Psst.
I have a secret for you…
Your body doesn't need to eat food every 3 hours to be healthy.
In fact, eating so often is not natural to the body.
The reality is this…
The only reason we desire food every 3 hours is because we're eating carbohydrate foods.
Carb foods do two things to us:
- They don't satisfy our hunger and
- They produce intense cravings every 3 hours
So no matter how much carbohydrate foods you eat, you never feel satisfied.
Ever ate and ate and ate until your stomach was about to explode … and then wanted dessert?
That's because you were eating carbohydrate foods.
When you eat animal foods that are high in vitamins and saturated fat, it's nearly impossible to overeat.
When you eat fatty meat once per day you become satisfied.
And that's what I found out when I ate one meal a day every day for 30 days.
One Meal A Day (OMAD)
During the B&D; 30 Day Challenge, I challenged myself to eating only one meal per day, every day.
That is not the same as intermittent fasting. I did not eat all of my food in a 4 hour window and call it one meal.
I literally ate one meal per day.
These are the foods I ate: Grassfed ribeye steaks, grassfed beef liver, pastured bacon, raw butter, pastured eggs, goat meat, and pork chops.
This is nearly all I ate, though I did cheat approximately 5 times and eat ice cream which I will explain later.
But first, let's start at the beginning…
I was used to eating 3 meals per day: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I was on the carnivore diet and my usual meals consisted of steak, steak, and steak.
I felt fantastic eating 3 meals per day (again, meat only).
I wanted to challenge my own self-discipline and will and I wanted to make my mind stronger than my body.
So I committed to one meal per day, even though I felt great eating 3 meals per day.
Here's exactly what happened…
1st day
On the first day I felt intense hunger around noon time.
This hunger lasted perhaps one hour and when I persevered, this hunger vanished and I felt a sense of euphoria and energy that I hadn't experienced in a long time.
I ate that day's meal at 5pm, so between 12 noon and 5pm I felt really fantastic.
That evening I ate a fat ribeye steak.
1st day = easy
2nd day
On the 2nd day I had the exact same hunger pang around noon and again I pushed through it.
I did not experience the same euphoria and energy as I did the first day, but I felt absolutely fine and had no intense desire to eat right away.
I made it until 5pm when I ate another fat steak.
2nd day = easy
3rd day
Things took a turn for the worse on the 3rd day…
During the day I was reading book after book about nutrition and this caused me to think about food all day long.
I began my meal early because of this (at 3pm rather than 5pm) but halfway through my meal I had to leave to visit a family member in the hospital.
This took 2 hours and when I returned I was obviously still hungry, and mentally weak, so I ate my normal food plus some vanilla ice cream.
This proved to be a big mistake.
3rd day = difficult
4th day
On the 4th day I absolutely craved carbohydrates all day long.
On the previous days, my cravings were easy or zero, but after eating ice cream my carb cravings were absolutely intense.
I did not give in and ate only meat, but I certainly wanted ice cream again.
4th day = difficult
5th day
On the 5th day I again had intense hunger pangs around noon, but I persevered and did not eat until 5pm.
Again, I craved carbs but not quite as heavily as the previous day. I ate nothing but steak.
On the 5th night my dreams became incredibly vivid.
My dreams were like watching a full movie from start to finish.
5th day = medium
6th day
On the 6th day I had great energy in the afternoon.
Vibrant, clear, and alert.
Usually in the afternoon I would eat lunch and my energy would be decreased.
I thought to myself, “If I did eat right now my energy would definitely without question instantly decrease.”
I did not eat until 5pm, at which point again I ate only meat.
6th day = wonderful
7th day
On the 7th day I ate liver, raw butter, and pork ribs.
One hour after eating was still hungry and ate some raw milk cheese.
(Cheese seems to make it harder to defecate. I never once felt bloated or constipated but I typically do not defecate the day after eating cheese.)
Regarding the pork ribs, they were pastured pork ribs and very lean. They had almost no fat on them and I found myself again very hungry again even after eating the cheese.
Also on the 7th day I weighed myself at the gym and I had lost 4 lbs in one week.
This caused me to wonder if I was eating enough food and if I was losing weight too quickly.
My goal was never to lose weight, only to conquer the mind.
Unfortunately, the mind conquered me on the 7th day and I wondered heavily if I needed to eat carbs to maintain weight.
Because I was so scared of losing weight, and also mentally weak on this day, I ordered a cheese pizza and bought a bucket of vanilla ice cream.
