A recorded conversation (YouTube) between Mike Koenigs and Dan Sullivan about their experiences on the Carnivore Diet. They describe daily routines (steak-focused meals, often steak and water, salt/pepper/butter, Traeger grill), emphasize elimination of between-meal snacking and loss of cravings, and share measured results: Dan reports starting in July (~6 months on diet) and dropping from about 203 lb to 183 lb; Mike began ~10 months ago, after colorectal cancer 12 years prior, and reports dropping from ~185–190 lb to 167 lb with visible reduction in facial puffiness and increased muscle definition. Mike reports a ~20% reduction in "bad" cholesterol in the first month, uses a continuous glucose monitor (notes wine may raise glucose ~5 points), and advises quarterly blood testing and physician consultation. Both caution this is personal experience (not medical advice) and recommend monitoring and medical input. They criticize the traditional food pyramid as an invention with questionable ethics and encourage individual research.
Questions this video answers
Started in July; about six months on the diet at time of recording.
Around 203 lb initially; down to 183 lb (reported morning weight).
About 10 months.
Had colorectal cancer 12 years prior to the recording.
Was hovering around 185–190 lb; reported current weight 167 lb.
Chapters
And I look forward to eating the steak, which will be happening in about two hours. You lose all cravings.
Yes.
What it taught me was it wasn't that what I was eating at meals was bad for me, even from a weight standpoint. It was what I was eating between meals.
After having cancer, colorectal cancer, 12 years ago now, I've had continuous, I'd say, IBS issues in some way, shape or form, and there are certain things that would send me to the bathroom right away. So I did it partially out of. I'm tired of having continual gut issues, and this might be a way. So sometimes the Carnivore Diet's considered an elimination diet. I think people who are worried and they say, well, what about. What about. What about, you know, just remember the old food pyramid was an invention. It was made up, and it was supported by questionable ethics for a long time.
All right, Dan, you've been on the Carnivore diet. I've been on the Carnivore diet. This mini episode is just going to be our plan. It's our daily routine, and we'll talk a little bit about the psychology of the Carnivore Diet and specifically what we're eating and the benefits and results we've gotten so far. So I'm curious, how long have you been doing Carnivore? How much weight have you lost?
Well, it's January, so we just had New Year's, and I started in July, so. So, you know, kind of like six months. Six months on the diet. And I. I got interested in it because Babs was interested in it, and Babs was interested in it because Dean Jackson was doing it, and Dean was doing it because jj. Virgin. Virgin, yeah, jj, Virgin said, dean, go on the Carnivore Diet. And Bab said to me, dan, go on the Carnivore diet. Well, she didn't. She just started in on it and I got interested. And, you know, since you're having steak, I'll have a little piece, and then could I have a bigger piece? And anyway, so that's where I am. But I've been, you know, I've been right about the same weight for, I would say, 15 years and any attempts to lower my weight, you know, and I. I decided that when I hit 80 that you shouldn't have any baby fat after 80, you know, so. So I was 80 in May. And I said, no, no, no, we have to slim down a little bit. I said, you know, I got to put on a better front stage. Front stage to do It. So I started it. Two things I noticed right off the bat. One is the steak is really good and we have really good steak. And I look forward to eating the steak, which will be happening in about two hours. And.
You lose all cravings.
Yes.
And what, and what it taught me was it wasn't that what I was eating at meals was bad for me, even from a weight standpoint. It was what I was eating between meals.
Yes.
When I had the cravings, that's what kept my weight on. And the moment I stopped that. And I measure myself every day and I log in, you know, and it goes, it's like the, it goes up, it goes down, then it jumps down a little bit more and then it goes up and down. So it started, you know, started, I'll give the number, it was around 203 and then I got down and then there was a day I got under 200 and then about five weeks later there's a day I got under 190. And now I'm at 183 this morning. So down.
Yeah. But there's two things about that. Eat the meat. That's one. And the other thing is record your weight every day. I think those are the two things.
Okay, well, I've got my plan. So I started 10 months ago. And the reason I did it was.
