what was for dinner, so I went and got garbage.”

Quick Carnivore Diet Recipes That Keep You Satisfied

A simple recipe may be a better option to save time. A good example is cooking a ribeye steak by placing it into a preheated hot skillet; allowing the fat to crisp up as it cooks will cover all three macronutrients (protein, fat, and flavor) at little or no additional time.

Baked chicken thighs that include the skin are another good option. Season with salt and let them bake until the skin has crisped up. The result will provide a good source of fat for 2-3 meals.

Lastly, consider cooking a slow-cooked beef roast. Place a chuck roast into a pot that includes some tallow (rendered from beef) and salt, then place the pot into a crock-pot on low for several hours. Or, prepare burger patties and fry an egg on each patty to add fat, protein, and nutrients to one pan.

How to Track Progress and Adjust Your Carnivore Diet Without Obsessing

You want to get good results from the Carnivore Diet but you don’t want that to take over your entire lifestyle by using charts and tracking all the time.

You can also monitor your progress in an easy way while still making great changes as you go along.

I would recommend checking your progress every two to four weeks versus daily. It’s long enough to show you what’s happening and it’s short enough for you to spot if there are any issues.

Using a Calorie Calculator as a Simple Check, Not a Life Sentence

The Calorie Calculator Is Just A Tool. The goal is to get an estimate of what your daily caloric maintenance number would be based upon your age, gender, height, weight, and how active you are.

You will then want to take that maintenance number and drop about 200-500 calories below it as a target for losing fat at a very slow rate. It is not necessary to hit this number every single day. Use it occasionally to determine whether or not your portions have increased over time.

If you find that you have been stuck with no weight loss for a couple of weeks, compare your average intake for those days/weeks with that number from the calorie calculator. If you find that your average intake is higher than that number, make some slight adjustments to your portion size, and then continue to focus on eating until you are satisfied, but not stuffed.

Better Ways to Measure Carnivore Diet Results Than Just the Scale

Your weight is just a single piece of data that does not define your value as an individual. Monitor your weight; however, monitor your waist circumference as well as how your clothing fits in addition to tracking how much energy you have through normal activities or exercise routines.

Take a photo in front and to the left of you each month in the same outfit. The body may lose fat yet retain water (retain) and therefore, weigh the same; this could be hiding your body’s fat loss.

Take a brief weekly assessment. Note the average of your weekly weight, waist, energy levels, moods and digestive issues. This will take no longer than a few minutes and give you a better sense of what the Carnivore Diet has done for you.

Conclusion

The fundamental concept is straightforward – while the Carnivore Diet may be an effective method for weight reduction and overall improved health, small errors in execution will slow down or completely stop your progress. Although you may have been feeling as though you’ve lacked motivation or willpower – and while those feelings may be valid – the most likely problem has simply been that you needed a clear plan.

A few significant corrections will greatly improve your success. Replace monotony with variety by eating different cuts of meat, eat sufficient amounts of fat (but avoid excessive amounts of dairy), monitor your caloric intake (i.e., don’t consume too many calories), take care of your sleep and stress levels, and allow your body sufficient time to adjust. Utilize simple resources such as calorie calculators, loose guidelines for the Carnivore Diet, and simple recipes – all of which can help you achieve your goals without having to turn your entire life into a mathematical equation.

This week, choose one or two areas where you would like to make adjustments. You do not have to change everything at once to notice improvements. I would like you to understand that you are not “broken” – you simply require a smarter approach to your diet and lifestyle that aligns with your needs and limitations.