I had absolutely horrendous heartburn in the middle of the night, something I never experience on the all-meat diet.
7th day = mistakes were made
8th day
The cravings on this day were absolutely intense. I felt “starving” and was wondering if I made the right decision to eat only one meal per day.
I felt sure I was not getting enough calories.
On the 8th day I was again mentally weak.
After my 5pm meal of meat I finished it with ice cream.
8th day = hard
9th day
On the 9th day I again had intense cravings for carbohydrates but I did not allow myself any ice cream.
At 5pm I ate only meat.
9th day = hard but disciplined
10th day
On the 10th day I noted that hunger was with me every day, seemingly all the time.
This is what I wrote in my personal journal:
Hunger is here every day. This process has become spiritual. It is a battle against the mind, to conquer one’s own mind. Hunger is the teacher of the spiritual.
3 meals a day and sleeping in was better for the work, but rising early and eating one meal a day set in motion a chain of events that could not have happened otherwise.
Hunger pangs last about 10 minutes and then they go away.”
I forgot to mention that in addition to eating only one meal per day, I was waking up at 5am every day.
This caused a big change and a forced adaptation, which took a little while to get used to.
10th day = very hard
11th day
On the 11th day I finally got enough sleep and felt absolutely incredible all day.
Hunger was no problem at all and I did not have the “black and white” feeling that insufficient sleep gives you.
I felt incredible and happy all day. Loved the idea of finishing all my daily work before I spent time eating.
I ate only meat.
11th day = fantastic
12th day
On the 12th day didn’t get as much sleep as the night before but still felt pretty good and banged out a 2400 word article like it was no problem.
At 5pm I ate goat chops and goat burgers. My mind was feeling a little dull or a little down.
I ate ice cream after eating meat and “felt better.”
Later that night I experienced total failure and went to a local Mexican restaurant for 4 tacos. All of my meals were eaten in a 6 hour window, so not OMAD.
That night I noticed that when I eat carbs my hands always fall asleep at night. They get a pins and needs feeling that doesn't happen when I eat meat only.
12th day = total failure
13th day
Up until this day I had been force-feeding because I was scared of losing too much weight.
I was forcing myself to eat past the point of satiety just to get the extra calories in.
It was on the 12th day that I recognized the fact that my body does not like big meals.
What I learned is that big meals aren’t actually necessary. One normal sized meal per day is enough.
I ate a HUGE meal on the 12th day and did not defecate well on the morning of the 13th day.
Big meals make it harder to digest and harder to defecate (and also cheese backs you up).
I also realized how vital sleep is.
Whenever I get my full 9.5 hours sleep I have solid discipline and stay away from carbs but when I get less sleep I crave carbs and give in.
When sleep is insufficient, self-discipline is insufficient.
Insufficient sleep directly leads me to low self-discipline which directly leads me to eating carbohydrates which directly leads me to inferior energy and inferior mental clarity.
As noted in my personal journal:
My concentration is inferior when I eat carbs.”
On the 13th day I ignored the cravings for carbohydrates and ate meat only.
13th day = revealing
14th day
On the 14th day I started cooking my steaks outside on the grill.
This proved to be the best choice I made.
The steaks tasted better cooked over an open fire and the air was chilly and proved a good boost of vitality to my lungs.
I absolutely loved cooking my food outside on an open fire and eating my food outside in the cool air.
The cravings for carbohydrates on this day were strong, but I was stronger and did not give in.
On the 14th day I also moved my daily meal from 5pm to the afternoon (on this day it was around 2pm).
14th day = easier
15th day
This is what I wrote in my personal journal:
Ate nothing but meat yesterday and feel fine, the carb cravings are decreasing.
It’s easier every day to not eat carbs. When you eat carbs, you crave carbs.
Eating one meal per day with carbs is very emotionally taxing.
Carbs really are drugs, they cause the problems that they then fix.
Carbs fix depression and make you feel better? They caused the depression in the first place.
In the total absence of carbs, the mood is always bright.
When eating carbs, and when away from carbs for more than 3 hours, the mood is dark. Hence “Hangry”.
I prefer an afternoon meal to an evening meal.
I dislike waiting so long to eat, especially when I’ve been waking up at 5am and finishing my work by 1pm or so.
Waiting those extra hours seems pointless. After I eat my one meal I am content for the night so it seems better to be content than to wait and not be content.
