Ever Heard of Ketovore?
Ketovore is a combination of the Ketogenic and Carnivore Diets and is sometimes referred to as simply "meat-heavy Keto."
The Keto Diet is a low carb way of eating that emphasizes meat, low carb vegetables, as well as dairy and fat; with a macronutrient breakdown of 5% Carbs, 25% protein, and 50% fat.
The Carnivore Diet is simply meat, seafood, eggs, and fat, with no veggies and very little dairy. It is also known as the zero carb diet, and the macronutrient goal is 50/50 protein and fats with less than 10g of Net Carbs per day.
One thing that both of these diets have in common is that both promote long term eating changes for overall health, as opposed to short term changes to achieve a weight loss goal.
No Short Term Diet
When people talk about their diet now days, they tend to refer to a limited time period where you diet your way to some magical goal and then resume normal eating and the benefits stay. The human body doesn't work like that, which is the reason most fad diets fail.
The term diet, as used in this blog, is the actual dictionary definition of "the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats." This is often also referred to as WOE, or Way of Eating. However it is referred to, Keto, Carnivore, and Ketovore diets are for the long term: what one habitually eats.
Other things keto and carnivore have in common include:
- no gluten
- no sugars
- reducing carbs to a minimum
- eating good fats
- eating protein
Keto and Carnivore have can easily go hand in hand when focusing on proteins and fats, with the occasional low carb vegetables, sugar free / keto desserts, almond milk, low carb nuts/seeds, baked goods with almond or coconut flour, etc.
Ketovore Diet Plan
To get the best benefits of the Ketovore Diet, start by following the Carnivore Diet (recommended to begin with just meat and fish) and track everything you eat in whatever tracker you feel most comfortable with. Then begin adding low carb foods in, as desired: cheese, eggs, spinach, zucchini, sugar free desserts, etc. Weigh yourself and take stock of how you feel daily. If you have a negative reaction to any food, such as bloating, inflammation, breakout, etc, then cut that food back out of your diet.
Fussy vs Fit Ketovore:
Following the Ketovore Diet is different for everyone, because everyone's bodies are different and react to different foods. For me, the Ketovore Diet looks something like this:
Macro Breakdown
- Net Carbs: 2-5% (Less than 20g)
- Fats: 65% (92g)
- Proteins: 30% (94g)
The carbs are typically from herbs, sauces, processed meats/cheeses, almond milk, black olives, sugar free desserts, zucchini or shirataki/konjac noodles, and popcorn. Nearly everything I eat are proteins and cheeses, because those are the foods I'm naturally inclined towards anyway. But I do have some recipes and cravings that result in my following the Ketovore Diet more than simple Carnivore.
Ketovore Diet Tips
Eat more fat - especially animal fats:
Fat is high in calories. But one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to not eat enough, even when on a weight loss journey. Fat is your friend; it is healthy, adds flavor to your food, increases satiety, and it will help keep your hormones in check.
You can eat Ketovore relatively inexpensively:
The Ketovore Diet doesn't need to be steaks and salmon every day. Less expensive meats, like hamburger, pork chops, eggs, and canned tuna are great options for this way of eating.
You are NOT alone:
The Ketovore Diet does not follow the current eating trends of society. At times, it can feel isolating when you are the only person in a group eating this way. Especially when so many well-meaning friends are pushing old and redundant narratives on you (i.e. the food pyramid or concerns about red meat and heart disease). Don't forget, you are not alone. There are a lot of groups on Facebook, influencers on Instagram, and YouTube Channels dedicated to this way of eating. When you feel alone, or when you have questions, go online and find those of us who are on the same journey! We are here for you!
Thomas DeLauer
One of my absolute favorite Ketogenic Diet promoters is a man named Thomas DeLauer on YouTube. The reason he's a personal favorite is that he gives an INSANE amount of knowledge behind why Keto works, why some foods cause inflammation, etc. He posts several times a week, and while he is primarily Keto, he also has posts on paleo and Carnivore diets. Some of my favorite posts of his are his shopping videos. He tells you exactly what foods are and aren't good for you and how to follow a Keto (and Ketovore Diet) way of eating inexpensively.