I had heard enough. And after having cancer, colorectal cancer, 12 years ago now I've had continuous, I'd say, IBS issues in some way, shape or form. And there are certain things that would send me to the bathroom right away. So I did it partially out of. I'm tired of having continual gut issues. And this might be a way. So sometimes the carnivore diet's considered an elimination diet. So what I did is I started while I was biking, I started stopping at butcher shops and learning as much as I could about meat and finding butchers who would have, you know, my goal was to find organic grass fed beef and then find a good source of it that could be delivered to my home. So one of the things I'll do is I'll provide a link to one of the places I've been getting at. But I went out, started buying a bunch of steaks and just taste testing them. And then I began the diet, which essentially is as soon as you get up in the morning, eat a steak. And I usually start with a New York strip. It's got a little less fat and it's great protein. And then so let's say that would be around 7:00. And I generally could. Would eat right before I'd work out. I found that I'd never have, you know, you never get a sideache and never had any gut issues. Just could go right into it. So. And then usually around noon to 1, I'll eat another steak. And there are anywhere from 12 to 20 ounces, depending on how much mental energy I'm exerting. And then towards the end of the day, if I'm hungry, I'll eat another steak. Now, when I'm at my best, all I'm doing is steak and water. And a lot of people will say at this point, well, what about vegetables? And what about, what about it? I'd be like, well, there's two things you can do. One of them is do quarterly blood, which I know you've been doing religiously for a long time. Check your levels and talk to your doctors. So if you need supplements, you're going to see it right away. Here's what I found. My overall cholesterol, bad cholesterol, went down 20% in the first month and my mental acuity went up. But also my stamina throughout the day, where I generally feel like I have to take a nap. No naps now. Now, this doesn't mean I like. If we were out, for example, you and I, Dan, and there was shrimp, well, I'd eat some shrimp. Or if there's some fish, I'd eat some shrimp. Or I mean, some fish. But in general, when I stick to pure meat, I feel the best. And the. And all I do is I salt and pepper it. I throw it on a Traeger grill, which has a probe. You can't screw it up and it tastes great. And anytime I'm hungry, I'd eat a steak. So for the example, this morning I ate steaks. Last night, ate a steak. And then as far as weight and results, one thing, blood looks great.
I was hovering around 185 to 190 again, kind of like you for the past 20 some odd years. I'm at 167 right now. I've got visible abs and also notice my, my muscle has gone up. My, you know, the amount of muscle, visible muscle. And the other thing that you'll notice right away if you look at pictures of me from 10 or 15 or 20 years ago, I've got a noticeably pudgy face. So your inflammation goes down very rapidly. And much like you, your cravings disappear. So that need to have some potato chips or something, or if you, you've got some tem in front of you, I might take a little taste and be like, nope, don't even want to touch it. So the only other thing that I'm really, really conscious of when I go out to eat, I am really careful if there's something on the side that there's absolutely no seed oils in it, I found that that provide creates an inflammatory response, a gut response I'm on or at the toilet. And so the steaks.
Steaks and butter, if they use anything, right?
Yes. So when I'm on traveling, what I do now is like, if I'm traveling and I know I'm going to be next to a stove, I'll go out and I'll buy steaks and I'll get butter. And what I'll do is I'll sizzle the steak in some butter and then I'll put it in the oven and broil it. Otherwise, you know, because people say, well, what do you do when you're traveling? And it's like, you'd be surprised at how easy it is. So what I'm doing if I'm about to get off of a plane is I'll find maybe a Brazilian steakhouse and I'll go there on my way to the hotel or I've been requesting, like, when I go to someone else's place, is it okay if I bring my own steak? And they'll say, no, I'll get it for you. You know, you find that people are so accommodating and it's not an unusual or unreasonable request. And more than often, people are so interested when they see you. They're like, what are you doing? You look great. And it's like carnivore diet. And I just give them a plan and I've got a whole bunch of people have jumped on the bandwagon now. And we're also wearing our continuous blood glucose monitor. And you'll also notice, like, you can have a couple of glasses of wine, you might see your blood glucose go up maybe five points. So when you're on the carnivore diet, if you cheat a little bit and the cheat meal is fine, you don't have to take a cheat day. So I found it to be really, really remarkable. But I'm curious, from a blood perspect, what have you seen in terms of any changes?
Yeah, you know, I don't really know. I mean, David Hasi does all my blood work and.
You know, it's all good. So, I mean, nothing to report on my cholesterol has always been pretty good. You know, you know.
The. The good cholesterol is high and the bad cholesterol is low.
That's all that matters. Yeah, that. Your blood sugar.
Blood sugar. Bruce, too. Yeah. And I. I've got a good blood sugar. I'm pretty, you know, pretty healthy. You know, we got longevity in the family. I have three older siblings, you know, 86, 87, and 89. So, you know, I. I think the basic genes are good, you know, everything else.
But your thinker works great. That's for sure.
My thinker is. My thinker is up to par.
Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Well, it's definitely. We're not doctors. We're not giving medical advice. But if I were to give advice to my friends, it's sort of like, look at your friends who've gone on the carnivore diet, especially the ones who are monitoring, like Dan is doing and keeping track of their blood and talking to their doctors. So I talked to three medical professionals every single quarter, and all of them are like, keep on doing this. You look great. Your blood looks great. And I think people who are worried and they say, well, what about. What about, what about? Just remember the old food pyramid was an invention. It was made up, and it was supported by questionable ethics for a long time. So I'd say do your research and deep dive in it. And it's not for everyone, but I can tell you if I show someone who's been a vegan for several years and compare them against someone who's been on the carnivore diet for a half a year, look at the difference and I'll rest my case.
Yeah.
All right, well, anything else before we wrap this one up?
Nope. That's good.
Okay.
I learned something, so. I always learned something. Good, good.