Up until this time, eating one meal per day had been emotionally demanding.
I often felt blue, sad, and even depressed.
I was constantly second guessing my decision to both eat one meal a day and rise at 5am every morning.
Moving my one meal to the afternoon helped tremendously.
15th day = medium
16th day
On the 16th day I ate my meal around noon.
I felt absolutely awesome eating my one meal at lunch time.
I ate a fatty pork chop and 12 scrambled egg yolks (no whites) and became EXTREMELY full.
16th day = awesome
17th day
By now I've been cooking all my food outside on the grill.
I never want to use a stove ever again.
I also started blessing my food before I eat it and I will try to keep up the habit forever.
17th day = easy
18th day
From my personal journal:
I ate 3 burgers last night and got full. Didn’t poo-poo this morning but feel fine. Haven’t experience hunger yet (11:45am).”
19th day
I ate raw beef and some eggs last night. Defecated fine in the morning.
Some days I skip the toilet but I never feel bloated or constipated.
From my journal:
After last night’s raw beef and scrambled eggs, I feel pretty hungry today (12 noon) and will eat the remaining pork chops (maybe). Definitely feel very hungry around noon today. Raw beef and eggs don’t seem to last too long. I passed through the hunger pangs and they vanished.”
20th day - 21st day
4 words can describe every day for the last week:
“Meat only, very easy.”
Not only has every day been very easy, but the initial sadness I felt on this diet completely vanished.
My sleep has been excellent and I only get mild hunger pangs in the afternoon.
I eat my meal at lunch time rather than dinner time and I feel absolutely fantastic.
All of the initial doubts I had in my mind have completely vanished.
My weight completely stabilized after losing only 4 lbs.
I never feel cravings or hunger. I never feel sadness. I feel happy, satisfied, content.
If I had to use one word to describe how I feel every day, that word would be: BLISS.
I have never been happier in my life than I am right now.
I have learned that:
- We constantly overeat food
- We are never satisfied and content
- We are over stimulated in all ways
One meal a day is more than sufficient. I feel I could eat one meal every 2 days and be satisfied. The thought of eating meals every 3 hours seems grotesque.
22nd day
On the 22nd day I drove to Albuquerque and planned to eat burgers on the drive.
I did this knowing that I would get the carb cravings and I wanted to test myself.
Also after eating 2 fast food cheeseburgers I got a tummy ache.
With this understanding of “junk foods” - that they always make me feel terrible - every day for a week afterwards was very easy.
23rd day - Bacon only
24th day - Beef only
25th day - Bacon, eggs, and pork brains
26th day - Bacon, eggs, pork brains, beef liver
27th day (Thanksgiving) - Duck bacon, wild boar bacon, buffalo steak, beef steak, sausage
28th day - Beef burgers with raw sauerkraut (sauerkraut is fermented and therefore less damaging than cooked or raw vegetables)
29th day - Beef only
30th day - Beef and liver
I didn't look in the mirror for 30 days.
I hadn't weighed myself since the end of the first week.
On the 30th day I woke up and looked in the mirror.
My reaction was simply: “wow.”
I had lost weight certainly, and become even mildly skinny, but I was a natural lean. In total I lost 7 lbs in 30 days.
I now have the look of a surfer or a swimmer rather than a bodybuilder, but this look is nearly without effort as I do not do standard bodybuilding workouts.
In fact, the only workouts I do are to activate muscles that atrophy from sitting to do computer work (neck, glutes, hamstrings mostly) and I do a lot of stretching.
Even though I was skinny compared to how I used to look as a bodybuilder, I was quite happy knowing that I could keep a nice physique and nice tone completely naturally (I took no bodybuilding supplements of any kind during this 30 day trial).
Thought other people did notice and remark that I was noticeably skinnier. Because of this, I will likely add raw goat milk to my diet to regain some of my lost weight.
What I learned eating one meal a day
Keeping a strict routine is very important to your success.
If you fall out of your normal routine your self-discipline shrinks.
I noticed this when making the 9 hour drive to Albuquerque. During this long drive, and with constant billboards advertising junk food, it was difficult to not pull over and get junk food.
I also did not listen to any music or any podcasts on the 9 hour drive. I did not listen to any music because I wanted to do a quick dopamine fast and be alone with my thoughts.
But I was hardly alone with my thoughts because in the heartland of the United States you cannot go 3 miles without seeing a billboard for some kind of addictive food.
We don't eat because we're hungry, we eat because we're bored (or addicted to junk).
We often eat not because we are hungry, but because we are bored.
When you make the decision to only eat one meal per day you are forced to confront this fact.
Self-discipline shrinks when you're tired.
It's very important to get enough sleep if you plan to do this challenge.
The less sleep you get, the less self-discipline and willpower you have.
I found myself going to bed at 8:30 pm and waking between 5-6 am.
The first 2 weeks are hard.
They can be very hard. But after that, it's easy.
And actually it's not only easy, it's great. It's wonderful.
On this 30 day journey I found something I was not expecting to find…
Bliss.
Am I going to continue eating one meal a day?
No.
I am going to eat when I am hungry.
In particular, I am going to regain some lost weight. I became noticeably skinnier at the end of the 30 days.
On many days it was extremely easy to eat only one meal in the afternoon.
1 lb of bacon in particular kept me full for 24 hours or more.
On other days, it was harder. I am going to use one meal a day as my “base” but I am not going to limit or starve myself.
If I'm hungry, I will eat. If I am not experiencing true hunger, I will not eat.
I will skip breakfast and eat a meal at lunch time. If I need more in the evening, I will have more.
On any normal day I will follow the zero-carb carnivore diet and eat simply when I am hungry. Your body knows better what you need than a clock knows.
To put it simply, I'm going to eat food when I'm hungry and drink water when I'm thirsty.
However…
The one meal a day for 30 days plan was a spiritual journey.
I will do this every November from now on.
As the muslims follow Ramadan, Victor Pride follows Novembadan.
Do I recommend you follow the OMAD plan?
If you're fat, yes.
Fat people can and should follow the one meal a day plan until they aren't fat anymore.
If you're skinny, no.
Skinny people should not eat one meal a day, they should eat 3 or 4 and gain weight.
If you're standard, yes.
For standard bodied men and women I recommend you do it once a year for 30 days.
What you will find may surprise you.
You'll learn more about yourself in 30 days of one meal a day than you will in 55 years of 3 meals a day.
And at the end you may experience what I experienced…
Bliss.
Until next time.
Your man,
-Victor Pride
PS - If you want to experience the bliss that I experienced during this 30 day challenge, I would suggest picking up the upcoming ebook entitled: MONK MODE: The Path of the Ultimate and The Key to Self-Mastery.
In the meantime, the original 30 day challenge, 30 Days of Discipline, will be $7 until the end of the year.
How many lbs of meat on average were you eating in each of these meals?
I didn’t weigh my food. I ate until I was full.
That Thanksgiving feast looks delicious.
Great, but no Turkey. Would have had to throw that in.
Eggs with just yolks (or a white or two) is no joke. I’ts literally like a whole other taste sensation. Will never go back to standard scrambled eggs.
I’ve got to try this. Any quick recipe?
No pics of your body progress?
Cool journal.
Were you drinking coffee/caffeine of any kind during this test?
Ice black tea in the morning. Only a sporadic coffee (espresso) here and there. Nothing else.
Did same thing off and on this past summer and noticed nearly every time how much better I felt BEFORE I ate the meal during the day and felt worse after (though I didn’t always eat great during the one meal either). Was never a big believer in this before I started but became totally convinced early on during this process. Did it more to see how I felt mentally and ended up learning a lot.
When I was going thru it I started thinking about how much we eat and it’s sort of pathetic when you think about. I laugh when I hear people say they need to eat every few hours, 95% of people don’t. Anyways slowly went back to my old crap ways of eating whenever I wanted cause I’m weak . I did keep really good notes though when I was doing this just on how I felt mentally and almost every day I said the same thing, feel great, light, motivated, happy. Highly recommend!!!
You ever eat Foie gras victor?
Day 5 no fab fuck this shit is Hard
No.
Knowing you don’t recommend this to skinny guys lifts an unwanted weight of my shoulders.
I hate eating. That’s why I am involuntarily on the OMAD diet.
But I would love to gain some weight. So I guess I will stick to intermittent fasting and carbs only for dinner, until I gain weight.
Dude, you are skinny, and doing weightlifting?
Forget the fuck about any kind of fasting at all, man. Focus on gaining weight first. In case you didn’t notice, weight lifting burns incredible amount of calories (if you are doing it right). You need to eat. A LOT! I gain and lose weight very easily, but I still had to break the fasting in order to bulk up. You are skinny to begin with, fasting is inappropriate for you. Just don’t think about it.
Eat. Lift. Repeat.
Go get it, brother!
“day I great energy” -> …day I *had* great energy…
Very interesting post, Victor. Reading your experience and insights in details (though they seem somewhat trimmed) was great. Something to compare to.
Speaking of comparison, I don’t believe I ever felt strong issues such as brain fog eating carbs. Due to culture, I’ve eaten carbs all my life and I’m not familiar with how brain fog feels. Perhaps I’m used to it. Following a carnivore diet will help me realize if that’s the case and I’ll be able to compare to your own experience better.
Either way, nice job. The grounded conclusion at the end was quite welcome.
Your body is used to the carbs.
Try not eating carbs for a week and than reintroduce them.
I guarantee you will experience brain fog.
That’s what I was thinking as well. I’m likely getting impacted by something that I can’t even feel yet. I’ll post any changes here at B&D when I take the full leap.
What’s your take on drinking milk (fat free or regular) while bodybuilding?
I started drinking fat free milk instead of snacking and I find it a great solution due to its high protein content, this is especially true if I spend two hours at the gym.
Don’t waste your time with fat free milk, fat digests the protein better.
I looked it up and damn, 1 pound of bacon is almost a days worth of calories by itself.
2,438 calories
187 grams fat
170 grams protein
low on vitamins though
No wonder you felt fullest on this day.
I rarely post comments on any forum.
Must give respect where respect is due. Therefor I post this.
Last pod cast you did a person asked if you would develop a private forum or mastermind.
I would join that and stand behind that.
As well love to see topics for middle age Men.
Much Respect
P.
I love the idea of incorporating OMAD as a yearly tradition. We westerners live a life too comfortable.
There needs to be a reminder that wanting to eat is not the same as true hunger.
That you won’t die because you feel discomfort.
This is a normal feeling for a lot of the world.
And that you can still get things done even when you’re hungry.
The Muslims are onto something with Ramadan.
Just because we don’t believe in their religion doesn’t mean we can’t incorporate traditions we find useful.
High-value comment.
As a Muslim I can say first hand Ramadan leaves you on another level of bliss.
If it weren’t for the weight loss I’d fast much more often. Our Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him) used to fast twice a week and three days consecutively during the middle of each lunar month.
Did you follow a routine for when you ate relative to when you worked out?
I always worked out before I ate, not after.
True work out before you eat
And why should skinny people eat 3 times a day?
You should eat one meal a day for the rest of your life. I just don’t see the point of so much protein. If you want tot reach prolonged ketosis, about 1,2 gr per kilo bodyweight is sufficient.
You should also fast 72-96 hrs every one to two months. It induces autofagie, a process in which the body eats it own cell parts I doesn’t need for energy. It literally makes your body younger, more energy efficiënt and actually promotes muscle growth without exercising.
Only downside to IF and OMAD was little to no labido, which was concerning so I stopped. Went back to 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) no snacking between meals.
Good post Víctor, I might give this a try soon. I did 1 meal a day for about 14 weeks before, but I was eating carbs, that is probably why I didn’t see results.
I preferred cooking my steaks on the grill until I discovered the sous vide method. Perfect steak every time!
It does take at least an hour, but with a little planning, you can set everything up early afternoon and by 5 all you’ll need to do is sear the steak. It’s magical!
You should write a religious book.
Monk Mode.
Love hearing about your mistakes and admission of weakness. It’s a good reminder that we all deal with that shit. I too had vivid dreams on the diet. I believe cycling diets is important, since my ancestors didn’t have certain foods depending on the time of year, and will be doing carnivor at the end of the winter.
You wrote the article to help people with diet, but the lesson I learned was that you have worse cravings than me and yet you still succeed. Somehow I thought that my life was “more difficult” than yours because I have so much trouble dealing with distractions, wifi addiction, and low willpower. I didn’t realize you failed so much and continued pushing forward. Guess that’s the only thing that matters. That you keep pushing forward.
Thank you.
Have been reading your blog regularly for several years now (maybe even 5). Listened to podcast for the first time this morning and then this appeared in email today.
Really good stuff everywhere…BOLD and DETERMINED. I want to be like you when I grow up (except I’m already way older than you and a chick). I would have to search the depths of my soul for determination like that. I am actually pretty disciplined but diet has always been the thing I struggle with the most.
Yes, I would be interested in a more private forum as well.
Many thanks
The raw lamb is great, mixed with raw mutton and butter(salt and pepper) in the morning.
Grilled beef and pork mixed with spices in the evening worked for me. Why can’t we promote lamb?
Why men are so weak, sometimes women overtakes us but why??
Dear victor,
Thanks for sharing your experiencea with us. Ypu mentioned Ramadan and i have some thoughts on this “fasting ” that musloms do. Here is a little known fact about Ramadan in middle east. During this month of “fasting” sales of food sky rockets and more food is bought and consumed than any other time of the year. Its supposed to be cleansing and help muslims understand the plight of the poor by abstaining from food. What really happens is absolute GLUTONY. They will wake up before sunrise and gorge themselves almost into a carb stupor then try and get through the day without food until the sun goes down and the foodnorgy starts allmover again.
Ive seen ot first having worked with muslims and during the time they are not eating theybare finding any bliss.
They sit around lifeless, tired and listless.
Im not trying to put them down or cast dispersions upon their character but rather shed some light on wjat actually goes on. Christains will do prayer and fasting together ro out them more in touch with GOD and seek guidance and strength and MANNA from GOD.
In my opinion what you did was awesome and very spiritual and brought tou better understanding of life and yourself whichbis the purpose of a FAST.
Thank you for your time. Tim
Vic, very important to clarify one thing before we start on this type of diet, especially for a month:
Have you EVER gotten sick eating raw beef or raw eggs?
I am very concerned about only this because I have heard horror stories about campylobacter in milk/beef and salmonella in eggs.
Are these things not present in pastured eggs and pastured animals?
I am very nervous about ever eating a supermarket egg raw.
I have found a milk, egg, and raspberry + raw honey shake to be quite delicious and filling.
Thanks
Karl
No.
Sv3rige just had a horrible vomiting episode from raw milk.
Is there any way to prevent these things when consuming raw foods? Perhaps strengthening our immune system?
Salmonella poisoning is overblown but those who are actually affected by it suffer horribly (remember the Osho bioterror attack? Was done with salmonella).
Then don’t eat raw foods.
What I mean to ask, is how you are able to consistently consume raw foods, which are optimal for health, without getting sick. Others, like sv3rige and aajonus, get sick at times, sometimes badly, but continue for the benefits.
Wondering why you are robust in this regard; don’t know if your immune system or digestion or something else is far better than average, saving you these issues.
My younger cousin has been following zero carb carnivore for 2 months, however his A1C sugar level is elevated slightly. Is this normal?
I’ve been doing raw eggs and raw milk for a decade and I’ve never gotten sick. I did, however, get stomach sick for a few days from eating poor quality raw beef. Emphasis on poor quality. Ease into it if you’re new, but the reality is that you are more likely to get salmonella from vegetables than raw eggs.
“I have found a milk, egg, and raspberry + raw honey shake to be quite delicious and filling.”
Sounds great … how much of each?
I personally have never gotten sick when not eating carbs. My belief is that if your stomach is all acid (which on this diet it will be) then parasites can’t exist and will die. However, when you combine carbs alkaline is produced in the gut (to digest the carbs) mixing with the acid and causes a fermented gut……this will lead to gas, bloat and indigestion along with a festering ground for parasites as they survive well in alkaline but not acid.
This is one of the best and definitely the most honest article of yours and I love it. I think you should use this style of writing more where you put together your standard killer writing(like here in the conclusion) also combined with more free but very practical “journaling” or what is going on in the moment. This way people can learn I lot more I believe. You definitely stepped out of the box with this one!
I was doing OMAD for some time and had the same problems where either I didn’t get enough calories in or the meal had to be so big that my stomach hurt and digestion got worse. I was eating foods like salmon, steaks, eggs, dairy. I think the solution is to eat extremly fatty foods(no lean pork tenderloin or lean beef for example) because then you need to eat too much to get the calories in. Whereas if I eat eggs and bacon or fatty steaks with butter I feel very satisfied for 24h without a problem. The thing I do now is pretty much the same with an added small meal in the morning consisting of either coffee or black/grey tea mixed with butter or coconut oil, sometimes I also eat on top of it raw cottage chesse or other raw dairy, it calms me down and gives me energy until 6pm when I eat my meal. Also eating this way is cheap at least in my country nobody wants to eat liver and heart so those things are dirt cheap, also quality steaks that are full of fat are 50% cheaper than normal. And of course if you don’t overeat like everyone you can get by pretty well for cheap. I also think you can gain weight on this diet, you just need to add in another meal at lunch or some other snacks consisting mostly of fat, for example avocados, peanut butter and eggs and you add extra ghee on your food etc. and you are good to go. Where there is will there is a way.
Good stuff. I need to get back on my routine. The holiday season has thrown my whole regimen out of whack.
Was on a nearly complete carnivore diet for a few weeks until Thanksgiving hit and derailed my progress. Was eating a ton of eggs, salmon, sardines, chicken, pork, and beef as well as liver once a week and a little butter and plain yogurt.
I say mostly carnivore as I added a small amount of veggies to my meals like a handful of green onions or half a cup of broccoli to whatever I was cooking. Felt great and I could see the pounds melting away. Need to start that up again and might even do what you did and eat just one meal a day. Keep it up, Vic!
Felt like I was reading a manosphere edition of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’.
Nice article Vic, will we get a photo of your weight loss?
I really enjoyed this post, Victor. However, I would have enjoyed it even more if you had added a few details on amounts. For example, when you had one fatty ribeye steak, how much did it weigh? Could you get by on a 14 oz. steak, or were you eating bigger than this? The “one pound of bacon” lasting a full day makes sense - it is even fattier than ribeye.
Never mind - just saw you answered this in the comments earlier.
Can relate with seeing all those billboards on road trips. It’s insane!
If it isn’t fast food, its pills. Over 9000 varieties of headache medicine cold remedies out there. Holy. Shit.
I too go on road trips in complete silence. It’s amazing. BEST way to empty your thoughts.
I’ve been meaning to do OMAD. Just bang out the one meal after working out, then drink nothing but water after. Might have a day like Vic’s 14th day somewhere in there.
Interesting about the pins and needles in hands while sleeping… I have had this for years but never really took much notice to it as it would pass soon after I woke up… The last couples of months have pretty much cut my carb intake by 75% after reading advice from your site, and guess what?
Come to think of it i haven’t had pins and needles since drastically removing carbohydrates…
Didn’t realise this till reading your article.
Very interesting to look into..!!
Very detailed and informative! Lol @ Novembadan
Thanks Victor for great 30 day update.
How was your libido during these days. Especially, how was your libido on mixed carb + fat diet as compared to pure carnivore diet?
How about your afternoon energy?
thank you.
Petain
Libido was always the same, I only ate carbs a few times. Afternoon energy was always good.
Welcome to a new life VIC!
I have been fasting 23 hrs per day and eating in 1 hour window. I have done this for over 6 months and will continue to do so.
When I eat, I use the entire hour window and I eat ONLY RAW FARM food.
RAW MEAT all kinds - elk, bison, and beef.
RAW milk
RAW cheese
Sauerkraut and kimchi
RAW eggs
RAW liver
RAW chicken hearts.
Lard
RAW butter
RAW is the key. You will find that you will be COMPLETELY satiated and able to perform the 23 hr fast. The raw food is bioavailable to the body more so than cooked meat
Also I work out 4 - 5 times a week. In a complete fasted state. I have tremendous energy and have gained significant size with no fat gain. I could get on the movie screen and give DEADPOOL or WOLVErine a challenge.
Also I believe the raw liver gives me the energy and as a result I sleep 4-5 hrs.
When your ready try it! YOU WILL NEVER GO BACK.
Nice.
Thanks for detailing your experience, Victor.
I was thinking about something I haven’t had in a long, long time, lamb brains. A delicacy that’s hard to get.
I have been eating stewing chicken (that’s a mature chicken as opposed to the chicken you typically buy which is just couple of months old). The texture of mature hen/chicken is closer to game like pheasant)
Was there a reason you chose 5 pm for your one meal? I’ve found if I eat a big meal consisting of steak, eggs, and sausage in the late morning or early afternoon, it keeps me satisfied the rest of the day and I can focus on work without being hungry - as opposed to if I was working all day and waiting to eat afterward.
If fast food burgers are your only meal option, low-carb & keto is popular enough that most places have a bunless option - either doing a lettuce wrap or a burger bowl. One of my favorites is In-N-Out, which offers their burgers “protein-style”, wrapped in lettuce, but they also have a secret menu option for a “Flying Dutchman” which is just 2 patties and 2 slices of cheese. I’m also fond of the bunless options at Five Guys and Whataburger. Have you tried any of those?
Hello, Vic. I LOVED this post. You should write more articles about 30 Day Challenges. Every entry was exciting and educative.
Well currently on day 2 w/ OMAD until february.
I prefer eating at evening/night and go to sleep with a full stomache..!
Great read Victor!
I strictly advise against this practice to most of the readers of this blog. It is my estimation that half of the readers of your blog are somewhere in the late teens to the early twenties. This is the time for the body to grow, and it requires various nutrients and minerals. Agreed that fatty meats have a lot of nutrients in them but it is better for the person to derive them from different sources:
A) To provide all the essential nutrients the growing body requires;
B) To avoid monotony in taste.
Older individuals can follow the diet pattern with little to no problems.
Great content though, and a very happy new year to the B&D tribe.
100%, nobody who is still growing should ever fast.
The greatest thing about this article is the honesty. Vic was upfront about all of his “fails” and decisions to deviate from the plan. This enabled Vic to provide real insight into the realities and challenges of discipline and spiritual practice. The honesty in this piece renews my conviction in the value of B&D and the reliability of Victor as a writer and guide.
Long Time B&D Reader
Each of us must eat the foods that suit us best. If something does not agree with me I stop consuming it. However I notice that friends might eat the same thing without any adverse effects….at least they dont complain or comment on the way they feel after a particular meal. That said, I am in the final throes of my black belt for Wing Chun King Fu under one of the old style Chinese masters. He has advised his senior students to eat only fruits and vegetables. According to him any flesh products restrict the chi, speed and power, body recovery and healing from injuries. I read an article that in the Japanese Russian war the Japanese soldiers healed much faster from battle wounds because their diet was mainly rice and vegetables. The Russians healed slowly because their diet was meat and vodka. Surprisingly this Sifu, when doing Chi Sau sensitivity training with senior students can sense if they have slunk around the corner and had a flesh dish. Dont ask me how ! I am not so sure I would like to eat so much meat but to each the diet that he feels suits him best.
“senior students can sense if they have slunk around the corner and had a flesh dish. Dont ask me how !’
When they return they look vibrant instead of ill.
No progress pics?
Yo Vic if I were to fast for a couple of days in the middle of a red growth cycle could I still take it ?
In theory you could but I’d probably just skip it for a few days and finish the fast.
Vegan here. 80% of my calories are from carbs. Certainly not hungry every three hours. Certainly don’t eat and eat until I’m about to explode.
I find lemon juice in water, and pineapple to be really good at stopping heartburn before it goes mental, not much good if its already in full force.
I’m Really gonna have to Try this! I’m sitting at 225lbs doing the carnivore Diet, und usually eating 5-6lbs of Top Round a Day…with that being said, I was wondering if you’d modify your approach in anyway.
7 llbs in 30 days of one meal a day is very little.
“I also started blessing my food before I eat”
That’s curious. Care to elaborate?
I did something similar in 1993. During the summer phase of the U.S. Army Ranger course aka Ranger School. You are authorized only one meal a day along with your average of 4 hours sleep a day. Winter phase got 2 meals a day.
I never dreamed of food more than I did during that time. And yes it will make you very lean at 1 meal a day. 1 meal a day also makes you very appreciative of just how fortunate you are to have food in front of you.
A quick breakdown of that one meal MRE Meal Ready to Eat:
1,250 calories
Each MRE provides an average of 1,250 calories (13% protein, 36% fat, and 51% carbohydrates) and 1/3 of the Military Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamins and minerals. A full day’s worth of meals would consist of three MREs
This was an interesting and good read.
You should make the differentiation between carbs and complex carbs. I eat one meal a day and break with fruit (carbs) only, without cravings or residual hunger. Additionally, people also eat to numb rising emotions which have been continually stuffed down with stimulating foods throughout each day. Lastly I am 5’5” weighing in at 117lbs which would be considered ‘skinny’ and I feel no need to eat solely to gain weight. As your weight plateaued, so will anyone else’s as they continue. Fasting is not only spiritual, but healing, and as more healing takes place more balance in the body is reached. I really enjoyed reading about your moments of awareness during this challenge. Thanks for sharing!
You go to bed at 7:30? 9 1/2 hours of “normal” sleep? That gives you 2 1/2 hours of free time.
I loved reading this! Learnt a lot. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience. It’s the mind discipline that interests me the most. As a Muslim I have been fasting since childhood and have always loved it.